Best way to meet a Ukrainian/Russian (and cheapest)

[Codeblue009 3]

I don't. It is, and was not, a matter of money. Trying to get married to anyone "on the cheap" is a dumb idea. If you cannot afford to bring someone here and have them live at least as well as they did in their former home, do them a favor and don;t even go down that road. The idea that women in the FSU are in some sort of hell-hole and need to be rescued is preposterous.

I completely agree!!! At least I haven't met one yet.

[slim 1,525]

uscis lost nessa's medical, we had to pay to do another one.

Why didn't you just send a copy?

I have heard it said..if you dont have $15,000 cash available in the first year...dont even start....I spend far more than that in a year..

Where did you hear that? I've never seen that in the RUB forum.

Trying to get married to anyone "on the cheap" is a dumb idea.

It may've been dumb, but that's what I tried to do.

[AmyWrites 593]

That's insane. They should've had somebody Russian with them.

^^ Best way to avoid being stopped. Also, be a female... I've never gotten any ####### from police in Moscow but most if not all of my male friends studied/worked in Russia have.

[ONA 133]

^^ Best way to avoid being stopped. Also, be a female... I've never gotten any ####### from police in Moscow but most if not all of my male friends studied/worked in Russia have.

Sometimes it's hard to avoid being stopped, since in Russia police is allowed to stop people just to check their license and/or make sure they have the insurance etc. And then they somehow tend to find out that something is wrong... (or make it up) unless you know all your rights and have a copy of driver's manual with you That's what my dad uses sometimes and they can't do anything - just let him go if he proves them wrong Also, manuals have the information on all the fines - there are very few 5000 rouble fines, and they're all for serious stuff.

You have to be nice to them though, cause they can mark a license, so other policemen can just look at it and see that this person 'might be argumentative' or something.

Some people also videotape them - sometimes it helps...

I never had to use any of that though... and I never had to use my charm either But that's just cause I've never been stopped.

[Jonathan Matthies 1]

I remember Katya freaking a beaker every time we passed through a Police checkpoint in Vladivostok. We were never pulled over, but she did NOT want to deal with the headache of having a Yankee in her car.

Also, I pulled her over to the states on a limited budget. Admittedly, I didn't know what I was getting into. I had owned my house for 5 years before she arrived; and was doing Ok money wise. The plane trips to see her, then fly her and Denis here, the K1 filing fees, etc weren't burdensome (is that even a word?). Anyway... the process to get them here was "expensive", but it's nothing when compared to what actually happens you add 2 people into your life. Looking at my Xcel Energy bills is always comical. They show last year's usage vs this years; and in 2009 every month was triple what it was the year prior. Every usage-based bill is like that. Luckily internet is free, for now.

[eekee 182]

That's insane. They should've had somebody Russian with them.

I think that if you have a BMW with German plates, a Russian present won't help much.

Funnily enough, I've been in situations where my Russian friends have gotten fined and they just tell me, "Oh, blue passport? We don't want an international incident" and I'm home free. I think being a girl or a guy is the deciding factor re: being foreign.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

^^ Best way to avoid being stopped. Also, be a female... I've never gotten any ####### from police in Moscow but most if not all of my male friends studied/worked in Russia have.

Prior to the Orange Revolution and less so afterward (but still) I was frequently harrassed by police type people in Odessa on the street. I suspect it was for the purpose of shaking me down for $$$$ which I never once paid. My papers were in order. It got to where I would not speak English if police were passing by as doing such was sure to get questions asked (this was when we had to have visas and most Americans there were in tour groups, I was always by myself or with other Ukrainians/Ukrainiettes) Oddly enough the would often ask if I was speaking German.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I remember Katya freaking a beaker every time we passed through a Police checkpoint in Vladivostok. We were never pulled over, but she did NOT want to deal with the headache of having a Yankee in her car.

