3 Correspondence tips I've learned and more.

by Mark
(Winston Salem)

I've been invited by my Beautiful Russian new Girl Friend to live with her during my entire stay in Russia. Let's say 3 weeks.

By the way; this is a THREE+ PART situation I feel may help other guys.

1. I'm assuming your into the Correspondence approach as I am. And using Skype. Tip 1, Send her flowers. Why? All the normal reasons plus this. Some Russian females place on a date site they will move to other countries. They really just want your attention on Skype, and to up their English in some cases. Once you see the Flowers on Skype that you've sent it's a full circle. You know she honestly gave her address to you. Get her home and work addr if she works. This builds trust both ways. And for my opinion "YES" I want to know what her facial expression is like when gifted.

2. You'll be needing 2 or 3 papers concerning Visa requirements. You'll be giving her information from your passport. She will have to apply for a Homestay Visa for you to stay at her home. This is a timeline issue. Homestay visa's for Russia take 10-20 days for them (HER) minimum, plus mailing it to you =15 more Days; or more, and + the U.S. time for you mailing in for the Visa.

NOTE: If that long is cool your ticket will cost less. Here's the way around that Month or more.

Rent a room in her town for two days. Maybe one day, I like two. 2= 1 day to sleep off jet lag, 1 day to feel out your new territory at (Inside) her home. If it's your 1st meet like mine; What if she's not as advertised so to speak. You my need to go back to the motel and go to plan B. Haul ass out of Russia, or out of her area. But;

The point here is timeline + safety. The motel will shoot you an invitation in no time at all. Mail that into the Visa company or consulate. Your choice and you'll be the GREEN to start shopping tickets. Homestays = 90 Days + so do Tourist so your locked into a great scenario. I got lucky in that my Russian Love was once a Deputy Director of Immigration. Check into your room, they stamp your papers, leave the Motel with her driving for her place and go flip the Visa to homestay in Russia. As long as she applies for homestay Russia won't care as the proper papers are in the works. In fact if your trip is 1 week you may be in the U.S. again before she's granted your homestay but it's all cool. Her proper application is the factor. And you can return on trip 2 up to 90 days out.

3. If you don't hate layovers and consider them rest periods like me get this. Google plane tickets to her town from yours. Click on 1 ticket just for a few seconds. Kill that page. Now google her town in Russia. As you flow thru the top 5-8 links about her town you'll get pop ups for tickets. Mine looks to be about $425.00 USD. Unheard-of low cost. Now 3k = 2-3 trips to her with a wad of cash left over. Your layover options will suck PUD if you jump, just shop every hour or two day in day out. You'll hit a jackpot in 2-5 days. New York, or Chicago to Moscow, then to her town. I might even limit myself to my carry on, and no suite case. "Shop" in Russian is "Magazine" like the word we use to refer to a Playboy Magazine.

BTW; A cheap ticket will need to be 3-6 weeks from the day you buy it most likely. But for a first meet; I'd invest the Skype time 1st anyway. Hope so much this or parts of it helps others greatly. And her car is called a "Machin-ah. Like we say Machine+ah. Unless she or a close family member you've seen on Skype a lot is picking you up at her airport; I would journal your trip out in writing step by step and find the missing link. Hopefully there's not one. As you (SHOP-or-MAGAZINE) plan to leave your new Russian wardrobe behind if you both are into each other. I found a down to earth girl in jeans. I won't need to Be-Spoke in a new suite in Russia. Remember all Russian women are PRICLESSS TREASURES!! So treat her no less, and Good luck to all my brothers that skip a breath for that accent, refined brilliance, and Priceless Beauty!


Bob's Comments:

I'm having a REALLY hard time understanding all this, especially about finding cheap plane tickets.

Man, I would be SERIOUSLY CAREFUL about that homestay thing. Right there on that travel.state.gov and at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow website they say that tourist visas are 30 days, and if you overstay they WILL NOT LET YOU LEAVE! You could be detained. I know, you're saying that your girl is an immigration expert, but I would definitely want to hear the same answer from other reputable sources before I just accepted all this as true!