Ukrainian Couples... What did you bring?

[Brad and Vika 129]

I don't get too involved when Vika shops for clothes or shoes. We find my participation painful for us both When she returned to stay, I took an extra suitcase, and she effectively brought three back. Every time she goes, some new stuff and some old stuff comes back. We shipped nothing.

[JVF 0]

My fiancee wants to bring lots of cookbooks. Here goes my diet

[slim 1,514]

I don't get too involved when Vika shops for clothes or shoes. We find my participation painful for us both

Same here. On the rare occasion that I accompany her I immediately stake claim to the man chair and hold her purse. No I don't mind holding her purse because nobody can see me while I'm sleeping.

My fiancee wants to bring lots of cookbooks.

My wife brought a lot of books too. So heavy in the luggage.

I highly recommend snail-mailing books since she won't need them right away. Have her stash a half-dozen or so in her carry-on bag (note - if you insist they're in her carry-on she all the sudden won't want to bring as many) and mail the rest. That frees her baggage up for more important (and lighter) things like shoes and cosmetics.

Do your best to stress to her we sell shampoo here in the States. Cosmetics too, but good luck with that one.

My wife wanted to bring, basically, her whole bathroom here. I convinced her to bring "only what was necessary" (big mistake on my part, I should've made an itemized checklist) and we'd buy the rest after her arrival. There's no reason a hair dryer or curling iron needs to take up space. Especially since that hair dryer or curling iron will be accompanied by extra plugs and junk.

I think all-in-all my wife only brought about a dozen pieces of clothing and that included several coats.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Same here. On the rare occasion that I accompany her I immediately stake claim to the man chair and hold her purse. No I don't mind holding her purse because nobody can see me while I'm sleeping.

My wife brought a lot of books too. So heavy in the luggage.

I highly recommend snail-mailing books since she won't need them right away. Have her stash a half-dozen or so in her carry-on bag (note - if you insist they're in her carry-on she all the sudden won't want to bring as many) and mail the rest. That frees her baggage up for more important (and lighter) things like shoes and cosmetics.

Do your best to stress to her we sell shampoo here in the States. Cosmetics too, but good luck with that one.

My wife wanted to bring, basically, her whole bathroom here. I convinced her to bring "only what was necessary" (big mistake on my part, I should've made an itemized checklist) and we'd buy the rest after her arrival. There's no reason a hair dryer or curling iron needs to take up space. Especially since that hair dryer or curling iron will be accompanied by extra plugs and junk.

I think all-in-all my wife only brought about a dozen pieces of clothing and that included several coats.

Yes, cosmetics are much cheaper here also.

[slim 1,514]

Yes, cosmetics are much cheaper here also.

But she will have to "field test" all of them until she finds the ones she likes.

Yes, cosmetics really do cost SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS. I couldn't believe it either, but they do.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

But she will have to "field test" all of them until she finds the ones she likes.

Yes, cosmetics really do cost SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS. I couldn't believe it either, but they do.

Alla is not too choosey about this either, except for her "wrinkle cream" to keep her "from getting old" she buys that at a place in Montreal and it is not cheap. It is the same she used in Ukraine and is not available in Vermont (that she has found yet) Fortunately a jar of the magic youth formula lasts her about 6 months or more.

She likes "Sally Beauty Supply" which I believe are nationwide and they cater mostly to salons but sell also to the public. She gets a lot of her cosmetics there but also will buy handfuls in discount bins at grocery stores. She loves when the local grocery clears out their cosmetics and sells everything for 50 cents! She will pick through lipsticks and nail polish for hours!

Cosmetics are usually small things though and easily brought along, so why not? But I would definitely tell her to not be stocking up on that stuff, it is much cheaper here.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

My fiancee wants to bring lots of cookbooks. Here goes my diet

You may find you do not gain weight as you will be eating better food, not so much junk. At least that was the case for me.

She will need a good measuring cup that has both metric and English measure clearly visible and easily comparable. Alla has several in several sizes. You will need to put a note on the stove to compare celcius and ferhenheit temps. (I actually picked up a Celcius oven knob in Montreal) and you also need to lable the thermostat and teach her that you can set it and leave it alone.

She may also need a scale for metric recipes but Alla has gotten along without it.

Leave behind ANY electrical devices except those with a built in transformer, such as computers. You can use those with an adaptor. Blow dryers, waffle irons, irons, toasters, coffee makers, etc. will not work here even with an adaptor, our voltage is too low. Buying a transformer for small appliances is silly, it is cheaper to buy a new blow dryer, toaster, etc.

Alla also needed a lot more mixing bowls than my bachelor kitchen offered and THREE very large, deep frying pans with covers. Plus some BIG pots for soup, potatoes, etc. Just because there is only 3 people is no reason not to cook for 30 people!

