Trip Report: Tver, Russia II

[av8or1]

PROLOGUE
----------

Hi y'all,

Well I'm all packed and it's only 12:40 am here in the central part of the country.  Wow.  Gotta be some kind of a new record for me!  I will head out early in the morning and work until a little after lunch, leaving directly from there to the airport in the early afternoon.  Overnight in ATL and will be meeting Robert for dinner.  Looking forward to that.  Only a few hours in the Hilton for my $95 (ack!) then I'm off to JFK at 7 am Eastern.  There I will sit for almost 8 hours waiting for the departure to Moscow.  Gonna watch some movies and get my photos organized on the laptop for Olga to see.  Later in the day I'll have the pleasure of meeting Voyageur and his wife for lunch and then we'll all make the hop across the pond together.  I'd imagine the flight will be full; I seem to recall there only being a few seats left when I made my reservations a few weeks ago.  Olga will be there waiting on me when I arrive, so Voyageur and his wife will get to meet her in person.  It'll be interesting to hear their feedback later on!

Then I'm in Tver for 11 days.  Wow-zeeee.  11 days of freeze-your-testicles-off kinda weather.  Yippeee Bob.   Just couldn't resist jinxing everything, could you Richard?!   Hey, I ended up donating my snow boots.  'Just couldn't see wearing them.  I have an old pair of military-style boots that I'll wear instead, but only if need be.  We'll see.  Also Richard, we'll end up going to Mon Cafe for New Years Eve, so you and I won't be in the same venue, though I did look into that...

I'm attaching a few photos gang.  Tell me what you think.  Maybe even my fellow Austin-ite Wendell can chime in on this, being the pro at this stuff that he is!  I bought these huge-a$$ pre-packaged bundles of soap, bath oils, scrubbers and stuff the other day.  One is for Olga and one is for Olga's mother, who's name is also Olga, BTW!   I went out and bought another 29-inch trunk of a suitcase to hold all of the S-T-U-F-F that I will be taking with me on this trip.  I did not even think I was gonna get everything packed, wow!  *Anyway*, these things are basically held in place by the shrunk-to-fit plastic wrapper that surrounds them.  My hope is that the TSA won't be all gangbusters enough to "break the seal" (proverbially) and then have all of this stuff scatter all over the place.  It's packed just so that it will fit and I ended up using some clothes for padding (ike!) to try to keep everything from getting damaged - too much anyway.  It seems unlikely that they'll do this, but have any of the rest of you tried to take this kind of thing over there before?  Especially during this post-UK-gel-scare era?  I'll let everyone know what happens to me on this deal...

I'm looking forward to seeing Olga again - and how!  We've been speaking by phone almost everyday and we've kinda got this communication thing down fairly well between my basic Russian and her even-more-basic English.  Having the trusty "slovar" nearby helps a great bit.  I have one of those dictionaries that annunciates the words for you in English-eze, quite nice.  I probably bought too many presents for Olga, but her birthday is in January so I decided to go ahead and get something for her now rather than just send flowers later, though I'm sure she'd have been ok with that.  Great gal, cross your fingers, toes, everything you have!   I also put together a pair of Christmas stockings for Olga squared, hope they like them also.  Mind you, these aren't expensive gifts or anything.  I've already had the conversation with Olga about not trying to buy her and she says she understands.  'Told me she didn't really care about the gifts but that she was appreciative.  We'll see how everything works out.  There was such a strong connection between us last time fellas...something in the eyes, ya know?  Sure hope that's there again this time.  I could tell that she was into me and I was careful to show that I was into her too.  Time will tell...

I cracked her up the other day by singing "All I Want For Christmas" during our phone conversation.  She didn't understand what I was saying of course, but she liked that I did it.  Like on cue, she almost made me blow a bowel from laughing so hard when she said "don't break bed again" later in that same talk. (the land lady from my previous stay told LTP that I had broken her bed, then later called them back to say that everything was ok...amazing how some people will try to get money out of ya!)  And no, before you think it - if you think it - the breaking the bed thing wasn't due to any activity between me and Olga!  You pervs!

I'll be meeting Olga's mama on Wednesday night.  She's in Moscow until then.  Don't know what she's doing there, maybe work, dunno.

Ok, I'm about scatter-brained as you can tell from the ramblings in this Prologue.  I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season.  I'll be posting from the Internet cafe in Tver as I go along.  Olga has to work a half day the first week, so I'll have some time, though the gals in the office and I will resume our daily office lunch parties once I am back in town.  Should be fun.  Also looking forward to loading up on the cheesecake from Old Faithful.  That was some good eats there, babe.

