Hey Tiggerclaw
What was Russia like?
When did you leave? Parents take you away or did you leave on your own?
What part of Russia?
Cold? Rainy? Snowy?
How does the Patriot Act compare to anything over there?
Just curious how they live over there. Never met a Russian.
When did you leave? Parents take you away or did you leave on your own?
What part of Russia?
Cold? Rainy? Snowy?
How does the Patriot Act compare to anything over there?
Just curious how they live over there. Never met a Russian.
0
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quote:Originally posted by Captplaid
Never met a Russian.
That makes two of ya. Don0 -
...agree w/Don capt'n. I know/known several thru the years...one was a KGB defector; and this guy as Don said, ain't Russian. Try tweedle-lum-dum re-incarnate and ask he ever met a "flied lice" (fried rice) carry out he didn't like...[;)] 
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Soviet and a Russian are two different things right. You could of been a Soviet during the cold war and not a Russian today. 0 -
...or you could be an Albert Lum, rainforestman, tweedle-lum-dum...aka Troll...[;)] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by COLT
...or you could be an Albert Lum, rainforestman, tweedle-lum-dum...aka Troll...[;)]
Don't forget a Pilgrim or USAproud17760 -
...yeah, could be any of the one and same same. Some of the newer guys are responding to him for the moment; probably just until he's seen for what he is.
...The guy is anti-joo, anti-hunting,...anti-most anything that does not smack of Socialism, Marxism...[;)]0 -
You're forgetting Mr Cool --- he writes exactly like him, and I think Google is the closest he's ever been to Russia. Notice how his "accent" has disappeared lately? 0 -
It was USSR then. It was very hard to describe. On one side - very protected childhood. We didn't worry about food, bills or anything else. Didn't worry about parents going unemployed. We would spend entire summer on vacation away. One month with mom and/or dad, another month with grandparents. In fact, we spent our days and time out of school hanging out and playing. Soccer, which is called foot ball in Europe is the main game.
There were after school "kruzhki", activities. Club of young Naturalists - we would go to the zoo for free, help around, watch animals. Club of young Tankers - we would go to a local military academy, and there we would get a "lite" lecture on the tanks.
Club you young Tekhniks - you could assemble radios and electronic gagets there. Just about ANYTHING was around for you, especially in a bigger city. It was very innocent time, back then in the mid - late 80s. I won't even mention the fact that not only sex was kept "in the closet" so to say, but the movies and cartoons were made "on two leveles" kids understood it one way, adults would get the hints there differently. I can pretty sure to say, that most of the guys I knew, didn't even start to get interested in sex until about 15-16. The sex was not pushed onto us by media, so we got to it when we got to it on our own hormonal clock.
On another side, there were shortages. No, not the toilette paper, that nobody cared about, that's what newspapers are for. There were shortages of good looking clothing. Sure, you didn't go naked, but the Soviet made clothing was pretty unattractive, sometimes not very comfortable though very durable. Just about every Soviet Mother was a seamstress. In a manner that she sowed a fasionable clothes for her family out of the drafts that were printed in Moda magazine, and altered, as she could, the stuff that we bought in Univermags and clothing stores. There were shortages of high quality electronics.
You usually had to sign up for a waiting list to get one. For example, radio "Olimpiada", made in 1980. Was a small, but very high power. We had to sign up to get it. Waited for like 6 weeks.
Some foods were in somewhat short supply. For example, you could only get berries and watermelons during the summer, and get citruses only during the winter. The toys were, for large part, either "educational" for example a game where you sail around the world on the ship, and in each port, you have to do learn a passage about that town. Or military issue. For example in the Summer Camps Orlyonok (Young Eagle) we participated in military games with local army. (Igra Zarnitsa).
it was very innocent time. You could come from school, not have parents home, go to your neighbours flat and you would be fed, for free and then allowed to do your homework and hang out there. It was considered a good tact to wash the dishes for the neighbours.
