No So Picture Perfect

[Freebird]

I arrived in Kiev on a Tuesday and by Wednesday met my first date of a 4-week trip, Tatyana.  Tatyana and I had been corresponding for about 6 weeks or so and we both were interested in a meeting.  She had given me her home telephone and cell numbers and knew approximately when I was arriving in Kiev.  Her agency pics looked pretty good, and she later sent me a casual photo as well.  Although the casual photo seemed ok, it was still from enough of a distance that I couldn't tell one way or another how it really compared to the agency photos.  Anyway, I called some friends in Kiev and arranged a double date so I could have some translation help and get a second opinion of Tatyana at the same time.  My friends and I arrived at the meeting place a little early, so we ducked into a coffee shop for a few minutes.  Shortly I went outside to look for my date and I saw an oddly dressed lady standing alone at the meeting place, but there were other people standing around as well.  I remember thinking, "man, I sure hope that woman isn't my date."  Well, it turned out that in fact she was my date.  Her style of dress was not a person of class, and quite frankly, she stood out sorely in the crowd - almost clownish.  I wanted to run, but being the gentleman that I claim to be, I introduced myself and we were off on our date.  As Tatyana and I approached my friends in the coffee shop, I could see the "oh my gosh!" look on their faces.  Tatyana was very unkempt, poorly dressed and had probably put on some ungainly pounds since her photos were taken.  I probably should have selected the restaurant myself since she suggested a seemingly high class and expensive place.  We went there, ate, I paid the bill, said goodbye to Tatyana and I licked my wounds all the way back to my flat.  But, not to worry, I told myself; I have another date lined up for tomorrow night!!

Since I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of friends again, I decided to hire a translator for date No. 2, Irina.  Irina and I hadn't corresponded, but I had seen her lovely pics and thought that this could be the one.  On the agency website she had a handful of casual pics mixed in with the doctored studio pics.  But the casual pics were, again, at somewhat of a distance so details were hard to see.  My interpreter arrived early so we had some drinks and talked for awhile before Irina arrived.  My interpreter was a fox.  I quickly became accustomed to looking at her and just wasn't prepared when Irina walked in the door.  Irina sat next to the interpreter at the restaurant and maybe it wasn't a fair comparison, but the contrast between the two ladies was too drastic for me.  If Irina had looked anywhere near what her photos depicted then I could have accepted the fact that the interpreter was 23 and my date was 20 years older.  Unlike my first date, Irina was well dressed, cleaned up, hair combed and looked nice.  But, once again, the face to face revealed the truth.  Don't fall in love with a picture. 

Oh well, not to worry, I keep telling myself, I'll be in Kharkov in the morning with Jack Bragg's troupe and we'll see what unfolds.

More later.  Jim

[Bruce]

Sorry for the poor start - but thats why you are going to Kharkov.  Hopefully, things will be alot better for you in Kharkov.  Be aggressive ie. if you see a couple of girls talking on the side of the street, go over and introduce yourself.  If they have guys, they may introduce you to someone who is right for you.  Good luck.

[PeeWee]

I arrived in Kiev on a Tuesday and by Wednesday met my first date of a 4-week trip, Tatyana.  Tatyana and I had been corresponding for about 6 weeks or so and we both were interested in a meeting.  She had given me her home telephone and cell numbers and knew approximately when I was arriving in Kiev.  Her agency pics looked pretty good, and she later sent me a casual photo as well.  Although the casual photo seemed ok, it was still from enough of a distance that I couldn't tell one way or another how it really compared to the agency photos.  Anyway, I called some friends in Kiev and arranged a double date so I could have some translation help and get a second opinion of Tatyana at the same time.  My friends and I arrived at the meeting place a little early, so we ducked into a coffee shop for a few minutes.  Shortly I went outside to look for my date and I saw an oddly dressed lady standing alone at the meeting place, but there were other people standing around as well.  I remember thinking, "man, I sure hope that woman isn't my date."  Well, it turned out that in fact she was my date.  Her style of dress was not a person of class, and quite frankly, she stood out sorely in the crowd - almost clownish.  I wanted to run, but being the gentleman that I claim to be, I introduced myself and we were off on our date.  As Tatyana and I approached my friends in the coffee shop, I could see the "oh my gosh!" look on their faces.  Tatyana was very unkempt, poorly dressed and had probably put on some ungainly pounds since her photos were taken.  I probably should have selected the restaurant myself since she suggested a seemingly high class and expensive place.  We went there, ate, I paid the bill, said goodbye to Tatyana and I licked my wounds all the way back to my flat.  But, not to worry, I told myself; I have another date lined up for tomorrow night!!