Best to all,

Jerry

[Voyageur]

Av8tor,

My wife and I look forward to meeting you tomorrow at JFK. One thing that I forgot to mention, is that (at least a year ago), cellular phones don't work too well at JFK - at least my Cingular  service doesn't. I remember last year at about this time, when my wife came back from a visit, I was somewhat frantic when I couldn't get through to her on her cell and she was in the long immigration line with her daughter (who was coming into the US for the first time on a K-2 that was almost expired. Everything worked out OK of course.

Although I won't be writing a trip report about our time in Russia (and I certainly do not want to sidetrack Av8tor's), we are going back for Happy New Years and Russian Christmas in Stavropol. We are also carrying a package for Capt B's MIL and look forward to meeting her also.  Our Babushka is looking forward to seeing her grand-daughter and her daughter very much. Many get-togethers and celebrations are planned - I hope that my liver can survive all of the toasts that will be coming our way.  It is my first trip back to Russia since I met my wife in Moscow after her successful K1 interview  two Augusts ago.

Sorry for stealing this space in your TR Av8tor, I am crossing my fingers to hope that you have a wonderful trip this time. I will see you in the early afternoon tomorrow. I hope the traffic to JFK from Philly will be reasonable though  ???.

[Bruce]

For cell phone use in JFK go to the windows.  Sometimes you get reception there.  Unfortunately, expect the Belt Parkway to be heavy from exit 6 on.  Once past exit 8 it makes sense to just stay in the right lane (since people are exiting and the psychos comming on will quickly cut left jamming those lanes) and expect one hour once you are over the Verazano bridge to the airport (exit 19).  Delta is terminal three.

Best of luck to Voyageur (remember, the third toast is for all the beautiful women) and Av8tor.  Remember, December 25 is like any other day in the FSU.  Av8tor, hoping your second trip is better than the first and she fits like a glove. 

[av8or1]

Voyageur, no worries regarding the phone thing, I'll be at the gate waiting on y'all when you get there about 2 or so, if all else fails.  Looking forward to meeting you and the fam' too!  Glad to have you post stuff about your trip in this TR, it might make it all the more interesting for people to read if they listen to your story too!

Bruce, thank you for the well wishes also, I appreciate it.  Thanks also for the advice when we spoke on the phone after I returned from my last trip, especially on the age issue.  That's something that I'm still out-of-whack on in general and that I am careful to consider when matching with a RW/UW.  The standard-fare rule of thumb that most people advocate of course being that anything less than 15 years is "ok" and less than 10 is "great" - Olga and I are just at the "ok" mark with 15 years difference.  It does make me think a bit...fortunately I don't look 39 and because I work out so much my body doesn't look it either.  Eh, whatever.  Time will tell on that one too...(one way or another - haha!)

I'll catch "all yous" on the other side of the pond, take care!

Best to all,

Jerry

[DKMM]

Jerry,

I hope this TR is written with the same detail as your last.  I'm considering Tver for my next trip there so I'm highly anticipating your report.

DKMM

[CaptB]

Jerry,

Good luck on your trip. I've been to Tver on three trips........nice city.


Voyageur,

Thanks for the "mule" service to my MIL. Hope we can return the favor later this year. I'm jealous......miss Stavropol.........and hav'nt been there in almost three years. Have a nice trip.


Capt B

[av8or1]

