Toad, those others were talking about beforeyou go. I remeber because I became quite a heated argument between me and some others, but we got over it. I cannot remeber which tread it was in
To GLTALLTOAD:
"Sorry, Marisima...I just do not believe you!
Unless you are from a EU member country, visas for FSU young people to travel or emigrate to western european countries or even the US are not that simple to obtain."
Actually I didn't say that is easy to get a visa, but it's possible, it's not something unreal. I'm telling again: it IS possible, though it take around three weeks for them to make a decision. By the way, GLTALLTOAD, you are not Russian, you can't know what the real situation is with visas here. My brother have visited half of the world, including States, Asian and European countries, Australia, UK and lots of others, and he is 20 years old. Of course, he is a not a woman, for women it is more difficult, but it's quite possible. From your point of view, Russian young people don't travel abroad at all, but lots of them do! Maybe that's again the question of narrow-mindness, I don't know. Everything is possible if you want to do it.
I have meet a Russian girl on a tourist visa in Australia, she was traveling with her brother. On the other hand, there is a web site in Australia dedicated to the problem of young FSU women always being refused holiday visas. The Australian government comment, "these girls do not fit the criteria". I do not know what the criteria is but it does seem to be difficult although not impossible. Although I now understand that a girl can be sponsored for a holiday visa but sometimes you have to put down a $5000.00 deposit which is returned when she goes home.
marisima,
I do not claim to know everything about life in your country, but for you or any other russian person to visit the US, I do know it is not as easy as wishing to do it...more like near impossible.