You need to be a wealthy man...

[Ryan]

... in response to (*/*) = What?, posted by Ryan on Jan 12, 2003

n/t

[Horoshij]

... in response to Wealthy man is it needed?  It really dep..., posted by Ryan on Jan 12, 2003

Ryan, just so you don't mess up things.
Russia is not a member of the European Union. When the new members (the biggest of them are Poland) are accepted, the EU  will be the biggest market without customs duties in the world. Norway is not a member, but we have an agreement that gives us access to the inner market. Most people here have been thinking that we would be better off alone since our economy is so good. I regret that because for me the economical issue is not the most important aspect, but the greatness in making a union in a part of the world where it has been so much bloodshed. Im in for the idea, and it's a pleasure for me to notice that the opinion in Norway against the EU is beginning to change. Right now there are more than 50% that want to join the union.

I think it will be a long time, very long time till Russia will be a member. They are too big, and the problems are too comprehensive.

Haroshij

[Ryan]

... in response to Jujst to correct a little, posted by Horoshij on Jan 12, 2003

n/t

[MarkInTx]

... in response to Also..never talk politics with our RW gi..., posted by Ryan on Jan 12, 2003

I agree with you on this one, Ryan.

The USSR may have been the "Emipre of Evil" to us, growing up... but you will find that your lady PROBABLY does NOT have the same opinion...

[Oscar]

... in response to You need to be a wealthy man..., posted by Horoshij on Jan 11, 2003

I cannot say that one needs to necessarily be a wealthy man for this endeavor.  I have a friend who makes 35K a year and he and his RW have been married for 2.5 years and are doing just fine.  Some of these women actually do marry for love and not just for money.  ;-)

On my first two trips, I did not pay for any addresses as meeting as many women as I wanted to was included in the cost of the trip.
The third trip, I went totally on my own without any agency help (this is the way I persoanlly recommend).  I met women in agencies once I got there, I went to the agencies in person with my interpreter.  I never paid more than $10 per address/phone.  
My last trip, I used Jack to help me with interpreters and flats and I used some of the internet agencies like Absolute Agency and American Singles to find women to correspond with before going.  They pretty much have a $19.95 per month deal for all the women you wish to correspond with, but I would say that I could not recommend them to a guy who has not had experience with FSU women before.  They have a very high scammer rate and if you have not paid your dues to develop your scammer radar, you could be eaten alive..  ;-)  I met some very nice girls from them but really had to weed out a number of scammers beforehand.
This last trip I also ran an ad for the first time and that is how I found my fiance.  Wish I had used ads sooner!  I am totally sold on this method, not just because I found my girl this way, but because I met a lot of very nice, sincere girls this way.  It cost next to nothing to run it.  Jack is the one who set it up for me in Dnepropetrovsk.

It's hard to say how much a guy should look to spend because it depends on how many trips it takes to find her and what method you use.  One trip on your own, staying in private flats (I was able to get excellent flats in Kiev for $20-$30 per night through my interpreter there) running ads, etc., is not very expensive.  But if you're doing a major tour, staying in a first class hotel and wanting to pay $100-$150 per night, it's obviously going to be much more expensive.  
Certainly it takes some cash to bring her here for travel etc..  But I don't think it's particularly prohibitive for most guys with a job.

[BubbaGump]

... in response to You need to be a wealthy man..., posted by Horoshij on Jan 11, 2003

We have to fly such a long way and it costs us a little more in time.  Then it takes us 1 to 3 days to recover from the time change.  During the summer which is the best time for us to travel the air fares double.  We don't have much vacation either, normally 2 or 3 weeks.  Is it easier for you to maybe drive or take a train to Helsinki or Oslo and take a direct flight to Saint Petersburg?  The English can go to Gatwick airport and get a direct flight almost anywhere in Europe.  I always thought the venture was tougher on Americans, Canadians and Australians since we have so far to go.  

We did compare costs a while back.  I've spent over $10,000 so far but I have to be ready to spend at least that much more to become successful.  Our former board cheapskate MDante had his girl pay her way to get here and it cost him just over $2,000 for himself.  I expect they're divorced now.  

From what I have read the average man going to Russia from the USA anyway has a college education and a higher than average income.  This is mostly for well off men.

[Horoshij]

... in response to Is it any easier for Europeans?, posted by BubbaGump on Jan 11, 2003

You're right it's cheaper also in Norway if you live in the Oslo region. However, even if Norway has a little population the country is big in extension. We have some big distances here. Traveling from the northenmost part of the country to the southernmost is the same distance as from the southern point to Italy. Domestic flight with SAS is very expensive. They have higher prices here than for example in Sweden because they say that the market is willing to pay for it.

Though, if you are living in Finnmark (the northermost county of Norway) it's a short way to the Russian border and to Murmansk. The city of Kirkenes has even some of the street names in Russian because of all the visitors from Russia.

I believe it's cheapest for our friend here on the board from Southern England to travel to Russia or Ukraine.

I'm not a rich man either, but I'm able to save some money every month, but when I was looking for a foreign lady, I for a periode spent more money than I made.

Haroshij

[Pordzhik]

... in response to Re: Is it any easier for Europeans?, posted by Horoshij on Jan 12, 2003

[Pordzhik]

... in response to Is it any easier for Europeans?, posted by BubbaGump on Jan 11, 2003

I live within a stones throw of Gatwick, 3 1/2 hours flying time to Kiev with a time difference of just two hours. London actually has five international airports and an international rail terminal, so finding cheap tickets to anywhere isn't a problem.

During the courtship time, I went over every four or six weeks for a long weekend, Total cost of each trip around £300+. Add the phone calls, cost of her tickets and visa etc. Expensive? Compare that to what I had been spending on nights out in Londons West End.

I didn't buy any addresses,newspaper adds,interpreters, use guides, agencies, cabs everwhere, luxury Kreshatik flats, VIP lounge at Borispol or visit those gaudy Kiev nitespots, prefering to visit the hydropark, museums, ballet, circus and just usual Ukrainian restuarants and bars, or spend time alone with my lady or with her family and friends.

Call me cheap if you want, but being able to get to know my girl really well over an extended time....priceless.

I don't consider myself "well off" by any means, I earn just a little above average for here and enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. I get four weeks paid holidays from my job, but I take (as is usual here) another four weeks unpaid holidays.

For an average Englishman to afford this venture is no great shakes, he won't need to earn top money or have any special education. Just give up the visits to the pub.

Can you give us a run down on what you've spent that ten grand on?