DAY 1
------

Well this is a very short day, because I will have to overnight in ATL, though it's hardly an "overnight", more like 5-6 hours.  Anyhoo, I work a normal day today and even get in my normal lunch run.  I depart for the airport, fight the Austin traffic and make it to the Fast Park lot.  I had wanted to buy "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" (not the hacked-up Jim Cary version!) but couldn't find it in the stores, so Wendell from this board (also from Austin) was kind enough to burn it onto a DVD for me and leave it at the attendant's station.  I ask for it and get it so THANKS Wendell!  I pull in and then my version of the Keystone Cops begins.  I have two huge-a$$ 29-inch trunks, as you know, plus a carry-on sized roller-board plus my backpack, which has my laptop in it.  I throw the extra coat in the bed of the truck while I haul out the luggage, which contains presents mostly, but some clothes, which mostly pad the presents.  I load everything up but forget my extra coat.  I remember it as we're riding to the terminal.  Fortunately I am early so I am able to check in (paid $50 for the heavy luggage) then ride the bus back to get the coat.  No problem there.  Then I wait through the long-as-hell line to get through security.  Holy hell.  I am bag checked and wanded.  They find the body wash (small tubes) I have for gifts for the office staff and tell me that because there are so many of them they won't let me take my carry-on rollerboard through security.  I have to either take it back to my vehicle or check it.  Period.  TSA - what a pain in the a$$.  Whatever.  So I go back to the Delta check-in counter and wait in line ... again.  I pay another $50 for excess baggage.  Fun.  Then I go through security again.  It's another hour wait in line.  I get through and rush to the gate only to find out that the flight is delayed by an hour and a half.  Holiday travel.  Fun again.  I am supposed to meet Robert from Atlanta so I give him a call to tell him that I'm delayed.  He says no problem.  Finally we depart (I don't like the "zones" that Delta uses at all!) and the trip to ATL was uneventful.  I then learn why my tickets were $350 cheaper than the others I saw: because the arrival/departure connections in ATL and JFK on the way out are more than 6 hours apart.  This means that you have to reclaim ALL of your checked baggage and then re-check it within the 6-hour-prior-to-departure window.  Great.  So I get to haul all of my crap to the Hilton and back again.  Whatever, it's worth it to see Olga, right?  No problem.  'Just glad I'm in shape with the weight and bulkiness of this luggage.  So I enter the Hilton and see Robert.  I yell hello and we shake hands and say Hi.  It's nice to meet a fellow explorer in this adventure, provided they're not a weirdo or a loser, of course.  Robert isn't that, which is refreshing.  I've been meeting some real homies on my last couple of trips, especially that last one to Kherson, but I digress.  No, Robert is a nice guy with a good head on his shoulders who wants the same kind of thing that I do (and that perhaps all of us here do, which is a good woman and a good marriage).  So I check in, take my baggage to the room and then we head out to eat.  It's late so we just run down the street to Ruby Tuesday's.  We order burgers and have a great conversation about this pursuit and life in general.  I'll keep the details private, don't know what he'd be comfortable with me talking about, so...then we head back to the hotel and end up talking about sh*t until 2 in the morning.  It was one of those free-flowing, effortless conversations that are good to experience.  We then part company and I try to get in my half hour of sleep before tomorrow's continued flying adventure(s)...

Again, not much happening on this day, but wanted to post it anyway.  Tomorrow's gonna be interesting.  'Will be meeting Voyageur and his wife and daughter.  Looking forward to that.  Y'all take care, catch ya on the flip side.

[av8or1]

DKMM,

Thank you for the kind words.  I'll try to give a similar report as my last trip to Tver, but it'll be tougher because what I'm experiencing is a little more personal than last time.  Everything will have to pass through my is-this-too-private filter first, but again, I am hoping that I can give enough information about this experience such that the newer guys can get a flavor of what a second trip to see a woman might be like (as I have mentioned already).

If you're thinking of coming to Tver, I'd say yes absolutely do that.  BUT be prepared to meet a serious girl who is looking for a committment from you.  If you're too skeptical to do that or just not really ready (but perhaps thought you were) then I'd say don't come to Tver.  I have found that the vast majority of the women here are more serious than in other places I've visited.  If they like you, they'll wanna make a committment too, and they'll be serious about it (eg not playing games).  Again you need to be prepared for that.  Truly prepared.  If you're not into this kinda thing, then perhaps Kiev or Moscow or similar places would be more in-line for you.  That's not to say that you can't find a serious girl in those cities, 'cause you can.  They just don't seem to be as abundant as here from my experience, that's all I am saying.  And Dayton does a great job as does the LTP office staff, so you won't be disappointed on that end.  There's Richard's agency too as a backup or as an additional resource, they seem to do a good job from my limited experience.  It's an honest place anyway, which is not something I can say about the other agencies in town.  LTP has more women, which is why I chose them, but as I recall Richard has a couple of truly beautiful women signed up with him (but you'd need to be ok with her having a child already, which I wasn't).  But now I'm straying, so I'll stop.

Anyway, good luck with whatever you decide.

Best to all,

Jerry

[aikorob]

Hey Jerry,
It was a pleasure meeting you and being able to put a human face to a name.
Did your bags make it through JFK allright? I'm sure they thought you were bringing enough stuff to mount a winter campaign
You certianly seem to have your head on straight; and you are focused on the important goals---good luck.

Anytime you pass through ATL again, give me a holler.

[IAmZon]

Jerry;

If you write another report like last time, you may get job offers as a journalist - a serious journalist.  I will begin to take vitamins and get extra sleep in preparation for reading.

Thank you in advance for the effort I know you are going to put into you TR.  We all really appreciate it!

Merry Christmass Happy New Years ... and I wish you the very best in your most in your very important quest.

[Rvrwind]

I hooked up with Jerry & his lovely Olga last evening for cofee at Kafina (He calls it 'old reliable' LOL). My first time there & I was impressed, very nice place. Shortly after we arrived 3 of the LTP terps & staff came in & joined us. We had some good laughs & a good time. The girls certainly like picking on Jerry, but it was all in good humor. I had to split about 6:30pm as my wife was waiting dinner for me.
As for his Olga, well having met her & watched the two of them together I can honestly say that I think Jerry found himself a keeper. She reminds me of my wife when we first dated, in many ways. She is attractive, seems to be quite intelligent & quick witted & is deffinitly into Jerry. I think they make a good couple. I didn't get to really talk with her a whole lot as the others showed up & that turned the tide of our meeting, but not in a bad way, we will have other opportunities during his visit.
For now suffice to say that my experience tells me they are good together & I think they are on the right track. I wish them nothing but the best.

