Favorite Pictures in Russia

[KGSodie 0]

Boy, I get busy preparing for the interview trip to Moscow, and I miss all of this really good stuff secretly buried in the 'photo' thread. It's a perfect cover!

Kirk (aka 'Mox') - what you wrote stated so perfectly what the majority of us here on the Russian thread truly believe. You have a gift, my friend.

Jeffrey (aka 'Kazan') - your feelings for your Alla have alway been evident, as made clear by your moving to Russia to show your serious intent. Plus, anyone who wears hats like you ain't afraid of nothing!

Buck - I've read many of your posts with great interest, though we have never really spoken 'directly' here on VJ. Along with others here, I've empathized with the difficulties you and Natalia have faced in your visa struggle, and cheered for you both at your triumphs over the system. It takes commitment and a serious desire from BOTH people to make a long distance, long-separation relationship work, and I'm confident you and Natalia will not only succeed, but excel.

Natalia - What can I say? Thanks so VERY MUCH for your honest opinions and insights. All of us mugs (as Buck says) appreciate your thoughts and your willingness to share them. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. I must also note that my Natasha's given name is actually Natalia, and I can honestly say that you two share more traits than just a name!

Sasha - You have also hit the nail right on the head (to use an American idiom). We guys don't want our Russian ladies to change, we only want them to adapt, so that they can be as happy being here with us as we are being here with them. Your interview is only a few days before ours, and I want you to know that Natasha and I are rooting for you guys!

Slim & Satellite - You guys are both experienced voices here on VJ and your opinions are always welcome, even when they don't always jive with what us newbies think. But you guys have been through this already, and have experienced the good and the bad. and I for one appreciate your thoughts, even when they sometimes stand in contrast to my own.

I think we have a very good Russian group here, dynamic and fun and honest. Cheers all around!

Kevin

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

I concur 100%

I think we have a very good Russian group here, dynamic and fun and honest. Cheers all around!

Agreed. What we lack in traffic I think we more than make up for in quality of content.

Edited February 8, 2008 by Kazan' Tiger

[Jason-Sasha 1]

Thank you, guys, for welcoming me. I'll certainly keep posting here. It's always nice to chat with kind, smart and interesting people. I'm actually spending all my free time on VJ now. I'm really stressing out about my interview and it just gives me more hope when I read about success stories.

Sasha

[KGSodie 0]

The advice about the interview seems to be always the same: get everything ready, per the guides, double and triple check everything, and then try to stop stressing.

Even as I write these words, I know how futile they are for me, and for everyone else! Stress is just part of the overall package, usually. We dot our t's and cross our i's, and hope that all will be well. It will be!

[payxibka 10,048]

I love many of these photos... My wife is a artist and I want her to do more paintings of the FSU. Would anyone object if I shared these photos with her with the caveat that some might become the inspiration for a painting?

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Great idea for our VJ ladies!

Ladies, it might benefit you to create your own profiles. Then we will all know immediately when the woman is speaking and when the man is speaking.

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Don't stress too much Sasha. I have a feeling you will have no problems! Please make sure you share all your impressions of the interview here for us. My Alla is always asking, "What they will ask me?" I've given her some examples, but she is always wanting more.

Thank you, guys, for welcoming me. I'll certainly keep posting here. It's always nice to chat with kind, smart and interesting people. I'm actually spending all my free time on VJ now. I'm really stressing out about my interview and it just gives me more hope when I read about success stories.

Sasha

[Igor&Elina 0]

I love many of these photos... My wife is a artist and I want her to do more paintings of the FSU. Would anyone object if I shared these photos with her with the caveat that some might become the inspiration for a painting?

No objections here. Please, do share.

On the other hand it would be great if maybe you could share some of her works here with us. Could you?

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Ditto!

I love many of these photos... My wife is a artist and I want her to do more paintings of the FSU. Would anyone object if I shared these photos with her with the caveat that some might become the inspiration for a painting?

No objections here. Please, do share.

