Okey-Dokey

[Shostakovich]

So here-goes, Shostakovich's trip report warm-up. 

These reports seem to be the most valuable aspect of this forum.  It's very interesting to get the various perspectives on the ladies: once in a while a sage nugget, sometimes just common sense but most often the comedy of errors, perhaps played out with a bit more drama here as expectations run a bit higher and the fools rush in ...

But one does not want the R/U adventure to get bollocksed up by logistics going awry and here is where it seems some of your experience can be a real help.

So I've decided to open a thread and pay back in kind, offering my own comedy of errors and perhaps soliciting a bit of advice.

I've been once to the Ukraine, in Donetsk/Crimea/Kiev in Aug 2004 with the engaging and beautiful Oksana.  It was a WOVO affair, blossomed very nicely - not so much as an MOB enterprise but from a desire to take in the sights of SPB.  I was one of those lecherous and universally disdained 'keyboard romeos' and thought it might be nice to have some companionship in SPB.  O came up on her own nickel and I covered the rest.  We decided in the last that the rigmarole of bringing her over was not what we wanted to do. Maybe I'll post more the story during this thread.  This time i'll be off to MOB central, Odessa and Sumy with an appointment or two in Kiev.  WMVM is the current plan, though I may alter.

As for the girls - all very fine.  I am in regular communication with 3 and starting up with a couple others.  3/5 have good-excellent English and one is superior - better English than even most English speakers in the professions.  More of them later, although I'd say that some of you will find my thread to be a bit of a disappointment.  No, I'll be posting no photos nor any of the tawdry narrative the likes of which one often sees here: "And then Ludmillia bent over in those tight jeans she was wearing and out popped that leopard-print thong as her ample bosom strained hard for release from its fetter and Ooooo-Weee, I knewed right there she was the girl for me".  No and no again. 

But I do have some initial Qs - a jolly bit of fun last time is that I almost got on the wrong plane out of Borispol, in fact was walking up the steps when retrieved by the airline clerk - she locked arms with me on the way back, happy to put my humiliation of the American on display to the others still waiting for their flight.  It was all in Russian and I know not much more than Da/Nyet.  So I think to get one of those language turorials.  Was looking at Rosetta stone yesterday, rather pricey at $440 for levels 1-3 - any recommendations?

No I've also gotten my international drivers license.  AAA tells me they recognize it there but I wonder about driving in the Ukraine.  And what about those roads in the winter?  Passable without a Hum-Vee?

That's it for now. 

[SANDRO43]

So I think to get one of those language turorials.  Was looking at Rosetta stone yesterday, rather pricey at $440 for levels 1-3 - any recommendations?

Have a look at http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/mwiki/index.php/Learn_Russian in our RWDpedia .

[Nat]

No I've also gotten my international drivers license.  AAA tells me they recognize it there but I wonder about driving in the Ukraine.  And what about those roads in the winter?  Passable without a Hum-Vee?

And what are you gonna drive? If you have good winter tyres - it's possible. But mind that the traffic is very heavy here and it's extremely difficult to drive.

[JR]

I bought Rosetta Stone on e-bay or less than a hundred bucks. I now know the difference between a man and a car

[Jumper]

I bought Rosetta Stone on e-bay or less than a hundred bucks. I now know the difference between a man and a car

JR-

LOL!!  ok, now what about a PECTOPAH , and a RESTAURANT?

(i think it was many years ago, in a galaxy far far away ,
on a now deserted and desolate forum, that a poster actually thought it was a new chain in the FSU ,,
that while having good food, had a much varied menu location to location, for being a restaurant chain)

(and it became a stanby joke)

[Shostakovich]

Okey-Doke redux,

Thanks for the kind remarks. 

Re. Russian, great suggestion regarding the resources here, but if anyone wants to re-sell their Rosetta-stone Russian you might have a customer.

I'd brave the crazy Ukraine drivers if better weather but I think I'll ride the train or take a commuter flight down to Odessa from Kiev.  Any recommendations? 

As for the itinerary, I hope to set up meeting with a lady in Kiev, two in Odessa and one in Sumy.  I'm very excited and it is looking like it will be a fine adventure.

As for the girls - a few impressions.

The Kiev lady and I have not communicated much so I do not have a firm read on her.  I suspect she is like all city-girls: got her eye on the $ signs.  As an aside I was communicating with another Kiev lady, rather a Kiev yuppy I think, in the financial profession, which showed in her communication - very professional lady: her letters were written in very efficient elegant English.  It was all going along swimmingly until I floated a trial balloon: "I am not rich" -- did not hear back from her since.  So much for the idea that all Ukraine women want is a faithful husband.  Anyway, Kiev lady II sports some of the same features: an polished urbane manner.  Says she worked as a model and from the photos & spec I believe it.  She strikes me as being a full of life, lady who would be allot of fun but one who would wilt without a nice pipeline of cash - not a great scenario as there is a 22 year age difference between us.  Certainly she would satisfy that part of me that about the aesthetic life but what about the ascetic side.  Hmmmn, hmmn.

The Odessa gals are of a different sort.  From the photos, one is a real knockout.  The Kiev yuppy seemed almost more American than Ukrainian and Kiev girl II seems a little like a princess - OK in my book incidentally.  Odessa girl I seems full on Ukrainian, a single Mom who no doubt has toughed out some hard times and it's clear she's had enough of guys coming around for the 'momentary intrigue'.  She strikes me as a rather artistic sort, quoted a bit of Nietzsche to me and seemed jollied by the fact that I can name most of Dostoevsky's titles and, wonder of wonders - values solitude.  I'd say she has a rather complicated soul which she is largely unconscious about -- could make her quite the fire-cracker.  Odessa girl II perhaps is the most intriguing option, though with downsides.  She is clearly the most self-aware and takes great pains about it.  She's got that quality I admire, the one the peels back the curtain and looks to the forces behind the scenes that make us act the way we do.  Anyway she is also the least classically beautiful.  I get the sense that she thinks most girly stuff is stupid.  Her photos were shot in casual clothing.  I'm certain that in may ways we'll be in the same page intellectually but there is a prosaic aspect to her that, for all the intelligence, seems rather kill-joy.

Sumy-girl, another intriguing possibility - we've been emailing for about 2-years (!), as a pen-pal affair and here and there discussing a visit.  She is the one I'll spend the most time with.  She is a fine looking lady,likes her clothes, but does not have that in-your-face attitude about it.  That is a breath of fresh air as many of the R/U girls, with the bikini/workout/belly-dancing shots, just seem to throw sex in your face too-readily.  Perhaps is the provincial influence but there is something uncomplicated, sincere and innocent and emotional about her.  In this I find surprising sophistication - she recently announced one of her favorite films is Dogville, combined with the worldliness of the  country bumpkin - she thought Dogville cost $10,000 to make - also told me Avatar cost $42M.  Good one.

Anyway here are some general impressions:

1. Some girls do want money - that biz about R/U girls just want the stable family life is rot.  They won't admit to money ambtions directly but it's the actions that speak louder.  You can see it even in the profile statement - they like fast cars, travel, fashion, etc., all costs money.
2. Everyone so far as named Ukrainian men as the source of their woes - drink too much and not family oriented.
3. They have a love of country & can be rather fierce about it, even if they also think that conditions stink.  So while they may not mind getting away from Ukrainian conditions they do not want to leave their Ukrainian identity - could make a transition to the US interesting.
4. All say family is #1.
   
More to come.

[Shostakovich]

While we are wait with bated breath for my next exciting installment how about if we let good old Imogen supply a little entertainment?