Mosocw Medical Exam Controversy

[slim 1,514]

I will need to begin an exercise program or something if I am going to keep up.

I highly recommend doing this. You have to remember your girl probably walks a whole lot more than you and her lifestyle in general is probably WAY healthier than yours. Not saying you're a couch potato, but American way of life - drive the car next-door - is not exactly conducive to "working out regularly" after her arrival.... if you know what I mean.

If time permits, start taking brisk walks in the evening or racing the old ladies at the mall in the mornings. It'll get your heart rate up enough so when you do "start working out together" after she arrives, you won't be too far behind.

I, of course, didn't do this beforehand so when my lady arrived, she was like "you're fat and lazy. You're like old man. You must go to sport club." So, either way, you're going to have to excercise... better to do it now and on your own terms. Trying to keep up with a Russian girl walking down the street is pretty difficult at first, they're fast! And they have no concept of just how far two city blocks is. We have a car, you know!

[shikarnov 7]

I will need to begin an exercise program or something if I am going to keep up.

I highly recommend doing this. You have to remember your girl probably walks a whole lot more than you and her lifestyle in general is probably WAY healthier than yours. Not saying you're a couch potato, but American way of life - drive the car next-door - is not exactly conducive to "working out regularly" after her arrival.... if you know what I mean.

If time permits, start taking brisk walks in the evening or racing the old ladies at the mall in the mornings. It'll get your heart rate up enough so when you do "start working out together" after she arrives, you won't be too far behind.

I, of course, didn't do this beforehand so when my lady arrived, she was like "you're fat and lazy. You're like old man. You must go to sport club." So, either way, you're going to have to excercise... better to do it now and on your own terms. Trying to keep up with a Russian girl walking down the street is pretty difficult at first, they're fast! And they have no concept of just how far two city blocks is. We have a car, you know!

Ain't that the bloody truth.

I remember when I first arrived in Ivanovo, Ira wanted to go to the store. So we got dressed (it was winter) and ventured out. The "short walk" to the store turned out to be a 4-mile hike (took an hour) in 0 degree weather (that's 0 Fahrenheit, mind you). Needless to say I dug my heels in at the store and insisted on getting a taxi home. The taxi ride back was $2.

I got to know the Ivanovo cabbies very very well over the past two years, although whenever I'm out with Ira, it's generally on foot.

Z

"Ya hochu yedim tuda. Ne vazhno skolko budet. Tolko vazhno: ya tyoplie."

-- Me, talking to any cabbie in winter, while pointing frantically at a marked X on my trusty city map.

[Buck and Natalia 0]

I will need to begin an exercise program or something if I am going to keep up.

I highly recommend doing this. You have to remember your girl probably walks a whole lot more than you and her lifestyle in general is probably WAY healthier than yours. Not saying you're a couch potato, but American way of life - drive the car next-door - is not exactly conducive to "working out regularly" after her arrival.... if you know what I mean.

If time permits, start taking brisk walks in the evening or racing the old ladies at the mall in the mornings. It'll get your heart rate up enough so when you do "start working out together" after she arrives, you won't be too far behind.

I, of course, didn't do this beforehand so when my lady arrived, she was like "you're fat and lazy. You're like old man. You must go to sport club." So, either way, you're going to have to excercise... better to do it now and on your own terms. Trying to keep up with a Russian girl walking down the street is pretty difficult at first, they're fast! And they have no concept of just how far two city blocks is. We have a car, you know!

hahaha..... mine has already suggested that we spend significant time at the sport club. I must be getting that "Jabba the Hut" look. I was kind of hoping to be "Jabba the Husband" but I don't think she will go for it.

[slim 1,514]

"Ya hochu yedim tuda. Ne vazhno skolko budet. Tolko vazhno: ya tyoplie."

-- Me, talking to any cabbie in winter, while pointing frantically at a marked X on my trusty city map.

I noticed in Moscow a lot of the cabbies spoke Russian as well as I did. Like in the U.S., a lot of cab drivers were foreign. It sounds like you speak plenty of Russian to get where you want to go and as long as you have that trusty map with the X on it, there shouldn't be a cabbie anywhere in the world that won't understand you.

