Enough BS, some other stuff....

[Mark H]

Enough of the Jack thing, some pertinent stuff.

Internet cafes are pretty cool and popping up all over Kiev. I went to three while I was there. I took the girl I met to the cafe and showed her how to use yahoo.com email services. We created her account and set her up. Now we write without ANY agencies involved. That's pretty cool. The prices vary but two of the cafes cost 2 grivnas for 15 minutes. The other cafe was very close to Kreshatik and was 4 grivnahs per 15 minutes. Remember 5.30 grivnas to the dollar. It's not too bad. I left $100 bucks with my girl to cover english lessons and email expenses for the month of January. Her english lessons cost $3 bucks an hour. Other relevant expenses are her flat $50 a month and her salary of $80 a month. She makes it with the help of her parents. Getting her to accept the $100 bucks was VERY difficult, it took 2 days and alot of frustration but she finally took it.

Lessons learned with going without preparation and just meeting girls via agencies. I think it is a good way to go but you must have the right agency. Tamara was good and very interested but didn't have enough girls to choose from. Basically what happens is you sit down and start looking through photo albums like your looking at someone's vacation! When you see a girl you like, the woman starts calling them right there. I had two dates set up immediately, that was bizarre. My interpreter told me what the lady was saying. If you're a handsome guy, in good shape with a good profession, she really sells you. She speaks about how nice you look and basically says "you gotta meet this guy". Tamara was good. The second agency was not. One girl I picked out was called immediately. Her father said she was not at home but that she was 6 months pregnant. Ha, that was funny. Nothing like keeping records current huh? every profile was at least 18 months old at the second agency. i thought that was weird.

I think it is the only way to go. Go to a good, LARGE agency and start sifting through the catalogs. Make a list of girls you are interested in and have them start calling. It's that easy. The girls are very receptive and will meet you on a moments notice. I had 3 dates the first day I was there. Two were serious. The next day I saw 3 more and didn't think they were serious at all.

Believe it or not, it is very difficult to communicate via an interpreter. I think only choosing girls with english skills is a must but beware the agency owners will tell you they speak english when they don't. That was frustrating. The reason being, after 5 or 6 dates with different girls and the same interpreter you start to feel like "hey, just tell her the good stuff". It feels strange after  a while. I'm talking about running from one date to another. Very strange.

Anyway, good luck to all who look and don't let anything get in your way. Alot of agencies get bashed around here and the owners aren't around to "fight" with the bashers. Use your own head and make your own judgements about things. Write letters and inquire to agencies, there are a ton out there, contrary to what is spewed here on this board.

Mark H.

[Bobby Orr]

... in response to Enough BS, some other stuff...., posted by Mark H on Jan 12, 2002

I want to know what large agencies you recommend?  My experience is that a large, good agency is an oxymoron.

It sure is great spending new years in the FSU with a new romance.  If the stars are right it will turn into more for you.  I had that last year but it fell through.  Best of luck.  

With further reading of your dispute I think you made a mistake in not going to Dnepeproptrosk (or whatever the spelling is).  It is hard for me to comment on who was right or wrong.  I have not dealt with Jack.  All I know is that he gives sage advise and has many men who vouch for his efforts.  If things fall through with my girl I will go with an advertising campaign helped by Jack in Ukraine.

Could you possibly have been afraid to go to Dnepeptrosk?  I hope it was that you really found the woman of your dreams.  My experience is that Kiev is a large beach combed over ie.  very few gems who want Americans.  It is too bad you did not go to Dnepeprotovsk, I would have liked your opinion of the agencies / experiences you encountered.

[KenC]

... in response to Enough BS, some other stuff...., posted by Mark H on Jan 12, 2002

Mark,
As you know Lena and I used Lifetime Partners in Tver.  Although we both kind of circumvented their "system", I think it is a good one.  First, they have lots of girls.  Everything seemd to be up to date.  (Although, how any agency could keep tabs on the current status of many women is beyond me)  They have unlimited email with free interpretations.  They have all the same "perks" that one would need ie; drivers, interpreters 24/7 and flats.  Although the flats are priced waaay high and are less than the Ritz.  (Their profit center I presume)  They have videos that can be sent to you of the girls and something I found unique and very helpful: they use their clients as curriors for docs and even gifts.  If you had something to send to a girl you were interested in, they would get one of their clients to hand carry it to their office in Tver.  Pretty cool if you ask me.

