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Hi everyone... Just wanted to stop by and give a quick update. Came back from Las Vegas a couple days ago after getting married last Tuesday at the Tropicana. Nice wedding but I am glad that is over with. Now onto the paperwork!

The first 3 months (actually only 2 1/2 months) have been great and I couldn't have asked for a better woman. Anyone taking this up though better realize that the woman is changing EVERYTHING for you. It's going to take lots of attention, guidance, love from you to help her through the change. We have only just begun but Svita is finally getting comfortable here but I know there is a long way to go before she feels at home, though she is getting there.

One thing that really surprised me was how much she disliked the food here. She is used to very basic type foods. At first I took her to some of my favorite restaurants that had food that she may have never tried. After doing sushi, Mexican seafood, California Cuisine, etc, I found we should start with the basics... Denny's first then we can move on... LOL! She loves Denny's so her and my step-father get along great! Now she is starting to get used to the food here and she even likes some Mexican, Japanese, Chinese etc... She also really loves barbecue ribs. She cooked Ukrainian dishes and that helped her tremendously the first month. In Las Vegas she found many thing she liked especially after hitting some of the buffets....

Not long after she got here we had a long talk about owning houses vs renting. I own my house 100% but she wondered why I wouldn't sell it so we can rent. She thinks it's to our advantage to rent so we can move when we want to. It took lots of explaining to finally get her to understand the advantages of owning. Especially now when we are rent/mortgage free. I just mentioned this as one of many things you will not see eye to eye. If there's one bit of advice I can give, that is to be patient with your woman. She'll need that patience while learning a new life.

Good luck to you all!  

... in response to First 3 months....we're married... , posted by Zoidberg on Aug 22, 2004

N/T

... in response to First 3 months....we're married... , posted by Zoidberg on Aug 22, 2004

The FIRST thing you do is prohibit her from putting grease in the garbage disposal!

... in response to Re: First 3 months....we're married... , posted by slimjimco on Aug 24, 2004

Already taught her how to use the garbage disposal. We had an hour long lesson when she first got here. lol! I had a warning because a friend of mine brought her girl here at the same time as me. After he gave her a 1 minute lesson he went to work and when he came home she had stuffed it so full that it took him a few hours to clean out the pipes.... As he said it was his fault for not explaining it more....

Great bringing that up though because we take for granted all the everyday things we have. Most of these girls have to learn so much. I have been her teacher now for the 3 months and will for a long time to come.

... in response to First 3 months....we're married... , posted by Zoidberg on Aug 22, 2004

It will take a while to get used to the food. One of the best things we did was to hit the local super-buffet soon after she arrived (I assume Denny's has one). It allowed her to ask questions about what this or that was called, and taste a little of everything. Turns out she loved sprouts, okra, and mac n cheese among others. Do that a few times and the wife will see how things are cooked, what the finished product should look like, etc.

The buffet is your friend.

The wife loves tomatoes, but she finds that the tomatoes here taste "artificial" and bland - probably due to the preservatives sprayed on for shipping, dunno. A trip to the farmer's market fixed that right up.

It also took my wife a long time to get used to how spicy food is here. You don't really think about it until someone points it out - EVERTHING here is slathered with black pepper, horseradish or mustard, and we use way too much salt. The first time Lena saw a habanero, she thought it was a little bell pepper and popped the whole thing into her mouth before anyone could stop her - I seriously though she was going to stroke out right there in Applebys.

This may be a somewhat controversial (off)topic, but I say find her some Russian-speaking friends as soon as possible. They can teach her more about the how to get along in the US in one hour than you can in a week. If you don't find her some girlfriends, be prepared for long hours at the consmetics department and feminine-hygine aisle answering questions that you would probably rather not ;)

If you guys need anything or the wife wants to talk, drop an email and we can set it up.

Congrats and GL!

... in response to food, posted by Ken W on Aug 23, 2004

Just be sure she didn't come to your specific city to be with a particular friend. They can and will teach her how to be without you (within weeks) and still obtain her greencard...ie, false abuse charges and all that. Not that most do it, but some will!

