For The New Guys.

[I/O]

This link is something I tripped over and I think, although it is certainly not reprasentative of all Russian life, it is a worthwhile watch for the guys completely new to this.

http://video.google.nl/url?docid=3123829134631060567&esrc=gvpl&ev=v&vidurl=http://video.google.nl/videoplay%3Fdocid%3D3123829134631060567&usg=AL29H23N88TOnUxFNJSC_546f-6qXJJiTA

I won't offer an opinion of the lady or her actual city/town, but it will give those who have never been to the FSU some idea of normal life for many.  However, watch very carefully the recurring theme and words during the interview.  "Worthy Man".  Yep...!!  Good question for everyone to ask themselves before they start this process.  Also listen carefully, very carefully to her views of home, children and work.  Go look and then go figure, I hope you get something out of it.

I/O

[TwoBitBandit]

God, it sounded like most of the first dates I've had in the FSU, they all say the same thing.   

[viking]

I know this could be anywhere but it reminds me so much of a town I was in about an hour outside Moscow.

[Kuna]

I/O,

Great clip for someone who's never been there not only from the interview section but for people who haven't yet made the trek to be able to see "aspects" of Russian life.

Certainly Kiev and Dnepropetrovsk are more moderns and larger cities but the process of shopping, the condition of the streets and the exit from the flat and down the steps all reminded me of things I saw on my trip.

It'd be great if every newbie watched this at least once.

Kuna

[El Rock]

If you are placing  some kinda value on "worthy man" , it's a matter  of nonworking English , or poor translation  .
Do you expect her  to translate into American English as you'd hear it  in the states ?

Hmmm

This link is something I tripped over and I think, although it is certainly not reprasentative of all Russian life, it is a worthwhile watch for the guys completely new to this.

http://video.google.nl/url?docid=3123829134631060567&esrc=gvpl&ev=v&vidurl=http://video.google.nl/videoplay%3Fdocid%3D3123829134631060567&usg=AL29H23N88TOnUxFNJSC_546f-6qXJJiTA

I won't offer an opinion of the lady or her actual city/town, but it will give those who have never been to the FSU some idea of normal life for many.  However, watch very carefully the recurring theme and words during the interview.  "Worthy Man".  Yep...!!  Good question for everyone to ask themselves before they start this process.  Also listen carefully, very carefully to her views of home, children and work.  Go look and then go figure, I hope you get something out of it.

I/O

[Kuna]

If you are placing  some kinda value on "worthy man" , it's a matter  of nonworking English , or poor translation  .
Do you expect her  to translate into American English as you'd hear it  in the states ?

I'm confused about what this means but would like to know more please...

Can you translate that again? ???

[El Rock]

Well IO  pointed out that they used the  term "worthy man"  for some reason.
I took it as ,"" Oh boy , look out she demands worthy man "" , as if it had a ban connotation .
He did not clarify as to why he pointed it out .
I never take what they say as  , exactly  what they intend , it's a lack of proper
working English .

More clear ??

Rock

[LEGAL]

"worthy man" - decent, not arrogant,  polite, well brought up, respectable man with intellect and good manners oh, of  course  loving and thoughtful  :angel:

Olga.

[I/O]

It's not a matter of "Oh Boy" or whatever.  Correct translation or not, it gels exactly with the attitude of the "Decent" Russian women I know. 

Worthy, as in worthy of marriage, able to handle and support a family, able to be responsable for those security and stability aspects of life, decent manners, social behaviours etc.  If you dig into Russian history, you'll find it has quite old origins as does the term to the effect of "He needs only to be slightly better looking than a monkey" and the two are closely linked. 

Sit down and have a "Heart to Heart" with most of the Babushkas and this theme will come out pretty quick most times.  In my experience, it is the underlying desire of most decent Russian women to find a worthy mate.  The film star looks and wealth etc come very much second place to the "Worthy" factor.

My point in the opening post was all should ask themselves the question, "Am I worthy of marriage"? And...............equally importantly, for the freshman to understand, as the lady in the interview said, she is not going to sit locked up in the house as a child raising machine, And........ SHE is going to be asking some very serious questions of her own when "Joe Average Smuck" turns up to rescue the maiden.

The clip is far from the be all and end all, but having been around the FSU a bit over the last few years, I've seen a lot of similar streetscapes and apartment buildings.  Just maybe it will be helpful to the Freshman, because frankly, the very great majority of western men involved in this pursuit, or at least tracking over there for a test run, Ain't worthy.

BTW thanks Olga.  Kind of something of a parable isn't it?  The Russian Woman "Gets it", but the Western Man doesn't. What should that tell us? Go figure..........

I/O

[El Rock]

Shore , I agree I/O  .


You can go to any country and  hear the very same  thing "worthy  man" as if  they all looked into   the same dictionary  .