And I agree 100%, a $2 cab ride to save walking four miles in 0F is worth it anyday. Hell, I'd probably even pay $4!

hahaha..... mine has already suggested that we spend significant time at the sport club. I must be getting that "Jabba the Hut" look. I was kind of hoping to be "Jabba the Husband" but I don't think she will go for it.

Det Moroz is the more common accusation here. My beard is growing out quite nicely though. (What double chin? That's all beard baby!) New Years is supposed to be the time to start working out, so I guess I'll indulge in being a jolly fat man for another couple of weeks. Ah... ignorance is bliss!

[Chris Parker 10]

[snip]

Embassy (Moscow) (+80 days transiting)

12/20/07 Medical exam

01/10/08 Interview

01/xx/08 Visa received!

01/xx/08 Entered U.S.

I notice your lady's medical exam was yesterday... So, how'd it go (if you don't mind my asking)?

It went pretty well I'd say.

This was at AO Medisina based on the advice posted here.

DHL also has an office across the street from the clinic with hours 8AM-midnight where you can get the paid airbill to give the consulate for interview.

Exam pickup for the 3PM the next day was slightly delayed---they were closed at 3PM! Somebody did arrive about 30 minutes later however. They would not give any information about the medical exam's results or a copy of the report.

Also, both AO Medisina and DHL accepted credit card for payment! (we had our doubts about this, and I still would bring cash just in case the equipment is broken as often happens in Russia)

Not sure what else to say---we have the chest xray and the sealed envelope. The embassy doesnt need to see the xray, does it?

[Igor&Elina 0]

We did consider all of the options and the bad reports from MOM were of concern to us, but after seeing that things have improved we have decided to go there anyway, mostly because you get the results the same day. Anyway, we'll be doing it in just about a week. I'll be happy to post a report.

As promised before here's our report:

We had the medical scheduled at MOM on Dec 26th.

We arrived at their office a bit before 10am, about an hour after we had it scheduled (9am), there were no lines and no people waiting, probably due to the holiday season. We filled out the forms, turned them in with photos and the fee and all, and got our instructions on where to go next. There was one other person submitting the paperwork before us, she didn't have photos, so the sent her to an instant photo place about a block away. The clinic where they do the actually medical is about 15 min walking distance from there. After we walked over and turned in our paperwork Elina gave blood for the test, then we had to wait for the doctor. The wait was about 30 min. Doctors name was Elena Moskaleva. She asked a series of standard questions, measured blood pressure, looked at her throat, and checked her limph nodes. Doctor asked Elina what her weight and height are. She then asked to take her blouse off. She asked Elina about birth marks that she has. That was it, no other undressing. She copied Elina's vaccination records into the standard blank that they have and gave us a copy of that when we asked for it. That was it, it all took about 10 min. All very nice and simple, nothing unnecessary or demeaning in any way. The facility is pretty clean. BTW, if you need to go to the bathroom, bring your own toilet paper.

All in all took about 2 hours, with walking and paperwork and all.

The results were ready at 5pm back at the MOM office. There were 3 other women picking up their result before us, no one after us, except one guy that said that he did his medical a month ago.

That's it, overall very good, quick and simple experience.

[slim 1,514]

Almost done!

[mox 298]

As promised before here's our report:

Thanks for the info, much appreciated! Good to know that MOM seem to be getting their act together.

[eekee 182]

All of these responses to the "why russian women want to marry american men/why these americans and russians are not marrying people from their own country" question are very obviously written by men!

I am probably younger than all of you and met my SO the "traditional" way. I personally do not have any russian friends with western european or american boyfriends but have a lot of western european and american friends with russian boyfriends. Perhaps everything has flipped now and whatever it was that made russian women and american men a good match has turned into something that makes american women and russian men a good match.

I wasn't searching for a russian man over an american one but the american guys my age that i know smoke too much pot, play too many video games, and are very focused on sleeping with lots of girls. They don't think they have to do anything for a girl. If they buy you a 2 dollar forty at the gas station they expect to be paid back!

[shikarnov 7]

I wasn't searching for a russian man over an american one but the american guys my age that i know smoke too much pot, play too many video games, and are very focused on sleeping with lots of girls. They don't think they have to do anything for a girl. If they buy you a 2 dollar forty at the gas station they expect to be paid back!

