Headed to Ukraina...

[hornet7]

Hello, gentlemen.  I'm new, but I've done my homework for quite some time and I have a few questions I'd like to throw out.  I look forward to gouge anyone can offer as I fine tune my strike... which is planned for the last two weeks of February in Ukraina.

Does anyone have anything to offer about the BeHappy2Day agency?  I've been through several over the last two years--including EM--and I've settled at BeHappy.  Your thoughts?

What are some of the realities about the lady(ies) I'm visiting not speaking english?  Is this a show stopper?  What's it like to enjoy a great dinner at a fine restaurant with a wonderful woman---and an interpreter?  My telephone conversations have provided hints.  Just how debilitating will my lack of a command of Russian be?

I've written few and will visit fewer.  I'm headed to the hinterlands instead of the metros as I'm a country boy---what is train travel like in Ukraine for an educated southern man that owns his own business and has never been out of the USA but for three trips to Bermuda?

Have you rented a car and a driver?  What's this like and is it worth the money to get across southern Ukraine for a hundred miles or so to places not well served by train?

Hotels or apartments?

Thanks in advance for your time and effort--all of which is greatly appreciated.

[CaptB]

Having an interpreter with you on a dinner date, or other activity, is no big deal. I used an agency in Russia on my first trip and the interpreter accompanied me on the majority of dates. Find your own interpreter.......agency or private........not a friend of the woman you are seeing. If the woman is too insistent on using her "friend" as the interpreter.......this would be a red flag for me.

A cab might be expensive to aarange on your own for a long (50+ miles) trip. You should be able to get a bus to most any place.....at a reasonable cost.

Good luck.


Capt B

[Rvrwind]

If you truly did your homework you must hve missed this http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=2681.0
and thats only the tip of the icebeg as they say.

[Turboguy]

I posted some answers to your questions in your intro thread.  You have a few questions here that were not there so I will add a bit more.

Dropping Elena's for BHappy is like leaving your beautiful wonderful sexy devoted wife for a hooker you met last night.   It is your life and your call.  You will find out this was a mistake, either the easy way or the hard way. 

Language is not a bit of problem with a night out in Odessa.  You can have a wonderful dinner and a nice time.  The problem is a little more severe when you get her home and can't talk to her.  It is better to look for gals with at least basic English.  It may limit the field a little but it makes the process easier.  Personally I don't look at language as a deal breaker but I do look at it as making the already difficult process more challenging.

Train travel can be fun there.  Most of the travel is on sleeper trains.  Book ahead.  If you wait till the last minute you may find little availability and you may be sleeping in a cattle car. 

Hiring a car is not bad.  If you are going to Odessa, I believe Stirliz is from that area and he may be a good resource for you.  He is expensive but quite good.  If you go to Kiev on your trip Pavel is quite a good resource or I could hook you up with a really top notch and inexpensive interpreter. 

[hornet7]

If you truly did your homework you must hve missed this http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=2681.0
and thats only the tip of the icebeg as they say.

Thanks for the direction, I've read all that and more.  Let's you and I find out about how much of that iceberg lies below the waterline.  I appreciate you wanting to help me out and just make sure I meet a great lady--a lady that might one day be my wife.  You're in quite a position to help me... I'm convinced your motives are pure---how about going across the street to BeHappy and asking Yaroslav if the ladies I'm coming to see in February that I've been writing and speaking with on the telephone are as they seem or are really just chics among his interpreters?  If it's his interpreters, I'd like to know if they're married or not.  If it's the ladies and their letters are actually from them, then how about I hire you and I go meet Yaroslav's ladies in their hometowns during the last two weeks of February?

Happy New Year, by the way.  It's still 11 hours off here...

[hornet7]

Dropping Elena's for BHappy is like leaving your beautiful wonderful sexy devoted wife for a hooker you met last night.   It is your life and your call.  You will find out this was a mistake, either the easy way or the hard way. 

Thanks for the info, Turboguy.  I'm grateful for your time and my hope is that ya'll will keep it coming.  You fellas that have applied yourselves to this board have demonstrated a great deal of experience with this entire matter and an interesting sense of humor to go with it--as well as colorful ways of expressing yourselves...

Regarding quote above, I've had the wife you describe and the hookers you reference--and the end states under both scenarios were remarkably similar.  That's among the reasons I've broadened my search.  I anticipate some casualty along the way. 

I gather every man that contacts BeHappy is scammed--or the majority are... and all the women, save those that live in Tver or are willing to or can travel there to meet me, are ghosts.  Interesting business model that probably works quite well for the bulk that never go, but a house of cards that falls when the occassional guy travels to three or four hometowns to visit the ladies he's interested in knowing more about. 

Just how far does BeHappy (and even the lady(ies) perhaps) carry the latter out before springing the sting? 

[Turboguy]

I have no direct experience with Bhappy but I have heard a lot about them and none of it was good.   Often it is a guy who finds the love of his life there but when he makes his first trip to visit she will vanish right before he boards the plane. 

