Agency in Sochi

[flyer]

Hello out there, I am new to this site but have made three trips to RU in the last five years. I have not been succssful but have learned alot. I am planning to go again in September. I decided to possibly use an agency based in Sochi, "A RUSSIAN ROMANCE" anyone familiar with these people?

Thanks,

[Sonar]

I see that this is an old topic, but since I have been to Sochi several times I decided to reply. I should add that I am new to this forum but not a newby to the subject. I've been to Russia and Ukraine many times.

Back to Sochi and A Russian Romance: This agency is mostly a scam and a very expensive one. The last I heard, Inna McNeal (owner) was charging $2000 to join.

Sochi is indeed a very unique area of southern Russia with very many beautiful, honest and sincere women. Just as stated on their website. But there are also very many women there that I would classify as the 'professional dater' type. I personally know a few of them.

During my first trip to Sochi in April '00, the girl that I went there to meet turned out to be a dud. She looked nothing like the girl in the photos she had sent and was about 50 pounds overweight. Just not my type so I nipped it in the bud.

I was staying at the Radisson SAS Lazurnaya Hotel. My second morning there I was in the hotel lobby reading a local newspaper (English version) and trying to decide what to do. I was thinking of going back to Moscow where I knew some people.

I noticed an add in the newspaper from a Russian guy offering guide services. It seemed like a good idea since I knew absolutely nobody in Sochi and the guy spoke good English according to the add. So I called him and explained my situation and negotiated a price of $100 per day. He would be my interpreter, provide a car (nice Mercedes E class which he owned) and be available 24 hours per day.

A short time later, Igor showes up at the hotel and we had a cup of coffee and just talked for awhile. He impressed me as being a really honest guy with good intentions. We actually became very good friends and still are today.

Anyway, Igor was very eager to show me around Sochi and introduce me to some of the ladies that he knows. At the time, I was in my early 40's and most of Igor's lady friends were in their early 20's. I explained to Igor that I was not interested in very young women and that a woman in her early to mid 30's would be more interesting.

He thought this was a little bit strange for some reason but he knew exactly what to do. He contacted a friend of his, Snejana, 35 years old, single, English speaking and very beautiful. Snejana is a professional photographer and has photographed 99% of the women from Sochi that are found on the internet. At the time she was working for all of the agencys in Sochi including A Russian Romance.

She met us for lunch at a local cafe and said that she would arrange for several ladies from the local agencys to meet me. We decided to have this meeting in two days.

At around 2PM, Igor and I show up at the cafe. Snejana was already there with about 10 women. And for the next two hours, women would show up about every 15 minutes or so. I was very much overwhelmed by all of this and it became somewhat of a formal interview process with Snejana acting as an interpreter. I met about thirty women and decided on five of them to date during the rest of my stay in Sochi. They all spoke enough English to get by and they were all above average in looks.

I only had a few days left in Sochi and I found it impossible to choose just one of these girls in such a short time. And I was actually more interested in Snejana than the others. So I made arrangements to correspond with three of them after I left and planned to return to Sochi soon.

What I found out about these women is interesting. All five of the girls that I had dated were from the agency A Russian Romance. They all knew each other somewhat and were willing to share some information about each other. I also found out that many of the other women that showed up at the cafe also belonged to A Russian Romance. It turns out that two of the five were supposedly engaged to other western men who had met them through the agency and had visited them in person. The other three were also corresponding with several other guys through the agency.

I was told by Snejana in her own words "It is normal, they all do it". The main purpose of the agency is to collect the original $2000 fee and then sell the customer all of the accommodations he will need during his stay in Sochi. Such as a car and driver, rental apartment, interpreter and a few other things. Mrs. McNeal owns several expensive rentals in Sochi and puts the hard sell on all of her clients to avoid the hotels and stay in one of her rentals.

Snejana told me that some of these girls make alot of money by collecting fees from the agency if a guy spends a certain amount of money.