I agree somewhat. Attitudes about sex and intimacy amongst America's youth are severely out of whack. I have friends who are just a few years younger than me (29) and it's outrageous how they view relationships. Laura Sessions Step might not have written a scientific thesis with her book, Unhooked, but it's deadly accurate relative to all I've seen in recent years.

However, in defense of men, there are also plenty of American women who struggled for years and years against the so-called courtesies of "antiquated" romance. My mother still snaps at my step father if he opens the door for her. She, and many of her peers, equate masculinity with suppression and femininity with submission. So it's not like there haven't been reasons for the behavioral / cultural changes in our society.

One thing the Russians (at least in Ivanovo) have right is that they're taught that having a healthy, loving relationship is something to be respected. Love is encouraged here, at least as much as any other pursuit. How often would you hear an American parent urging their child to balance love and school? Most'll tell their kids to focus on their school work, and worry about a relationship later. The result: a very sick country.

Z

Edited January 3, 2008 by shikarnov

[CarlosAndSveta 808]

I wasn't searching for a russian man over an american one but the american guys my age that i know smoke too much pot, play too many video games, and are very focused on sleeping with lots of girls. They don't think they have to do anything for a girl. If they buy you a 2 dollar forty at the gas station they expect to be paid back!

I guess I am old and old-fashioned. I would never consider buying my girlfriend a beer at the gas station and if I did I would never consider asking her to pay me back.

[mox 298]

I am probably younger than all of you and met my SO the "traditional" way.

The age range in this group seems to run the gamut, so I bet you'd be surprised. One of the big Russian dating sites published some statistics about a year ago and it turned out that the majority of their members fell into the 25-35 range. Hardly the "old man looking for trophy bride" demographic that pervades popular culture.

I wasn't searching for a russian man over an american one but the american guys my age that i know smoke too much pot, play too many video games, and are very focused on sleeping with lots of girls.

What you are describing is the mindset of almost every single under-30 man on the planet. You may have run into an exception, but I can assure you his Russian'ness has nothing to do with it.

They don't think they have to do anything for a girl. If they buy you a 2 dollar forty at the gas station they expect to be paid back!

Russian women are greedy gold-digging vampires who only want a green card so they can escape the mile long bread lines and prostitution rings that pervade their sad, dreary lives. American women are overweight power hungry nags who expect to be treated equal except when it's time to buy them dinner. Stereotypes are fun. Seriously though, while there are some generalities that *can* be made about where someone comes from, what you are describing is just bad dating etiquette. It has nothing to do with the men being American, and everything to do with you having run into a string of jerks. When I date a woman I expect that I'll be paying for everything. That's my expectation, not anybody else's. Most of the single men I know have that expectation too.

I'm really interested in hearing your experiences though. You're the first woman with a Russian groom I've run into. How did you two meet?

I guess I am old and old-fashioned. I would never consider buying my girlfriend a beer at the gas station and if I did I would never consider asking her to pay me back.

Oh LOL, I didn't catch that it was a $2 "40." I thought she was quoting the price of gas as $2.40, and I was thinking "wow, how long has it been since you dated last?" :D

[eekee 182]

I had already been living in russia for several months. We met at a bar.

I am under 25, so 25-35 would still be considered older than me. i wasn't making assumptions based on "russian bride" stereotypes, however--i was going by pictures people have posted, life situations (like the frequency with which past divorces are mentioned) that would indicated that most people here are not in their early 20s.

While i understand that once you're out of this age group, probably men get more... attuned to dating etiquette. I live in New York City, the capital of the extended adolescence, so i think it takes a bit longer here plus, you can't deny that there are different cultural norms in Russia for dating. People DO tend to get married in Russia a lot younger than they do in the US, especially in a place like NYC. Compare the number of young couples holding hands. Perhaps it's mere practicality, so one doesn't fall on the ice, but there's a lot more of that kind of thing in Russia. All of my friends who have ever dated a russian guy say the same things about the differences between dating american guys our age and a russian one.

[slim 1,514]

Of course I expect to get paid back.