ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusChicago POE without speaking English

Delta connects from Chicago to Moscow via JFK.  My wife has always been able to find help in JFK.....but she also speaksEnglish.

In that case the POE is not Chicago but JFK. There are innumerable ways to connect from Chicago (or anywhere there is a commercial airport) to Moscow 'via' another hub. Of course it is then no longer a direct flight and the probability of other Russian speaking passengers deplaning simultaneously at the Chicago POE (which was the point here) goes way, way down. But maybe you have another point to make, that it might have been advantageous to choose JFK as the POE to afford him the advantage of that direct connection from Moscow and the fellow travelers (!) able to speak Russian and translate for him.


james&olyaMaleRussia2013-10-29 19:57:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusChicago POE without speaking English

 

What airline is he flying? Is it a direct flight from Russia so there are a lot of people that speak Russian on the plane or is it a flight through Europe somewhere?

It would be great if it were a direct flight! There have not been direct flights from Moscow to Chicago for the last few years at least and still aren't as far as I know. I would love to see them start doing this. Many flights connect through Germany but you can connect through France, Spain, UK, Switzerland, etc.

 

I have heard that there is a service they can use when nobody is available in person to translate that involves them calling a phone number of a qualified translator and doing it over the phone. The card idea is a good one, definitely consider doing that.


james&olyaMaleRussia2013-10-29 14:31:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusMIL visa denied :(

 

At my interview in Moscow (Where you can actually hear and see everyone else's interviews) there were two people who were approved who met on dating sites.

I don't know that it's any kind of a red flag now that 1 in 5 married couples begin their relationships begin online.

Were they getting approved for a K-1 visa (easy) or getting approved for a tourist visa? It has in the past been exceedingly difficult to get a tourist visa if you gave them any reason to think you might have a love interest motivating your trip.


james&olyaMaleRussia2013-11-05 16:16:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusMIL visa denied :(

Off-Topic2.gif

 

Speaking of MIL's and visas, we just picked up mine from our local airport. I felt bad for her, she had flown in the evening 2 days ago to Moscow, spent the night in the airport, got to Chicago by last night and had to stay overnight there to catch her flight up here at noon. She was happy though, she had gotten a good deal on the airfare.biggrin.png


james&olyaMaleRussia2013-11-02 21:30:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusMIL visa denied :(

so please tell us how to play the game and stack the deck.

I think a lot of it had to do with getting coached there in Kiev. I didn't get the name of the agency or the woman there but I can ask when I see my friend next. We should be getting together in the new year when his girl-friend arrives again. I am assuming there was a bit of deception involved, not outright dishonesty I am guessing but emphasizing certain details while conveniently 'forgetting' to mention others. In particular the little detail about meeting a man on a dating site and then going to spend time with him in the US! I am sure that she also was interested in visiting here as a tourist so it would not have been overtly dishonest to offer that as the reason for wanting the visa. Beyond those obvious points I am not sure what the coaching consisted of but it apparently worked. I will post more when I get details.


james&olyaMaleRussia2013-11-01 13:36:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusMIL visa denied :(

I agree that this is too much like a game. My MIL was one of the lucky ones who got approved in spite of no prior travel to western countries and relatively minimal evidence of ties to home. But a much more extreme example I know about directly involves a friend of mine here who has been dating young ladies from Ukraine. He has met some on 'tours' and some on the commercial dating websites. His current girl-friend applied for a tourist visa and was approved, much to his surprise! She has been here once for 2 weeks and now is returning to spend several months with him. She was smart, even cunning if you wish, in how she did this. No mention, of course, about the fact she had met and was going to be seeing a man she had met through a dating agency. She was coached by a woman at an agency there in Kiev on what to say in her application and interview. I know these facts to be true as I have met and discussed all this directly with them. So it can be done if you play the game right and, as with many games, also have a bit of luck! Stacking the deck helps too.


james&olyaMaleRussia2013-10-29 14:14:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

Let's hear it for fast women, whee man.

On Mrs. T-B.'s last trip back to Ecuador, she tried to drive her #2 sister's car and nearly stripped the gears, when she could even get the thing INTO gear. It apparently wasn't like riding a bicycle, no man. Probably 99.44% or more of all vehicles in Ecu have manual transmissions, si man, because of the mountainous terrain in so many places.

