Begin to get nervous about trip

[ML]

How often have you traveled to the US and which cities did you visit to arrive at this observation?

Stop asking for facts.  It screws up heated discussions.

[cc3]

ML, that was my opening conversational gambit possibly leading to a heated discussion...I enjoy using facts for forum ammo.

[Makaku]

.

Thanks 

How often have you traveled to the US and which cities did you visit to arrive at this observation?

I haven't been to the US yet and my statement wasn't meant completely literal. But as an average european citizen the fact that there are certain cities in the US with certain areas one should avoid even by daylight and that the weapons law is very liberal compared to ours can be worrying. Although I don't expect to get shot several times a day in case I make a trip to the US

[cc3]

Thanks 

I haven't been to the US yet and my statement wasn't meant completely literal. But as an average european citizen the fact that there are certain cities in the US with certain areas one should avoid even by daylight and that the weapons law is very liberal compared to ours can be worrying. Although I don't expect to get shot several times a day in case I make a trip to the US

You are right about certain cities with certain advisable-to-avoid areas, just as there are in Europe and Asia.

However, routes from major international American airports to business and middle class on up residential areas do not pass through the eminently avoidable sections of the cities. Most of the crime is contained within these sections and law-abiding citizens with common sense circumnavigate these sections, just as Parisians, Mancusians, and Hamburg citizens do their cities' dangerous areas.

[calmissile]

Thanks 

I haven't been to the US yet and my statement wasn't meant completely literal. But as an average european citizen the fact that there are certain cities in the US with certain areas one should avoid even by daylight and that the weapons law is very liberal compared to ours can be worrying. Although I don't expect to get shot several times a day in case I make a trip to the US

Unless you are a drug dealer, gangster, or someone looking for trouble, it is very unlikely you would ever be shot in your lifetime in the USA.  Putting things in perspective goes a long way to assessing risks.

[Muzh]

Unless you are a drug dealer, gangster, or someone looking for trouble, it is very unlikely you would ever be shot in your lifetime in the USA.  Putting things in perspective goes a long way to assessing risks.

http://romenews-tribune.com/view/full_story/17940608/article-Chattanooga-girl-shot-in-the-head-while-playing-outside
 
http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/27/nyregion/girl-10-shot-while-playing-outside-her-bronx-building.html
 
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/girls_and_are_shot_tSTSnNemL9ju15x6uPXl9O
 
http://www.pasadenasun.com/topic/wgntv-girl-10-shot-while-playing-outside-20120704,0,5906267.story
 
and the list goes on....

[calmissile]

http://romenews-tribune.com/view/full_story/17940608/article-Chattanooga-girl-shot-in-the-head-while-playing-outside
 
http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/27/nyregion/girl-10-shot-while-playing-outside-her-bronx-building.html
 
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/girls_and_are_shot_tSTSnNemL9ju15x6uPXl9O
 
http://www.pasadenasun.com/topic/wgntv-girl-10-shot-while-playing-outside-20120704,0,5906267.story
 
and the list goes on....

Analytical/critical thinking might not be one of your strong points.     
Out of 300,000,000 people you find isolated instances to support your point.  My point was the probability and risk factor to consider.

The same mentality is used to focus on the winner of the lottos.  It apparently is enough to keep folks spending their money thinking they have a decent chance of winning.  After all....."Someone is going to win".     

[JayH]

ML, that was my opening conversational gambit possibly leading to a heated discussion...I enjoy using facts for forum ammo.

What? You want to ruin the forum by confining it to facts?

Far better to express wild ridiculous 'opinions" to make a thread catch in fire!!

[mendeleyev]

Relax my friend. It's not like you're venturing into Chicago or East Los Angeles.

Shadow and so many others have pointed out the real lack of danger. Turkey is a hotbed of human slave trafficking but that is mostly women and children so you have nothing to fear.

It is too bad that you won't have extended time while there to see some of the sights. Istanbul was the Greek city Byzantium for centuries and later was rebuilt as a replacement for Rome and known as Constantinople (Constantine's "new Rome") until sacked by the Ottoman Turks and made their capital.

The country is tied to Russia in so many ways, the first as the place that mentored the Kievan Russian Empire into the Orthodox faith and later handing to Moscow the title of "the third Rome" after Constantinople was overrun.

