What You Need to Know About Marriage Agencies

First, yes – Ukraine has an abundance of very beautiful women. It is almost unbelievable. After living here for more than five years, I still find it impossible to not notice. All of the Europeans and Americans I know here will tell you the same. In a simple one block walk to the store, odds are high you will turn your head at least twice. In my last trip back to the United States while walking through the mall, I turned my head many, many times – but mostly in the opposite direction. There are beautiful women everywhere, the proportion here is just much higher.

In several regards, this is a social-economic issue. Only about 20% of the population of Ukraine owns a vehicle, so most people walk far more and much further than they do in the United States. There are fewer fast-food restaurants and that equates to less junk food. The monthly income averaging at perhaps $200/month means most will be eating less and typically healthier, home-cooked food. They may not own a lot of clothes, but they take care of what they do have. Women strive to look fashionable and feminine. Many are not bashful and most wear far less makeup. More exercise, a better diet with an active effort to look nice adds up to look better than no exercise, a poor diet and little care about appearance.

Second, yes – family is more important here than in the United States. As apartment rent is disproportionately high compared to income, families live closer together. In the United States, once we turn 20 we are encouraged to move out and find our own apartment. Here, that is not nearly so emphasized. Consequently, borne and raised in a close family environment, most women are naturally oriented stronger to wanting a family. They want security and stability, they want to be loved, they want romance. Their expectations in romance are materially lower in comparison to many western women. They love flowers, they appreciate the little things like a box of chocolates much more.

So… in these regards, there is little wonder why there are marriage agencies that seek to match Western men with Eastern European women. The agencies range from scams to legitimate businesses. Businesses exist to make money and that money comes entirely from the men interested in their services. The women who go to marriage agencies also range from those seriously seeking marriage or a better future to scam artists. Think about what you are jumping into before you jump…

Examine your expectations. Do you seriously think it is possible to fly to Ukraine for a couple of weeks meet some women and leave planning a wedding engagement? Not going to happen, and if it does, odds are extremely high you should not want it to happen. Expecting marriage from even two or three such visits is seriously stretching the envelope.

The Language Barrier

Russian is very difficult to learn for the average westerner. It uses a different alphabet, employs gender specific suffixes, different grammatical structure, etc. It is easier for one who speaks Russian to learn English than it is the other way around. English is far, far more commonly seen and heard here in advertising, songs and movies than Russian is seen or heard anywhere in the United States or Europe. English is taught in the schools, but is not retained as most people do not commonly use it. Most can read, understand and speak English better than they admit largely for fear of making mistakes.

On this basis, it is a very valid consideration to offer to pay for English classes if you find someone you really like. Understand that fluency in English will still require several months and years. Odds are very high that your lady will be more successful in learning English than you will be in learning Russian. Learning Russian can be done, but it requires a fairly aggressive effort, continuous practice and frequent exposure which is difficult to come by in the United States.

Having an interpreter is absolutely essential if you are meeting someone who cannot speak English, and if you can’t speak Russian. The translator machines are virtually worthless for having a conversation, useful only for being able to make simple inquiries. Carrying a dictionary can be helpful, but again no basis for a conversation.

It is worthwhile to learn the pronunciation of the Cyrillic Alphabet. If you can sound out the letters in a word, most who speak Russian will understand you. You will also be able to see many similarities between English and Russian words, as many are the same except the letters. You will also want to learn 100 Essential Russian Words. After that, move on to 500 Essential Russian Words.

Until you meet someone face to face, you are at a disadvantage. It is an easy thing to post a picture and a profile. It is an easy thing to write letters. It is impossible to know that the person responding to your letters is the same person as in the photograph.

Understand that most translators receive at most $200-250 a month. Some get paid on a per letter basis. The majority of businesses charge on a per letter or volume basis. A good translator can translate at least 8-10 letters per day and usually work 6 days a week. If you are receiving a very fast response rate to your letters, particularly from a lady who has a job and perhaps a child, odds are high that the translator is embellishing upon the situation.

Going through a marriage agency is an option you can consider, just be practical about your expectations. It can be easy to fall in love… lust… with a picture, but for all practical purposes, nothing actually begins until you meet someone in person.