The agency is very convincing. Inna will speak to you personally on the phone anytime that you wish and they have a so called matchmaker in Sochi that will locate the perfect woman for you. So they say. I'm sure that sometimes legitimate relationships are formed through this agency, but it is mostly just a high priced escort service. There are still women on their website today that I met there in person almost six years ago. They operate out of the US and their main target is American men.

 

[Bruce]

Sonar could not say it better.  I have been to Sochi twice and  really enjoy that small resort city.  As far as the agency you are  inquiring about I echo Sonar - Next!   There is no need to  waste band width posting about this agency.  One other thing about  Sochi - the majority of the girls I met are really fast and without the  kind of values I sought in a wife.  My best Russian friend,  Yaroslav lives  and works in Sochi.  He sounds just like Igor, salt of the earth  kind of guy who'd give the shirt off his back for his friends.   Sochi is a great place to bring a girl on vacation  if you have $ because it is pricey, though high quality.  Finding  a quality girl there  is tough.  I think the average guy is better off in a larger more  target rich pond, or one off the beaten path. 

[RacerX]

Don't know if you're still around flyer, but Sonar's story is typcial and as always, Bruce is dead on with his commentary about Sochi.

[Sonar]

Bruce, you are absolutely correct about Sochi. It is really a great place to bring a girl for a small Russian vacation. But to go there on a search mission is very tricky business. The women there tend to be more upscale than the average Russian woman. Even more so than women from Moscow or St. Pete. Not that there is anything wrong with that but it also has it's downside for anyone searching for a wife.

Sochi women like foreigners very much but they are less likely to leave Russia for America. I can't say that I blame them. It's a great place.

[flyer]

Thanks for the replies from all of you. I did end up paying for a trial membership with A RUSSIAN ROMANCE  as I was already planning a trip last Sept. to Russia. My plan was to go to St. Petersburg and then on to Sochi.  I had a whole month to do this. 

As promised by Inna, five women were very interested in me. I explained to Natalia her so called psychologist and translator that I was not interested in writing for a long period but wanted to have an introductory period and then meet them in person. I even offered her a fee for the personal introductions when I was in Sochi.  Inna did a very hard sell on me, and said she could not work with me unless I became a full member. 

My opinion is that, it is a very high priced scam. The women are very beautiful and good bait. They did write very promptly and my guess is that they or someone is a paid shill.

Has anyone listed them on a scam site? I have checked and never found them mentioned.

My trip to St. Petersburg lasted two weeks and was uneventful. A very good friend, and reliable person just made a trip West to East through Siberia. It took three weeks and actually finished in Japan. He raved about how beautiful the women  were in even the smallest towns.  It seems that you can have your pick of the oriental blend to the normal Russian look by how far East you travel. I am thinking of doing this trip next year.

 

[Sonar]

Another thing about A Russian Romance is that you still have to pay for e-mail and translation even after you pay the $2000 membership fee.

The girl from Sochi that I know, that used to be their photographer, was eventually labeled a scammer on their website. Even though she was never an active member of their agency. After reading the bogus scam report on Snejana (photographer) I knew for sure that they were BS.

I wonder how many guys are actually falling for this? There are quite a few very nice looking women that they have had listed for several years. Nothing more tham bait.

[Maxx]

I wonder how many guys are actually falling for this? There are quite a few very nice looking women that they have had listed for several years. Nothing more tham bait.

I avoided this agency but not first without almost signing on. They have some really attractive bait for every taste in women. Then with the Mc Neils living in the USA and the hands on operation they say they have it does seem that the measly $2000 to sign on would be chump change if there was a guarantee that a good wife would result. And from what I have been through $20,000 would not be too large of a price to guarantee a good wife. But there are no guarantees for any price. It just takes individual caution and awareness of the problems to see through the scams.

Maxx

 

[TigerPaws]

Maxx,

There is only one guarentee in life, that is one day you will die, everything else is up to you.

 

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Champagne in one hand - strawberries in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming - WOO HOO! What a Ride!

[Maxx]

My life's journey so far has resulted in a skid off the road and getting stuck in the ditch. Someday I will get back on the road again and when I do I will keep both hands on the wheel.

Merry Christmas TigerPaws and to everyone else a Ho Ho Ho!

Maxx