Same thing here, Olya tried to drive my vehicle, a 3/4 ton heavy duty diesel pick-up with a 6-spd manual transmission. In spite of having 10 years experience driving ONLY with a manual, she has already forgotten how to use the clutch and gear shift! :unsure:
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-11-28 01:50:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

Fortunately, Mrs. T-B. is a pretty good driver. She did take the driver's-side mirror off while backing out of the garage, but our Salvadorean mechanic replaced it for $101 walk-out price. However, Mrs. T-B. back-seat-drives when I'm driving, which risks more danger than does the way I drive.

Mrs. T-B.: Slow down! The limit is 65, and you're going 80!
T-B.: Everyone ELSE is also going 80. This is the safest speed.
Mrs. T-B.: You're going to kill us! Slow DOWN!
T-B.: Will you please shut up? You're making me nervous.
Mrs. T-B.: I will NOT shut up, and you SLOW DOWN!
T-B.: Making me nervous is a greater danger than matching the prevailing speed of everyone else!
Mrs. T-B.: Remind me never, EVER to drive with you again.
T-B.: There's no need for that. Just silencio, por favor! [be quiet, please]
Mrs. T-B.: I will NOT shut up! You SLOW DOWN!
T-B.: No jodes [quit nagging]
Mrs. T-B.: That's it! I will NEVER drive with you again!
Mini-Bone: Uh-oh.

Any problems with RUBbettes and speed limits, huh man?

Olga already had her license in Russia and was a reasonably good driver. She was afraid driving an automatic transmission car would be difficult but she has managed somehow. :lol: I have had much better luck with my fast driving being tolerated by my Russian wife than I ever had with any American women I was with. In fact, the only aggressive and fast (and sober) driver that ever scared me to ride with was a Ukrainian woman I met before I met Olga. Ksusha truly did drive like the proverbial 'bat out of hell'! FSU women can be very fast! :rofl:
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-11-27 01:35:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

Just now chiming in on the ski stuff. Loved it in my younger days until I busted my knee, not to mention my skis on Mt. Snow. Been a scuba diver ever since.



Do a good job, it will be inspected. :whistle:

Not too good! You have to leave something she will notice that she would have done better! :lol:
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-03-08 21:05:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

There are some serious ski nuts here of course. They have racks of skis in their garage or basements. I have a single pair and so does Alla. Probably not perfect for anything but good enough for anything. But I can see why people want to have different skis and enjoy them for different uses.

I resemble that remark! :lol: I have 9 or 10 pairs of skis but some are older and used only when there are too many rocks still showing. 3 pairs cover most other situations.

Groomed snow - Rossignol Zenith 183cm?
Ice - Rossignol Vipers 178cm?
Powder - Rossignol Super 7 195cm

The Zeniths are really 'parabolic', fat tips and tails, narrow in the waist. Makes it so easy to effortlessly carve up the groomers! My usual choice. (Think Marilyn Monroe)
The Vipers I had read reviews rating them very highly for ice. I had always been afraid of ice so I decided to try them. Amazing! Incredible edge hold and control on ice. I actually look for ice and ski on it! (Think Russian super-model!)
The Super 7's have normal camber under the boot but the front and back of the skis have a reverse camber (convex curve against the snow instead of concave) which makes skiing in powder amazingly easy! In addition they are really wide which helps get you up on top even if you don't like going really fast! (These would be the J Lo's!)
Almost all skis made now are parabolic. I hope you are using skis made in the last 12-14 years when they came out with these. It was like adding power steering to the ski! I am not yet much into guns but your comparison does seem apt about different tools for different circumstances!
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-03-05 22:52:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

Horses have been far more damaging to me than skiing. Yes, you can get hurt. I have never had anything but bumps and bruises, we DO wear helmets.

If Olya is anything like Alla she would have jumped on skiing just to get a new ski outfit! :lol:

I find skiing to be very relaxing, but invigorating, and definitely an aerobic workout!

I took out an ACL skiing. It was probably already partially damaged by an industrial accident I had while working in college. I never got it repaired. I have had orthopedists express surprise I can still ski and especially that I still ski the moguls (not well but I have fun and get down in one piece). I have had them insist on checking my knee to attempt to prove me wrong right on the spot. I agree about wearing helmets. Besides, they are so light you forget they are there and they are great to help keep your head warm!

