Did you consider living in Russia?

[eekee 182]

That's true no matter what, whether you own an apartment or not.

[Tnic 5]

Yes the visa thing bugs the ####### out of me. I'm getting a biz visa the next trip so I can have the time to run down a Resident Visa. We have the connections there to make it happen, I just have to get there and get started on it. Then it's summers in Russia and winters in So. CT. If we can swing the Summer house then Mama will have enough canned fruits and vegies to see her through the winter.

[eekee 182]

How does getting a business visa work when you get a residence visa? Is the rule about not being able to get another Russian visa for three (or is it six?) months after getting a business visa overrided by the fact that you have property in Russia?

[slim 1,514]

I guess, more importantly, my question is how are you going to pay for going back and forth between the two and changing countries every six months? How do you maintain more than one household? I understand it's possible to rent the property while you're gone, but assuming you kick out the tennants when you return, where does the income come from?

[Tnic 5]

I'll do some more research on the visa thing.

I'm retired. I have enough to do both.

If we get the summer house we'ld own it outright and close it up for the winter. My bride and her mom own their appartment where Mama lives. We would be renting a modest place here someplace that would be empty in the summer.

Right now we only have the outline of a plan and the desire to try to make it happen. I'm quite certain there will be many hurdles to overcome, but we'll cross those bridges when we get there. Irina is well connected there and we have the luxury of having good friends in right the right places who will help us as needed.

[slim 1,514]

The income is what's stopping me. I have more than 30 years of work left so it's not going to happen anytime soon. I'm not really sure what kind of work I could do in Russia and if I'm too poor for my wife here, I'd be way too poor there.

[Tnic 5]

I understand completely Slim.

I'm truly blessed to have the options I have. And then there's my Irina.

[baron555 934]

The income is what's stopping me. I have more than 30 years of work left so it's not going to happen anytime soon. I'm not really sure what kind of work I could do in Russia and if I'm too poor for my wife here, I'd be way too poor there.

My Alla is worried that she'll only be able to work at McDonalds or clean toilets when she comes here. I've told her that I could come to Russia and maybe I could clean toilets. She said sorry the people from Mongolia do that already. Then I said I could grow and sell specialty fruit at the market. She said sorry people from Turkey already do that.

But, she has never had fresh Papaya; they do not have it in Russia at all. Ask your wife if she agrees.

Slim, maybe you and I could start a fresh Papaya importing and marketing business?

Phil

Edited June 11, 2009 by baron555

[johnj 0]

No, No, import Peanut Butter. They do not see it in Russia and everyone that tasted mine wanted some. I brought a case with me one trip; it was loved. It could be sold as a vendor or as import business to stores

[eekee 182]

There's already imported peanut butter.

[AKguy 1]

How about hot sauces? I couldn't find anything good when I was there.

[Tnic 5]

Sounds like a niche market is developing here.

What about popcorn (NOT the nuked stuff)?

A big bowl of hot buttered corn a Baltika 6 and my sweetie beside me on the divan, nothing better than that.

[johnj 0]

There's already imported peanut butter.

We could not find it in Siberia or Eastern Russia; most we spoke with never tasted it but loved it.

[PJB 0]

There's already imported peanut butter.

We could not find it in Siberia or Eastern Russia; most we spoke with never tasted it but loved it.

You don't have to import it, I used to make my own. P-nut butter in and around Moscow was about $6 a jar for Skippy (Stockman's grocery) and $4-5 a jar for some funky tiny jar of "American Brand". I got tired of using up my luggage weight allowance to bring in stashes of the stuff so I started making my own. A 2 cup bag of salted peanuts is cheap over there, buzz them in the coffee grinder then add a few drops of sunflower oil. Presto! Fresh and chemical free natural p-nut butter.

But if you don't want to go into the food business (a lot of hassel bribing all the local thugs and government officials) Americans can make a good living teaching English. That's what I did for 5 years.

[PJB 0]

I guess, more importantly, my question is how are you going to pay for going back and forth between the two and changing countries every six months? How do you maintain more than one household? I understand it's possible to rent the property while you're gone, but assuming you kick out the tennants when you return, where does the income come from?

We own our homes free and clear, we have retirement savings, we both are pretty lucky at getting quick jobs in either country, we are used to living well on very little and we have Aeroflot Bonus program in which we earn lots of discounts and free airfare.