I'm just about to get into this agency and correspondence business
so I'm wondering if you have any advice you can offer.  Specifically,
I'm interested: how many women do you think I should initially write;
response rate; snailmail, telephone or e-mail; how is their
English/your Spanish; do you use translation services; any other
advice you think is helpful.

BTW, I'm in my mis 20s, good looking, stable, sensitive, and so on,
and I'm interested in Brazilian and Colombian ladies (although have
been warming up to Peruvian women, too, lately).  Any agency
recommendations?

Thanks a million and then some,
Best wishes,
Michael

Yeah, that's what I thought--with Amigo, Match Int'l and
similar.  Will give it a shot.

Michael

Before going to Lima, Peru in December of 2003, I wrote to
seven or eight women, I talked to them on the phone, and got
to know a little about them before arriving in Lima and
having dates with them. My finance who will arrive here in
six months was one of the women I first made contact with
E-mail.

Jimmy from St Louis who also posts here met his soon to be
wife in Lima first through E-mail as well.

G

Just a few comments concerning the value of emailing women prior to a trip.  Although you might get lucky and contact a few women via this method I personally found it a waste of time.  There is nothing better than meeting these wonderful LW in person.  Ten minutes of one-on-one time is better than months of sending letters.  If you are using an agency don't waste your money on their email service.  I think the agencies use it just to increase their bottom line.  

If you do go that route though in Brasil (as there aren't many introduction agencies there) for goodness sake don't throw your money away on LatinEuro.  They have many tempting photos at their site but they are not a reputable address selling agency.  Use LatinSocialNetworks instead.

What I was trying to convey is that if you do establish an email correspondence with a LW it doesn't tell you much about her personality, or if there is any chemistry between you, and after spending a short time with her in person you might regret a large letter writing campaign via the internet.  

IMO there is NO comparison between being here in person getting to know the ladies rather than trying it via email.  To each his own.

"The chemistry was unbelievable - stronger than with anyone I had ever met in my life."

Cowboy,

Are you sure you didn't have a little cow dookey stuck on those boots of yours partner? ;-)

I agree with you also.  Not many guys can cash their chips in to spend an extended amount of time in SA.  It's just that I got so burned out and cross eyed looking at so many blasted web site photos of beautiful LW, sending out many emails, with I might add, a fair amount of success, getting my hopes up when an email relationship would develop, thinking I was getting to know them as a person, only to be surprised a few times when an eventual meeting occurred.

I might add a piece of advice though regarding emailing these lovely LW.  Don't start too early before you plan on making the trip.  At the most, four to six months out before getting on that plane.  Many guys that write never go and what woman wants to hear from a guy that he will be probably coming down in a year or two.  If you find a few potentials via the internet get down ASAP taking the relationship to the next level. I think many LW don’t take you seriously until you do show up as they have been told many promises by many would be suitors.  I'd also advise that it not be a WOVO (write one, visit one) trip in case there isn't a mutual chemistry once the meeting does occur.  Always have some sort of a back up plan.

Now I have to get ready for my evening cita with a new interest in my life.  UC, wait to you see this gal!  I was walking the other day when I heard my name being called out by a lovely amiga I know who was sitting at an outdoor cafe.  Being the sociable guy I am and noticing that she was with another beautiful lady, I eagerly joined them at their table.  As it turned out, the other beauty queen is her older sister and to make a long story short, we are going out to dinner tonight.  Dios mio, she is drop dead gorgeous and I'm not bragging here folks.  I could only dream of dating a gal like this back in the States even though she blows away any AW.  I asked them why they didn't have novios and all they said was, "there aren't any men in Medellin". Needless to say, I didn't try to convince them otherwise but did mention I knew one available Gringo.  Which begs the question, what are all you guys who haven’t come to SA waiting for?

I've always enjoyed reading about your success in finding a special Latina and just wanted to let you know that you've been an inspiration to me and I'm sure others.  Your wife sure sounds like one special lady and I'm very happy you found each other.

Ah yes, Monica.  She had to move permanently to Bogotá with her family last week.  I will keep in touch with her but I don't care much for the capital when there is a place called Medellin.  I was feeling a little down and out until I met this other lady recently.  There really is a boatload of beautiful women here and many options.

Speaking of beautiful women, what ever happened to Catherine Zeta-Jones!  I saw her in Ocean's Eleven the other day and was aghast to see that she had cut her hair and put on weight.  

Pablo