[av8or1]

DAY 2/3
--------

I'm combining these days because unlike my other trips, I will be arriving two days later than when I began.  Ok...where did I leave off?  Oh yeah, I'm at the Hilton.  Robert has just left.  I get a quick shower and rest for all of 15 minutes.  No prob, can sleep on the plane, so I hope.  Gathering all of my baggage seems like herding cats, what with all of the wriggling, twisting and kneading I am doing.  But they come into a semblence of a herd and off we go.  The shuttle is late and a couple of weirdos get on board at the last second wanting a ride to a nearby hotel.  The driver is too much of a wuss to say 'no' so we end up making a detour which makes us even later.  I make it to the Delta line, it's like 5:15 in the morning and the wait is already about an hour long.  Holy Hell.  At least I have friendlies in the front and back so we end up talking about our trips.  I am initally evasive, saying that I'm "going to Europe" cause I don't wanna deal with the questions that invariably come when you tell someone you're going to Russia/FSU.  But like a pestering relative they pry enough so I tell them that I have a Russian girlfriend and that I'll be spending the New Year's Eve with her.  Boy did the flood gates ever open then.  Questions galore and I've got at least two more turns through the black stretch rope maze that is the airport waiting line.  So I answer politely enough, refusing when they want the private stuff.  Finally I get to the CSR and yep, he tries to charge me for the extra weight and excess piece of baggage.  I have Delta CS on the mobile already and just hand the phone over to him, saying "talk to your bretheren about it."  He just waives it off and responds with a "you win, it's Christmas" so I say "bye and thank you" to the CSR on the phone.  I make it to the gate and call them back again, requesting to have a note placed on my ticket so that they won't try to charge me in JFK...again.  They do this, so they tell me.

'Flight to JFK itself was uneventful.  I get to reclaim my baggage AGAIN and take it up to the ticket counter.  The line looks at least an hour and a half long and I'm about an hour and a half before my 6-hour-prior-to-departure window, so I get in line.  Less friendly here in the Big Apple, but I do get some entertainment in the form of an egotistical mid-50's a$$wipe who loses his cool and screams at a CSR...they have a tough job sometimes.  Many times probably.  So I finally get to a CSR and with a glance down at the cell phone I realize that I'm 5 minutes early.  Sure enough she refuses to check me in.  Fortunately she tells me and my baggage to wait to the side and she'll get to me next.  40 minutes later she checks me in and yep, tries to charge me for the luggage again.  Sigh.  I tell her my story and the Chrismas spirit must be floating around because she makes that same kind of comment and waives me through.  I get to haul my crap to the TSA screening area and then I get wanded again when I pass through security myself.  Bag checked again too, this time their concern was my power adapters.  Fun.  I am in terminal 3 and there's one of those beer-restaurant type places so I head up to that, a Sam Adams or Lagers place, can't remember the name now.  I call Voyageur and he's on the way down, driving to JFK.  I have some lunch and call Olga.  I tell her about my ordeal with the baggage, explaining that it's not a problem, just a pain in the a$$ ("bol vah popka") but that she's worth it.  "This happy problem for you?" she says, to which I laugh and say "Da."  Then I head to the gate, we're at number 5 today and I start to look around for a power outlet to hook up the laptop.  I do that and wait for Voyageur (Tom) to show up.  I'm in the middle of watching "The Grinch" and talking to a friend on the cell phone when Tom walks up from behind and asks "Jerry?" - sure enough, it's Tom in the flesh.  So funny how our travel plans have coincided.  So I end the phone call, shut down the laptop and join him and his family.  Let me just say that Tom is a lucky man.  If there was ever a poster child for why we men spend so much time, money, energy and everything else that we spend on this deal, you'd only have to look at Tom and his family to know why.  Wow.  A beautiful wife who is kind and gentle, a well-mannered daughter who has already picked up English so well you'd hardly know she was born in Russia and as a collective they look so good together you'd think they were manufactured in some kind of "Good Families Are Us" factory or something.  Everything the rest of us hope for really.  So we talk about this whole AM/RW deal, about my Olga, their family and life in general.  We are interrupted by a lady who tells us that we must stand in line and have our Russian visas checked.  We are also told that we must take all of our belongings with us, we can't watch other people's stuff while they wait in line and vice-versa.  Because of the glass window partitions that separate the gate area from those entering the terminal, we are cramped in this single-wide line like a bunch of lemmings in a shiny metal box. (ref?)  Just when I thought the "fun" was over.  Ok so we do that and then Tom, his family and I wait to get on board.  I'm in zone 5, they're in 9.  Bol vah popka.  I get to the CSR who takes my ticket and with a few alarm tones, my ticket is rejected.  Holy Hell.  What now?!?!  This time it's good news.  I've been upgraded to business class!  Wooo-hooo!  1E is my seat.  Yeah baby.  I control my exuberance and like a little kid who has just taken a hold of one of those huge, swirly lolly pops, I take my new boarding pass and walk down the jetway at break-neck pace, allowing myself the moment of being a bit silly about the situation by thinking "why ask why?  Just take it before they change their mind!"  As I sit down in "the front row" I start to feel a bit guilty.  Maybe I should give this up to Tom and his family, they need it more than I do, maybe they can take turns sleeping in this chair that actually reclines a bit.  Then I realize that's not possible, they don't let passengers go between business class and steerage so I relax and just try to enjoy the moment.

