Czar Putin?

[visaveteran1 33]

I speak my truth, and don't worry about making PC comments or getting brownie points. You'll just have to be "tired" or stop reading my posts. Or maybe celebrate that we all have a right to our own views.

As I said previously in this thread, I acknowledge your right to your opinion. I'd much rather hear honest opinions than PC ####### anyway, makes for more interesting discussion.

And, as I've said, my wife feels the same way about Russia...so I'm not worried about my success with her.

When your wife criticizes her country, it's *MUCH* different than you criticizing her country. Think about when a foreigner comes over to the US and starts criticizing the US. Their criticisms may be valid, but it's grating to hear an outsider yammering on about it. Russians are culturally more sensitive to criticism than even Americans are. Your wife may not say anything, but I guarantee you're not scoring any brownie points with her, and probably losing them. You don't have to score brownie points with anyone in this forum, but you better score 'em with the wife.

Finally, I grew up during the cold war and remember well the actions of the evil Soviet Union. And I fought in a war for the USA against a country supported by Russia...so I have issues you know nothing about...sonny.

I grew up during the cold war too...er...grandpa. I didn't fight in a war, but my dad was permanently disabled by Soviet munitions fired by Soviet trained and supplied soldiers. He has issues too, and I suffered a lot growing up because of those issues. But the war is over, the "evil" Soviet Union no longer exists, and they haven't been the enemy for 15 years. If all your vitriol towards your wife's country and her culture is driven by your refusal to let go and move on with your life...well then I'm truly sorry for you, but your perceptions are based on your jadedness and not on reality. I hope that some time down the road you're able to move on and enjoy a happy and healthy relationship with your wife and the cultural richness she can share with you.

I thank your dad for his service to his country.

I'll look at my zeal against Russia, if you'll look at your cheer leader issues. I base my judgments about Russia from visiting it for 5 years and seeing that it's moving back towards the Soviet Union attitudes and behaviors....only worse as now it is more of a dictatorship. As well as a few dozens other disturbing observations about it...such as it's racism and anti-semitic issues.

What's between me and my wife is my business...keep her out of this. I m not mentioning your wife...give me the same courtesy.

I'm done with this thread...you get the last word if you want it.

[NavarreMan 10]

It is a tad more complex. In the rawest form, Slim's there.

Exactly what my post was... the raw form. Of course it's more complex. Each relationship is even going to have it's own "complexities" and, dare I say, the very nature of the relationship will change over time as well, maybe even ending or transitioning into something different entirely...

Agreed 100%. I guess what I meant is that the whole "Russian bride" (for lack of a better term) thing is more complex as a whole. There are certainly people who fit the stereotypes, i.e. 50+ year-old men who find a 20-something hottie trying to escape a desperate situation. But just as there are many Americans who look for a different life overseas, there are Russians who are looking for the same thing. Travel, adventure, broadening their horizons, whatever you want to call it. I lived in Scotland for 3 years and completely fell in love with the country. If I could afford to live there I would pack my bags in an instant. It doesn't mean I hate my life in America or that I hate America. And the fact that there are 4 million American expatriates living abroad is no indication that 4 million Americans are desperately seeking a better life than their miserable existence in the US can provide.

So it's a little tiring to see posts that sum up the whole experience as women who are just trying to escape their shitty country and their shitty lives, and then go on at length explaining just what a shitty country it is by focusing on all the negatives and completely ignoring the overwhelming positives. It's degrading to the women who we profess to love and cherish, and it's degrading to the men as well. I think we all know the situation in our SO's country isn't rainbows and unicorns, but it's not all bleakness and desperation either.

As a side note, I just have to wonder how long a relationship can last where one of the partners has absolutely no respect for the country and culture of the other spouse.

and who knows, maybe your (my) girl will end up "rich" and you'll (me) will end up "attractive!"

LOL! Stranger things have happened I guess, but I think the only way I'll end up "attractive" is if I end up rich.

Isn't that the way it is in most relationships? Security and attractiveness usually seem to take priority over trust and communication. Initially at least...

I try to understand the differences of our cultures as a by-product of our relationship, not the reverse. I did not go looking in Russia for a bride and she did not go hunting for me here. While it is true that we met on-line and through a dating agency, she had given up hope of finding that "special" person and I was bored and goofing around. We believe this is more destiny than a successful search. I believe we have found in each other the qualities and values we would look for in a companion regardless of nationality. After all, isn't that what is important? There may well be a woman of Tanya's quality and character in my area, but I have not met her. It just so happens that when I finally did meet the woman of my dreams, she was Russian. I do not question the reason why or the dynamics involved, my only concern is to bring us together. The most amazing aspect of our relationship is that because of our different languages, we actually try harder to communicate than any relationship I have ever been in. I suppose this could be true if she spoke Spanish or Chinese, although she does speak a little English and I am slowly learning Russian so we are a little ahead in that area.

