New member from Canada & UK

[acctBill]

Hello I'm from Canada, although born in the UK and a dual citizen.  I grew up in Canada and spent the last 15+ years in Europe working as an accountant.  I'm married to a Russian woman and have 3 kids.  I've been to Russia and other former Soviet countries dozens of times on business and personal trips. I met my wife in the cafeteria of a UK university so I really can't offer any tips on how to pursue a Russian woman but most of what is discussed here I have heard about or more likely lived through at one time or another. 

My interest in the former Soviet Union began in the early 1990's when the company I worked for was planning a business trip to Russia.  Business trips to Russia were still new at that time, at least in Canada.  I got to go on the trip because none of the other accountants wanted to go to Russia and endure the cold and bad Russian weather, the trip was in late June.  I went on the next set of trips because I was now the Russia expert in the accounting area. 

After a while I got a promotion to the UK office and more trips to Russia and other parts of Europe.  The reason for these trips was obvious I was now the in house Russia expert and lived closer to Russia.     UK citizenship and my much vaunted Russian business expertise led to new jobs and new companies.  A wife and then children and a few moves around Europe over a decade or so led to a job offer back to Canada and my current position. 

Questions are encouraged but answers are in no way guaranteed.   

[I/O]

Super opening post...!!! Welcome if I may. Someone who actually knows something (as opposed to knowing everything) is always a breath of fresh air. 

[55North]

Great start.  Most of us probably start here as greenhorns in the first rush of excitement on contacting a lady (in most cases), or with travel queries.
 
Welcome.