The trip over to SVO was the most relaxing I've had, for obvious reasons.  I'm one of the first off of the plane and I make it through passport control quickly.  Life is good.  The ATL flight has arrived ahead of us and they're still waiting for their baggage.  DL 30 isn't even showing up on the monitors yet.  Great.  I have had enough sitting down so I decided to take up refuge near a customs form station that noone uses anymore when I notice a US Passport sitting there, opened to the first page.  I pick it up, look around and see noone even noticing anything about it.  I look at the photo and think "this must be a newbie" so I decide to sacrifice myself a bit by yelling out his name (something not done in Russia/FSU).  He breaks out of the crowd and has an incredibly grateful look on his face when I hand it over to him.  So newbies out there, spend some time BEFORE you go thinking about how you're gonna carry your passport and vital crap around with you when you're there.  Be detailed, it'll pay off later.  This guy was disorganized and had crap falling off of him.  To a RW you'll look like a loser, based on my experience.  Ok, so then I hook up with Tom and his family once more, we talk about the flight and wait for our luggage.  It ends up coming out on two different conveyors, with none of them saying "DL 30" or "JFK".  Welcome to the FSU.  We fish around and eventually find our stuff.  Tom is a great guy and offers to help with my bags but I've done my homework on this deal and have a system in place to haul it all.  So I refuse kindly.  If you're gonna pack it, you'd better be able to haul it as I say.  Besides, if you can't take care of your own sh*t you won't impress a RW, as I've already alluded to.  That's another lesson that you newbies should learn and learn quickly.  You've gotta step back in time when you come here and be quite old fashioned about "being a man", if you follow me.  I'll let you fill in the blanks.

So we walk out and I am talking with Tom's daughter about her Halloween.  She was a mermaid and got a lot of candy.  Just as she tells me that I hear a "Jeddy!  Jeddy!" and feel a kiss on my turned-away cheek.  It's my Olga, who is dressed in very traditional, very female, very beautiful, very Russian winter wear.  Wow!  Beautiful.  Now I know again why I do this thing.  I say hello back to her and am also greeted by the interpreter who has been left in Olga's wake once she saw me, so I would find out later.  Now I know why I do this thing.  We make our way with Tom and his clan past the hord pack of vulture taxi drivers and those waiting on other arriving passengers out to an area where we can stop and talk for a bit.  I introduce Olga and Tom's family to each other.  Tom's wife and Olga recognize that they're fellow Russians and they do some kind of Russian hug-kiss greeting thing.  It's time to say goodbye unfortunately.  I'm gonna miss seeing Tom and his incredibly-great-wowed-me example of success, but I wish them a great trip all the same.  Besides I'm so excited to see my Olga again that I initially stumble over myself with what to say.  The interpreter keeps interrupting me, not knowing that Olga and I have communicated on our own for a few weeks now.  I explain that, but she doesn't seem to understand.  Maybe it's the noise of the busier-than-I've-seen-it-before SVO terminal, dunno.  We start to walk out and I refuse their help with the luggage.  See the "be a man" thing above.  Olga keeps trying to help but end the end accepts my decision, saying "my so strong man" while kissing me on the cheek again, perhaps claiming her territory, dunno.  Now I know why I do this thing.  We exit the terminal and like the times before I am hit smack in the face with the cold of the FSU, just like Otto did to Archie in "A Fish Called Wanda".  We wait on the minivan that I have requested from Marc because of the amount and size of luggage that I have along with me.  It arrives and I am glad that I have it because it handles my crap easily.  We load up and off we go.  It's my 12th time in the FSU and lemme tell ya what, the sights and sounds of being here just never get old.  Like coming home to a familiar face, it's great to be back.  Olga is now leaning up against me and holding my hand and all seems right with the world.  Now I know why I do this thing.