Turkey is the vacation playground for Russians and we sent our youngest daughter and her new husband there for a honeymoon last summer. My son-in-law still laughs after discovering that the most annoying aspect of Istanbul are the hordes of loud and often ill-mannered Russians. Since he was born and grew up near Moscow where they live today, he certainly has the right to speak his mind.

Istanbul with a population approaching 14 million is one of the largest cities in the world and has some places that you might enjoy exploring; including the Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar, the harbour area with the Golden Horn including the Phanar district there, the Blue Mosque, and photographing the tulips around Sultanahmet Park and other areas. Those tulips were indeed introduced to Istanbul by Dutch traders. Just about any day you can spot a fleet of well known international cruise ships docking at the harbour.

Too bad you can't get out and touch this magnificent place.

[jone]

Chicago or East LA, huh?

Your greatest risk of getting fleeced in the United States is probably in Las Vegas.

Hehe

[mendeleyev]

Jone, perhaps I'm wrong but I'd fear violence in Chitown or Watts more than in Vegas. 

[jone]

Those cities are filled with amateurs.  When you go to Vegas you are up against the professionals.

-j

[Muzh]

Analytical/critical thinking might not be one of your strong points.     
Out of 300,000,000 people you find isolated instances to support your point.  My point was the probability and risk factor to consider.

The same mentality is used to focus on the winner of the lottos.  It apparently is enough to keep folks spending their money thinking they have a decent chance of winning.  After all....."Someone is going to win".     

Heh, Let's then use your great analytical thinking.

How many 'stand your ground' incidents in the USA can you provide for your support of assault rifles?

It is true that in sophomore year in Engineering school, they DO remove all common sense from the students.

[Pkeel]

Getting more and more excited about visiting Elena!

I went shopping for clothes yesterday.  Special just for the trip.  Elena looked at them online and likes them.   I told her I wanted her help in upgrading my wardrobe.  She is going to help me select what to pack.  I have picked up some small gifts for her daughter.  Her daughter is left handed, so I got a few lefthanded pens!  Later today I am going to look for a coffee or tea cup or something similar from Maine for her mother.

I still haven't decided what to bring for her... I vacillate between something stupid (like an Ipad) to something simple like perfume.  I am going to try to bring her a jar of my honey, I don't know if it will make it through customs.  Not a big loss if it doesn't, the bees will make more.

She is also becoming much more animated on our online visits.  She is asking many more questions, using a great deal of body movements, and telling me more small personal details about herself and her daughter.

On a side note... Her daughter, Yulia, is 17 or 18 and will probably not come to the US with her mother.  Yulia has a long-term boyfriend and I think she expects to stay in Russia.  I will completely leave it up to Elena and Yulia to decide this.  My only input will be to tell her that Yulia is welcome here as well.

Just a little over a month to go.

[Hammer2722]

Go with the perfume and save the I-pad for the 4 or 5th trip if the relationship lasts that long. Don't try to impress her with expensive gifts like that on first meeting. Would you give such a gift to a woman on your first date in your country?

[Pkeel]

Like I said, stupid idea!     
Ipad                                  $450.


TRip for first meeting:
Plane trip                        $1,500.
Hotel/Apartment                  440
Meals etc.                            500
Interpreter                          200
Driver                                 200
Unexpected                      2,000.


Total cost of trip rounded   $5,000.


Trust me I would never spend that much on a first date in the US!  I will however be bringing an Ipad with me for use as a translator/internet surfer for the trip.  The question is more one of; will I be leaving with an Ipad?  LOL

But yes I think perfume is the right idea. 

[Belvis]

But yes I think perfume is the right idea.

Don't be so confident  Unless you asked her in advance what she likes. If you have no idea you'd better bring Chanel perfume. At least she'll appreciate the popular in FSU brand name.

[Faux Pas]

Getting more and more excited about visiting Elena!

I went shopping for clothes yesterday.  Special just for the trip.  Elena looked at them online and likes them.   I told her I wanted her help in upgrading my wardrobe.  She is going to help me select what to pack.  I have picked up some small gifts for her daughter.  Her daughter is left handed, so I got a few lefthanded pens!  Later today I am going to look for a coffee or tea cup or something similar from Maine for her mother.