Having the right equipment makes a huge difference. There are some new ultra-fat powder skis that make deep powder ridiculously easy. I skied them yesterday and you can go from powder to packed to ice and back between each turn and it feels as easy as being on a groomed run! I got to try out a pair two years ago in Utah and the 3-4 ft deep fresh powder was an absolute blast! They are an even bigger boost to powder skiing than parabolic skis have been to the groomed stuff.
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-03-05 20:21:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man
I have never skied the North-east but hope to get there someday. I almost wound up in Burlington years ago for education beyond my BS degree but went to California instead. I envy you being so near so many legendary ski areas!

We finally have lots of snow, probably 3 feet deep even though it has settled so much you can walk on top without snowshoes. We have had snow all winter, as usual, courtesy of Lake Superior's natural snow making! This year has been unusually warm so it has not been able to get as deep as usual. I am not near Iron Mt, though that is a good thing, my ex lives there! :lol: Our hills are better than theirs anyway. We don't have the sheer vertical you have there and especially not like my favorite places out west but we do have it pretty good for the midwest, 900'! The problem we have here is that the owner of the best place, Mt Bohemia, won't invest in snow-making. He wants everything 'natural'! (Especially the girls when he does his yearly 'mardi-gras' party! :lol: ) He won't even groom anything! Early in the season the wind at the top usually keeps blowing the dry snow off the rock bands and you can easily ruin your skis. Yesterday was fantastic though, we had several heavy, wet snow-falls last week to restore the base and then a foot of dry powder fell the night before. I am feeling it today though, not in as good a shape this year.

Season ticket prices for Bohemia are only $99 if you buy on the one day in December they have a promotion. The lines are long with all the kids from the university there! The smaller hill charges $800 for a family season pass for up to 5 people. It's a good deal if you have several people who will actually use it!

I keep hoping I can at least get Olya to give it a try. The experience being out there on a bright sunny day after being inside for months is exhilarating! She wants me to promise I won't ever ask the kids if they want to go to the 'expert only' hill but I won't do it. I am looking forward to skiing with them, at least, in the future. I think Olya might get into skiing next year when I start teaching Lera to ski.
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-03-05 08:46:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

like almost all RUB women, does not ski and is not interested in learning.

I suppose I should have clarified and referred to 'downhill' skiing. (or as they refer to it, mountain skiing!)
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-03-04 02:24:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

Really? Alla LOVES to ski. It was at the top of her list of reasons to agree to live in Vermont. (not me...the lake and skiing :P ) Like everything else she gets started and will not stop. She also loves to ice skate, does your wife ice skate James? It was very popular in the Soviet Union with young children, all the cities made outdoor ice rinks and it was cheap entertainment for the children

Picabo is an attractive woman for 40 but I had the chance to speak to her for a while and she looks older than Alla but is actually younger. My guess is a lot of windburn and sunburn has taken its toll on her. Now this Lindsay Vonn here... :D Picabo is working as a consultant for the resort (great gig if you can get it) and had a lot of input on the project. She was very nice, but why wouldn't she be? She gets paid a bundle to give her advice and then goes skiing on their dime. If I could just win an Olympic gold medal ...

Yeah, she likes skating! We have the 2 year-old in figure skating classes where we get to skate as well. The 14 year-old is quickly learning to snow-board and based on how much the 2 year-old likes sledding and slides I have high hopes she will be a skier or boarder. Olya has bad memories from forced x-country skiing in high school PE during the waning days of the FSU. No winter clothes were available in the stores and her equipment was old and kept coming apart. She had to do 5 km daily and it was miserable for her. I have tried promising the cutest, warmest, modern ski wear and short lessons with lots of lodge time for hot tea or cocoa but she says no. She worries about me skiing at a local area that has only single, double, and triple diamond runs. I tell her that I will stay out of the extreme back-country but she has seen the area and thinks I am going to break something important!

Did Alla already ski in Ukraine? I have heard they have some resorts in the Carpathians. If I was still looking I think I would spend a few days there! I am considering a trip to Sochi for skiing someday.
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-03-03 19:43:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

Picabo? I've never really considered her a looker. Now, if you're talking about Lindsey Vonn......

Posted Image

Just being a great downhill skier gets a lot of points in my book. My only real disappointment in how things have worked out for myself is that Olya, like almost all RUB women, does not ski and is not interested in learning. My fantasy is spending the day skiing with a beautiful woman and spending the night .....
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-03-03 13:09:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

Ooo-leet-sa.

She looks good enough to be Russian! :lol:
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-03-03 11:58:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

Her name is probably STILL one of the most misspelled or mispronounced. Still, how cool!

