Sumy got a hold of my heart ….

[ECOCKS]

Sorry with the food reference I was referring to Vinny. My point was that if the RW is going to make such big changes to her way by moving to a different country, learning/improving her English and just in general having her life turned upside down then if the WM learns her language, Russian, Ukrainian etc, it will make her transition easier and give them something important in common.  

I don't agree with that view (transition) either.

I'm a student of the immmersion school and for every word she speaks in Russian that's one less word she'll ever say in English.

My wife sees no real reason to work on my Russian, especially since we moved back here.

Only learn Russian if you want to, not because you have some weirded out notion that you need to or must.

[acctBill]

I don't agree with that view (transition) either.

I'm a student of the immmersion school and for every word she speaks in Russian that's one less word she'll ever say in English.

My wife sees no real reason to work on my Russian, especially since we moved back here.

Only learn Russian if you want to, not because you have some weirded out notion that you need to or must.

My wife was in the process of learning English in the UK when we met and I already know some Russian so our case is probably not typical.  My 11 year old daughter and my wife speak Russian all the time.  My 5 year old sons speak it although not as much however they can hold their own when visiting family in Russia. 

In England there is a large Russian population so my wife and children had numerous chances to speak Russian outside the home unfortunately Canada doesn't seem to offer the same opportunities.  For RW/WM couples are not planning on having children your version might work well however if the couple is planning on having children having the husband learn Russian should be taken under serious consideration.

[ECOCKS]

I absolutely support learning a 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 27th language as a smart, VERY smart, thing to do, just no reason that it is essential to learn it.

And yes, it does disturb me that I cannot converse with 3-4 members of my family. Still one SIL has learned English in the last three years and we can talk freely now, also two of my nephews. I still would love to talk with a couple of my BIL and babuhka but we survive.

So, good idea for yourself, better idea for the kids, even fulfilling for some but not essential.

[ML]

If you learn some of the language you will also learn more about the customs and food which will give you a greater understanding of your potential wife's way of life. 

My point was that if the RW is going to make such big changes to her way by moving to a different country, learning/improving her English and just in general having her life turned upside down then if the WM learns her language, Russian, Ukrainian etc, it will make her transition easier and give them something important in common. 

I don't agree with that view (transition) either.

I'm a student of the immmersion school and for every word she speaks in Russian that's one less word she'll ever say in English.

My wife sees no real reason to work on my Russian, especially since we moved back here.

Only learn Russian if you want to, not because you have some weirded out notion that you need to or must.

I have to agree with ECocks here. 

First, a person can learn plenty about customs and foods by studying the culture in English.  That has been the process over the centuries in school and college level history and comparative courses.

Second, the man learning Russian/Ukrainian will probably make the woman's transition HARDER not easier.  Reason being she will have just one less reason to push on with the torture of learning the language of the country where she has chosen to live.

[brad5959]

hey VinVinny,

I missed it--what happened to the woman in Kherson who you were going to marry??

[Vinnvinny]

hey VinVinny,

I missed it--what happened to the woman in Kherson who you were going to marry??

Lovely girl, perfect for me in many ways. But, I could see a divorce court on the horizon ... which is not a good sign (IMO) prior to marriage.

[Daveman]

Lovely girl, perfect for me in many ways. But, I could see a divorce court on the horizon ... which is not a good sign (IMO) prior to marriage.

Been there too, Vinn... it's a tough decision to make sometimes and especially so when she's perfect for you in many ways... glad to read you didn't rationalize away the evidence just to be married to a hot babe.  Hang in there brother.. our day will come. 

[Vinnvinny]

Hang in there brother.. our day will come. 

.

All good things come to those that wait. Failing that then its rob-a-bank time and buy my way to 'appiness'.

[allenkey]

Hi ya, Vinny !

When are you going back ?

[XMan]

How about we let each person write their own trip report the way that they want to.

I plan to write my next trip report using nothing but emoticons and interpretive dance.

[XMan]

I absolutely support learning a 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 27th language as a smart, VERY smart, thing to do, just no reason that it is essential to learn it.

And yes, it does disturb me that I cannot converse with 3-4 members of my family. Still one SIL has learned English in the last three years and we can talk freely now, also two of my nephews. I still would love to talk with a couple of my BIL and babuhka but we survive.

So, good idea for yourself, better idea for the kids, even fulfilling for some but not essential.

According to a New England Journal of Medicine article, learning a second language also reduces your risk of Alzheimer's by 75%.  New connections within the synapses perhaps.  Or, a flawed and meaningless study with fabricated results.  However, I tend to think positively about the NEJOM.

But, since I am just shy of 1/3 of the way through Pimsleur, having started and stopped and restarted countless times, I'm not holding my breath about reducing my risk of Alzheimer's. 

[Vinnvinny]

Hi ya, Vinny !

When are you going back ?

Hiya 'Al'. Next week. I will be the most serious dating mode of my life, no female will be safe.

Plan B will involve ammonia, duck tape and an oversize suitcase. It's a rehash of an idea I picked up from a recently purchased book, 'Breaking the Law' by Kermit A. Krime.

[JohnDearGreen]

Hey guys, I am not trying to harass at all.  I genuinely did not know what 'poll position' meant.  Further, I seriously doubt that in England, the spelling 'poll position' is used for auto racing.  If I am wrong, someone will tell me.

Here we have "True Love" in the pole-position" right next to "Heart Ache":
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdZ060lS5Bs&feature=related[/youtube]

[LAman]

Vinny...just got through reading your TR...enjoyed it very much, the humor was enticing. While I haven't been to sumy, couple times I nearly went. Through my research I found that many times H-D had many cancells/no-shows for whatever reason. Also I know of a company that taxi service is ~$100US from Borispol.
I don't know if you are around but did you have a bad feeling about the agency at all?

[SANDRO43]

The term "pole position", as used in motorsports, comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pole_position

Ferraris often gain pole positions, some all too literally :

[LAman]

And after all these years I though the 'pole postion' was first noted by watching a girl dancer.....do her thing!!!!!

[ML]

Sandro, how did the pole get past the engine in that car?
Or is the engine really now in the front seat?

[dbneeley]

Sandro, how did the pole get past the engine in that car?
Or is the engine really now in the front seat?

That's possible, but I think it may be a Porsche with a rear engine. It's hard to tell since I am by no means an expert at identifying cars, but the rear part seen imperfectly seems similar to the Boxter.

David

[SANDRO43]

That's possible, but I think it may be a Porsche with a rear engine. It's hard to tell since I am by no means an expert at identifying cars, but the rear part seen imperfectly seems similar to the Boxter.

No, it's a Ferrari 360 Modena, and you can see (next to the LH door in the previous photo) that it sports the Ferrari yellow logo with the rearing black horse, a logo with a little history: after Enzo Ferrari won a race in 1923, he made the acquaintance of the mother of Count Enrico Baracca (former cavalry officer and our WWI ace pilot, shot down in June 1918) who offered: "Put my son's horse on your cars, it'll bring you luck".

The crash happened in Adelaide, Australia on 30th October 2008.

Sandro, how did the pole get past the engine in that car?Or is the engine really now in the front seat?

The Daily Mail report (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1081564/Credit-crunched-The-100-000-Ferrari-wrapped-telegraph-pole.html) does not get into specifics :noidea:.

[JR]

Here we have "True Love" in the pole-position" right next to "Heart Ache":
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdZ060lS5Bs&feature=related[/youtube]

Choreography has come a long way....

[JR]

Vin, Great trip report and good to read that through it all you've kept your sense of humor))