Looking for legit agencies for Sumy or Riga..

[Oscar]

If any of you have names/links of legitimate agencies operating in either Sumy or Riga, I would apprecaite your letting me know.  Any contact names of good interpreters or people who can get decent flats etc would also be of great help.. Would love to know your experiences...

Anybody know the populations approximately of both of these cities?  One person said Suny was about 350,000, but I have no idea about Riga.

Thanks
Oscar

[James B]

... in response to Looking for legit agencies for Sumy or R..., posted by Oscar on Oct 30, 2001

Oscar,

Sounds like you are narrowing down your choices for women. I told my friend Sergey who runs the slavicladies.com site that you might send him a note to ask about his services. I just called him tonight and he always responds back.  He uses a great woman named Julia to do his interpreting and arrange correspondence between foreign men and women.  I have her email address if you would like to correspond with her and ask her any questions about Sumy.  She just graduated with a degree in English and teaches at the local university.  She is a real witty gal and and nice as they come.  I don't think you can go wrong with women in these relatively small towns.  They aren't spoiled by big city life and they are absolutely beautiful.  The town of Sumy is beautiful and surrounded by a river that is full of activity when the weather gets warmer.  The wages are quite low in this town and people are stuggling here more than most, but it doesn't affect their hospitality.  I met my woman through the above agency and was able to stay at her flat when I visited.  She lives with her family, but they knew left to the village while I was there to allow us to be alone.  You might also suggest using the couch in the house and pay for their rent for the month and food while you are there.  Average rent is only 25 to $50 per month. Food is ridiculously cheap.  You will find the women very economical and will do anything to save a few cents.  Most of them sew and few go to restuarants often.  Yes, there is a McDonalds with prices about 75% of what we pay.  I took my fiancee's nine year old daughter there and it was the time of her life and the first time for her.  If the women are generally like mine, then they will do everything to please you and make you the most comfortable man in the universe.  Hope your search goes well for you.

[Steve Bradley]

... in response to Looking for legit agencies for Sumy or R..., posted by Oscar on Oct 30, 2001

Oscar you can check out our site at irena.ws if you like.  We can give you reference if you like too.  We only work with Sumy.  The population is just under 350,000 with it being about a 50/50 split on men and women.  It's a very nice town although my wife kept telling me she thought it was dirty.  But when I was there I really enjoyed it.  And hey if you're into fast food they've even got a McDonalds for you ;-)

[Johninm]

... in response to Looking for legit agencies for Sumy or R..., posted by Oscar on Oct 30, 2001

Senor De Larenta !! , just kidin` Oscar   ..well..Hotels in Sumy ( like in CIS countries ) have few different prices ; e.i. out of curiosity ,I checked Hotel "SUMY"( town center- looked "dumpy" to me )  - 70 hryvnas for Ukrainians, 140 for Russian or... 270 ! for Americans ( approx.  5.3 hryvnas to 1$US ).This scenario is typical for Russia, Belarus and Ukraine ( ha, old soviet era way of doing things exists , no doubt ). I always arrange privately my own flat for rent . My fiance arranges for that . There are apartments for rent in local paper . Last time I paid 20 hryvnas per day for decent one fair size room , kithen, bath in the city center area ,very close to shops, internet cafe in the same building and of course total privacy ( 5th foor- good exercise though lol ). If I called myself to inquire about flats , the price would be double or triple since I speak russian with foreign accent. With my fiance`s help I arrange for pivate tranportation from Borispol. I usually pay $50 to $70 one way to Sumy ( depending on the car or who from "networking divers" is available) . On weekends I can usually arrange for 2000 Toyota Camry . Cab drivers ( taxis ) charge $100- $150 one way . There is a train to Sumy ,also . Leaves around  11pm arrives around 6am - cost $15 per person , cab from Borispol to Kiev $15-$20 . It usually takes 3.5 to 4 hrs to get to Sumy by car( from Borispol ).  I don`t now much about agencies since I never used them and personally I don`t believe in that. Seems like Irena`s agency focus on women from Sumy. First trip to new town is a crucial one . I always try to establish some type of of network . Agency people may be able to give you  better idea , but usually you have to pay them for their "assistance". How professional and reliable they are that`s another matter. I`m leaving to Sumy tommorrow for 2 weeks and I`ll be there for 2-3 weeks in December . My fiance teaches english at local university and has another job . While she is at work I`ll be hanging at internet cafes , with her family or "experiment" with different cooking . I speak fuent russian and understand 60-70 % ukrainian . If you be there I can help you with the language . You can buy me cold " Obolon " - probably the best Ukrainian beer.        John

[Johninm]

... in response to Looking for legit agencies for Sumy or R..., posted by Oscar on Oct 30, 2001

Riga , population 850K . Check these sites for Riga.  www.balticsww.com/tourist/latvia/ , www.inyourpocket.com/latvia/Riga_home.shtml  or www.virtualriga.com/default.asp   .

[James B]

... in response to Re: Looking for legit agencies for Sumy ..., posted by Johninm on Oct 30, 2001

Johninm,

Great post and description of Sumy!  I have been there three times and wish you a great trip.  Spent two weeks each time during three different seasons.  I am engaged to marry a woman from Sumy and she will be coming to me in December for about a 45 day visit.  I am in the U.S. Navy and live in Iceland, but will be returning to Virginia when I leave here.  I have met many of the women in Sumy and can say that all seem to be great candidates for wives.  It seems from the posts that I have read over time that the women here make good wives and men seem happy with their choice.  I was there in July and it was quite enjoyable to sit in the town square in the evening while hundreds of people strolled through the street with nothing to do except enjoy the downtown scenery.  Your estimate of 350,000 people is accurate, but in this town it seems so much smaller.  You can get all around it in no time, because the local buses are avail.  I think the high rise apartments make all the towns seem smaller.  A good friend of my fiancee works for the agency as an interpreter and she is also an English teacher at the university.  We have alot in common!  Hope you enjoy your visit to my favorite Ukrainian city.

[Oscar]

... in response to Re: Looking for legit agencies for Sumy ..., posted by Johninm on Oct 30, 2001

Oscar

[Bart442]

... in response to Looking for legit agencies for Sumy or R..., posted by Oscar on Oct 30, 2001

Contact Steve at:  http://irena.ws/index1.htm