Did you consider living in Russia?

[slim 1,514]

that was me slim ;-) and I want to live on a farm near a city in russia ... so believe that i will be armed :-) legal or not

Yep, you were the one I was quoting, and from what I've heard, it's not really hard to obtain weapons or even permits for weapons in Russia provided you know the right people and/or pay the right "penalty." I'm pretty sure there are more than a few homes that come standard with AK and SKS and probably even a few old Mosins.

Dammit Slim, you need to be patient. I'm working on turning this into a "Russian guns vs USA pie vs Middle East slave boys vs old dudes with 12 year-old Philippine chicks" debate, but you can't just rush these things.

ah... the story of my life from beginning to end.

and getting thrown out of a 4rth story window

".... they had this garden at the bottom, enlcosed in glass, like one of them greenhouses - ####### fell through that. Since then, he's kinda developed a speech impediment."

i think they where politely saying avoid the chechnya area.and enjoy,i want to go there myself.

You want to go to Chechnya? Are you sure? You should read a book called "My Jiahd" by Aukai Collins first. - I'm guessing you meant Sochi and not Chechnya. In that case, have fun! But if you did mean Chechnya, send me a PM. We have a lot to talk about.

[sivad 0]

no slim sochi,chechnya bad,bad,bad,bad,....sochi good,good,good,good....or oh my god look at the prices,oh my god look at the prices,oh my god look at the prices.

[johnj 0]

no slim sochi,chechnya bad,bad,bad,bad,....sochi good,good,good,good....or oh my god look at the prices,oh my god look at the prices,oh my god look at the prices.

Three years ago I could get a first class room in nice place for $120 in Sochi; now it is $250; next time, we will do a flat-no way I am shelling out $1300 again for five nights.

[sivad 0]

no slim sochi,chechnya bad,bad,bad,bad,....sochi good,good,good,good....or oh my god look at the prices,oh my god look at the prices,oh my god look at the prices.

Three years ago I could get a first class room in nice place for $120 in Sochi; now it is $250; next time, we will do a flat-no way I am shelling out $1300 again for five nights.

renting a flat is definately the way to go

[sivad 0]

slim and john.....although sochi is safe....this is what the state department wants you to know.

SAFETY AND SECURITY: Due to continued civil and political unrest throughout much of the Caucasus region, the Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens against travel to Chechnya and all areas of the Caucasus, including North Ossetia, Ingushetia, Dagestan, Stavropol, Karachayevo-Cherkessiya, and Kabardino-Balkariya. The U.S. Government’s ability to assist Americans who travel to the northern Caucasus is extremely limited. Throughout the region, local criminal gangs have kidnapped foreigners, including Americans, for ransom. U.S. citizens have disappeared in Chechnya and remain missing. Close contacts with the local population do not guarantee safety. There have been several kidnappings of foreigners and Russians working for media and non-governmental organizations in the region. Due to the ongoing security concerns, U.S. Government travel to the area is very limited. American citizens residing in these areas should depart immediately as the safety of Americans and other foreigners cannot be effectively guaranteed.

[johnj 0]

renting a flat is definately the way to go

Agreed but this is a special week; the week of our proposal and completing the paperwork; I thought it was worth a bit of elegance.

[sivad 0]

renting a flat is definately the way to go

Agreed but this is a special week; the week of our proposal and completing the paperwork; I thought it was worth a bit of elegance.

oh yes...understood....go,go,go,go,go,go and enjoy yourself.

[Chuckles 0]

f-off Mox.

Oh dear dear dear. I guess this is the part where I'm supposed to call in a moderator for "personal attacks" and ask for the thread to be shut down.

You are so wishy washy, if someone says Russia is good, you point out how bad & evil it can be. Afterall you are the almighty expert. If they say how Russia is bad, you all of the sudden have a hundred arguments why its the best place on earth.

Well christ, KoratGiGii. How else am I gonna stir the ####### around here? You think I'm gonna hook intellectual midget cross-dressers like yourself by being consistent? Hey someone grab the net and hold my beer, I've got a live one here!

