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Author Post westerngent44 Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/11/2009 11:55:35 AM   Hi to everyone on the forum.i've been reading this forum for about a year now on and off.i have really enjoyed hearing about all your adventures so much i have decided to travel to kiev and meet a lady who i've been writing to for about a month or so.i met this lady on a russian dating site,she lives in a village outside of kiev.her best friend is an interpreter,and seems very nice to chat to on the phone.the lady i'm meeting can only speak basic english,and i can only speak basic russian so if nothing else it will be fun.i'm not sure if her interpreter friend works for an agency,she sent me some beautiful photos of her friends,ages from 25-45 all very beautiful ladies, and all single.i'm 50 so i was only looking to meet a lady 40+,although i have never seen them on webcam so far they sound very nice.i have booked an apartment overlooking independance square through kiev connections.i will be in kiev from the 15th of january until the 22nd if anyone from the forum is in the city and wants to meet for a beer.its my first visit to the ukraine,so any advice is very much appreciated. Harvey Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/11/2009 5:47:44 PM   dress warm, don't pick up lost wallets, and do not trust your friends interpretor. do get a phone sim card and make sure you have a couple numbers stored to get hold of an english speaking person who is there... Armin(Bonddd) Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/11/2009 5:57:57 PM   "don't pick up lost wallets" what's wrong with lost wallets? ragingbull Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/11/2009 6:05:22 PM   Chances are, your lady will pick you up from the airport. If that doesn't happen, Boryspil Hotel is walking distance from the airport. A single there costs $65 USD. Do not try to book them through the phone or internet. They will add $20 or more booking fee. I've stayed there three times. They always have vacancies. They have a shuttle. There is another thread hear with cheaper accomodations with a shuttle. I don't know exactly where. Try to see the ballet if it is around. They say that Russian Ballet is the best in the world. It was great and cheap. Also, it's fun to get dressed up with your lady and go see the show. The church and the catacombs dating back hundreds or even thousands of years were interesting. Memorize the letters that correspond to the numbers on ATM machines, or write them down. Only the letters are there on ATMs there. ragingbull Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/11/2009 6:11:27 PM   Sorry. Only the numbers are on the ATMs there. Harvey Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/11/2009 6:43:46 PM   "Bond, armin bond" The dropped wallet scam -- ???? --- surely you would not deny that it is a big scam in Kiev. A foreign visitor discovers a "dropped" wallet and picks it up. Or maybe even witnesses some one "losing" their wallet and picks it up to give it to them in the fashion of a 'good citizen'. And they get scammed by the the person "dropping" the wallet and also the local police who are a part of the scam. You mean to tell me you do not know of this????????? Come on. You come on here and give advice and contact information and claim to be in the interest of the visiting man. And you reply to my post with that? You are truly found out now. Puuuuulease! I often doubted you but never said anything. Now I know. ragingbull Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/11/2009 7:13:31 PM   Hey Ralph, he's writing a book on how to successfully marry an FSU woman. The catch is you have to know what the woman is thinking. Sorry, Mr. Bondd. That is what the information I remember. I'm sure there is much more to it than that. Honestly, I didn't believe your figures on the female to male ratios on FSU women under 30, but you were kind enough to give them. I hope you take that as constructive criticism. ragingbull Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/11/2009 7:22:10 PM   Sorry.. on the subject. The scammer will accuse you of taking the money from the wallet. Harvey Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/11/2009 8:41:59 PM   BTW-- I have experienced it first hand so I know what I am talking about. No, I did not experience the foils of the scam, but I experienced dropped wallets, money clips etc.... I was warned of it and thought it silly. But first hand I with my own eyes saw it! I was tempted a couple times to pick up the money clip and run --- or a plastic 'baggy' with cash and such placed just at the right place. In less than two weeks I saw this scam attempted on me at least six times.!!!! But of course it was the summer tourist season. I will say this. I got goofy drunk one night at O'Brien's pub. I left without a leather coat that had cell phone in pocket. Next day I couldn't find cell phone. Went to O'Brien's and inquired. I was asked to describe phone. Hell it is a cell phone! They asked if it could possibly be in the pocket of a black leather coat. ding-ding-ding! So at least I know there are decent people there. But the wallet scam is an old one -- and is also a common one. Mini Cooper Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/12/2009 12:08:29 AM   Westerngent44, Have some backup contacts in case things don't go as planned. Be prepared to get hassled at the airport by the cab drivers... they want your business and their rates are negotiable . Use the ATM machines in the city at the banks to get a decent exchange rate. Notify your credit card company that you are traveling