New found advice

[mark30378]

After I have began learning russian language and now am up to about 400 words. I have discovered that when translated or if girl writes to you in english that if true russian girl, the letter will not include "a" because it is not used in their language and even if they speak english it is rarely used. Also they rarely use the letter "I" when writting. Also if the sentence structure is very correct this should be a warning sign.

[catzenmouse]

I wouldn't actually go that far. Elena wrote great letters even though her English was very limited at the time. She had several English language resources and would write and re-write sentences until they matched some of the examples in her letters.

Of course, there were still instances of reversed grammar or misued words but these FSUW are very intelligent and resourceful ladies. They will go the extra mile in a lot of different ways to make a good impression and to show you how well they have mastered the different nuances of English.

Now that she's been here for awhile and is more comfortable with her environment she says quite a few very cute incorrect sayings (some of which are like those mentioned by others in another thread) and I have to say that I love these things.

Ken

[Turboguy]

Luda's biggest goal is to learn English well.  Personally I would like to freeze her Engish right where it is.    I find it amusing when she says she eated all her cigarettes or that she wants water with no snow (she means ice)    I will hate to loose that it's so cute.  

She does start her Engish classes next Tuesday.

[catzenmouse]

Luda's biggest goal is to learn English well.  Personally I would like to freeze her Engish right where it is.    I find it amusing when she says she eated all her cigarettes or that she wants water with no snow (she means ice)    I will hate to loose that it's so cute.  

She does start her Engish classes next Tuesday.

I have to agree with you TG. I love Elena's version of English just the way it is. Re: Luda's boredom, is there someplace locally where she could volunteer? Hospital, library, school? Might help ease her transition and also help with the language too.

Ken

[mark30378]

Oh yes, I like the little un-correct words also. I just meant that if person was little suspicious then this may be good little clue to watch more closely to situitation. Also previously I noticed some girls would write to me and I looked at my address and there was a number beside my email address. I think possibl my address was added to a persons list of people to send same letter to multiple people. Also in some of them it never mentioned my name specifically.

[Turboguy]

Good suggestion Ken, I will suggest the volunteering idea with her.   I think it is a great idea but I am not to sure she will go for it.   I knew going into this that Luda was not going to be the easiet person to live with.   She is very shy about meeting people.   I had hoped to visit a few people when we were on our trip to Virginia Beach but she did not want to.    She wants to work and could be working a few days a week in my office but does not want to do that.   It would be really good for her if she would do it and would be a nice start for her resume if she wanted to find different work later.   I really think the problem is she is embarrased to be around people because of her language problem.   She passes a lot of time with the Russian Channel I got through Comcast but I think if I had never found that, it could have been better.   I think her Engish would come along faster watching American TV.   My Russian is getting some help though.

When we had our company picnic a month ago when my plant manager picked up meat for shuslick for her the guy there said he had a Russain wife who had been here three years and offered to help her meet some good Russian people and avoid some bad ones and last night I suggested that I call the guy and she said no, she did not want me telling her who to be friends with.  She would make her own friieds.   Ok fine.

Luda is a great girl in a lot of ways but I think she is her own worst enemy sometimes.   I am just happy to help any way I can, to support her efforts any way I can and to try to let her find her way in her life here.

[catzenmouse]

Mark,

 When I started this I would get a few mails like that and also some that had the wrong first name so that was an easy cut and run.

TG,

 Elena is also very unsure and hesitant with her English. She started her first job P/T at a fabric store the other day and yesterday she was crying when she got home because they had her answering the phone and doing stuff that she had not been trained on. She says that her English is so bad that people cannot understand her but in my experience with her is that when she is unsure of herself she tends to speak softly and I often have a hard time understanding her at those times. She'll get frustrated with me and say I'm not listening to her. For Luda the volunteer work could lead to a good job also so you may have to push her a bit on that one.

Ken

[Turboguy]

Mark

I think a lot of the correspondence is cut and paste and it is easy to screw up a name.   I am sure many use some form of code.  I was often writing to 200-300 women at a time, even in the snail mail days.   Believe me I became a cut and paste expert and sometimes I would get a letter back, why did you call me Irina, you know my name is Svetlana.    I usually had a bunch i mass mailed and  a few I thought might be the one that I really wrote too.   If you are getting cut and paste letters and letters where they do not address what you wrote you can easily figure you are in the "not so important" catagory.

I knew it was happeninig to me some and never minded too much in the early stages of communication but later when you start to develop some raport a cut and paste letter would be a turn off for me.

Ken, Thanks for the thoughts.   I can imagine it is more difficult than we would ever realize for these gals.   I can only try to lead Luda.   She does not take well to someone trying to put too much pressure on her but she really neads to find something to occupy her days and I like the suggestion you made.