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

[eekee 182]

That's my dad's point too, since as a dad his main concern is that I will be gainfully employed at all times and make a comfortable living. But I would have moral qualms with working for the government in such a capacity as I believe that the US has done a lot of very bad things and I don't want a part in any future bad things. I could probably get work as a contract linguist when I move back, but anything beyond that I wouldn't want to do.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

That's my dad's point too, since as a dad his main concern is that I will be gainfully employed at all times and make a comfortable living. But I would have moral qualms with working for the government in such a capacity as I believe that the US has done a lot of very bad things and I don't want a part in any future bad things. I could probably get work as a contract linguist when I move back, but anything beyond that I wouldn't want to do.

A lot of the work, though it is intelligence related, is rather mundane. Alla has checked into it as it is a career available for her with her education and she also has no desire to be "used against" her home country, so to speak. It may or may not change in the future but most of it rather run of the mill document translation and things.

If she is not in teaching, she wouldn't mind working as an interpreter as she seems to enjoy that now and there are many of those jobs offered also. I don't think they would use you to interpret while they waterboard someone...but who really knows.

[eekee 182]

Well as long as all of the bureaucratic hoops are jumped through, next year I start a masters in translation and interpreting, so who knows.

My best friend didn't pass the government background check for programming work, so that's something else to think about.

Edited April 13, 2011 by eekee

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Well as long as all of the bureaucratic hoops are jumped through, next year I start a masters in translation and interpreting, so who knows.

My best friend didn't pass the government background check for programming work, so that's something else to think about.

well the clearence checks are another issue. Alla will need to be a citizen first, so maybe next year we will check into it. I do sometimes suspect I am married to Angelina Jolie...so if she balks at the background check, I will know for sure!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Well as long as all of the bureaucratic hoops are jumped through, next year I start a masters in translation and interpreting, so who knows.

My best friend didn't pass the government background check for programming work, so that's something else to think about.

when Alla was in Ukraine, the last few years, she was working as an interpreter for European manufacturers doing business in Russia and Ukraine. All the EU factories have English speaking reps but feww (if any) speak Russian. It was a good position, she got paid very well and even worked herself into commissions for sales they made plus got to travel on their dime. She was in Prague for an exhibition when I met her. One problem she had was her travel restrictions because of being Ukrainian. They wanted to take her to New York for exhibitions and she was denied visas. A US citizen would have it easier. At the time she was nothing like a masters level at interpreting.

My niece speaks Russian very fluently and was employeed by Caterpillar as a rep in the FSU selling/servicing CAT equipment. Then she married a rich, old (American) guy and retired at age 35. Now she travels between homes in Arizona (winter) and Idaho (summer). I think she got the idea from the Russian girls. Probably offered herself as a "Russian" MOB on some website. You could always try that.

[DavidandIrina 1]

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

Actually these women are stronger than most men give them credit for. They don't NEED us especially those raised during Soviet era when there were massive purges of the men. Some may play that game on the dating sites that they want a man to rescue her, but in the end, these women are STRONGER than the average American woman. My fiancee is living on her own in Kiev in a one room hostel with no one to help her, pregnant, working two jobs, and doing just fine on her own. She is the strongest woman I've ever met.

[slim 1,525]

I would have moral qualms with working for the government in such a capacity as I believe that the US has done a lot of very bad things and I don't want a part in any future bad things.

Same reason I'm not in the govt. anymore. It's just not moral to support it.

A lot of the work, though it is intelligence related, is rather mundane.

So was the work the factory workers did in the ball bearing plants in WWII.

Supporting the effort is supporting the effort.

[The Dude 206]

Actually these women are stronger than most men give them credit for. They don't NEED us especially those raised during Soviet era when there were massive purges of the men. Some may play that game on the dating sites that they want a man to rescue her, but in the end, these women are STRONGER than the average American woman. My fiancee is living on her own in Kiev in a one room hostel with no one to help her, pregnant, working two jobs, and doing just fine on her own. She is the strongest woman I've ever met.

You're bragging about leaving your fiancee in squalor?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

You're bragging about leaving your fiancee in squalor?

Don't worry. They have national health care.

But thanks for watching over us and caring

[ONA 133]

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."

And that's the right moment for "I have 200 roubles. Yes, that's it". I know it's harder for a foreigner, so there is a different option also - asking them for the report and then just paying the fine in the bank... It takes more time, but it's about 10 times cheaper

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.

That's a common thing - linguists are in demand for government jobs in Russia as well and as far as I know, in Britain also.

I personally would prefer joining military to working for intelligence services... I can teach English, Spanish or Russian when I graduate, but I'm not sure if that is what I want to do. I've been looking at University of Maryland graduate programs trying to figure out what will be the best for me...

[The Dude 206]

Don't worry. They have national health care.

But thanks for watching over us and caring

Gary, I don't know where you are from, but where I grew up, you don't leave your fiancee or wife in abject poverty, living in a hostel. Thats not what a responsible husband does. Maybe that is just an American custom.

[Captain Hammer 113]

You're bragging about leaving your fiancee in squalor?

I can't speak for the poster, but my MIL lives on a pension that doesn't even begin to cover her expenses. She has to work a full-time job (all money paid under the table) just to make ends meet. It's all we can do to get her to accept $100 every 3-4 months, and even then it's like twisting her arm. Even though my wife and I make enough money to keep her living comfortably the rest of her life, she just won't let us do it.

Again, I can't speak for the guy, but maybe that's what's going on in this situation too.

[AmyWrites 593]

Gary, I don't know where you are from, but where I grew up, you don't leave your fiancee or wife in abject poverty, living in a hostel. Thats not what a responsible husband does. Maybe that is just an American custom.

It's not. I found it odd too. But oh well, to each their own.

ONA, you speak Spanish?! And Russian (of course)? Well if you decide to stick to teaching I know of a uni who's in desperate need of a Russian professor who speaks Spanish and English.

[DavidandIrina 1]

You're bragging about leaving your fiancee in squalor?

Don't be silly. Would I have filed my I-129F to leave her there? I'm on the government's timeline now. Plus as she has told me once she doesn't mind it because (goes something like this) "you must leave your comfort zone to achieve personal growth". So she lived in a hostel but it allowed her to focus on her research to get her super PHD. I'm proud she has achieved it. I was bragging about how strong Ukrainian women are.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Don't be silly. Would I have filed my I-129F to leave her there? I'm on the government's timeline now. Plus as she has told me once she doesn't mind it because (goes something like this) "you must leave your comfort zone to achieve personal growth". So she lived in a hostel but it allowed her to focus on her research to get her super PHD. I'm proud she has achieved it. I was bragging about how strong Ukrainian women are.

A one room hostel is better than ten families sharing a common bathroom I suppose.