to Ukraine or your credit card will not work there. For a classy dinner, cool drinks and "great" mood music go to the Budda-Bar nightclub. For a loud all night and very, very fun disco go to the Avalon club. If you strike out and get lonely the very best (I mean knock down beautiful) of the local amature (part time) whores are at the Riverboat (right on the river). Internet cafes are all over and exceedingly cheap to use, no need to take a laptop. This time of the year you will miss all the "strutting" ladies on krashatic (spelling) street... it is a wonder to observe them!!! Let your lady negotiate all cab fares and you will save 50%. Loose the interpreter after the first date... get yourself an electronic interpreter or an English to Russian dictionary and get to know her one-on-one. This is how I did it with both my Russian ex-wife and my current Ukrainian fiancée ... if they like you they will not want an interpreter around. There are a number of good cafes where the locals go for lunch and dinner. Seek them out, they are very reasonable in price and the food is good quality. Take your own dry roasted peanuts or pretzels because you will not find them there. Take a roll of toilet paper because theirs is like tree bark. Do go to the opera house and experience the wonder and beauty there... simply amazing! Don't take a lot of presents on the first trip... this is a meet-and-greet trip not a gift giving spree. If you ride the subway put your wallet and passport in your front pants pockets. Make copies of your plane tickets and keep them separate from your actual tickets. Research on the internet the area you are going to visit, I find it interesting to know the history and background of the people I visit. This will make good conversation topics for you to discuss with her. Don’t try to get sex from her on this first date… she will let you know when she is ready. durak Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/12/2009 5:15:20 AM   gent, Already you have gotten buckets of advice! People are fundamentally the same around the world. Circumstances, cultures, behavior codes and expectations can change a lot from one place to another. There is a real difference between the USA (and other Western countries) on the one hand, and (say) Ukraine on the other hand. Some folks do terrible things in every country. But there are some types of nastiness that seem to be more frequent, less shocking, and more tolerated Over There than Here At Home. Don't get me wrong: you will find very many decent and good-hearted people there. It's just that the balance is different. Life is significantly harder there than in the West, and folks have adapted to that. So a Westerner (in the big sense of the West) who goes to Ukraine expecting to "play by the home rules" can be painfully surprised. I don't advise cynicism, or developing a suspicious attitude. Assume that the women you meet are OK, don't try to interrogate or test them. But if something feels 'off' (for example, too many requests to spend your money), you can be a good friend to yourself by stepping back, taking a deep breath, and considering what is going on. If you're as silly as I am (not likely, but it happens sometimes) your first visit will be overwhelming: jet lag, the novelty and interest of the city and your experiences, the charm and beauty of the women. Not the easiest conditions for clear thinking. I find it helpful to adopt the attitude, "this is a learning experience: as long as I keep reasonably safe, it is a good journey." So don't worry too much, try to keep commonsense within reach, and HAVE FUN. Probably, you'll have some really stressful moments mixed with some really excellent moments, that you will remember for many years to come. P.S. Ralph, they tried the dropped-money trap on you 6 times? I've spent about 140 days Over There, and never experienced it once. To the locals, you must have looked like Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick, wearing a billboard saying "tourist from USA" - oh duh, your avatar says it all! I guess my attempts to blend in worked at least a little. P.P.S. The last time I arrived in Kyiv, it was already dark by the time I was hoofing it to my apartment (I'm too damn cheap to use a cab), and when I stopped by a rather dim sidewalk lamp to study my pocket map, a man who looked younger than I started lecturing me (in Russian) about how bad it is for my eyes to read without good light. Dog tired as I was, I walked away with a wry grin, and thought "I'm back in Kyiv." Really, most people there are pretty decent. Harvey Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/12/2009 7:36:43 AM   I suppose it wasn't very difficult to be 'spotted' when every day you leave the same place with a different girl, walk the same street etc. Maybe I exaggerated. Okay four times. But there was this one alley that there was almost always a money clip in a bag just set up perfectly. And I am sure I was not the only target. There were dozens of us Yanks walking around. At least for the gent it will not be the high season as far as Americans wondering around the place. I think anyway. gent - hope you read mini-cooper's post and take heed to it. Since you are renting from KC they will probably help you with directions to find places etc. They also have decent information on their site. Brett is a good guy, but he is a business man first and foremost. Centaur Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/12/2009 8:55:56 AM   Just good luck and have fun111 GeminiDreams Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/12/2009 8:59:59 AM   I seen the money drop at least 10 times. Last 2 I decided to play soccer with