The trip to Tver was easy enough, though it seemed like forever 'cause I just wanted to have some alone time with Olga.  We arrive and the driver helps me lug all of my cats up to the sixth floor.  It's like 4 in the morning to my body so you can imagine what doing this is like.  Holy Hell.  Glad I'm in shape.  So I give the driver a good tip and we're in.  It's a typical 2 bedroom flat, nothing too bad but nothing to write home about either.  I shower while the girls wait in the living room.  Then we leave so that I can pick up a hair dryer at the local shopping center.  That done, I tell Olga that I wanna go to Old Reliable for some cheesecake.  She likes it there too, so off we go.  Finally some semi-alone time with her.  She removes her coat and I take it for her, hanging it on the rack behind the booth.  Wow.  Olga is thin, in-shape and beautiful.  She's not the stunner-babe type that most men I've encountered in this venture tend to gravitate towards, but still something to behold.  Did I say thin and in-shape?  Wow.  And in a big way.  And she's clearly into me, so my now-well-used FSU BS meter is indicating.  She then asks if we can sit on a certain side of the booth.  "Da, da, baby, niet problemya."  She takes me by the hand and we walk to that side of the booth.  I help her as she sits on the inside and after I sit down she kisses me on the cheek again, saying "spaceeba" for helping her with her coat and to sit down.  She asks if I want cheesecake and chornee-chi and then takes over, speaking her native language with politeness, grace, charm and feminimity coming out the wazoo.  Clearly she is watching out over her foreign man in the way she can.  We look in each other's eyes and it's great to be here.  There are few words but something more tangible is happening, like something swimming underneath the water's surface that you just can't quite see clearly.  We hold hands and just enjoy the moment.  No BS, no games, no crap.  Now I know why I do this thing.

Old Reliable lives up to its name.  Cheesecake is great.  We then head back over to the shopping mall, which happens to have a grocery store on the bottom floor, and we buy a lot of stuff.  Olga wants to cook for me each night I am here.  She asks if we can buy each item before we take it off of the shelf and she asks what I'd like for dinner tonight.  I ask if she likes Italian.  She says "da" and we buy spaghetti and some of those seashell-shaped noodles.  Those are fun in a nerdy kinda way.  We go to get sauce.  I tell her that I don't like spicy.  She says that she doesn't either.  Wow, the compatibility meter is going way up.  We then engage in a general conversation about preferences/likes/dislikes, after which that compat dealy-ma-gigger thing has gone off its scale.  Wow.  Now I know why I do this thing.

We head back and I insist on carrying all 5 plastic bags eventhough the third finger on my right hand feels like it's being slowly and methodically sawed off.  But I don't let it show, I don't even slow down walking or with our conversation.  Once back in the flat I excuse myself to the bathroom and like in some romantic comedy where the guy feigns bravery until he's alone and then gives you a look of "what in the hell have I gotten myself into?" I examine my finger.  It's ok, just a bit red and raw, sensitive to the touch.  No big whoop...

Olga makes our dinner while I pull out the laptop so that we can look at photos later.  This gal can cook, fellas and like me with the bags, she refuses to let me help.  Afterwards we look at the photos on my laptop and I show her my life.  She's interested in everything and we stumble through our questions, respective dictionaries ready in the quick-draw position.  I would definitely suggest doing this kind of thing versus having an interpreter around all of the time, provided your lady feels comfortable with it.  I tell her that it's a tradition in my family to open one small present on Christmas Eve and give her one to open.  I then find myself explaining the general rule-of-thumb that we in the West wait until Christmas Day to open presents, forgetting that she's not familiar with that either.   She likes the present I've offered this night, it's lacy and very feminine, something she keeps raving on and on about.  I got it from a place on the Internet called "Wicked Temptations" (alah wickedtemptations.com) so you can guess what it is, in general.  No specifics here, sorry fellas.  My whole point in telling this is to explain to you that these kinds of presents are considered (in general in my experience) to be an INCREDIBLY GOOD gift to a RW, whereas in my experience with an AW, you'll get a bunch of crap, varying from being called bad names to some lecture about objectifying women or some other BS.  No so here, instead my gift is received with much "eeeew"ing and "awwww"ing as the saying goes, much to my pleasure.  Olga thanks me and life is good.  Then we talk about the upcoming 11 days, how we want to spend it, etc.  All too soon she must go home so we say our goodbyes for the night and she's off.

So....ok.  It's actually around day 5 or so now, I forget.  I'm behind on my installments in this TR, sorry about that gang.  The weather here is colder than a month ago, though not too cold really, for Russia anyway.  There's a lot of ice though, so I haven't been able to run since being here.  And yet somehow I am more tired than last time.  Interesting.  Anyway, I'll catch up in the next day or so.  Hope all is well back in the US and that y'all had a great Christmas!

