What is/was your approach to preparing for a trip?

[stoichman]

What is/was your approach to preparing for a trip? Feel free to explain why it is the best method, or the best method for you.Use the following ranges.FEW= 2 to 4SOME= 5 to 9MANY=10 or more

[Jet]

Scott,

I honestly believe that your personal comfort level with the method you choose is much more important than the method itself. I recall reading Leslie's trip reports from his "power dating" days. While they were incredibly entertaining and I have all the respect in the world for his ability to use this approach successfully, I could not see myself following the same path. My personality type and general approach to relationships, left me little choice but to go the WOVO route - it was always my approach to AW dating as well.

Leslie would not have been comfortable using my approach, nor I his. However, it can be reasonably argued that we were both successful. Rather than trying to "force a fit", examine all the options and choose what suits you best, that will increase your odds of success dramaticly

[Leslie]

Scott,

 

I agree with Jet.  Choose a strategy you are comfortable with.  The visit one/visit many issue has been beaten completely to death on the boards.  It is not the case that one approach is best for everyone.  The debate always ends with the protagonists hurling rocks at one another.  This serves no purpose.

 

In my long search I began with a WOVO strategy.  My first trip was to see a teacher in Samara who I had been writing for months.  That $4000 trip flopped at the first meeting.  In half an hour we both recognized there was no chemistry…..   Well that's the way things go.  Luck plays a major role in this process. 

 

Over the next 3 trips I developed a  Write None Visit Many strategy.  This involves 2 trips planned close together.  The first trip is a fishing expedition, the second (and later) trips are is to spend more time with the women you made an emotional connection to.  I met my wife this way.

 

The original trip report is now history for me but if you are interested in reading how a visit many (or power) trip goes here is the link -

 

http://www.rwguide.com/thread_19247_ukraine_odessey_11.html

 

Would I change anything in hindsight?

 

Not really.  I don't think writing is a viable way of making a real connection to a woman.  You have to visit and meet face to face.  Sure you can exchange 5-6 letters and set up a meeting but beyond that I reckon there is a distinct possibility of building "castles in the clouds"

 

The only other thing I would change is not settle down in a monogamous relationship until you are CERTAIN that you have found your future wife.  Run multiple relationships, concurrently until you are ready to make that decision.  You don't want the woman who aims to shut down your options as quick as possible.

 

Of course once you are in a one on one relationship it matters not how you found one another.  Everyone has to build a relationship on that commitment, whether you started out visiting just one lady or dated over a hundred.

 

[jb]

I met my wife, face to face, without a single letter ever being exchanged beforehand.  She was just THERE in front of me.  I had no idea we would ever see each other again.  But there was magic between us, even if we didn't admit it to ourselves at the time.  It's what Ken C refers to as the "WOW~!" factor.  I recommend every man experience that WOW~! factor before he gets married.

[BC]

ditto here jb. Endured two months of complete silence (job related) after that WOW experience, got back together for an extended stay together in RU and married 4 months after our initial meeting.

[2tallbill]

"Necessity is the mother of invention"

Opportunity favors the prepared, preparation is the key to success.
Fortune favors the bolds

Can all these be correct in seeking your future mate? 

[ML]

I have a financial background in merger and take over analysis.

I prepared for my WMVM trips in the same manner.

No detail or scenario left unattended to.

Most everything went off without a hitch.

Of course some of the take over targets turned out to be not as good as thought; and that's were the VM pays dividends.

However, for those lacking merger and take over analysis skills . . .

[I/O]

Zero preparation - went travelling, 27 countries over a few trips, lot of spilt milk along the way...

She wrote me off some website, wish she hadn't...🤭