Trust and committment and lots of patience may be necessary for any relationship like ours to be successful. To that end, and way OT, I do not really see what difference it makes where we find our "special" someone, as long as they are special to the individual persons involved. The relationship should not be based on why someone may want to leave a country but on the interactions of the people involved. I think if you are getting married because of money and beauty then perhaps you reconsider the marriage. If you are getting married because you have found someone you can trust, love, communicate with, and the myriad of other value and characteristics found in quality relationships and there is monetary wealth and physical beauty, then Rock-On! Jeff, I know you know where I am coming from on this. I saw it in your photo. You two are happy from the deepest parts of your souls.

Anyway, I am rambling as I often do. Good luck to all who have chosen this long and difficult journey. I sincerely wish each of you find that which you search for regardless of world politics or economic or cultural backgrounds. Love is from the heart. Back On Topic I would like to say that it would be a shame for governments to regulate the private lives between loving couples. I certainly hope this is not where the FSU is headed again.

[mox 298]

I'll look at my zeal against Russia, if you'll look at your cheer leader issues.

Fair enough. I'll use my "last word" to say that Russia needs to learn how to run a goddamned airport.

Aww, come on Kirk. You seem like a pretty attractive guy to me. Even without Nadya at your side!

It's Nadya that makes me look remotely presentable. If you cover her half of the picture up, you'll notice a distinct resemblance between me and Shrek.

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Well, I can say Kazan' International needs big time improvement! (It is getting there though) I've never had problems with SVO1 or SVO2.

I'll look at my zeal against Russia, if you'll look at your cheer leader issues.

Fair enough. I'll use my "last word" to say that Russia needs to learn how to run a goddamned airport.

I am trying my best to imagine you green and with horns. ROTFLMAO-!!!

Aww, come on Kirk. You seem like a pretty attractive guy to me. Even without Nadya at your side!

It's Nadya that makes me look remotely presentable. If you cover her half of the picture up, you'll notice a distinct resemblance between me and Shrek.

[mox 298]

Well, I can say Kazan' International needs big time improvement! (It is getting there though) I've never had problems with SVO1 or SVO2.

Wow, my experience was exactly the opposite. I had no problem with Kazan at all, although I flew through the domestic side. The only real problem I had was that I accidentally stepped over the line painted on the floor that we were supposed to wait behind until it was our turn. Severely pissed the ticket-taker off, so when it was my turn to walk up she completely ignored me for about 5 minutes. Took some guy behind me to point out why she wasn't calling me up, so I moved back 4 inches, waited another minute, and she finally called me up.

SVO1/SVO2 was a nightmare. Flying in, I missed my connection to Kazan because the immigration line was so backed up. Wound up spending the night in SVO1 until the next available flight. Spent an entertaining night sitting across from a huge sleeping Russian guy who farted every minute on the minute. Flying out was almost as bad. There were no x-ray machines working so everything was being checked by hand. Wound up missing my flight to Frankfurt and had to buy a ticket to Berlin, and then a ticket to Frankfurt once I got to Berlin. And I almost missed the flight to Berlin, even though the Aeroflot ticket agent assured me I had plenty of time. They closed the flight as I was the next person in line, and I had to beg and plead with a manager to let me on the plane. Turned out the plane was over an hour delayed anyway, so there was no reason not to get me on the flight. Hmmm...come to think of it, my "Russia bashing" post should have been "Aeroflot needs to learn how to run a goddamned airline."

Did you fly from Lufthansa direct to Kazan? I have heard of this mythical flight, but I've never been able to find tickets. Everywhere I shop always says it's not an available route.

I am trying my best to imagine you green and with horns. ROTFLMAO-!!!

I don't turn green until about the 5th or 6th shot of vodka...

[slim 1,530]

This is almost as good as some of the Off Topic threads!

What I love about our forum though is no matter what we may say in our "debates" I'm pretty sure we'd all get on quite nicely crowded around the little tables at SVO1 with a couple pints in our hands. Regardless of our personal views I believe all of us in this thread are like-minded in one respect, (we've uncovered the sonduchok) and that's what would get us by. As my wife says "It's all for love."

[mox 298]

This is almost as good as some of the Off Topic threads!

Really? Except for a minor flare at the end I thought it was a pretty civilized discussion. Just an honest disagreement between folk. I find the off-topic forum much...hmmm...saltier.

For what it's worth, I feel a little bad about driving you away sean. It's all good, no offense intended.