I don't think it matters if the gal is from Tver or not.  There are a lot of ghost writers with them.   I would recommend LTP and Tver Angels in Tver as being good reputable agencies. 

I would suggest your read a lot of reports and find agencies that at least try to know thier gals and be honest.   I have had good luck with Elena's.  I met my fiancee through them and I think most of the gals are real.   You might get a lower response rate but gals who are eager to rip you off will almost always write, so don't let an honest response rate deter you.

[I/O]

I gather every man that contacts BeHappy is scammed--or the majority are

Not so much in a direct scamming sense as in being asked for money.  The scam here is more the way in which the site itself operates, that is, pay by the letter communications.  Who and how do you know you are communicating with. My test run on them years back was sending a letter to one lady who apparently lived outside of Tver, without electronic communications and recieved a detailed reply within 20 minutes.  $6 both ways suggested to me that it was an easy $12 for the secratary or software to reply.

I/O Who has no time for pay by the letter sites.

[Michelangelo]

Does anyone have anything to offer about the BeHappy2Day agency?  I've been through several over the last two years--including EM--and I've settled at BeHappy.  Your thoughts?

BeHappy is a dishonest agency. You can read bad things about them here at this site, all written by former clients.

Finding a good PSU girl is very difficult at best~ don't handicap yourself with involvement with a bad agency.

[Admin]

Hello, gentlemen.  I'm new, but I've done my homework for quite some time and I have a few questions I'd like to throw out.  I look forward to gouge anyone can offer as I fine tune my strike... which is planned for the last two weeks of February in Ukraina.

Does anyone have anything to offer about the BeHappy2Day agency?  I've been through several over the last two years--including EM--and I've settled at BeHappy.  Your thoughts?

What are some of the realities about the lady(ies) I'm visiting not speaking english?  Is this a show stopper?  What's it like to enjoy a great dinner at a fine restaurant with a wonderful woman---and an interpreter?  My telephone conversations have provided hints.  Just how debilitating will my lack of a command of Russian be?

I've written few and will visit fewer.  I'm headed to the hinterlands instead of the metros as I'm a country boy---what is train travel like in Ukraine for an educated southern man that owns his own business and has never been out of the USA but for three trips to Bermuda?

Have you rented a car and a driver?  What's this like and is it worth the money to get across southern Ukraine for a hundred miles or so to places not well served by train?

Hotels or apartments?

Thanks in advance for your time and effort--all of which is greatly appreciated.

Re: Trains. They range from abhorrent to quite nice, though the latter are VERY few and operated only for special routes. Once such route is Kyiv <-> Lviv and is operated by the same folks who own the Grand Hotel in Lviv.

My biggest complaint with the trains are the toilet facilities which, except for those few like the Grand Wagon, are filfthy.

My preference - for trips up to about 300 km - is a coach bus like AutoLux. They are more efficient time-wise, and the facilities are more 'accommodating.'

Having said that, I also need to say that I've had some VERY pleasant train trips.

Re: Language. My strong suggestion is to learn some of the language. You have 6 weeks till your trip, as I understand it - and that is sufficient to make it through the Pimsleur Comprehensive Course Level I and half of Level II. You will be surprised at how much that will help - it will not eliminate the need for an interpreter - but it will help immensely. Continue on with the remainder of Level II and add Level III, and you will be able to communicate haltingly - but with little need of a translator except on occasion.

Re: Apartments versus Hotels. Depends on where you plan to travel. Hotels are slowly beginning to be more reasonably-priced, but still seem to be inexplicably expensive. Most people prefer private apartments for their privacy, amenities and price.

You can find the Pimsleur programs - and other Russian language programs - in the link in the left frame for RWD Storefront. Be advised - the Pimsleur programs are NOT inexpensive.

You can also find Hotels and Apartments in the left frame under FSU Lodging. Look in the RWD Wiki for other listings as well.

Good luck to you,

- Dan

[CaptB]

Language Courses,

With only six weeks to go.......I would like to recomend "Learn in Your Car.....Russian" (cassetes or CDs). This will immerse you in the practical travel-related phrases etc. This will not replace the Pimsleur course which is excellent......or the Rossetta Stone series......which IMHO to be better (also not cheap). I would also recomend "Learn Russian in 10 Minutes a Day" (Barrons).......a soft-cover book ($10 or so). Has removable flash cards......and stickers to stick on about 150 objects. This book will help you learn the Cyrillic alphabet. It also has a removeable laminated phrase sheet (folds in fourths to make it pocketable). I highly recomend learning the alphabet early-on.