How are you supposed to pronounce 'Street'? :unsure:
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-03-03 10:54:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

What book did you read that from? Or are you a sociology professor? We have unique experiences and some parents give up their kids for adoption. Sometimes there's a breakdown in what the books say and reality. But I like the romanticizing style you present.

I'm speaking to you as a stay home dad...well, until he grew up and went to college. My son never spent one day in daycare. Can you devote yourself to that level?

Without specifically identifying my occupation, it does involve daily interaction with parents and children in medical and developmental areas! And I have several children of my own and step-children that have given me that unique viewpoint as well, including the single parent perspective. You've got me on the 'stay-at-home' dad thing though. Never did that.
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-02-12 06:14:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

Actually, I don't remember any of that stuff. It is precious only in the moment, if then. It sounds very good but let's not kid ourselves...some things are better forgotten. Vomit for instance.

It is a convenient facet of human nature that we tend to forget unpleasant experiences more readily over time than we forget the good ones. But the bonds that are formed between individuals, especially parent and child, can survive beyond the specific memories of the events that shaped the formation of those bonds.
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-02-10 02:04:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

Hey now, don't go blowin' my cover! I'm hiding out from Newt! :D

:rofl:
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-02-09 23:56:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

Also, on long trips it's best to stick them in the dog carrier you have strapped to the top of your car. Make sure to check on them at least every couple hours.

Is 'mox' really just a nickname for 'mitt'? :lol:
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-02-09 20:52:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

Lovely, si man. :) Actually, I boil it down this way: Babies can't talk. This realization makes them so mad that they cry all the time.

Part of the reason for Mini-Bone's crankiness is that he has a slight fever, sizzle man. We plan to keep him as besotted on Infant Tylenol as conditions permit, si man. No comment on what might besot Mommy or Daddy, hic man.

The time and involvement you have with your Mini-bone dealing with illness and discomforts probably does more to make the bond between parent and child an unbreakable one than all the party and 'fun' time!Especially at this age he is learning who he can trust to always be there for him. What he learns now will be the basis for everything else in your future relationship. He may not be able to articulate in words what he is thinking and feeling but he can read your feelings for him very clearly! Some day you will look back on these days and realize that even though sleep was sometimes a scarce luxury, you gained something far more valuable.
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-02-08 02:37:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

Here is an old family cure for this problem.....a shot of Bourbon

For mom & dad I hope! :lol:
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-02-07 16:29:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

I just heard the cry of a recent born baby today. Damn...that sound cut through me like a knife. It could drive me crazy...as it has to people riding on the edge of insanity. That cry is designed for immediate action as it's impossible to tune out. Fortunately. my son didn't do much of the marathon crying. I'm crazy enough already...don't need more help pushing me into the great dark abyss.

Babies have many different cries. Some are tired or lonely cries, some angry cries, some 'I'm hungry', some scared! The angry and scared cries really get my attention fast, the others not so much as long as I know somebody is attending to whatever the poor little guy needs! A newborn babies cry can be one of the sweetest sounds, depending on the situation!
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-02-07 16:06:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

Hernia!? Never heard that one...a baby lifting a car?

It may surprise some, but hernias are not infrequently diagnosed in the first year of life. Even premature infants have them! And this is one of those diagnoses that can explain persistent crying in an infant!
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-02-07 16:02:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

'Tude is everything, see man. Mrs. T-B. does some of this stuff, but she chiefly cares for little Mini-Bone, who is as cute as can be but becomes more challenging every day. He awoke 4.5 hours ago (courtesy of some noise that I inadvertently made), and has been crying almost nonstop, and she's been shepherding him tonight with minimal aid from me. I'll be a zombie again at work tomorrow, and she's a zombie the whole time. "Sleep when the baby sleeps" is great advice, except when does one get necessary stuff DONE? She hasn't slept since Mini-B. was born.

It doesn't help that we're trying to get Mini-B. to sleep in his crib by himself -- three completely sleepless nights for us, so far, zzz man.

Sometimes, when you have tried everything you know to do and nothing works, you just have to accept that it is OK that he can relieve his stress with crying and you can go ahead and do whatever other things you need to do. It is very hard for many parents to do this. We all feel it is our obligation as a parent to intervene and 'fix' whatever problem causes our children to cry. Obviously you have them checked by their pediatrician to see if they have a medical problem like ear infection, hernia, etc. But once all those possibilities have been ruled out and nothing you do works it is OK to put them down in their crib for a while. You cannot be the best parent possible for them if you don't also take care of your own physical and mental health! Hang in there, it will get better! :)
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-02-07 14:07:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

Well, after doing 6 laundry loads, 1 load of dishes, a grocery run, and the mowing of the lawn (amidst lakes in the back yard, courtesy of recent torrential rains), I found cooked rice ground into the previously VERY CLEAN dish-towel. This could have been the doing of Mrs. T-B. or of Mama-Mrs.-T-B.