On the other hand it would be great if maybe you could share some of her works here with us. Could you?

Same here.

[slim 1,533]

Man, miss a day.... miss a lot!

Natalia - Thanks for disagreeing, I would expect no less! Of course there are some things that are going to be agreed upon but there are also things that will not. And that's what makes it so interesting. And as always, getting women to post here in "the boys club" makes this forum really great!

For everyone else, same thing. That's what makes this a great forum. Without differing opinions, there wouldn't be progrees. Wrigley (I believe) said "If two men in a business always share the same opinion then one of them is unnecessary."

So, the question was asked, "what do you guys expect?" Well, mox summed it up quite well but I'll agree with most and disagree with the part about her adapting to American life. That's where my personal expectations differ. I expect for her to "stay Russian" in some aspects; dress, customs, "attitude", etc., but I expect her to get on board (and get in line!) with the way things are done here. When you live in America and you want a decent life you do have to work at a crummy job that you don't like and you do have to "not" be best-of-the-best most fashionable most sophisticated gorgeous girl that everyone wants. You have to suck it up and work a $#itty job and work hard. You have to do without some stuff if you want to get stuff later. There's a way to go about doing that here and unless you have the luxury of having it already (as some of you with 40+-year-old fiances/husbands that have already "made it") then you have to develop it.

I'm not really tight with Satellite to the point that I know him and his wife personally but the one thing he and I have in common (and that Jason will soon see, Chuckles is living through now) is we are younger guys who are still trying to "make it." And not that any of the older guys on here are rich, but they're not facing the same situation financially that plays such a big part in American lifestyle. Having younger girls (not that you're "older" cause you can't say that to any woman!) that aren't used to struggling through financial hardship without a benefactor or having done it themselves only exacerbates the situation and that's the root cause of a lot of the "adapting" problems that now plague our relationships.

You will not face that to the extreme that our wives/fiancees have had to. You will see it somewhat, but it's something that has to be overcome, and it's something that has to be overcome together.

It seems hard for a lot of the (younger) Russian girls to be willing to accept this. Sure they want to because they've found "the one" they were looking for and he happened to be American, but it's definitely different than what they're accustomed to back home. And it does cause problems.

My expectation for my wife and all the girls coming here is that they will deal with the situation as "when in Rome" and not expect that this country and the system and daily life here will change to accomodate them as they see fit. That they won't fight for everyone around them to see them how they want to be seen but they will find a spot to fit in and moreover, that spot will be in line together with where their husband is currently. Not where he's going to be in ten years, not where he will be later, but where he is now.

I'm very glad you ladies are on here now, it's great to hear a (sane) Russian woman's opinion and to be able to consider all sides of every story. Hope to see you (and disagree with you!) more!

[payxibka 10,048]

I love many of these photos... My wife is a artist and I want her to do more paintings of the FSU. Would anyone object if I shared these photos with her with the caveat that some might become the inspiration for a painting?

No objections here. Please, do share.

On the other hand it would be great if maybe you could share some of her works here with us. Could you?

I am very happy to share her work... www.tagai-meyer.net

[KGSodie 0]

fwaguy: I don't think any of the photos I posted are paint-worthy, but you have my blessing nonetheless!

slim: Excellent points, slim. I'm not rich, but I do have a well-established career that affords me many more creature comforts than I had when I was but a wee lad. If you had to pick ONE thing that has been the most difficult for you and your bride, what would it be?

[payxibka 10,048]

fwaguy: I don't think any of the photos I posted are paint-worthy, but you have my blessing nonetheless!

You'd be surprised... She will take subject matter from one photo... back ground from another... an interesting sky from yet another and somehow pull it all together.....

[eekee 182]

Welcome to all the ladies! It's nice to see some more female voices on this forum.

[Bobalouie 0]

Ladies, it might benefit you to create your own profiles. Then we will all know immediately when the woman is speaking and when the man is speaking.

Whenever Jason posts I think it is Sasha anyway. It is her picture in his avatar!