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for helping her find Russian speaking friends to help her acclamate, but if their already here waiting, stand by for heavy rolls!

I'd trade what I went through for long hours at the cosmetics department and feminine-hygine aisle any day. As a matter of fact, I STILL had to go through that :)

Still waiting...thinking she ain't long for this world.

FYI for anyone reading this, my expierience is WAY different than the guys here that have been married for a while. Night and Day basically.

... in response to Russian-speaking friends , posted by Travis on Aug 23, 2004

out there.  The last thing you need is one of them filling your wife's head with a lot of misinformation and other crap (to your detriment).  Russians teaching Russians (or Ukrainians)...BAD idea!  YOU teach your wife stuff and YOU be her best friend.

Stevo

... in response to food, posted by Ken W on Aug 23, 2004

Yesh, I know about the buffets already and started taking her to those right away so she can see what she likes. After a week in Vegas she is up to HERE in buffets... but we found she really likes medium rare prime rib! As she says she never knew she liked blood.... lol!

... in response to First 3 months....we're married... , posted by Zoidberg on Aug 22, 2004

n/t

... in response to First 3 months....we're married... , posted by Zoidberg on Aug 22, 2004

Ahhh....don't listen to Stevo.  Some of us never have beer bottles thrown at us by Ukrainian women.  LOL  Congratulations on your marraige.  If youre wife is interested in talking to a fellow Ukrainian she is welcome to call and talk to my wife.  Angelica is 34 years old and she's been here in Calif. since May of 2003.  She's from Simferopol, Crimea.  There's not a lot of Russians here in Orange County, not sure of the Russian population in SD.  Anyhow my email is markfisher10@hotmail.com if you're interested send me an email and we'll exchange info.  Best to you and Svita.

Mark

... in response to Re: First 3 months....we're married... , posted by tbirdjoy on Aug 22, 2004

When we were living in San Bernardino, we would every month or two make a trek into LA to visit the Russian bookstore.  Books, tapes, DVDs, music CD's, you name it.  Now that we are back in Iowa, the trek to Ukrainian Village in Chicago is a lot longer...

... in response to At least you have a nice Russian booksto..., posted by John K on Aug 22, 2004

Yup you're right.  We do have that very nice store in Hollywood.  Also a few blocks from that is a nice little Russian grocery that Angie loves visiting.

Mark

... in response to Re: At least you have a nice Russian boo..., posted by tbirdjoy on Aug 22, 2004

The missus loved that place too.  They had those little dried fish that my wife loves.  Can't stand them, myself.  Too many bones and too greasy for me.  :-)

... in response to Forgotten about the food store..., posted by John K on Aug 23, 2004

I go up to LA a lot and Hollywood especially. Where is this bookstore and food store?

Thanks!

... in response to WHERE IS THE FOOD AND BOOKSTORE IN HOLLY..., posted by Zoidberg on Aug 23, 2004

It's been over a year and half a continent away for me, but I'll try and find something for you.  I still have a rough idea how to get there...

... in response to I'll try and find it., posted by John K on Aug 27, 2004

I think it might be Kovcheg Bookstore at 7508 Sunset Blvd (corner of Gardner) Los Angeles, CA 90048.  Sunset Blvd sounds pretty familiar...

I remembered that Marina found it on the web at www.russianla.com, and then looked for it.  I think this is the correct entry.

... in response to First 3 months....we're married... , posted by Zoidberg on Aug 22, 2004

You are just scratchin' the surface of your wife's acclimatization problems.  Wait 'til the empty beer bottle comes flyin' out of nowhere at your noggin'!

Keep your chin up (and head for that matter).

Stevo

... in response to Congratulations!...and GOOD luck!  You a..., posted by Stevo on Aug 22, 2004

Thankfully I don't drink beer so no empty beer bottles floating around... Maybe I'll have to watch for empty juice cans or worse, full ones.... lol!