If you didn't have a phone, often a neighbour would let you use theirs, once they got to know you. Everyone knew everyone not only in a huge appartment building (6 pod'ezd, each has 36 flats), but in the two nearby as well. Old folks would sit on the benches and talk, watching everyone's kids play in the playground and get involved if something goes wrong. it was ... COMMUNITY. As you were growing up, you really didn't realize just how SHELTERED from everything you were.
By school, by parents, by neighbours. You had support, you had where to go and what to do.
And yes, as you got older, you did notice that the adults speak about certain things in a hushed tones, like political anekdotes, or when they talk (usually irreverently) about local leaders. Make taunting songs about the Party, though rarely about the country. All very quietly.
As you grew up, you were pretty much forced into a line of organizations: Oktyabryata, Pionery, Komsomol. You HAD to join, sure you could refuse, but you would pay for it. No, nobody would kick you out of school, however, it would be put into your personal file, and you would NOT be able to get into a descent university or technical college. Therefore, remaing a nobody.
In the school, the parents and the teachers and local party functioneers really worked together. For example, you misbihave at school, the teacher calls your parents to work. It is a source of great shame, furhtermore, a party functioneer at your work, can choose to make an example of you and deny you part of your salary, since you are not dilligent about raising the next generation of Soviet people. That meant reprecautions at home. So most behaved.
As I was saying, as you got older, you slowly became aware that things are not as rosy, as they told you in school. Certain things you just DIDN'T talk about, unless you trusted everyone around. No, you would not go to jail for a political joke, however, it would give you problems at your school and work level.
You suddenly became aware of something called "Propiska". basically you are ASSIGNED to a place to live. Without "Propiska" you could not get a job, without a job, you could not get a flat, without a flat you became homeless and broke the law.
We got very much aware of how much Scum the party functioneers are during Chernobl' tragedy. The Party bosses quietly evacuated their families, while screaming that everything is safe and then commaned EVERYONE ELSE to show up for May 1 demonstration. This pissed of a lot of previously loyal people.
You see, in USSR and in Russia people question what media and their leaders tell them. Always did. So news spread in rumors like wildfire.
People did get very pissed and everyone who could evacuted if not themselves, then their children out of Kiev for as much as possible.
Policemen knew it and did nothing to stop it, since they were in the same position. Teachers would come to empty schools, shrug, and make up the final grades for the year, since their kids also were on their way out of Ukraine.
Free medicine. Yes, it was free. Yes, it was good. After Chernobl' I developed asthma, they took it away with 6 month of physical therapy (which involved lots of swimming). They saved my grandfather from a heart attack. A lot of it was what is in US called "non traditional medicine": inhalation oils for upper respiratory diseases,
electric heating (elektrofarez) for bronchitus, and other physical affects on the disease. Pensioneers had a free trips to the Health Sanatoriums. My grandfather would go to Kislovodsk (place of sour waters), which was famous for its mineral waters and fresh air.
Since he was both a veteran and pensioneer he would get 3 weeks there.
Growing up in USSR was an intersting experience. You have a very sheltered childhood, and then you are trusted in the world which is ABSOLUTELY DIFFERENT from what you were taught in school. You, for example, learned, that party functioneers experience no shortages in anything. You learned that everything you say can be reported and that a phone is not really a secure line. You could not only suffer for speaking against the party line, you could also suffer for saying something not careful enough. If a black exchange student behaves like an uncivilized ape (and few of them did), you could not call him an ape, since that is racism and racism has no place among Soviet People. Of course, such suppression drove racism even higher.
In a certain way, Russians are somewhat like Blacks. There is a romantisation of an outlaw, a rebel, a one who "sticks it to da man".
The songs about that lifestyle "blatnye pesni", were and still are very popular. Even among police.
Interesting memory, when I was like 8, one night a door exploded into the house and MVD soldiers totting AKS burst into our flat, without explanations they got my mom and dad into the kitchen, demanded our passports. Check the passports, scratched their heads and said "Crap, we got the wrong appartment building, this is Zhmerinksaya Street building 4, and we need Zhmerinksya Street building 6."