[slim 1,514]

She will need a good measuring cup that has both metric and English measure clearly visible and easily comparable. Alla has several in several sizes. You will need to put a note on the stove to compare celcius and ferhenheit temps. (I actually picked up a Celcius oven knob in Montreal)

I printed out a sheet with conversions and hung it over the stove. It has weights and measures, temperatures, etc.

My wife does quite a bit of cooking from Russian sources on the internet. Perhaps maybe there's no need to hand-carry all those heavy books? good-cook.ru seems to be one of her favorites and there are several more out there.

and you also need to lable the thermostat and teach her that you can set it and leave it alone.

I didn't label ours but I told her which numbers to keep it on. That, of course, was ineffective since she thought it necessary to turn it up when it was cold and down when it was hot. It took about two winters for her to really understand the whole "set it and don't touch it" concept.

Alla also needed a lot more mixing bowls than my bachelor kitchen offered and THREE very large, deep frying pans with covers. Plus some BIG pots for soup, potatoes, etc. Just because there is only 3 people is no reason not to cook for 30 people!

Yes, you will need industrial size kitchenware. Have at least one or two HUGE pots and pans with lids. My wife has what she calls a "kastrulka" which is basically a dutch oven. She uses that quite a bit for soups and borsht, etc.

Clear out some of your refrigerator space because guess where all those pots and pans go when the three of you have eaten and the 27 servings are still left.

[cranehand 0]

Man -o- man I can not wait

[1HappyGuy 45]

With my wife, it was more about what not to bring. I told her, no electronic devices because of the voltage differences and outlet problems. As to clothes, she only brought her newest ones and because of where we live, not much winter wear. We rarely get snow in the winter and temperatures are only down to 25 Fahrenheit except for occasional cold spell. Shoes of course were only her newest and best. You have to bare in mind that both of us were expecting to do shopping for new things. She was very happy to have me spend money on her buying new clothes.

Two years ago she began working in a woman's clothing store. Now I'm getting pushed out of the closet.

Remind her, that trips back to her home are a part of your future, so she will be able to bring other items on future trips.

As for me, my mother in law lives in my wife's apartment, so all the cooking gear stayed. So did my mother in law.

[slim 1,514]

Remind her, that trips back to her home are a part of your future,

I would stress more of "this is your home now" than "you can go home several times a year or whenver you want." While I'm sure there are many of you here on VJ who can travel back and forth several times, it's important to be realisitc with your fiancee - especially about finances. If she arrives thinking she's going home once or twice a year and it doesn't happen, you're going to have a very p'd off wife.

Be as honest as possible about your finances up front. If you know she's not going back for a while, let her know. Or, if you know she can go back, by all means, have her keep her stuff at home.

[1HappyGuy 45]

Slim,

You are right. I wasn't very clear on my comment. But, since we are not rolling in money my wife knows that we will try to make a trip back every two years. That's really what I meant.

Last year, just the wife went back as money was just too tight.

[slim 1,514]

I know you've been in the game long enough and know better. Just trying to caution the new guys. Tell her now.... don't wait til she's been here six months to tell her "yeah, honey.... uh, money is a little tight so you can't go home for a while." Let her know BEFORE she leaves her home.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I know you've been in the game long enough and know better. Just trying to caution the new guys. Tell her now.... don't wait til she's been here six months to tell her "yeah, honey.... uh, money is a little tight so you can't go home for a while." Let her know BEFORE she leaves her home.

You are correct, Slim. We are fortunate that Alla has been able to go back at least once per year, plus the travel for the boys and myself. We DID discuss this before she came and we DO plan and budget for it. we make it a priority, so to speak. You have to allow for the fact that they do not understand our way of life, no matter how much you tell them. YOU can, and have, flown an airplane to Ukraine (or Russia) and back. There isn't 1 in 1000 Ukrainians or Russians that can do that. The fact that you have done this means you are "rich". If you earn $4000 to $5000 per month, they will not understand why you are simply not the wealthiest guy in the world. You can buy 5 plane tickets per MONTH!

Just be direct with what they should expect in the way of lifestyle. Acting pretentious or misleading them will bite you in the butt.

[1HappyGuy 45]

If you earn $4000 to $5000 per month, they will not understand why you are simply not the wealthiest guy in the world. You can buy 5 plane tickets per MONTH!

You were right on with that Gary. Sure, we may make a lot of money in comparison to Ukraine or Russia, but our costs are outrageous too. It's like, welcome to America, now open your wallet.

It has been a trying time to get my wife to understand that making good money and having good money are two different things. This is where we try like heck to explain it to them. Just had to tell her the car license on the sedan is due. She asks how much and for how long. Why do we need to pay every year if we still have the same car?

I just get tired of saying that's how its done here.