Best to all,

Jerry

[catzenmouse]

Glad to hear things are working out so well!

Do you know why you do this yet? 

Good luck to you both and don't forget about the audience here waiting for more...

Ken

[Infoman]

Great report, Jerry.

The hell with the "speed dating" thing that Rivardco mentioned you did - THIS is doing it the right way, IMO.  Good for you.  I want to emulate this - and I'm working on it.

Now I know why you do this - and I do this - and others do this.

At the end of the day, it's all worth it - and that's an understatement.

Infoman

[Voyageur]

We really enjoyed meeting you Jerry. Speaking with you really made the time go by pretty quickly. And your proficiency in the Russian language has created a new "golden standard" of what is acceptable for the American born member of our little family to aspire to    .

Many thanks for your kind words also.  All three of us really liked meeting and talking with you.  We were quite impressed by your energy, attitude and earnestness. It was sort of too bad that we had to part ways so quickly at SVO II, we would have like to have spoken more with Olga.  But, upon our exit out of SVO II it was pretty clear to me that she had another preference of whom she would like to speak  ;  . It was a pretty chaotic scene, our driver was waiting for us also.  We wish you good way on your trip and the best of luck and happiness on this holiday and on your future lives together  .

My trip to Stavropol has been great. There was a big snowfall (about 12 -14) inches a few days ago.  Today my wife is meeting CaptB"s MIL to give her the holiday package from the US.  Yesterday we visited the famous hot springs nearby and swam in the mineral waters. 

[av8or1]

Hey gang-

How's everyone doing?  Things are good here in Tver, just wanted to write a quick update...today is Olga's last day of teaching so I won't be able to write another installment in this TR until after I am back in Austin.  Which is probably just as well, 'cause I'll have a lot of free time then.  Overall things are great and I am still searching for a winterized version of the Charlie's Angels photo that you see on occasion in the "Random Image" window here on RWD, unsuccessfully, though I have come close a couple of times.

Quickly, although I appreciate the general sentiment you're after Infoman, I'd have to disagree with you regarding the "power dating" approach, as you and others have called it.  If you come here without significant prior correspondence, it's the best thing to do, IMO.  After all, the woman you'll probably end up with (if you take heed to your own FSU BS meter) will be the woman that you thought was the least likely for you to want to be with.  Funny that about this thing called life.  My current situation is the perfect example: I only met with Olga because I was doing the "power dating" thing.  Before I came to Tver in November I wasn't that interested in her.  Even after our first date I didn't think we could have a relationship.  But I went out with her again because I was being aggressive (inline with the "power dating" doctrine - haha!) and the second date ... well it was a different story.  'Point being that this approach led me to her, so how could it be wrong.  For me anyway, it was a good thing.  Mind you, I'm not advocating the "power dating" thing for every guy, no.  It requires a certain personality coupled with an outstanding, unbeliveable energy level, not to mention a very thick skin, but just because a guy uses it doesn't mean it/he is bad.  Maybe it just isn't for you...

Also, I can't imagine doing what I'm doing now with Olga (the lingere-type gifts, the meeting at the airport, the many hours per day spent together everyday, etc.) with a woman I am just meeting for the first time.  Maybe the airport thing, ok, but the rest of it?  Nah, too much for a first meeting and in a weird kinda way, IMO.  But I'm straying again, mostly because I wanna get back out on the streets of Tver and soak in some more of this atmosphere, culture and people before I have to leave (AGAIN!).

Y'all have a wonderful New Years!

Jerry

[Michelangelo]

Quickly, although I appreciate the general sentiment you're after Infoman, I'd have to disagree with you regarding the "power dating" approach, as you and others have called it.  If you come here without significant prior correspondence, it's the best thing to do, IMO.Jerry

In research, you can look at one study and draw a conclusion.  But if you look at 100 hundred studies and do a meta-analysis, you see something else.

So for the guy who thinks he can write one girl for months and then come and meet her and be great together, the truth it--it's a LONG SHOT.  So please don't look at one TR where a guy writes one girl and marries her and lives happy ever after.

For the newbies out there, I'll repeat--long months of writing one girl and then going to meet her is NOT the best strategy.  It's a waste of time in most cases because letter chemistry and real life chemistry can be different.

So yes, I advise newbies to write a dozen girls in one city two or three letters only, then meet them.  Use the first trip to connect with one girl, and THEN do the letter writing and telephone thing before your second meeting.  Call it "power dating" if you want, but the truth is you need to meet lots of girls to have a chance of meeting THE ONE.