The senior leutenant appologized for busted door. Next day he sent 3 soldiers to repair it. By the way, he did have an arrest and search papers.
You could get stopped by a police on the street for "suspicious behavior". You HAD TO SUBMIT to the pattdown search
without a warrant. (search on the grounds of being suspicious, sounds familiar?) A woman had a right to demand a female officer to search her. Most didn't since you had to wait for a few hours for that female officer to show up. I was searched few times myself on suspicion of carrying a knife. Each time after that, the militsioner would step back, salute me and say "I appologise, citizen, you are free to go".
You had to be ready to fight, with your fists, every day. For example, you come to police and say "I was beaten up." They ask you "How many were there?" You say "one", they look at you with the mix of disgust and pity. Then they ask "Were you beaten up or did you loose the fight?". Implying "did you actually tried to defend yourself like a man".
Thinking back, I also see a weird mix of violence and restraints. You could get punched in the face because someone "doesn't like the way you look at him". However, murders were really rare. Mostly domestic violence of a drunken man cutting up his wife or girlfriend, or two drinking buddies get too drunk, get into an argument and then kitchen knives and meat cleavers were brought into play. In USSR there was a sick joke, that a kitchen knife is a weapon of mass destruction, more people get killed by it every year then by everything else combined.
Fights between teenagers (neighbourhood vs neighbourhood) were very common, but almost never someone would bring a knife to that. You fought to get your place in the hiearchy. When you "went out" with a girl (went out means that you go to movies and cafes, diskotekas and just hang out together), you had to be ready that other guys may be willing to "fight the girl away from you". Which means a fight. Such fights were about as much a part of entertainment as anything else.
No girl is going to date you if you can't defend yourself and her.
No, you didn't have to beat the crap out of everyone. You had to be willing to fight until you can't get up. Very few small offences of teens got to the militsiya (police). Usually the cops would just call your dad at work and then send you back home. Well aware that by the time you got there, your dad has a belt with your name ready for you.
My friend stole 10 rubles from a store. His father got a call from police at work, got denied 10% of his salary and whipped my friend with electric cables. My friend Valeriy, never stole anything in his life. I once played with matches near a place where old paper was dumped, right near the side of the appartment building. A janitor caught me, slapped me around a bit (hit me 3 times on the face), brought me home and my dad gave me more to think about. Needless to say I never played with matches again. In schools teachers were not only able but WILLING to stay after school and help you, tutor you. For free!!!.
Yes, the colleges were free. Except you needed to pass exams to get there. To get into a school in a big city, you had to have connections and pay bribes. Otherwise you will have to get into school somewhere in a small city, and, chances are, have to work in that small city (low prestige) for 3-5 years. You do not loose your homeland "propiska" however, you OWE the government to "work off" your education debt. You got the salary, yes, but you worked WHERE they want you to work. The trick is that in those 3-5 years, chances are you will get married there and STAY there. Which is what they wanted to begin with.
Free housing. Yes, it was almost free. A 3 bedroom condo, though the bedrooms were rather small: 8 square meters, 9 square meters, 12 square meters. With all bills and telephone included was 20-21 rubles.
My mom made 160 rubles a months. My dad made 180 rubles a month.
The problem is that supply of those free flats would not meet the demand. People would stay in line to get one for 1-10 years. Of course, your place in line could be changed based on your refference from the local party and unions (profsoyuz). My grandfather got a flat almost as soon as his old flat was deemed "unfit to live in", of course, he was (God rest his wild soul) a career military, who started at Halkin Hol and finished in Korea. My parents had to wait for 3 years after I was born. (Families with Children had a priority).
A big loaf of bread cost 22 kopeks. One kilo of descent bolongia costs 2 rubles and 20 kopeks. A glass of juice costs 9-15 kopeks.
A good book, around 2-3 rubles.
A car would cost 12000 rubles. Though you did not need one. At least not in most cities. In Kiev, you could get anywhere in the city within an hour and a half. A ride on a train would cost 3 kopers, trolleybus 4 kopeks, Subway (it is called Metro) 5 kopeks. Also in the city of Kiev there were two lines of "fast train", a usual train lines, but with new rails and new trains, those also cost 5 kopeks.
