I am considering a overseas relationship

[John Nic]

Louisiana, USA

Hello

I am considering a overseas relationship, (intent marriage) this has to be a very difficult for someone to move away from their home into a totally strange country. So before I pursue this I'm looking for a “local” support group or even some people who have been through this, in hopes of smooth some of the emotional hills before and after she arrives. I believe that this would be invaluable in such a relationship.
This doesn't mean I won't be counting heavily on you guys but there's nothing like a face-to-face conversation. I'm trying to provide a good foundation before starting a relationship.
If you have any information or suggestions in this matter I would really appreciate it take you.

[KenMan]

... in response to I am considering a overseas relationship, posted by John Nic on Nov 23, 2001

Where in Louisiana do you live? I also live in the South. I just started in August. I got back from the Ukraine last week and have made 3 very nice friends. Friends!!! I plan on going back in May to see them again. Maybe after a years plus time something special will grow out of this? Anyways I think it is best to dive head first and adjust as you go along. Use your instincts. Learn by your own experiences. Don't be afraid to make mistakes and most important of all HAVE FUN! ( Don't take it so seriously as many seem to do ) As for writing I like to stay away from the one's that profess love over a few letters. You will find a few that write like down to Earth normal people. Watch out for some the Yankees though :-)

[BubbaGump]

... in response to I am considering a overseas relationship, posted by John Nic on Nov 23, 2001

Alright John, here are a few quick tips from a guy who is not successful yet, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

1) Start with a reputable agency.  There are over 100 and if you click on the word "Russian" at the left of your screen, you will see over 100 agencies. Most people here have used, Firstdream, European Connections and A Foreign Affair.  Some deal directly with agencies in the country they are visiting.
2) The websites list the girls that have been around for a while.  You may want to send off for catalogs of their latest women.  
3) It is probably better and cheaper to write women that you are interested in rather than just go on a tour first.  A tour is really too short to get anything going with a girl for most people.
4) Write women that at least know a little English first and you should learn a little Russian or Ukrainian.  Write girls that you are only sincerely interested in that have common interests.  Put some effort in the letter and show interest.  They put a lot of effort into their letters.
5) The largest number of available women are in Russia and the Ukraine.  The Baltic republics have the best looking women but I think they are not as motivated because of more prosperous economies.  
6) You can advertise but if you do, expect letters from a lot of women you would never consider.  I got 70 letters one month and only 2 were keepers.
7) This is not as easy as you might think.  You'll probably make a lot of stupid mistakes and it will take a while to understand where you went wrong.  Some women might get angry with you and some might cry and make you feel like a real jerk.
This is not cheap.  You can get a good airline deal on the internet and some cheap apartments but you're still flying halfway around the world, paying translators, buying gifts and dinner for 3, etc. Tours cost typically about $5K for 10 days.  
9) This can be time consuming.  A lot of us only have 2 weeks vacation and that only gives time for 1 trip a year.  Maybe a second quickie trip.  
10) A lot of these guys are not losers.  The tours had doctors, dentists, surgeons, judges, engineers and other professionals. I read that the average income for men on the tours is about $100K and that the educational level is above average.  I advertised in a catalog a couple of years ago and when I looked I thought, Oh No!,  there are other good looking guys in here with good jobs.
11) Some of these women are trying to cheat you out of money, so be a little skeptical of hard luck stories.  Some women also give up on you pretty quickly.  95% of the guys that write these women never go over to visit any country. Remember they get cheated too and can get pretty bitter about it.  
12) If you're nervous about traveling to Russian or the Ukraine, then go on a tour.  It gives you other guys to BS with and some people to guide you around.  
13) British Air has comfy seats and those little TV sets in tourist class and I liked that on the long overseas trip. I just added that because I couldn't think of anything better to finish with.

[Rags]

... in response to A few basics, posted by BubbaGump on Nov 24, 2001

Please drop the "the" from in front of "Ukraine". It really grates on my (and many other's) nerves. You would not say "the Russia" or "the France" would you? Thanks Buddy.

[BubbaGump]

... in response to Yo Bubba!, posted by Rags on Nov 24, 2001

There are a few countries that are often preceeded by the word "the" and the Ukraine, the Phillipines, the Falklands, are a few examples.  It is supposed to be equivalent to referring to a region such as "the west".  Maybe now that it's a country instead of a region it gets to lose the "the".

[Rags]

... in response to Yo Rags, posted by BubbaGump on Nov 24, 2001

I didn't mean any offense. It's just another boring day at work and I thought I'd drop in but judging from the stuff above I can see that I'm wasting my time here.