It took the wind out of my sails (or, perhaps that was the sound of a nether excretion). Si, man?

Tbone, it doesn't sound like you are very happy about some aspects of your situation! In many other posts you have extolled the virtues of Mrs Tbone and she sounds like a great lady! You also sound like a generally good person so it is distressing to hear overtones of unhappiness here. It is always a huge adjustment to marry and blend lives together. Since none of us are perfect it requires a fair bit of give and take which I am certain you know. Is it possible you are focusing too much on your very high standards for domestic duties? Sometimes it is not easy to let go of whatever in life we were accustomed to prior to tying the knot. All I am saying is I hope you are looking at the big picture and don't let the little things keep you from enjoying the happiness that is there for you! And if my unsolicited advice is falling a bit too far from the mark than please just ignore it! :)
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-02-06 02:07:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man

I got extremely homesick on New Years though, so while we were cooking, I was watching Russian TV online (even though I barely ever watch TV), shut the drapes, imagining there's snow outside and started celebrating New Years at 3 pm with my family in Russia via Skype.

We celebrated New Years at 3PM and again at midnight. No need to shut the drapes here to imagine snow! But no homesickness for Olga that I could see. That could be because her mother, brother, and his new wife all got visas and are here for the holidays! They did wonder why our president didn't go on TV just before midnight to make a little speech!
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-01-06 00:39:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRUBbette Wives & Housework, si man
:thumbs:

Just out of curiosity for those of you whose wives cook...does she make enough food to feed a small army?!? My wife doesn't know how to prepare small meals...there's always enough leftovers to last for at least a week! No joke!!! And there are certain holidays (like Christmas) where she is compelled to cook something like 12 dishes...no one can eat all that! At least I finally managed to convince her to tailor what she cooks a little bit and leave out the sandwiches with stinky little fish...she'd have like dozens of those and no one ever touched them.

But it's my fault for not eating more! :blink:
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-01-06 00:30:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusHappy Russian Fighter's Day!

Ok...what do "men married to Russian women" have anything to do with Defender of the Fatherland Day? Did they serve in the Soviet Army or in the army of Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, or Ukraine? You 1HappyGuy should not be celebrating as it is an insult to those who have...this is what I mean 1HappyGuy during Soviet times there was a day to honor those who have served to defend the Soviet Union and it was called "???? ??????? ?????" or Red Army Day. Later in 1949 it was renamed to "???? ????????? ????? ? ??????-???????? ?????" or Soviet Army and Navy Day. Today it is Defender of the Fatherland Day and is celebrated in Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Ukraine. Hypothetical question - "If Russia was attacked would you swear an oath to defend said country and go and fight against its enemies?"...I think I know the answer to that question. However 1HappyGuy America does have its own day called Armed Forces Day and it is celebrated on the third Saturday in May. Now ToeNailClipper Defender of the Fatherland Day is about the army because I mean come on it used to be called Soviet Army day. It is still heavily about the army and the reason for that is because during Soviet times (and in Russia today) MEN are liable to compulsory military service from the age of 18 until 27 and about 90% of MEN in the Soviet Union had served in the army. This holiday was created because almost all men served in the Soviet Army and they all had that in common. I know for a fact that in the Soviet Union men who DID NOT serve still got celebratory salutations, congratulation, and gifts relating to this holiday. To be honest I think it’s ludicrous for American men to be celebrating a foreign army’s Armed Forces Day not to mention at one point in time the USSR was an enemy, and today US’s relationship with Russia is rocky at best. What Americans and Russians can and should be celebrating together is VE Day or in Russian “???? ??????” (Victory Day) celebrated on May 8th / 9th because American soldiers and Russian soldiers both took part in WWII or in Russian “??????? ????????????? ?????” (Great Patriotic War). In Russia it’s an important holiday were people celebrate it with fireworks and the whole shebang…so how come the US doesn’t celebrate it? It’s probably because of the Cold War when America tried to play down the fact that it was the Soviet Union’s war and their enormous importance in the victory over Nazi Germany or maybe because the subject is too sensitive to the 50 million (17% of US population) German-Americans to discuss.