For 8 and a half rubles you could get a monthly pass for all kinds of transport, this pass cost you 5.50 if you were a student.
It was SAFE. You could wander all night and not be harrased. We didn't need armored doors and barred windows that Russians need now since "freedom" came to USSR. Your biggest fear was a drunken neighbour. Even those would be taken care off. When a guy pisses off enough people with his behavior, he will be mauled by everyone. We had a guy like that in our appartment building. He would poop and piss on a stairwell. He was pretty much a lost alchoholic.
Police said that we have no witnesses, they can't prosecute for " Willfull and malicious destruction of the People's Property".
His work said that since he doesn't drink at work, they can't fire him or repremend him for his behavior. The guy was big, he was mean, and nobody wanted to deal with him one on one. Police also know that catching a thief or a bandit is a road to a promotion. Arresting such scumbag is a rather thankless job, since nobody will award you. Though often, people would collect money and "award" the policemen
in cases like that.
Finally 12 guys, my dad among them, got together and put him in the hospital. When he got out, they beat the hell out of him again, and again, and again. Finally he learned good behavior.
I lived in a city of Kiev. A capital of UkSSR - Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. This city is ancient - 1500yo. It was considered "a third city" of USSR, after Moscow and Leningrad.
Contrary to popular belief, Russia is NOT COLD!!!. At least not all of it. In Kiev, in the summer the temperature was +25 degrees Centigrade, with 15-30% humidity. In the Winter it got down to -10 or -15 Centigrate. With small winds.
Patriot act? Well, in Russia back then we didn't have emails. And all of our mails were opened and red in the post office. Which gave a birth to a bunch of tricks. For example, if soldier writes home that there is hazing in his unit, the officers are doing nothing about it and the food is rotten, he will get into trouble, even if it is true.
However, if he says "all is wonderful" but writes it in a green ink...
Leaving a world of a schoolchild and going into an adult life was a shock. Suddenly you see that to get into an All arms military school in Kiev, you need not only reccomendation from you DOSAAF club, not only reccomendation from your Military Training teacher in school, but also CONNECTIONS AND BRIBES. Oh, sure, they say. You are a qualified candidate, but we have quite a few qualified candidates, and very places. Maybe you should take a look at Kharkov military college, or maybe L'vov, or maybe Herson. (all small provincial towns, and hense, low prestige). Once you got in, you quickly saw that one third of the people there were there due to their connection in the Party (and not in the military). The hazing was pretty vicious, which was another shock for which you were simply not ready.
In school, it was a disgrace for a 8th grader to attack a 5th grader.
In military college you would get hazed by guys 4 years your senior and they had no qualms about it. You had three choices: fight, and get beaten up (since unlike in school it is not one on one sometimes), get beaten down and become a "shestyorka", or complain to teachers and officers. That, effectively would put you in a vacuum as nobody wants to deal with a snitch (remember the romantisation of an outlaws?).
One thing that I can say about USSR, is that it was VERY noncomformist society. You really could not say what is "popular".
For example, in USA, people often march in formation. When metal was popular - everone loved metal. When alternative was popular - everyone loved alternative. In USSR it was different. You really could not get shunned because you "don't listen to cool music" because there was no "cool music". You can find a group to your taste in hobbies and interests. We may have all been wearing a school uniforms and pioneer ties, but all of us were interested in different things. If you didn't like soccer, but would rather tinker with model airplains, there was a crowd (and a government sponsored club) for that. If you wanted to listen to metal - there was a croud for that.
You could not say "that is cool" because the instance you do, bunch of people will tell you to get fragged since they don't care what you think.