I still haven't decided what to bring for her... I vacillate between something stupid (like an Ipad) to something simple like perfume.  I am going to try to bring her a jar of my honey, I don't know if it will make it through customs.  Not a big loss if it doesn't, the bees will make more.

She is also becoming much more animated on our online visits.  She is asking many more questions, using a great deal of body movements, and telling me more small personal details about herself and her daughter.

On a side note... Her daughter, Yulia, is 17 or 18 and will probably not come to the US with her mother.  Yulia has a long-term boyfriend and I think she expects to stay in Russia.  I will completely leave it up to Elena and Yulia to decide this.  My only input will be to tell her that Yulia is welcome here as well.

Just a little over a month to go.

Slow down there hero. This is your first trip and you've decided you'll let mother and daughter make decisions of whether daughter comes to the U.S.? You have the cart well before the horse here guy. You're putting much undue pressure on your trip. Forget marriage, forget the lady and/or the daughter coming to you in the U.S.. Just go, meet the lady, learn about her and enjoy yourself.

Honey will be fine in your checked bags. Perfume is risky if you expect her to use it. Forget leaving the ipad  unless you see that she truly needs it. Some nice small reasonably price jewelry is always good for a first trip.

[CDW]

  Her daughter is left handed, so I got a few lefthanded pens!

I am a left-handed man but I have never heard of buying lefthanded pens 

[CDW]

Go with the perfume and save the I-pad for the 4 or 5th trip if the relationship lasts that long. Don't try to impress her with expensive gifts like that on first meeting. Would you give such a gift to a woman on your first date in your country?

+10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

[CDW]

The question is more one of; will I be leaving with an Ipad?  LOL

But yes I think perfume is the right idea.

Buy iPad, just for you............not for her or her daughter.      You will need it for your next trip.

You may give it to her after 4th or 5th trip like Hammer mentioned, but if she complains about "2nd hand" iPad - SAY GOODBYE TO HER!!

[CDW]

But yes I think perfume is the right idea.

The problem is that you might buy the wrong perfume.  Not only the smell, but also her personality, and her age.  You do not want to buy a perfume that is suitable for a young woman when your gf is 63 years old  (for example).

You wanted her help with your wardrobe which means you have very poor taste in clothing, and therefore you might buy wrong perfume. 

You will have to ask shop assistant for help.  You will have to tell her who is it for, and if you have photo, you might need to show her.  The shop assistant will help you, but it doesn't guarantee that your gf will like it, but helps a bit.

DO buy souveniors from your home country.  For example, if you live in New York, buy something associated with New York.  A small ornament of Statute of Liberty, perhaps.

[Makaku]

But yes I think perfume is the right idea.

As you might know, we humans, amongst other things, choose our partner unknowling by their scent, therefore we instinctively choose our fragrances so that they amplify our own scent. And as for me I was pretty successful in choosing the right perfume if I just imagined how I wanted my girlfriend to smell like.
And I never ever tried Chanel No. 5 as it tells in my eyes "I couldn't be bothered thinking about what you might actually like so I just bought sth. popular".
Nevertheless if you think No. 5 will really suit her, I don't want to talk you out of getting it

[CDW]

Like I said, stupid idea!     
Ipad                                  $450.


TRip for first meeting:
Plane trip                        $1,500.
Hotel/Apartment                  440
Meals etc.                            500
Interpreter                          200
Driver                                 200
Unexpected                      2,000.


Total cost of trip rounded   $5,000.

$5,000 is awful lots of money for a WOVO trip !!  You are backing a 3rd favourite horse based on the horse's name!

 

[Pkeel]

CDW: There is no way I am anything but a WOVO.  I could not pull off trying to visit more than one at a time.  It simply is not me.

I did not say I have poor taste.  I do want to match her.  I would do this with any first date.

check on Amazon there are plenty of left handed pens.  Elena mentioned she had heard of them but had never been able to find any.

Faux Pas:  I won't lose sight of the only reason I am going.  To look at a woman and consider if she and I can be husband and wife.  This includes any and all family she may have.

In general:

Everybody relax on the IPad my first post said it was stupid idea.

On the perfume... simple if I get the wrong one she doesn't use it.  If she gets angry at my choice then she isn't the right one for me.  I do know what she likes in general... natural scents.