I was reading another thread, started to post a reply, then thought better of it, as it didn't entirely fit with the theme. So, creating a new topic instead.
Generally a woman over 30 is just a better idea (IMO, concerning FSU or elsewhere).
Generalizations (always risky):
1) They are usually more mature and have a better idea as to what they want, and what is really important to them.
2) For FSU women, they do not have a starry-eyed, romanticized idea of how wonderful life in the USA (or elsewhere, like Patagonia, or Finland) would be.
3) Again for FSU women, they have had some experiences (frequently bad to worse to ultra-bad) that made them decide that the sacrifices they would make (leaving friends, family, country) might be worth it if they can find a decent, respectable, caring man. (Seriously, how many times have you experienced gentlemen heard something akin to "he lied, cheated, stole money from me, drank too much, ignored his family responsibilities, kicked my dog, ran over my grandmother" etc.?) For myself, I had my own version of ultra-bad experience, so I could relate.
Frankly, finding an intelligent, attractive woman with a sense of humor is no easy task regardless of age or location. But at least searching outside one's country creates an adventure (which can easily be good or bad or a mix thereof).
That having been said, my experience has been largely negative. In fact, I wonder why I continued to search as long as I did. At this juncture, I am hopeful for the first time in a long time, but there is certainly no guarantee, and there is a broad array of poignant disappointments.
Sidebar:
The cost of searching (financially, but many other costs as well) is nothing to be scoffed at.
Interestingly, before I began this process, I tried a variety of other things. E-Harmony (which may work if one lives in an area with a large population, which therefore increases the odds), Match.com (laughably bad), Yahoo match (even worse, IMO), etc. The latter two are good vehicles for meeting unstable societal rejects, if that is one's end goal. There is a certain entertainment factor with those sites, I cannot deny that. (As I always say, that was my experience, and your mileage may vary.)
There are matchmaking companies as well that focus on professionals (no, not hookers -- the usual -- doctors, lawyers, businessmen / businesswomen, etc.). The cost for that? $15,000-$20,000.
So, if one is frustrated beyond measure, one might consider looking outside one's own country. I think that drives some men, just as much as the "hotties" everyone refers to with such regularity drives men to search there.