Unbelievable!

[johnj 0]

I found mine at a bank; Sberbank in Anapa, Russia

[Brad and Vika 129]

the stereotypes will never go away; however, blasting american women's appearance and jealousy of the 'competition' doesn't justify your purchase. i have an MOH, but i didn't get this sexy, thin, 9-yrs-my-junior man because there was something wrong with local guys. it just happened that way.

Call it how you want, but you didn't buy yours because the local supply was satisfying you. You went exotic because the domestic models, for whatever reason, weren't doing the trick. All this "we met and it was fate. Love brought us together" balogna I don't buy for a second. (You guys do have a pretty good story though... but I don't buy it!) There's a reason all of us have gone global.

Amber - this is an example of what I was talking about earlier. Slim has just reversed the stereotype a bit - stood it on its head actually. The I upgrated to this foreign hottie because he/she is so much better than our own is the mirror opposite of the You bought a husband/wife from "over there" because you just aren't good enough for the same age/appearance person here. And he probably doesn't buy your story, or mine. I have said many times that I met my wife right here, in my city, and had traveled to Eastern Europe on business and vacation, and found that I had an affinity for the culture there. I did not use the web to find her, although there is NOTHING wrong with that. Without that attitude, no doubt I wouldn't be married now - because believe me there is no way my wife was thrilled at the idea of moving so far away from her family, and no way I would have been able to cope with the cultural issues unless I was interested in her culture to start with.

Just like there are people in America who refuse to believe that a relationship with a foreign national is not some sort of a transaction, there are people on VJ who simply will not believe that you didn't go hunting for a young Belarussian to satisfy your need to upgrade. From what you have told me though, I believe it (small consolation, I know ).

Brad, it appears we met our ladies the same way. I found mine at Walmart. really, she's a cashier.

I also bristle whenever I hear someone start in with the MOB ####### and they usually change their tune by the time I'm done "explaining" things.

I usually make a rather nasty joke out of it. You know, there I was, shopping for young foreign girls, and there was a special! Even though at only seventeen years my junior she was a little old for me - at that price I just had to have her Of course I never do this routine while Vika is present, and only with USCs on the receiving end. Sometimes I can keep the shocked tone in their voices for ten or fifteen minutes before they get wise.

Edited July 14, 2009 by Brad and Vika

[Thomas-n-Elena 0]

It *is* a nice job of turning the stereotype on its head, and probably much closer to reality as well. Holy #######, Slim is closing the "Slim's way" and "reality" gap...the apocalypse is nigh!

Grab your guns your ammo and a whole lot of pie, the Apocalypse is coming.

Heard faintly in the background of my head. Hail to the cheif. Running on the "f" u ticket with no running mate because he doesnt want someone to confuse the public when he speaks.

SLIM for president

He promises a gun in every house and a pie in every kitchen. The buck stops wherever the hell he tells it to!!! Kill em all and let the paramedics sort em out.

[clueless_in_usa 8]

Brad, it appears we met our ladies the same way. I found mine at Walmart. really, she's a cashier.

I also bristle whenever I hear someone start in with the MOB ####### and they usually change their tune by the time I'm done "explaining" things.

My problem is not what they tell me about having an MOB. I could care less about what others say or think, but I am very worried about what these people will tell my future wife. I am not sure that she is ready for the harsh reality, especially after people find out our "large" age difference (by USCs standards).

I worry that she is going to crumble under pressure ...

[slim 1,533]

My wife loves to get in on the action - "Yes. I come here for be married zis fat, nasty, greasy, stupid, primitive man whis no money who make me work for pay his f'king bills and live in $#!tty little apartment whis no heat and only cook and clean and take care about his fat @$$ and do nothing fun and have such a boring life and do nothing."

That's when I just smile and make the universal "like a baby's arm holding an apple" signal.

She's had quite a few people going about how long the bread lines were and how hard the shifts were back in the mines. My personal favorite is when someone says, "wow. I like your accent. Where are you from?" and she replies with, "Africa." Strange looks abound!

I still think the joke's on them when people want to "look down on" anyone else based on where someone's S/O is from. If the stereotype fits, be proud to wear it. But, people in glass houses s-s-s s-sink ships!

He promises a gun in every house and a pie in every kitchen.

Now that sounds like America!

[Brad and Vika 129]

My problem is not what they tell me about having an MOB. I could care less about what others say or think, but I am very worried about what these people will tell my future wife. I am not sure that she is ready for the harsh reality, especially after people find out our "large" age difference (by USCs standards).

I worry that she is going to crumble under pressure ...

Unless you tend to hang around some pretty rude/clueless people, I doubt very much this is going to be a problem. People will joke with you about it (for whatever values of "joke" you care to assign), but most people are going to know better around her than to call her a mail order bride or what have you.

It helps to talk a bit about that stuff early on, but I agree that she probably won't see nearly as much of it as you will.

[justashooter 430]

My wife loves to get in on the action - "Yes. I come here for be married zis fat, nasty, greasy, stupid, primitive man whis no money who make me work for pay his f'king bills and live in $#!tty little apartment whis no heat and only cook and clean and take care about his fat @$$ and do nothing fun and have such a boring life and do nothing."

now that's sig worthy (sig line, that is)

[Brad and Vika 129]

My wife loves to get in on the action - "Yes. I come here for be married zis fat, nasty, greasy, stupid, primitive man whis no money who make me work for pay his f'king bills and live in $#!tty little apartment whis no heat and only cook and clean and take care about his fat @$$ and do nothing fun and have such a boring life and do nothing."

now that's sig worthy (sig line, that is)

It's a quote. I think those words were etched in stone over the main gate at Ellis Island. Still debate over the subject was a USC at the time.

