it seems that many of you are at least half-aware of scammers and fake brides on dating sites and in agencies. And yet, all or most of you are still convinced that it won't happen with you!
It makes me really sad to see that so many men who are genuinely trying to find happiness end up spending lots of money and energy on nothing! Maybe it is an ego boost for you to be receiving 100 messages a day telling you how awesome you are - but doesn't finding somebody on Facebook or vk.com (a most popular social network in FSU) sound more real to you? Sure, you will have to look around, but your chances of finding a real person are much better that way!
If I can help you in any way, I would be happy to give you a piece of advise. Also, if you need an interpretor/coach while you're in St Petersburg I might be able to dedicate an hour or two of my time to your cause.
Change your microsoft grammer check to English UK. Advise is not the corrct use of the word in this context. The US version always changes advice to advise.
If you need an interpretor/coach while you're on the internet I might be able to dedicate a minute or two of my time to correct you English, which is otherwise (suspiciously) close perfect.
I'd like to suggest you read the forum a little more before giving advice, or especially casting aspersions. If you do, you'll find that many of the points you've raised have been discussed ad nauseum on many occasions - speaking as one with plenty of FSU friends on both facebook and vk (and certainly not the only one here)
Lisa my dear, every time you walk into a shop, chemist, clothes shop what ever,, you are getting scammed to a rather large degree.
sorry to tell you but many many times you pay to much for your products, and specially in petersburg.
i do feel for you but if you live in the must have world its life but i wouldn't criticize you for it, you go for it..
for i don't think you are that stupid actually, even with jumping to little conclusions as you did or buying madly.
but really the comparison is the same, your life and ours,, only fools get burnt and idiots have it done again and again.
so i assure you the searching skills of many guys on here would be far superior then your shopping skills:)
maybe we could help you,,,,,, measurements?:)
and i haven't spent to much, it wasn't wasted, for i have seen much of Russia, west to far east, also most of Ukraine (what an honour), with the help of really nice girls, trips of a life time, all from doing as you suggest, so have many of the others here...
Oh my! :(
All I was trying to do was to provide some insider information on match-making sites that empty your guys' pockets without giving you the real opportunity to meet a woman you're looking for... I guess I was a bit too emotional.
To clarify things, after coming back from the US where I'd spent 7 years I needed pocket money and very flexible schedule so that I could get used to living back home, so I went to work for a marriage agency that told me i'd be helping foreign men and Russian ladies communicate, and assisting them in getting to know each other better. But first I had to "learn how to communicate with foreigners" and get a few pay pals. I soon found out that my duties included nothing more than generating as many emails as I could to as many men as possible (plus chats, gifts etc.) - my paycheck depended on the volume of such interaction. I quit and before doing so made sure everybody on my agency contact list knew what they were into. And that's why I decided to join this community - I have no other interests.
to dunny41 - sorry, not having sex for money. You shouldn't have to travel far to get what you want, wherever you live.
to Kirkland - turn your grammAr check ON. :)
to Muzzy - I haven't read every single thread of this forum - is it mandatory??? I'm glad you are immune to the lures of FSU dating sites! And this message is NOT an advertisement - I am the top manager at a very successful translation agency and am not in dire need of extra cash - my offer is the extension of my cause here. The marriage agency I was at used their own "interpretors" that were part of the game. I could provide an independent opinion, and possibly a tea-table company if you feel completely lost and forsaken in St.P. Nothing more.
Gosh, some people just can't accept the thought of a Russian woman not trying to rip them off, can they?
Lisa,
Don't be discouraged by the insensitive people who want to put you down.
"No good deed goes unpunished!"
I can understand why some of these men cannot find a suitable lady in a place (FSU) where I met so many lovely women who genuinely want to have a family and be in love. It appears to me that these men are afraid of women, because every time a woman shows up around these forums, they just try to scare the woman away, even using insults, if everything else fails.
yes I agree with you FSULover- criticising a foreign person about their grammer is a bit much especially when the critic can barely master the english language himself. there are certain aggresive individuals that offer nothing constructive to this forum except an endless line of negativty.
Actually guys... and Muzzy too, Lisa isn't too far off with vk. I figure that posting your 'free' profile on pay sites, is fine, as long as you don't get suckered into paying for any letters. I've said before that if a girl writes to you on a pay per letter site, look for her on vkontakte and see if she still wants to communicate with you on that site. If not, then she's probably fake, paid, you guys know the rest... move to the next.