Since I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of friends again, I decided to hire a translator for date No. 2, Irina.  Irina and I hadn't corresponded, but I had seen her lovely pics and thought that this could be the one.  On the agency website she had a handful of casual pics mixed in with the doctored studio pics.  But the casual pics were, again, at somewhat of a distance so details were hard to see.  My interpreter arrived early so we had some drinks and talked for awhile before Irina arrived.  My interpreter was a fox.  I quickly became accustomed to looking at her and just wasn't prepared when Irina walked in the door.  Irina sat next to the interpreter at the restaurant and maybe it wasn't a fair comparison, but the contrast between the two ladies was too drastic for me.  If Irina had looked anywhere near what her photos depicted then I could have accepted the fact that the interpreter was 23 and my date was 20 years older.  Unlike my first date, Irina was well dressed, cleaned up, hair combed and looked nice.  But, once again, the face to face revealed the truth.  Don't fall in love with a picture. 

Oh well, not to worry, I keep telling myself, I'll be in Kharkov in the morning with Jack Bragg's troupe and we'll see what unfolds.

More later.  Jim

Pictures. It seems that a woman can have any number of photos taken of her and she will look different in each. I have maybe 10 photos of Lena and in each she looks not the same. I can only tell that it is the same woman by the eyes. It made me wonder how old each of those photos were. So I asked. She assured me that some were taken this past Christmas and one was 3 years old. I believe her but just to be sure I thought I would have her son take a photo of her with her holding a newspaper in her lap so that I could verify the date of the photo. I got this idea from the movie "Miss Congineality Armed and Dangerous". The kidnappers had the hostage hold a newspaper...blah blah blah. When I told her of my idea she asked me to never call to her again. Sheesh!  Women!

Peewee

[Freebird]

LOL PeeWee.  Holding the newspaper is like proof of life - saw that in a movie too.  Bruce, I'll have a trip report on Kharkov soon.  I'm also going to Lugansk, Dnepropetrovsk, Zap, Kherson and Odessa.

Jim

[PeeWee]

LOL PeeWee.  Holding the newspaper is like proof of life - saw that in a movie too.  Bruce, I'll have a trip report on Kharkov soon.  I'm also going to Lugansk, Dnepropetrovsk, Zap, Kherson and Odessa.

Jim

Be careful not to get zapped in Zap. My friend Julia moved to Boston from Dnepropetrovsk. She was the head of a German bank there. After saving enough money to move both her and her son from there to Boston she attended a university and got her MBA. Last I heard she was going to work for Merrill Lynch.

I see the name Kherson a lot. Is Kherson noted to its fair share of nice looking women?  Some of us seem to prefer Ukraine and others Russia. Why is that?

Peewee 

[Nando]

Well to fall in love for a picture is not a great idea indeed.
All those "glam" photos were taken to favour the Ladies presentation.
Sometimes an average plain photo hides a beautiful woman and a wonderful studio photo hides a bellow average woman, that's the reason I always ask by ordinary photos that can be zoomed (LOL)
I don't think someone prefers Russian Women and other prefers Ukrainian women. I think that most of us prefer a certain type of beauty and body...that's the reason

[Jumper]

When I told her of my idea she asked me to never call to her again. Sheesh!  Women!

LOL peewee, not sure what you expected in responce? it seems a normal enough of a reply to that request..


Jim, bummer on the poor start,,
Kharkov is ok,, a city full of universities, so a lot of students.
Not sure if you've been there before, but you'll likely have fun in  both Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk'