EMALE

[Turboguy]

Mark,

First off it is not too late to get a meaningful exchange going by e-mail.   If it is, I am in a world of hurt.  I too am going on a tour in September.   Mine is less than 4 weeks away.  My tour is with a small agency and really the way it is set up if I can't get something done with e-mails, I won't be meeting anyone.   My first letters will be going out next week for that tour.  This time is intentional.  All I need to do is talk them into a meeting and that could be done with one letter.

Now about the midwest.  I can't answer based on that information.  The midwest could be Pella Iowa, it could be Kansas City.  There is a world of difference between the desirabilty of the two.  First off, these gals are not real good on US Geography.  They know about NYC, LA, Florida but will not have much of a concept about "the midwest".  It won't stop them from being interested.  Of course you have to make them happy when they are here.   Don't lie to them, if one doesn't like it there are tons more.   One of the happiest couples I know are living in a double wide in Northern Mich.   When my former fiancee was here, she came from a city of about 2 million and was quite happy with the area I live in which is by far not the greatest.  Our population is about 15,000.   Stay away from Moscow and St Petersburgh gals and you should be ok.

I have taken three big agency tours.  Mine were with European Connections who no longer does tours but the AFA tours are pretty similar.   My one word of caution is to be on the lookout for scammers.  They like the tours becuase they know there will be a lot of guys on their first trip to the FSU, meeting the first FSU women of their life, so they know the guys can be gullible.  I had a lot of fun on my tours but did not meet the right gal.   Don't be afraid to use your back up plans.  The more gals you meet the more likely you are to find the right one. 

[Jumper]

I was going after fairly popular girls, indirectly, I would mark a profile and come to find my picks were also everyone else's picks too. So I may have a problem. I do not think these girls are out of my league, just means they are getting TONS of e-mail from guys who maybe don't mind sending pics of sports cars and mansions(whether truthfully or not) to lure responses.

Mark. lots of decent advice here..all i could ad is dont sweat wether she is getting too many emails or responding to "lures"..

if you are intersting to her, she will reply..
the number of emails is honestly fairly meaningless number..
think about it,, if you got 1500 replies to an ad -
or 500, or 50..
in a short time frame..
( i think i got aroung 1500 or 1600 in 3 months initially)
its just daunting to try and keep up a dialoge ,or things in any semblance of order ..lol

so regardless 5000, or 500 ,its just too daunting..

reality is a certain very few will  stand out , that you would really be interested in replying to..(at least initially)
its the same when the shoes on the other more slender foot.

so the key is to stand out in some way ,
 and no not by photos of cars or mansions..

The ones you would be interested in wont fall for such *lures* so easily..
they are fairly sharp cookies over there for the most part

sorry there are no real secrets as its an individual you are trying to
connect with.. so of course a complicated affair!

something that would stand out to one person,
 could just as easily cause disinterest in another RW..


but it isnt rocket science either?
you should not have too many problems finding women interersted within a 4 week time frame,
if you are simply direct about telling them you are coming in the next month, and interested in meeting them..and are seriuosly looking for a partner for marriage...
ask for her number,even in the first (or second) email, and follow up! call,,

also it's sad but true- the fact you are taking a tour,can be a big turn off to many women..(jumping to a conclusion you are just out for fun and games..)

[Son of Clyde]

I tried email but had the same rate of success. Maybe 56% but I was lucky to find my wife this way and she thought I was interesting and we never stopped corresponding.

ICQ has worked for some because you can refine your search. If you find an English speaking lady on ICQ you may not need email.

[Todd]

I would argue that NOW is precisely the time to be writing and making introductions.  Your introduction letter should mention that you will be in country in 5 weeks that alone should get you to the front of the line.  Many of the women of highest character have been burned before by keyboard Romeos.  The very fact that you are coming and that they will be able to meet you in the flesh will help to drive the correspondence.

As for pictures, I'm surprised at how many people miss the boat here.  I would recommend one in which you are dressed formally, one in which you are doing something atheletic, and one in which you are with family.  (The family one is especially effective if you have cute neices like I do.)  One thing that I have tried in the past is to have a few photos rated on Hot Or Not as friends have a hard time picking one picture over another.

[Marcopolo]

   Thanks guys.

I do not know if I simply have the 'wrong' pics or what. On Elena's I was getting 8 responses in the affirmative out of 50. But a 20-25 women never even opened their e-mails so as I mentioned, e-mail effieciency only works IF they stay with the agency or open the darn thing.

  My home town is Dayton Ohio. I am sure the lack of geographic expertise amongst these women affects their response rate. As far as me being weird, ---this may be a turn off also... I have heard that  RW don't like guys who are older(39)  who have never been married. Just to clarify there were also women which I initiated the stoppage in communication.

  Oh, there is also the IMBRA thing. AFA won't give me addresses anymore. I have to go through some convoluded 'request' approval from her  to give out her address...if it has me confused I am sure it has THEM confused.


   Due to the conflicting nature of the advice I might refrain from sending out
my mail letters/e-mail letters. I think it is very valuable the comment about not flaunting my tour schedule in front of women who frown upon such activity.  I have recently double checked my return itinerary and it looks like I will be over there a total of 4 1/2 weeks to 5 weeks. I am thinking that this will be plenty of time to send out letters and e-mails in country.

  I also have received another bit of advice from an employee of a close family friend who is a Russian male/ recent emigre(legally). He STRONGLY suggested not going through agencies and just meeting normal gals in coffee shops, book stores , etc. I think this tact will be a significant portion of my game plan.

 For whatever reason(probably a combination of reasons) the correspondence thing simply wasn't working for me and the definition of insanity is trying something over and over which doesn't work.
 
  The other aspect in this search is that everyone has to know their own limitations. For whatever reason I have always done better with women who "get to know me" or are going through friends. I don't know, I guess that women maybe see me first off as maybe THAT JERK WHO JILTED ME IN HIGH SCHOOL. I get it all the time, I though you were an A$$hole until I got to know you thing.



 

[Turboguy]

Elena's has a convoluted system now too.  Probably about the same and it does cut into the response rate. 

Billy wrote 500 letters to find his dream girl.  I probably passed the 500 letter mark 9 years ago.  Write the gals and you will get X results.  Of those perhaps 50% will never write a second letter.  You might loose another 50% over the 3rd through the 6th letter.   If you write enough gals some will make it through for the long haul.  Telling a gal in your letters that you will be doing a tour is probably a big turn off for them.

I have a feeling with places like AFA and Elenas if we knew how many gals they had and how many guys they had it would be discouraging.   I know one gal who was not stunning on free personals got over 500 letters. 

I don't know about the 39 and never married.  There used to be a guy here Anono who was around 50 and never married and he had a ton of gals interested so I don't think that is it.   Dayton isn't much worse than Pittsburgh, might even be better.   I never get any complaints about it. 

I have seen some guys have good luck hitting the streets, the McDonalds and the Discos  You may do fine that way.  You can always hit an agency and they will line up meetings for you.   I think you will do fine.

[Marcopolo]

  Thanks Turbo guy. I think I am on the right track. In a perfect world I could strike up a correspondence with the lady of my dreams and go over there and marry her...but this ain't a perfect world.

  I think I have a pretty measured and balanced approach - I am working with multiple agencies, will run  personals in reputable newspapers, attend socials, and start  hanging out in public trying not to look like a total dork in Kiev...hopefully I will strike pay dirt...all I am looking for is one.

marco polo