Capt B

[jj]

I agree with all the above recommendations for language courses and have them myself.  I also recommend going to a bookstore or ordering a softback pocket copy of Barron's Russian vocabulary.  It has alot of info compacted and english pronunciation as well as russian word spelling.  I used it several times in a pinch when asking questions or trying to purchase something.   They certainly knew I was a tourist right away but appreciated that I was trying to converse with them in my own crude accent   Good Luck!  -jj

[Joshfire]

Just a quick note about bus travel.  Fine during the day, but at night... a whole different experience.  Mainly because there are so fewer buses running at night, that they will not only sell off alloted seat space, but you will then get to deal with the isle space being sold.  Gives a whole new meaning to the term standing room only.  My first time in the Ukraine, I took a bus from Kiev to Nikolaev (day trip) all was fine.  A few scary moments since I was traveling alone and did not speak the language.  I got lucky enough to sit next to a man who spoke Russian and Spanish, so I was able to converse somewhat in rudimentary Spanish.  BUT GOING BACK... I made the mistake of taking the overnight bus.  We were packed liked sardines and that bus stopped in every little village, because it was the only bus running at night.

Next time I went back, I took a flight from Kiev to Odessa, then a 2 hour cab ride from Odessa to Nikolaev.  If you can have someone else (Russian speaking, try and have your interpreter do it) negotiate the trip rate you will get a cab ride a whole lot cheaper.

But no matter what... just have fun.  Keep your expectations in check.  Worst case scenario, you have an adventure vacation that will make for exciting conversation and memories.  Best case... you meet someone wonderful and still have an adventure vacation.

[Admin]

Just a quick note about bus travel.  Fine during the day, but at night... a whole different experience.  Mainly because there are so fewer buses running at night, that they will not only sell off alloted seat space, but you will then get to deal with the isle space being sold.  Gives a whole new meaning to the term standing room only.  My first time in the Ukraine, I took a bus from Kiev to Nikolaev (day trip) all was fine.  A few scary moments since I was traveling alone and did not speak the language.  I got lucky enough to sit next to a man who spoke Russian and Spanish, so I was able to converse somewhat in rudimentary Spanish.  BUT GOING BACK... I made the mistake of taking the overnight bus.  We were packed liked sardines and that bus stopped in every little village, because it was the only bus running at night.

Next time I went back, I took a flight from Kiev to Odessa, then a 2 hour cab ride from Odessa to Nikolaev.  If you can have someone else (Russian speaking, try and have your interpreter do it) negotiate the trip rate you will get a cab ride a whole lot cheaper.

But no matter what... just have fun.  Keep your expectations in check.  Worst case scenario, you have an adventure vacation that will make for exciting conversation and memories.  Best case... you meet someone wonderful and still have an adventure vacation.

That certainly sounds unpleasant. Of many many trips I have taken by bus, I have never had that occur - but then, I try to use only AutoLux buses. They have never been oversold and each ticket is for a specific seat.

Out of curiousity, was it AutoLux or some other bus system where you experienced that?

- Dan

[David1963]

Next time I went back, I took a flight from Kiev to Odessa, then a 2 hour cab ride from Odessa to Nikolaev.  If you can have someone else (Russian speaking, try and have your interpreter do it) negotiate the trip rate you will get a cab ride a whole lot cheaper.

Or you can take the over-night train, my personal favorite.

[hornet7]

Thanks, guys.  It's all good and I'm grateful.  My strike continues to unfold and I'm looking forward to the experience...

So, Rvrwind---how'd your meeting with Yaroslav go across town at BeHappy per my proposal in post herein above?  Have the two of you decided if the ladies I've been speaking with on the phone and writing via his site are real or his interpreters?  I'd still like to hire you and yours to facilitate my trip to the hinterlands to see them... if they exist.  I'm going to Berdyansk and Nikolaev.  Are you a go?  If not, can you recommend a competitor?

[Joshfire]

Hey Dan...

Yes indeed it was AutoLux.  I just think it was relegated to the overnight trip.  At any rate, I was in no hurry to do it again.   

[Jack]

Hornet, my first question is WHY would you go to Ukraine in February if your hoping to meet a lot of women?

Second question is you mention Be Happy.  I thought they were primarily a Tver (Russia) based agency. If you are writing any of their women who live in Ukraine, WHY?  Why not write the agencies these ladies are associated with in Ukraine instead of Russia. If you might need help in trying to find out what agencies these ladies from Ukraine are with who appear on the Tver based Be Happy site holler at me and I might be able to help.

Turbo gave you some people you might want to contact in Odessa and Kiev. If you might want to compare rates for those same services, a driver, an interpreter, an interpreter who is also a driver, flats, help with meetings, cell phones, etc., please do not hesitate to holler at me.

[Turboguy]

There are a lot of good people who can help you in Ukraine.   I mentioned Pavel before.  He is top notch and I have heard nothing but rave reviews about him.

Jack is outstanding.  Using him is almost like adopting a big brother.  He will watch out for you, advise you and make sure everything is going write.  He is a bit of a perfectionist and will make sure all the t's are crossed and the i's are dotted.

Sterlitz is another good one if you get down around Odessa.  Not the cheapest but outstanding service.

If you get around Tver using Richard is like adopting a best friend and LTP is another outstanding service. 

There are a lot of good people who will help you and there are some bad ones to avoid.  Reading the posts is a good first step because this has been talked about a lot but everyone here is very helpful and very knowlegable.  RWD can save you a ton of time, thousands of dollars and a lot of heartbreak and disappointment.  Don't be afraid to use RWD as your number one asset.