What I love about our forum though is no matter what we may say in our "debates" I'm pretty sure we'd all get on quite nicely crowded around the little tables at SVO1 with a couple pints in our hands. Regardless of our personal views I believe all of us in this thread are like-minded in one respect, (we've uncovered the sonduchok) and that's what would get us by. As my wife says "It's all for love."

Agreed. If anyone here ever finds themselves in the bay area, drinks are on me. Unless you all happen to show up at once, in which case we switch from Russian to Dutch.

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Yes, I've done the Lufthansa flight three times. The biggest headache is the 8 hour wait in Frankfurt. I've always bought the tickets online through Travelocity at least 3 to 6 months in advance.

The international side of Kazan' is no more than a warehouse. It's cold, dark, dirty, and downright unfriendly. Although each time I arrived it got better, only because my Russian allowed me to communicate, which the officials appreciated. The domestic side is new, fresh and modern. (Never step over those lines) My SVO experiences have all been very smooth.

I think by the time I'm on vodka shot 6 (Russian fill), I've exhausted all visual colours of the spectrum and move on to infrared-!!!

Well, I can say Kazan' International needs big time improvement! (It is getting there though) I've never had problems with SVO1 or SVO2.

Wow, my experience was exactly the opposite. I had no problem with Kazan at all, although I flew through the domestic side. The only real problem I had was that I accidentally stepped over the line painted on the floor that we were supposed to wait behind until it was our turn. Severely pissed the ticket-taker off, so when it was my turn to walk up she completely ignored me for about 5 minutes. Took some guy behind me to point out why she wasn't calling me up, so I moved back 4 inches, waited another minute, and she finally called me up.

SVO1/SVO2 was a nightmare. Flying in, I missed my connection to Kazan because the immigration line was so backed up. Wound up spending the night in SVO1 until the next available flight. Spent an entertaining night sitting across from a huge sleeping Russian guy who farted every minute on the minute. Flying out was almost as bad. There were no x-ray machines working so everything was being checked by hand. Wound up missing my flight to Frankfurt and had to buy a ticket to Berlin, and then a ticket to Frankfurt once I got to Berlin. And I almost missed the flight to Berlin, even though the Aeroflot ticket agent assured me I had plenty of time. They closed the flight as I was the next person in line, and I had to beg and plead with a manager to let me on the plane. Turned out the plane was over an hour delayed anyway, so there was no reason not to get me on the flight. Hmmm...come to think of it, my "Russia bashing" post should have been "Aeroflot needs to learn how to run a goddamned airline."

Did you fly from Lufthansa direct to Kazan? I have heard of this mythical flight, but I've never been able to find tickets. Everywhere I shop always says it's not an available route.

I am trying my best to imagine you green and with horns. ROTFLMAO-!!!

I don't turn green until about the 5th or 6th shot of vodka...

[visaveteran1 33]

This is almost as good as some of the Off Topic threads!

Really? Except for a minor flare at the end I thought it was a pretty civilized discussion. Just an honest disagreement between folk. I find the off-topic forum much...hmmm...saltier.

For what it's worth, I feel a little bad about driving you away sean. It's all good, no offense intended.

What I love about our forum though is no matter what we may say in our "debates" I'm pretty sure we'd all get on quite nicely crowded around the little tables at SVO1 with a couple pints in our hands. Regardless of our personal views I believe all of us in this thread are like-minded in one respect, (we've uncovered the sonduchok) and that's what would get us by. As my wife says "It's all for love."

Agreed. If anyone here ever finds themselves in the bay area, drinks are on me. Unless you all happen to show up at once, in which case we switch from Russian to Dutch.

MOX...no problem on my end. As you said, it's all good. I'm sure I'd enjoy having a few shots of vodka or some Russian beer with you as we discuss the golden and shadow sides of the motherland. I'm actually heading back to Siberia next week for a month. My American friends think I'm nuts to visit during wintertime...but love will keep me warm and Siberia is beautiful in winter.

BTW, I agree with you about Russian airports. I had some difficult times and I hate having to go from SVO2 over to SVO1.

[mox 298]

I'm actually heading back to Siberia next week for a month. My American friends think I'm nuts to visit during wintertime...but love will keep me warm and Siberia is beautiful in winter.

Wow, that's brave. Was talking to Nadya, it's -30C in her city. She always has to win our "my weather is crappier than your weather" discussions, so today I decided to cheat:

Me: In my city it's 10C outside.

Her: Keerk, today it is 30 in my city. Meenus.

Me: Yeah but it's raining in my city.

Her: It is raining *ice* in my city.

Me: Snow?

Her: Not snow Keerk. Ice!

Me: Well I had to wear a sweater today.

Her: I must wear big jacket. Too cold for autobus, I must walk 30 minutes to work in ice rain!

Me: Yeah well...dinosaurs attacked my city.

Her: (silence)

Me: Hello?

Her: Shto?