Initiating a search on sites like vkontakte aren't the best idea, since you have no clue if the girl is even looking for a foreigner. But, you can try it.
Forgive me if I came across as insulting or insensitive - genuinely didn't intend to. However, I don't like it when people make assumptions about me, as the post (and even the title) suggests. If I read that wrong, then fair enough. Even recent topics, however, talk about formulating plans, sifting through fake profiles, sites to avoid, and updates from those who have gotten married - clearly not suffering the delusional state Lisa suggests (which we all know guys get into, but that regular posters regularly denounce as foolish). I agree that good advice should always be welcome, but surely it should be informed advice?
You must admit, FSU, plenty of people come on here with advice that ends up with an advertisement for their services! If Lisa's not doing that, then fine - but if she is, it wouldn't be the first time we've seen it.
You didn't say anything wrong, Lisa is/was here to advertise, to make money, and for no other reason, if Lisa had taken a mere few moments to study this forum then she'd realise the idiots are all heading for Ukraine in which St. Petersburg is not!
And Muzzy ..... I think you're awesome ..... one down, another 99 required to fill your quota for today :)
Could you Lisa tell how to find a real person for marriage on facebook or vk.com?
For example, you can find 1,000 pretty girls whom you like there and try to befriend them and send a personalized message to every one of them. How many of them will answer? One or two?
Most of us on this forum are well past being “half aware”!!! I had only sent and received a few letters when I became half aware.
Because a member on this forum has a female name,,, doesn’t mean they are a woman!!?? I could start an alter ego on here and call myself; Bubbles McJuggs!! It doesn’t mean I am a woman!! For me to believe Lisa is truly a woman,, I would need to see her typing on the forum,, while standing on her head, naked and spread eagle!!! Then I will believe it!!!
To the people who are saying,,, that we don’t get it,,,, because we don’t leave after the first word of advice, are the ones who are not getting it!! As a child,,,, what are the things you should learn before walking out of your home for the first time?? Never talk to strangers! Don’t believe everything you read or hear!!!
Receiving 100 letters a day doesn’t tell me how much I am wanted,,, it only shows how phony the letters are!!
Many members are on this site, for the sole purpose of selling something, or to make a commission!
One member is renting apartments in Sumy!
One is selling his services in Kiev, to help us save money,,,, and thinks a 1,000USD tip is fair!!
Another is making a commission for Elena’s Models.
One is making a commission for this site.
Someone is selling a computer program called; Bat!!
They are all trying to sell us something,,, just like the agencies!!!!
Maybe the social networks don’t have as many scammers on them now,,,, but they will soon!!! If there is a dollar to be made, a scammer will find a way to take it!!
Lisa - touche and point taken. However there is no speelcheeker here as you can see.
Keep up the good work and if, as you say you are here to help, then I for one applaud your efforts.
XVVX - get a life, or seek the cause of your misery, fix it, and then get a life.
I intended gentle humour, you saw aggression.
You seem uncertain about easy stuff like this, I imagine a number other issues that might be in flux. An example might be your choice of username and the thought process it reveals.
If you attack me again be sure your intellect is adequate for the task.
I'm too old a cat to be fucked by a kitten.
FSUlover, I don't know what you understand of if it matters. Its not just FSU that Lisa becomes short for Elizabeth. I just have never seen an FSU woman use that name. Elizabeth, yes. Lisa, no. There are a few more nicknames for Elizabeth.
I have dated a few FSU (Ukrainian) women, have known a few more as their friends and family. I have looked at hundreds, perhaps thousands of pictures(sorry, Barron). I have not seen a Lisa. The porter of the Boryspil Hotel was named Sasha. But, he was a man. He was the first Sasha that I have known. I looked it up. It is short for Alexander. I have seen a Lena, but not the others.
...or Helen - who's Russian name is Elena, but who lists herself on VK as Helen. She's one of the those I've met over there who are now my friends on vkontakte. I've found that the only way to make any lasting friendships on there is if it's with someone I already know, and have met in person. The majority of my friends on there are real-life contacts, who I met travelling out there, and not dating. There are others who have just 'requested' I add them out of the blue, but I consider these no more real than someone on a dating site - just a photo and some text.
Only real meetings have real meaning.
Interestingly, FSU, one of my last dates out there was with a Lera, who's son was Sasha, and our translator (who we didn't need for long) was Lena.