Doesn't every  man looking for wonan want a "worthy man "?

It may be 2 of 50  words she knows , but very important words

[Shadow]

I can not help giving a couple of comments on the woman.
Looking as what I can see from the apartment she likes cooking. She is extremely nervous throughout the whole thing. And she has a prior experience that worked out badly.

[vwrw]

From I/O:
…frankly, the very great majority of western men involved in this pursuit, or at least tracking over there for a test run, Ain't worthy.

If you think the very great majority of western men who are involved in this pursuit is the few men you met when you were in FSU you are mistaken. You do not know each of the men to tell they are not worthy men. 

I/O, so as you have been around the FSU a bit over the last few years  I am curious to know your opinion – what about women from FSU who are involved in this pursuit??? Are they worthy women? Or maybe the men and the women are just worthy each other?

[Kuna]

what about women from FSU who are involved in this pursuit??? Are they worthy women?

Excellent question!

vwrw, I'll also be very interested to read your response!

Kuna

[I/O]

If you think the very great majority of western men who are involved in this pursuit is the few men you met when you were in FSU you are mistaken. You do not know each of the men to tell they are not worthy men. 

I/O, so as you have been around the FSU a bit over the last few years  I am curious to know your opinion – what about women from FSU who are involved in this pursuit??? Are they worthy women? Or maybe the men and the women are just worthy each other?

Observations suggest to me that a higher percentage of the women involved in this pursuit are worthy than the percentage of men. 

The writer suggests I have only met a few western men whilst I have been in the FSU.  I guess all things are relative.

VWRW:  Your comment is akin to me saying I know more about FSU women than you do.  I don't know anything about western men, I just happen to be one.    

The percentage of decent guys in the "second trip" stage increases dramatically, but back to my point, among those on the "Test Run" the decent ones are in the lower percentages.   Your aims and aspirations seem to be quite different to mine, but take a look around the major airports arrival halls.  It ain't rocket science.

I/O

[vwrw]

From I/O:
My point in the opening post was all should ask themselves the question, "Am I worthy of marriage"?

Guys, leave this question for the loving and loved woman you will ask to marry you. The question everyone really should ask himself is – “Is the woman you develop relationship worthy of marriage"?

[jb]

At one time I was one of the most experienced FSU visitors around with over 20 trips under my belt.  Working ex-pat in Russia for a time helped me a lot when I met my now wife of 5 years.  I viewed this little film and was reminded of many of the places I've been, it could've been shot almost anywhere.  Except for the lack of terrain relief I was especially reminded of Vladivostok, but even Moscow has neighborhoods that look like this.

The young woman in the interview was lovely, I thought.  She exhibited a natural shyness, not stuck up, a big measure of honesty, and yet displayed some confidence in herself and what she wants from life.  I thought her to be a very intelligent, witty, and charming woman.  The man who wins her heart will be a very lucky man.

It was very telling when asked about her preferences wrt age differences.  The comment about worthiness was also special.  It says that she is going to be a bit picky when it comes to which man she will leave her home for. 

I try very hard to read "worthiness" into each post I read and I think many of the newbies who stumble through our door are worthy, a few, like Prince Alpo and his friend Eric, do not make the grade by any measure.  We have seen others who are not up to the task for any number of reasons.  Generally the lack of worthiness is due to financial problems, social ineptitude, religious hangups, intolerance of new ideas, and maybe a few other notions I could come up with if I put my thinking cap on a little tighter.  The idea that "everyone deserves a shot at a RW" is the most insane thing I've ever read.

[I/O]

Guys, leave this question for the loving and loved woman you will ask to marry you. The question everyone really should ask himself is – “Is the woman you develop relationship worthy of marriage"?

That suggests that anyone should just jump on a plane and hope he finds the right one without even taking a good hard long look at self first.  Sorry VWRW that is nonsense of the highest order and more importantly it is very very bad advice for the freshman.  Sort of reminds me of some of P/A's advices and comments.

It appears that less than 50% of men on this quest ever find their way to these boards and certainly the ones who do are far in front of the rest generally speaking.  Even among the ones who find their way to these boards, their is unworthy people and train wrecks in the making.  Thus it would not be prudent to make any numbers judgements based on forum involvement.

It has been interesting to me that the strongest proponents of "Introspection" on this board have been those who are successfully married across borders or across oceans. 

Think about it. 

I/O

Later addition: JB I was reading through some old posts this afternoon sipping my Sunday coffee and I picked up on something which appealed to me rather.  It went something like this in broad terms......"If the newbies who walk through the RWD doors see this and at least throw their hands up and think....wow this will not be as easy as I thought, then RWD is serving a good purpose".  I would hazzard a guess that you would have seen more of Russia than most of the rest of us collectively.  The balance of the FSU, I simply don't know where and what you've seen.  However, that clip IMHO could have been shot in any one of a dozen places outside Russia itself also.