This is not a quick process, and should involve many trips to see her, and in my opinion, of at least a year of dating her.

And Jerry--you say you don't like power dating, but you yourself came and met several girls, picked one favorite out, and you are now doing a follow-up visit with her.

Closing thought-- write a few letters and then get on the plane guys.

[Turboguy]

I have to agree with Michelangelo totally.  I have made more trips than most guys and most of the time the gal I was writing was totally different in real life than I expected.   

It is a long shot to go and meet one.   Even going and meeting a couple will usually give you some surprises.   Sometimes the one you expect to be the one is a total bust and the one you plan a short meeting with just because you happen to be in her city with a free day is the one you will really connect with.

I have had a few to be major alcholics, major shopalhoics, just no chemistry, scammers, and write sweet kind letters and have anger management issues.   I have had one trip where the gal was exactly what I pictured her to be and one who seemed to be the same.    Michelangelo is right.  Meeting one is high risk.

[TwoBitBandit]

Great report, Jerry.

The hell with the "speed dating" thing that Rivardco mentioned you did - THIS is doing it the right way, IMO.  Good for you.  I want to emulate this - and I'm working on it.

Jerry met Olga through "speed dating," they'd never written before they first met. 

Infoman, it's very easy to emulate this if you want.  Quit writing and get on the plane, which is the advice I and some others have given you.

[Marc Dayton]

I wonder ? How many men have went to meet one RW on one trip or more who are married to the first and only RW they meet.

I can give you 3 men that I know of in 13 years that went to see one and are married. I can also give you about 20 that went for one and only one that the RW or man didnot like each other at all.

I can also add that in 13 years 90% of the men that have went to Tver had one RW who was there number one RW about 10% matched with there first choice, and maybe another 10 or 15 % matched up with a RW that they had in there top 10 from e-mails and the Love of a photo.

About 60 to 70% of the men matched up with an RW that came into the office to pick up a letter, photo albums or to join the program wile he was in the office. Also some meet in nightclubs or on the street?

Love at first site? if there is such a thing.

My advice is just put the odds in your favor have a back up list of other RW in any city you go to.

[mike15]

I wrote one met one and she is flying to JFK to meet me next week (Jan.  11)

Hey Jerry I am glad you are having a nice time, hi to Nadya and the girls in the office.  Did you get a chance to see Julia last week.

Happy New Year to All..

Mike

[Bruce]

3/23 that were successful on a WOVO.  Sounds about the right statistics to me.  Marc, that was a truly informative post above from one of the only people who has the knowledge and years to give it.  * 60 to 70% of the guys end up with a girl they had no prior knowledge of prior to comming over.  That hits the nail on the head.  I hope newbies are reading and taking your post to heart.  Thanks.

[Rvrwind]

My knowledge is not as extensive as Marc's but I couldn't agree more. In fact I was one of those & if I recall correctly you were as well Bruce.

[av8or1]

And Jerry--you say you don't like power dating, but you yourself came and met several girls, picked one favorite out, and you are now doing a follow-up visit with her.

Mike,

Wow, yet another instance of where you and I simply have a disconnect.  I went back and re-read my post and I don't understand how you could say that I said that I don't like power dating.  In the abstract, yes, it's true that I don't like to date many women at once, but by this I mean after the first few dates.  That is, I don't like to have several GIRLFRIENDS at once.  However, when it comes to meeting a FSU woman for the future, I am a stout advocate of the "power dating" approach and I agree with you and Turboguy that it is the way to go in this FSU endeavor.  That having been said, I am not one to force my opinion on anyone else, so let me just qualify by saying that it is what works for me and it is also what I would recommend to a guy who has at least a somewhat outgoing personality.  He needs to have a high energy level and that thick skin that I referred to in my previous post too.  Anyway, Mike I'm all for the "power dating" thing, else I wouldn't have done it when I was in Tver in November.  And if I hadn't been trying to fill every available minute with a meeting (not necessarily first meetings, just any meetings with a woman who I had at least some passing interest or who I thought I could have a good conversation with) I wouldn't have gone on a second date with Olga.  And if I hadn't gone on the second date with Olga, well I wouldn't have what I have now...

*So*....update again...I have decided to stay in Tver through the weekend gang.  I was leaving on Thursday, now it's Sunday.  Y'all take care and I'll catch ya on the flipside.  I'd write more, but Olga will be waiting on me soon if I don't head back to the flat.  She took our clothes to her apartment to wash them then we're heading out for lunch.

Best to all,

Jerry

[Michelangelo]

In the abstract, yes, it's true that I don't like to date many women at once, but by this I mean after the first few dates. 

Great, I think we are on the same page, Jerry.  I do agree~sample a number of FSU girls by actual dates with them, pick your best match, and then develop the relationship with only that one girl.