Regardless if it covers 1/6th of the earth or not,

Um...it does actually. Cover 1/6 of the earth's landmass, I mean. That point's not actually debatable. Read a book.

you aren't there, you dont live it, and you have no one from Russia to share a life with and compare the topics discussed here. So continue on in your fantasy, your doing swell.

This carefully crafted bit of research would be based on what exactly?

It is 1/8th of the Earth's land mass. I suppose 1/6th would have been the Soviet Union.

[clueless_in_usa 8]

I read most of this thread and I was encouraged to say something in reply to two comments I read. However, let me clarify that I have the belief that no place in the world is perfect and everybody is free to pick his/her poison. Taste is different for everybody and it will depend on people's values and beliefs. Therefore, nothing said by anybody (not even myself) can be taken as gospel and believed blindly. There is good and bad everywhere.

Having written that disclaimer, let me add some wood to the fire:

Those who have lived in other countries will recognize these points, those who have not will refuse to believe any of them.

My friend, I have lived in seven different countries (1st and 3rd world, including Russia) and there are many reasons why I currently choose to live in the US of A. Would I consider moving to Russia? Not really, not now. However, I would certainly consider moving to the Caribbean, even without a high paying job.

Once again an example about values and beliefs affecting personal preferences. Your points are only that: YOUR points.

When S/Os come here, they don't make grossly inflated wages because of their nationality. Far from it.

If I understood this quote correctly, I may be living in the wrong country, because my professional field is full of foreign nationals (especially from Russia and the Ukraine) who make way upwards of $100K. Even the women make that. And with such income, if you are smart managing your finances, you can have a very good life until death, even if you live to be 100.

Most Russian women are highly educated and they can make a lot of money in USA if they wanted to. However, most of them value family more than money, reason why they usually do not become career women who make "grossly inflated wages." It has nothing to do with their nationalities.

Like I said before, every place has good and bad things. Money is not the only thing to consider. There is much more. And everybody will make such a decision based on what is important to him/her. However, one thing is true: you cannot intend to make everybody else agree to your biased or misinformed opinions.

[Tnic 5]

Well, now that the fire has burned down a little bit...

My girl and I are actually beginning the prep work to retire to her town in Russia. We hope all our financials will be settled here by Fall and I'm thinking late Spring 2010 to make the move. I hope to get a Biz visa this Summer so I can spend the neccessary time there to get through the resident visa process. Irina wants to keep her GC so we would most likely live six months in each place.

Tim

[PJB 0]

This is our plan too, to someday be able to travel freely between our two countries and have a home in each. I lived in Russia five years with my husband and he has been here since early Dec. We like and enjoy both countries in spite of the negative aspects of each. The joy of moving back and forth would be that just as we start to go crazy from one country's drawbacks we can hop on a plane and go back "home" until that country drives us crazy!

[anka 1]

This is our plan too, to someday be able to travel freely between our two countries and have a home in each. I lived in Russia five years with my husband and he has been here since early Dec. We like and enjoy both countries in spite of the negative aspects of each. The joy of moving back and forth would be that just as we start to go crazy from one country's drawbacks we can hop on a plane and go back "home" until that country drives us crazy!

This is our ideal living situation too!

Now, it being possible to ever actually do just that - traveling freely between the two countries as we please - is another story......

[slim 1,514]

How are you folks planning on funding homes in both countries?

[Tnic 5]

How are you folks planning on funding homes in both countries?

Her Mom is living in their appartment in Russia so that is a done deal. Apparently dacha's and "garden homes" are dirt cheap right now (Mama checked the gazyeta yesterday) so that means a pleasant place to stay while the appartment is torn up during renovations.

We're looking for an inexpensive appartment here and there are some viable option available on that front. We really just need something a little better than a "crash pad" that's near F & F.

[PJB 0]

We still own our apt in Dmitrov (renting it out now) and our current home in Los Angeles. The only problem I see ahead is the constantly changing visa aquisition problems for me to enter and stay in Russia. Everytime the Russian government changes the rules for lengthy visas we have to look around for an agency that can get around the system of visa invitation and registration.