Lighten up mantra! Since they had no 'men's day' to reciprocate with 'women's day', this holiday had long ago come to fill that purpose! It is in that spirit that it makes perfect sense for my Russian wife to make a fuss over me and my sons on that day! You sound like those scroogish clergy who try to convince their congregations to not celebrate Christmas because they have figured out that December 25 could almost certainly not have been Jesus' actual birthday!
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-02-24 04:16:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusFlying to Ira Tomorrow
Congratulations! :thumbs:
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-02-29 02:15:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusThe Medical Exam

So, would my fiancee call the embassy in Moscow to find out if she can go before the NOA2?

E-mail is definitely better than a phone call. Unless policy changed since a year ago Moscow allows the medical to be done prior to NOA-2. We did our medicals Feb 1 and didn't get our NOA-2 till later in March. Everything worked out well with the interview. Good luck!
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-02-26 17:34:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusThe Medical Exam
In Russia they do allow the medical to be done before the NOA-2. We did this because we were there in Moscow anyway and I was able to help Olya with the 2 kids doing it all the same day. You might want to call the embassy in Kyiv and ask them if it is also allowed there if that would help you. As others have pointed out the exam is good for one year for the visa and for the AOS. Good luck!
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-02-14 16:31:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusHelp needed by K-1 dude
:thumbs:

I told him to dump her and go for one of the other 25 million. :lol:

But he is definitely fishing on the right pier. :thumbs:

I am not sure if you disagree James, seems in theory you don't. I just know how great and wonderful it is to find one of these incredible women that make your life really great, so do you. And to me the woman he was proposing to is not one of them, at least not for him. To her credit, she is not a scammer. Probably a good one, just not for him

I agree with you with only the exception that there are many possible reasons she is doing what she is, but the relationship seems unlikely to be salvageable from what little has been divulged. If he can see that, he needs to walk away and, after recovering emotionally, get right back out there looking for what he is almost sure to be able to find, a beautiful, honest, devoted wife. :yes:
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-03-02 05:40:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusHelp needed by K-1 dude

Help this dude, please, si man:

http://www.visajourn...really-already/

Excellent advice already given in the forum it is already in! The only additional advice I would have is that when the time comes, there are thousands of beautiful, honest, and sincere women over there in the FSU (former soviet union) that are very ready to meet and fall in love with men that can give them what they have not found over there. No, it is not money nearly as much as it is the different attitude and relationship ideals that western men have compared to many eastern european men. But for now he needs to resolve this relationship and for this he has been given some excellent advice already!

Edited by james&olya, 02 March 2012 - 02:50 AM.

james&olyaMaleRussia2012-03-02 02:50:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusPlace to stay in Moscow near US Consulate

Hi,

My wife and young stepson are from Yaroslavl and she does know anyone in Moscow. Where can she stay that is with walking distance of the Consulate (within about a one kilometer radius) that is safe and doesn't cost a fortune? Her interview is at 8 AM so I guess she is first. She doesn't want to stay far away and have to deal with subways and all in rush hour with a young child. Your help is greatly appreciated!

R

Look up City Realty in Moscow. They have a number of apartments they rent out by the night, some of which are only a block or two from the embassy! Very reasonable prices too.
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-03-01 21:25:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusExporting Raymond

Not necessarily "bride related". I just like movies that are set in or are about Russia in the English language. Most of the Russian movies I've seen have only been in Russian, and I've used subtitles (about 20 movies or so I'd say). Like the new Mission Impossible that was set in Moscow; that movie was BAD A55 with the IMAX experience!!!!

Just watched a bilingual movie (some parts in English, some in Russian) with subtitles both ways that was intersting, The Barber of Siberia!
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-03-03 12:05:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusOver 70% of Moscow Destroyed!
And to think that I was born in a small town very near to Moscow!! (Idaho)
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-03-04 02:12:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusTaking a break...
VV, we don't always agree but your experience and perspective is valued nonetheless! I join the others here in hoping your absence is a short one!
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-02-29 02:41:00
Russia, Ukraine and BelarusRussian Parliamentary Elections, 2012

Believe it or not, international observers are reporting "problems" with the election.

Oh, I also heard that Putin won. Didn't see that coming.

Give Putin credit, at least he has his 'system' running smoothly enough not to need their equivalent of the supreme court to hand him what he has determined is his! :lol:
james&olyaMaleRussia2012-03-05 10:58:00