I would like to share our story with you all, maybe you have heard such before.
I never used an agency, if fact I only took a look at some web sites a couple of times. I allways felt funny when looking through those profiles, it made me feel like I was looking for a new car or something like that. I couldn't imagine what the women were feeling, like some advertisement or some sort of pet in a pet store.
(Please don't get excited at me as I am only describing honestly my thoughts at the time. I can see from many examples that it can function just fine and produce some wonderful results) These are just my experiences and perspectives.
Anyway at the time I was using ICQ to chat my friends/contacts as I am living in Norway but having lived and worked in many other countries I liked to use ICQ to stay in touch. My friend was married to someone he met on ICQ. so I decided to try to meet some women there too. (which I am sure makes people shudder as well)
What I liked about it was that often I didn't even see what the person looked like, before I had a chance to talk to them for a while. Of course I believe that physical attraction is a big part of a relationship, the intellectual side is important too.
Anyway I met my wife and it happened that I felt something strong right from the beginning and so did she, so we didn't waste any time and met about two months after our first chat.
I didn't feel that it was so important to see Ukraine for myself, because if things were to work out we would most likely live here in Norway. (ah yes she is from Ukraine by the way)
At that time citizens from the US needed a visa to visit Ukraine but not Poland and she needed only some simple visa which was easy to get, so our first meeting was in Warsaw. OK blah blah. I talk too much

After our meeting we hit it off so well that we concentrated on using time for her to travel here, for periods of one month to three months at a time. The reasoning was to allow her to get a good understanding of what it was like here. At the same time I showed her everything concerning my financial workings and such.
My main purpose was to allow her to have the best possible understanding of what it would be like to be married to me and living here, to attempt to avoid disappointments or surprises.
I think it was a good approach, as we found out so many interesting things about the differences between life here and life in Ukraine. (for example it took some time to explain why people had loans on their houses here as it is very common in Ukraine that if you own a house or apartment, you actually own it) We had some fun times with all of this, but also I think it made her feel very comfortable to know so much and give her input.
It wasn't until after about three and a half years later that I actually went to Ukraine, but that is another story. I better stop now as it can just grow wings.
hope you get to know us a little better.