I met a few other women other than Lena when I first went to Tver.  I agree with you that working your "mojo" through an interpreter just plain sucks.  It is akward, frustrating and in the end, boring.  How anyone can think they have a relationship with someone that they cannot speak to, is beyond me.  How can you get to the important issues if you can't even communicate the basics?
KenC

[DE]

... in response to Enough BS, some other stuff...., posted by Mark H on Jan 12, 2002

you actually met this gal through Jack didn't you?  Didn't you meet your lady through Tamara?  And isn't Tamara associated with Jack?  How did you learn of Tamara?  I'm willing to bet through Jack or one of his people.  Seems to me, Jack delivered?  After all, how many "keepers" do you need?

[Mark H]

... in response to Interestingly...., posted by DE on Jan 12, 2002

Dude,
You doing Jack's PR work now or what? I never said Jack didn't deliver....TO THE CONTRARY. This is my last post to you as you seem to not be able to read and comprehend. Once again, I didn't have any beef with Jack's company. Firstdream delivered without problem. I've said that at least 5 times. I simply said the agency was too small for my taste buds. Yes, I've already said I met this girl through Tamara's agency who jack set me up with. I've said that more than once. Seems as though you are only trying to provoke as opposed to add to conversation. Get a grip, other than on jack's centerstand.

Mark H.

[DE]

... in response to Re: Interestingly...., posted by Mark H on Jan 12, 2002

Dude,

You say that Jack's agency is too small yet you agree that your new found lady came from the agency Jack works with.  If she was the only lady in Tamara's agency, I guess it really would have been large enough because one "keeper" (as you referred to her) is all you really need.  This in itself makes all your previous posts garbage.  I think most guys would agree that it would be much better to find a "keeper" through a small agency then finding nothing regardless of the size of the agency.  The rest is simply a bunch of crying on your part.

So no, I'm not doing Jack's PR work.  You're doing a much better job of it yourself.  I'm just questioning the basis for your arguement "I simply said the agency was too small for my taste buds" when out of the other corner of your mouth you say "I met this girl through Tamara's agency who jack set me up with."  Get a grip, please learn to read and comprehend your own posts and realize that your problems were due to your own decisions and actions.

[MarkInTx]

... in response to Enough BS, some other stuff...., posted by Mark H on Jan 12, 2002

Interesting.

The girl you found... does not have strong english skills? Did you see her more than once? Did you always use an interpreter?

[Mark H]

... in response to This is good stuff, posted by MarkInTx on Jan 12, 2002

No, she didn't have strong english skills even though the lady said she did. We had an interpreter for the first two meetings and then were on our own. I actually spent the last night there with her at her apartment and we had a ball. She spent new Years with me in my flat and cooked the best meal I've ever had. She's a keeper in my book. We'll see how it goes. I always keep my feet grounded and am cautious. She is the reason I stayed in Kiev. I spent 4 days with her. By the fourth day her english had improved a bit. By the time I see her in May it should be much better. Mark, email me. I can't find your email address.

Mark H.

[KenC]

... in response to Re: This is good stuff, posted by Mark H on Jan 12, 2002

Mark,
I am sure you understand just how special you must be for her to spend her New Years with you.  Don't ya?  Lena's English was so so when we first met 3 years ago, but now she even get's the subtle double meanings of English phrases.  Nothing is better than using English everyday.  Best of luck to you and if you have a pic give it up Dude.
KenC

[MarkInTx]

... in response to Re: This is good stuff, posted by Mark H on Jan 12, 2002

I did already. You should have a couple in your yahoo address.

My address should also be on my profile here:

markjoel60@hotmail.com

[Mark H]

... in response to Email..., posted by MarkInTx on Jan 12, 2002

fda

[DE]

... in response to Enough BS, some other stuff...., posted by Mark H on Jan 12, 2002

.

[Ryan]

... in response to Enough BS, some other stuff...., posted by Mark H on Jan 12, 2002

So what did you pay the agency when you sifted threw the books was it pay if you got one setup or pay for the agency to call?  How did that work?
Thanks
Ryan

[Mark H]

... in response to Re: Enough BS, some other stuff...., posted by Ryan on Jan 12, 2002

Ryan,
If you met with a girl, it cost you $15 bucks. That's how it works. With the girls who were what i thought were professional daters....I wondered how much their cut was? It would be very easy to have women date men who come, endure an hour or two of conversation, have a  nice dinner and then go home. Maybe they get $5 bucks or something? Who knows. You know when they are serious though and you may have to endure some scammers along the way but it is easy to see who is a scammer and who isn't. Especially after the first 2 or 3 dates. Very easy.

Mark H.

[KenC]

... in response to Re: Re: Enough BS, some other stuff...., posted by Mark H on Jan 12, 2002

Mark,
With Lifetime Partners, it was enough for the girls to be wined and dined with the remote posibility of getting an American interested in something more serious.
KenC