it which surprised them a bit. Ive never picked one up but they have variations where another guys picks it up and you get accused of taking it. Of course in the Ukraine this would be considered normal and expected. They consider everyone else a thief. I found a loud F**k off to quickly deflate their advances. Harvey Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/12/2009 9:40:56 AM   durak, just to clarify -- you spent 140 days in Kiev? and actually as geminiD has said, it happens all the time in Kiev in the area where this man is staying. I actually was not exaggerating. Hell I had beggers coming up while I was dining at outside cafes. And my date would tell me to ignore them. Same beggers I saw many times near the 'square'. Even while at a nice place they would attempt it. They are in the subways - and "underground" - and as GD says, sometimes you just have to man up and stand your ground. Other times, because I have given a few dollars to the destitute in Philly you may use descretion and throw a few dollars at some rag-tag lady dragging a four year old around. But do not let your guard down at any time!!!!!!!!! People who wander away from the safe areas have been known to get rolled by local thugs. It hapens. But as long as you watch your back and know where you are it should not be a real threat. Just like Philly or NYC. Hell I remember when living in long beach that I would give half my lunch to some homeless and a couple bucks for a quart. Remember -- the economy is not so great there. Many live day to day. So there are many scams and attempts to get over on a visitor. It is the way it is. It is not just the ladies or date sites doing it. But as durak points out, there are very many good people there. Harvey Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/12/2009 9:45:36 AM   another suggetion to the travelling gent --- open a small savings account that you can use an ATM card to access. make sure the bank knows that you will be using it, and keep a reasonable amount of money in so that if your card gets pirated -IT HAPPENS - you only can lose what you have in this account. and make sure it is only attached to one account. devilmaycare Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/12/2009 11:33:55 AM   Come on, you were wearing "sneakers" werent you ? :-). beemer18 Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/12/2009 12:09:05 PM   @durak Spent 140 days without a money drop scheme? Maybe you are lucky? But I have heard the same or similar scheme for 3 years now. I read it here before I first went so I knew what was happening though it doesn't hit you right away. AS GD says I didn't touch anything.......It happened so fast....a guy ran by me, dropped something and another fella stopped next to me as we tried to yell to guy he dropped something, that is when I knew what was happening. Very shortly a 'police guy' just happens to walk by, asks me not to leave while the man standing next to me shows his money to 'police guy' who thens asks to see my money, I laugh walk anyway and tell them I will meet them at police station( in very poor russian) maybe a finger would have been better. Also you got to be careful if a girl stops you and starts talking to you. It is possible she can be a 'hooker'(real or not) and a 'police guy'(real or not)just happens to stroll by. What a mess to be caught in..... Harvey Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/12/2009 12:27:08 PM   dc - never wore sneaks -- i actually listened to what was said way back in april... but I will be damned if I will ever wear those pointy black shoes... durak Member send PM   block PM add to buddies Send: 12/12/2009 1:32:17 PM   For the record, I've spent more time in Russia (St. Pete and Moscow) than Ukraine, roughly 50 days in Kyiv. But various travel websites warn about the cash-drop scam in all of these cities. This year, a man who was walking a couple of meters in front me dropped a 5000 ruble note - I actually heard the little sound of the paper hitting the sidewalk before I realized what had happened. I hesitated a second or two because of the warnings I had read, but then thought "oh fuck it," picked up the money and chased after him. He was surprised that he had lost it, and thanked me profusely (its about $150, a month's rent for some Russians). The historic center of St. Peterburg is my favorite place on Earth, but literally in the first few seconds I ever spent there (had just emerged from subway for my first time), a gypsy woman (dressed in hollywood-style gypsy garb) went straight for my wallet, and no doubt would have gotten it, except that I was in tow of a Russian who was kindly acting as my guide. When he got in between us (and literally put his hand over my back pocket where I unwisely had the wallet), she actually pounded on him with her fists! She felt cheated out of a good haul. Three years later, a few meters from that very spot, a really professional team of criminals got my wallet (I am sure that at least 3 people were involved, and probably more than that). It took me perhaps 3 or 4 seconds to realize what had happened, and by then it was too late... Since then I am more careful :) And I was "shaken down" once by a Kyiv cop for $20. Because I had read so much about this on the web, I expected this sooner (and more often) than has actually happened. I do try to blend in to the crowd, and some folks there have told me I could pass for a local ... if I didn't smile, which gives me away as a 'murrican. Your Reply: Your name:   New Registration Password:   Forgot password?   refresh Code:   Russian brides > Main Forum > all ready to go !
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