I kinda hoped that little video might just go small way towards helping those who come do a little reality check before proceeding.  I have to say, I had a fairly positive impression of the Lady also, but that is only personal opinion and I prefer to generally avoid comment as such.

[Ste]

I try very hard to read "worthiness" into each post I read and I think many of the newbies who stumble through our door are worthy, a few, like Prince Alpo and his friend Eric, do not make the grade by any measure.  We have seen others who are not up to the task for any number of reasons.  Generally the lack of worthiness is due to financial problems, social ineptitude, religious hangups, intolerance of new ideas, and maybe a few other notions I could come up with if I put my thinking cap on a little tighter.  The idea that "everyone deserves a shot at a RW" is the most insane thing I've ever read.

My advice to anyone starting this 'endeavour' having met a few hopefuls is 'don't bother'...

[vwrw]

From Kuna:
vwrw, I'll also be very interested to read your response!

Kuna, what I know surely ALL do not exist. There are you, I, my Turbo, Gator, JB, I/O…and much more people who are involved in international relationships. To answer how many are there women or men who are worthy of marriage I need to interview each of them BUT even in this case if I state the percentage of marriage’s worthy people in both group I would be mistaken because people have different preferences and who I consider worthy of marriage one maybe she is not for worthy of marriage you.
I smile to myself when I/O says that observations (obviously, the observations are taken around the major airports arrival halls) suggest to him that a higher percentage of the women involved in this pursuit are worthy than the percentage of men.
Personally for me it is not enough to observe people only I need to communicate with them to understand who worthy of marriage. 

From I/O:
I don't know anything about western men,

I/O, I am not sure it is so BUT I believe you.

[I/O]

I think I read in another thread somewhere that most things can be fixed with the exception of daybreak and stupid.  Personally, if I had to take a shot at one of those two, I suspect daybreak would be the easier of the two.

I/O

[IAmZon]

vwrw,

There is a suggestion, I sense, in many of your posts that you have a "lower opinion" of RW  - generally - than do the male members on this board who are busting out of their very skins to meet an eligble RW. 

This is only a sense and may not be true.

If it is, however, I wonder if I may ask you to expand on your views?

[jb]

vwrw,

The list of the successfully married is perhaps a lot longer than you realize.  You left out such notables as Leslie, AJ, Jetrim, CapB, BC, Ste, Witchdoctor, Vaughn, catenmouse, Muckraker,, and many others.  Most of these men are long and valued contributors to the RWD.  One thing they all have in common is they are professional men who earn substantially more than average wages, are educated beyond high school, exhibit profound maturity, and have the time to devote to a rational approach to the problems of international dating.  The bulk of the failures we read about come from the ranks of drop-outs who have never enjoyed successes in life, either in relationships or their business life.

You can draw your own conclusions.

Edit:  If I left anyone out, it wasn't intended to slight, I just didn't do much research before I constructed my list.

[El Rock]

From I/O:
…frankly, the very great majority of western men involved in this pursuit, or at least tracking over there for a test run, Ain't worthy.

If you think the very great majority of western men who are involved in this pursuit is the few men you met when you were in FSU you are mistaken. You do not know each of the men to tell they are not worthy men. 

I/O, so as you have been around the FSU a bit over the last few years  I am curious to know your opinion – what about women from FSU who are involved in this pursuit??? Are they worthy women? Or maybe the men and the women are just worthy each other?


The same ccould be easily said for the women , too ,many are " un worthy".
The same could be said for a large  percent of any population .

[vwrw]

JB, I made a conclusion the most of western men I have ever knew are worthy of marriage!

Rivardco, all in all I like RW…as well as other country’s women. Simply I do not consider RW to be better than other country’s women.

[Turboguy]

Having made a lot of trips the the FSU and run into a fair number of men a few of my observations are.   

1.  The quality of men in the pursuit is improving
2.  The worst of the selection of men are the ones you find at the big agency socials.
3.  It seems to me the men are either very good or pretty bad.  Some of the guys I have met would have their pick of women anywhere and some couldn't get a date on any terms. 
4.  The guys involved in this are pretty much a cross section of guys you would find picking men at random except that they tend to be a bit more successful on average just because of the costs involved.

I don't really subscribe to the theory that the guys doing this are a bunch of losers.   I do think they sometimes have expectations that are too high for what they should be trying for. 

I think VWRW made a good point.  There are a lot of women involved who are looking for the wrong thing, working on the wrong agenda or have expectations that are unrealistic.  If you add to those the gals with serious defects and the field becomes much more narrow.   I think we have more to gain by thinking less if "everyone else but ourself is a looser" and trying to find ways to sort through the gals to find those who are worthy of being good wives.