[baron555 934]

Brad, it appears we met our ladies the same way. I found mine at Walmart. really, she's a cashier.

I also bristle whenever I hear someone start in with the MOB ####### and they usually change their tune by the time I'm done "explaining" things.

My problem is not what they tell me about having an MOB. I could care less about what others say or think, but I am very worried about what these people will tell my future wife. I am not sure that she is ready for the harsh reality, especially after people find out our "large" age difference (by USCs standards).

I worry that she is going to crumble under pressure ...

To some I say: "Internet Sale"

To those close to me: "We met on the Internet"

To others, I tell the truth: "I searched on the Internet for a Hot Blond Russian Woman but found a Hot Blond Russian Crazy Woman. Crazy because she is agreeing to come over to be with me.

I am the Crazy American Man because I was crazy enough to ask her. We will be the Crazy Couple.

Slim, your wife and my future should not be allowed to get together. I believe that if this was to happen, they would band together and it would be the Apocalypse !!

[slim 1,533]

There's a lot of Apocalyptic talk going on around here.

But, rest easy everyone. I'm not going to reproduce anytime soon, so we have plenty of good years left here in the world as we know it. Now if you ever see me post a thread entitled "crazy squared", grab your BOB and head for the hills.

I believe we're OK if our wives or all of us hang out together because that's just crazy plus crazy or crazy times crazy. It's when we start having little kids that we have to see what's really going on. Thomas is first in line, and if I was him, (and he's probably already done it) it' be checking little man's head for any suspicious looking birth marks, particularly anything resembling at least one number six.

[justashooter 430]

My problem is not what they tell me about having an MOB. I could care less about what others say or think, but I am very worried about what these people will tell my future wife. I am not sure that she is ready for the harsh reality, especially after people find out our "large" age difference (by USCs standards).

I worry that she is going to crumble under pressure ...

my wife had a bit of an identity crisis right after she arrived, partly because i was still traveling extensively, so was gone for 4 months of the first year of our marriage while she was stuck waiting in USA for AP. once she had AP i took her with me back to china, where we had lived for 2 years before getting married. in the meantime american nut-jobs had her quite confused.

she stayed with my brother part of the time i was gone, and met "christians" in his kayaking club. they were really "fundamentalists", and i cursed my brother for introducing her to them. the ####### they taught her changed her naive outlook, and it took me six months to get her deprogrammed.

she did learn from the experience, and is less easily swayed, but let's face it, immigrants will listen to anyone that is kind to them, even nut jobs.

[clueless_in_usa 8]

she did learn from the experience, and is less easily swayed, but let's face it, immigrants will listen to anyone that is kind to them, even nut jobs.

I'm not sure what you mean by that. Not knowing the full situation, it sounds to me like she had probably grown up a little sheltered and trusted them because your brother trusted them. I can say that the immigrants in my immediate circle would have reacted quite differently. People are people, just because they're an immigrant doesn't mean they're going to cling to the first life raft-looking thing that floats by. And I think just about anybody in this forum will tell you that the last thing a FSU immigrant is going to do is trust somebody who is kind to them. Just the opposite, actually.

But Russian SOs tend to trust their Russian counterparts living in the USA almost blindly, even when their advice might be questionable, or even illegal. I know by experience!

[English Muffin 59]

she did learn from the experience, and is less easily swayed, but let's face it, immigrants will listen to anyone that is kind to them, even nut jobs.

Are you referring to every single immigrant ever?

You're the biggest nut job I know and I never listen to you.

[AKguy 1]

I can go with the FSU SO's being more standoffish and questioning of people. That actually played into my favor in meeting her. I'm shy and it took me over a month to get up the cahones to talk to her. But we'd played the smiling bit for a long while. All the guys that came up to her at 1st sight she told to get lost. And now I tell them to get lost.

And I can somewhat agree with them also being more trusting of fellow FSU folk... especially when the friend pool is small and they're out of their element. Anna would acknowledge some of the people she was hanging out with weren't the best (shop lifters, pot heads, overstaying on their visas), but they were still more familiar to her because of their backgrounds and language. She'd tried to tell me it was ok to overstay her visa last year because some of the people she knew did it and didn't get in trouble. (Our relationship was in high gear and it was time for her to fly back home). I didn't know jack about the visa processes then, but I knew this was not a good idea depending on what happened in our future. If I'd known then what I know now, she wouldn't have left, we'd gotten married and we would have done an AOS without question... anyway. They are smart girls (can't vouch for the guys), and I think with some help and a little guidance they will make good choices. They chose us didn't they? ... maybe that was their first mistake.

[clueless_in_usa 8]

I was talking to a good Russian friend here in the USA (holding a valid J-1 visa). She was asking me what ways I know for her to stay in the USA after her legal status expires. I mentioned the F-1, and H-1 routes (she already has a University degree). then she mentioned to me: "I can also get a Green Card with a fictitious marriage!"

After I explained the problems she could face by doing such a stupid (and illegal) activity, she still replied: all my (Russian) friends know that doing so is the easiest way, and they usually recommend me to follow this route, because it is very easy.

There seems to be a special training in Russia about all the "illegal" activities they can get away with in the USA

What amazes me the most, is that even after explaining the risks and consequences, they still believe that what their fellow Russians say is probably their best option.

At least that has been my experience.