Me: Dinosaurs. "Deenozavr."

Her: Deenozavr?

Me: Da, deenozavr. In my city. Eating many children.

Her: Deenozavr?

Me: Da.

Her: My entire country endured a brutal Communist regime for 75 years where millions of people were killed or simply disappeared. After the fall of Communism, millions of us were left in poverty and left homeless, while hundreds of thousands of us starved to death because the entire economy self-destructed under perestroika.

Okay, I made that last part up. But she should have totally come back with that. I'd have had nothing. As it was, she really had nothing to counter dinosaurs. So...you know...I won.

(she had a good laugh, so she's starting to understand my weird sense of humor...)

BTW, I agree with you about Russian airports. I had some difficult times and I hate having to go from SVO2 over to SVO1.

Yeah, and all it has to do is look like it wants to rain, and it's total gridlock. Grr.

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Kirk, how long have you known Nadya? Nothing is worse here, ever. Nadya will always win just as Alla does (you only think you did)-!!!

Een Rossiya our deenozaurs have much beeger teeth!

I'm actually heading back to Siberia next week for a month. My American friends think I'm nuts to visit during wintertime...but love will keep me warm and Siberia is beautiful in winter.

Wow, that's brave. Was talking to Nadya, it's -30C in her city. She always has to win our "my weather is crappier than your weather" discussions, so today I decided to cheat:

Me: In my city it's 10C outside.

Her: Keerk, today it is 30 in my city. Meenus.

Me: Yeah but it's raining in my city.

Her: It is raining *ice* in my city.

Me: Snow?

Her: Not snow Keerk. Ice!

Me: Well I had to wear a sweater today.

Her: I must wear big jacket. Too cold for autobus, I must walk 30 minutes to work in ice rain!

Me: Yeah well...dinosaurs attacked my city.

Her: (silence)

Me: Hello?

Her: Shto?

Me: Dinosaurs. "Deenozavr."

Her: Deenozavr?

Me: Da, deenozavr. In my city. Eating many children.

Her: Deenozavr?

Me: Da.

Her: My entire country endured a brutal Communist regime for 75 years where millions of people were killed or simply disappeared. After the fall of Communism, millions of us were left in poverty and left homeless, while hundreds of thousands of us starved to death because the entire economy self-destructed under perestroika.

Okay, I made that last part up. But she should have totally come back with that. I'd have had nothing. As it was, she really had nothing to counter dinosaurs. So...you know...I won.

(she had a good laugh, so she's starting to understand my weird sense of humor...)

BTW, I agree with you about Russian airports. I had some difficult times and I hate having to go from SVO2 over to SVO1.

Yeah, and all it has to do is look like it wants to rain, and it's total gridlock. Grr.

[mox 298]

Kirk, how long have you known Nadya? Nothing is worse here, ever. Nadya will always win just as Alla does (you only think you did)-!!!

Een Rossiya our deenozaurs have much beeger teeth!

LOL! How true. You're right, I did not win. I got the "Okay Keerk" in the special tone of voice that usually means my humor has run its course, and it's now time to talk about Nadya.

[slim 1,530]

In all seriousness, it was almost 70F here yesterday.

Our weather arguments were pretty similar to yours. A few years ago I called in October and Elena said, "The weather in my city now not so bad, only 2 meters snow."

2 METERS!!!! IN OCTOBER????

From then on I just assumed it was cold.

No dinosaurs though!

[visaveteran1 33]

In all seriousness, it was almost 70F here yesterday.

Our weather arguments were pretty similar to yours. A few years ago I called in October and Elena said, "The weather in my city now not so bad, only 2 meters snow."

2 METERS!!!! IN OCTOBER????

From then on I just assumed it was cold.

No dinosaurs though!

Lately, when I ask my wife what the temperature is in Siberia, she answers, "It's a secret." So....I know I'm going to REALLY find out what the word "cold" means when i go over to see her next week. And to make it even more difficult...the weather in my area has been over 70F for several days.

[slim 1,530]

Lately, when I ask my wife what the temperature is in Siberia, she answers, "It's a secret." So....I know I'm going to REALLY find out what the word "cold" means when i go over to see her next week. And to make it even more difficult...the weather in my area has been over 70F for several days.

There's a wunderful website out there called weather underground that is geared toward pilots and weather buffs. The website is http://www.wunderground.com

It's really cool becuase you can find the weather (some places are even updated in real-time) for anywhere in the world.

No more secrets, baby! Although you're probably right... you're going to find out what cold really means when you get there. -20C sure seems like it would be cold when you see it in the paper or on the web. But when you're standing in line, waiting to get on the bus and your eyelashes start to make that "clink" sound when you blink (if you can still blink) then you trully have an appreciation for the word "cold."