[BubbaGump]

... in response to Sorry Bubba, posted by Rags on Nov 24, 2001

I don't know why I should get offended when someone on the board corrects me, but if an intelligent person at work corrects me it's ok.  Character flaw I guess.  

I never admitted that nickle metal hydride batteries are better than nickle cadmium batteries either.  I had just read some guy's BS article that said otherwise.

[wsbill]

... in response to No problem Rags, posted by BubbaGump on Nov 24, 2001

No, if's and's or but's about it.  Lithium-Ion is in there somewhere also.

If I were buying a battery charger and a AA battery it would no doubt be a set of NiMH.

[LP]

... in response to Re: NiMH are way better than NiCads, posted by wsbill on Nov 24, 2001


I agree in general, but for certain high rate discharge applications (such as RC model cars) and some others, nicads will perform better.

LiIon (I assmune you mean LiFe secondary chemistries) are apples to oranges when compared to Nimh, the applications and performance characteristics of each are quite different.

lol...But yes, you're pretty much right. :-)

[BubbaGump]

... in response to Again,...., posted by LP on Nov 24, 2001

That's one issue, but some NiCad manufacturers claim they can handle more than twice as many charge/discharge cycles as NiMH and that evens things up between the 2 battery types.  That's why I wasn't so sure which is better.  Like LP said, in powering motors like in tools, NiCads have an advantage.  NiCads are banned by many European countries as environmentally unfriendly.  

Lithium Ion and Lithium polymer are much better for electronic applications if cost isn't a big factor because it has by far the highest energy density and because it has 3 times the voltage per cell.  That makes the voltage is compatible with low voltage electronic circuits.  Li-Ion is used in almost all cell phones now and high end PDAs for those reasons even though it costs more.  

[LP]

... in response to No problem Rags, posted by BubbaGump on Nov 24, 2001

...Oh, a chance to revert to my EE life. :-)

Nimh chemistries are superior to Nicad in some ways, but not all. Nimh has a much higher energy density and you'll get more capacity for the same size and weight. The "memory"
effect (actually a very misunderstood issue with nicads, really voltage depletion), is not a concern also.

Nimh has a greater self discharge rate and a higher internal resistance than nicad chemistries. This makes nicads better for very high drain applications. Both have a flat discharge curve so one does not get much warning.

Also, nimh has a total charge/discharge cycle number less than nicad.

It's a myth that you should completely discharge these chemistries, that will hurt, especially in a multi cell pack. Best to discharge to an "end of cell" voltage of about 1 volt and no lower.

In addition, the charging parameters for nimh, although close, are different. I recommend using a charger that employs negative VDT or peak VDT with thermal monitoring as a back up for very high rate charging.

All in all, Nimh is a better choice for a regularly used device without an overly high discharge rate. Course, it's been awhile, so I may need some brushing up also.

[Dan]

... in response to Yo Rags, posted by BubbaGump on Nov 24, 2001

It is a reference to "The Philippine Islands" and to "The Falkland Islands" - as in a reference to the plural form. The ONLY reason Ukraine was refered to as "The Ukraine" was when it was an occupied region of the former Soviet regime. Now that it is an independent country (since 24 August 1991), it is absolutely incorrect to refer to it as The Ukraine - any more than you would refer to America as "The America." You might refer to it as "The Americas" or "The United States of America" but once again, it is a reference to the plural.

Because the moniker "The Ukraine" represents a legacy connection to Soviet rule and Russian dominance - you will often find local Ukrainians bristle when they hear it. And you wil find that same bristling coming from some of us here that have trained ourselves to say it properly.

FWIW

- Dan

[BubbaGump]

... in response to And The Reason is . . ., posted by Dan on Nov 24, 2001

I looked it up.  Ukraine was proceeded by "the" when it was referred to as a region of Russia.  You drop the "the" when it becomes a country.  This was discussed on the board a very long time ago when somebody else got irritated because somebody else kept putting the in front of Ukraine.  I'm an old guy, so sometimes I refer to places in the old way.

[MarkInTx]

... in response to I am considering a overseas relationship, posted by John Nic on Nov 23, 2001


I'll start with the first question...

Have you read the archives?

Best hours of reading you can hope for, if you are sincere.

After you've read the archives, you will have specific question... and the guys here will help.

I'm not blowing you off. I'm giving you the best advice I know...

Read

The

Archives

[spyke]

... in response to I am considering a overseas relationship, posted by John Nic on Nov 23, 2001

U can marry a Fat AW any day and live in misorry the rest of your days its your pick! Many here can give info bout what you seek!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope many of U step up here and
help this guy!!!! He is NEW this place so dont blow him off!!! My 2 kiwi $$ worth