Also, I pulled her over to the states on a limited budget. Admittedly, I didn't know what I was getting into. I had owned my house for 5 years before she arrived; and was doing Ok money wise. The plane trips to see her, then fly her and Denis here, the K1 filing fees, etc weren't burdensome (is that even a word?). Anyway... the process to get them here was "expensive", but it's nothing when compared to what actually happens you add 2 people into your life. Looking at my Xcel Energy bills is always comical. They show last year's usage vs this years; and in 2009 every month was triple what it was the year prior. Every usage-based bill is like that. Luckily internet is free, for now.

I was waiting for the DEA to show up with a warrant for pot plants and grow lights! My electric bill more than tripled!

Sometimes it's hard to avoid being stopped, since in Russia police is allowed to stop people just to check their license and/or make sure they have the insurance etc. And then they somehow tend to find out that something is wrong... (or make it up) unless you know all your rights and have a copy of driver's manual with you That's what my dad uses sometimes and they can't do anything - just let him go if he proves them wrong Also, manuals have the information on all the fines - there are very few 5000 rouble fines, and they're all for serious stuff.

You have to be nice to them though, cause they can mark a license, so other policemen can just look at it and see that this person 'might be argumentative' or something.

Some people also videotape them - sometimes it helps...

I never had to use any of that though... and I never had to use my charm either But that's just cause I've never been stopped.

Just make sure you do not offer bribes in the USA!

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

^^ Best way to avoid being stopped. Also, be a female... I've never gotten any ####### from police in Moscow but most if not all of my male friends studied/worked in Russia have.

It is a well known fact that most American students in the FSU are in fact spies.

I have a friend that was an exchange student in a linguistics program while he was in the Navy during the Cold War. He was almost never without at least one shadow everywhere he went.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

It is a well known fact that most American students in the FSU are in fact spies.

I have a friend that was an exchange student in a linguistics program while he was in the Navy during the Cold War. He was almost never without at least one shadow everywhere he went.

Alla was a linguistics student in the FSU and is now in the USA. hmmmm. I also suspect she is a graduate (with honors) of the Sparrow school

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

Why didn't you just send a copy?

it was in the packet turned in at the poe....

[ONA 133]

I think that if you have a BMW with German plates, a Russian present won't help much.

Funnily enough, I've been in situations where my Russian friends have gotten fined and they just tell me, "Oh, blue passport? We don't want an international incident" and I'm home free. I think being a girl or a guy is the deciding factor re: being foreign.

A Russian person would have known at least that they had been lied to about the amount of the fine.

Just make sure you do not offer bribes in the USA!

I never offer bribes in Russia as well

[AmyWrites 593]

It is a well known fact that most American students in the FSU are in fact spies.

I have a friend that was an exchange student in a linguistics program while he was in the Navy during the Cold War. He was almost never without at least one shadow everywhere he went.

I'm studying in Moscow and people ask me all that time whether I am/want to be a spy.

I do walk around with a bit of paranoia in case someone's following me.

Edited April 13, 2011 by AmyWrites

[eekee 182]

A Russian person would have known at least that they had been lied to about the amount of the fine.

Oh, trust me, my friend who was with them has spent several years here and knew it was BS. It was basically a question of, "How much money do you have? Hand it over."

I'm studying in Moscow and people ask me all that time whether I am/want to be a spy.

I do walk around with a bit of paranoia in case someone's following me.

Hahaha yeah, I get asked too, as a joke. My dad really wants me to work for the CIA, but I have no desire to do anything involved with the government.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Oh, trust me, my friend who was with them has spent several years here and knew it was BS. It was basically a question of, "How much money do you have? Hand it over."

Hahaha yeah, I get asked too, as a joke. My dad really wants me to work for the CIA, but I have no desire to do anything involved with the government.

Pasha and two other boys were caught smoking cigarettes by the police in an alley. The police shook them down for a total of 7 UAH...about $1.25 at that time, so that they wouldn't take them home and tell their parents. Then Pasha came back and told us about it.

If you are fluent in both languages, there are many government jobs, most of them related to intelligence work, available. For most you must be a US citizen. Something to consider in the future if you want.