St Petersburg....

[steve057]

Hello,
          Well I am new to this board and this is my first post so take it easy on me I found this site a couple of weeks ago and have to say it is been very helpful so far.
         The reason for the post is this: I had been talking (emailing) to quite a few women since the end of last year until I met this woman from St Petersburg in late January. To be honest I wasn't sure if I even wanted to talk to her as she was different from the rest. After a few letters I began to like her more (don't know why?) something just clicked It seemed we could talk about anything and had much in common and she had very diverse intrests like me. I have been very honest with her and told her of my situation from the first letter and believe she has been honest with me as well. One by one the rest just faded away and only she remains To make a long story short I am going to St Petersburg to meet her the first week in August and am excited to see her for the first time She has never asked for anything or information on how much I make or if I own a house or anything so I tend to believe she is really intrested in just me which to be honest amazes me The biggest problem we seem to have is she speaks very little English and my Russian is well, terrible! So we have an interperter lined up to help us. I did buy her a program for her computer to learn English and I also have one for Russian for me!
          I wanted to know if anyone could help me with: 1) is there a program on the internet like a IM that I could talk to her on? 2) any places I should stay away from in St Petersburg?
          Any help would be appreciated

[steviej]

Welcome Steve57! I don't know much about SPB, sorry. Questions, though: during these past 5 months,  have you and the girl exchanged MANY photos? Have you been talking on the telephone regularly? (at least 3-4 times per week?)

Some of the guys here say they've used skype with great success in the early (well, thereafter as well) stages of courting. Have you tried?

Best of luck!

[steve057]

Hi Steviej,

                    Yes we have exchanged many photos and I have sent her roses a few times and they send you a photo that way to. Which is nice, you see them as they are   I know this is going to sound strange but I have never talked to her on the phone. We were going to set up a phone call with an interpreter but she is on vacation now visiting her mother in another city. She will get back a few days before I arrive. I will have to set something up while I am there so we can talk somehow when I come back home. It would be alot better then emails to be sure! Thanks for your help and I will check out the skype and see how it works. Thanks Again!  Steve
 

[CCowboy]

Hi Steve57,  Are you using an agency?   I have been to St. Petersburg 4 times but not since 2004.  Up until that time, St. Petersburg was probably the agency capital of the FSU.  Now htere are not nearly as many.   Although not nearly as large as Moscow, it probably attracts as many or more foreign tourists, especially from western Europe.  If a woman is activiely seeking marriage to a foreign man, it's highly unlikely she has just one suitor.  Unlike women from smaller regions who may meet a few men in a year, the most desireable women in St. Petersburg can easily have several meetings a week, sometimes 2-3 in the same day.  My advice is to approach your trip with complete optimism but have a solid back-up plan.  A good contact would be  Ludmila Lizbanova  spring@mailbox.alkor.ru, 812-532-3175 (h).  She has about 20 years experience in the marriage industry and she'll be honest with you.  The metro system is simple and most everything you'll be interested in seeing will be along Nevsky Prospect.  You should also include Peter and Paul Fortress and Petergof on your excursions.  Good Luck 
   

[steve057]

Thanks CCowboy,

                        Yes I do have a back up plan just in case it doesn't work out. Yes, to answer your question I am using an agency or I should say to talk to her only.  I have talked to her agency though and they do seem very helpful but of course they are getting paid to be like that to! The interpreter is a friend from her agency and has translated my letters to her. We do have to get away from the agencys though as they are a little pricey. I am not a cheap person but am not rich either I will be staying just a few blocks off of Nevsky Prospect and I'm sure we will spend alot of time there and to some of the sites you mentioned. Thanks again for your help!  Steve

[Shadow]

I would recommend Skype. Even if you can not set it up on her PC, you can call her for peanuts.

[diverboy70]

I would also recomend Skype! We mostly communicate by talking over msn when she is at home and by skype when she is not at home. Even if calling her mobile, compared to normal phone rates, Skype is really cheap! That is especially true for the Moscow & St:petersburg area.