You ALWAYS had to be aware of the moods of the group you are in:
your class in school, your platoon in military college, your neighbourhood. The moment they sence you going against them, you shall regret it dearly. No, it is not in your music, or books, or anything, it is how you socialize with them. For example, in school, there are often guys who are not just teachers pets, but they get off, on humiliating others and showing off in front of a teacher, how smart they are. This is a dangerous path. First time, you will be talked to normally. Second time, you will be talked to and warned. Third time in a gym class they would throw a coat over your head and then use you for a soccer ball. You do not live in a vacuum. As long as your actions do not affect others - you are free to do, listen what you want (though watch out for the material that is scorned at by the government). The moment you step over the line - you are dead meat.
Patriot act? Well, as I said, your mail was constantly red.
There were constant adds for "being vigilant, for the agent of the enemies of soviet people are among us, planing to enslave us. Report all suspicious activities to your local police".
Now, the FBI thugs watch what websites I go to. I have every right to be interested in how to make a fragmentation bomb. Yet, they still watch me. In USSR, the police watched what radios you listen to. Then they had you by the balls.
You see, many people listened to the banned "Voice of America", police knew it exactly who - everyone who had short wave or ultra short wave radio. Such radios were registered. The moment they needed to bust you for ANYTHING, they just come and tell you "You are listening to a forbidden station, unless you cooperate we will persecute." If you had relatives overseas (as some people did, mostly jews), you had to pretty much assume that you are watched, and you were. For example, I know my dads friend. He was a musician in Kiev Chaimber Orchestra, his brother immigrated to USA after marrying a Jew girl. (actually they said they are going to Israel, but as soon as they got out of USSR, they went to USA, since nobody wants to go into a warzone). Well, thanx to having his brother in USA, that man was DENIED the right to tour outside of Eastern Europe with Kiev Chaimber orchestra.
You were watched what you say for "subversive propaganda and believes", you were watched for " possible anti sovetskie (anti soviet) activities." The strange thing was that if you were arrested on a criminal charges, most often, police played by the book. Even with a murderer. Of course, if you were caught on anti soviet charges, the rule book went out the window. First, they DID often give you a chance to repent (much like Inqisiton). If you take their offer, you were put on the watch list. If you refused, then you got it, all the way (po samye pomidory). It was varied: from being put into a mental institution, to being locked away without a chance to see a defender or even an accusation. (Sounds familiar?)
Guns. The only pistols you could own were "award" pistols. Such were usually given to a police or military for gallantry and bravery. Such pistols, like my grandfathers TT had a golden writing on the slide, proclaiming to whom the pistol was given, by whom and for what.
Of course, party functioneers could get their hands on all types of goodies.
The same party functioneers, ever since Khrushev, all of a sudden got VERY scared of marksmen. If during Stalin there was a special program of "Voroshilovskij Strelok" which was a marksman/sniper program. It was very quickly taken down by Khrushev, since that bold crap, and the party bosses after him realized that a sniper rifle you can't defend against. What was allowed were shotguns. Mostly double side by side or single barrel. Often with external triggers.
Later my grandfather got a gas operated shotgun. The rifles were also allowed, though STRICTLY registered. You had more leaway if you lived in a heavy forrested areas, such as beyond Ural mountains, or were professional hunter. However, most people were simply denied a chance to get a more then a single shot, bolt action rifle or a shotgun.
When Glastnost' and Perestroika started, my wise grandfather said "Oh, crap. This is not going to end well, a wise bird knows when a tree is about to fall down and flies away. The processes that are begun are orchestrated by such powers that we can't hope to match them. Lets get out of here." Since he is an oldest male in the family, and since he has NEVER been wrong. (Like he loved to say "A good nose, knows when he is about to get punched with a big hard fist from a mile away" - Dobryi nos kulak za vestru chuet).
We waited a bit, the more we waited the more pessimistic he got. After a while he said "What is coming is not what I spilled my blood for. Pack up.!" and we did.
We left as immigrants, not as refugies. And, for a while, we traveled Europe, hoping to stay there: Austria, Italy, Sweden, Finland, we also applied to Canada and Australia.". We wandered Europe only to be turned away with "You got your democracy back in Russia, why are you coming here? You have a free society back there - enjoy". Finally we ran out of money and the only place that would take us was USA.
I arrived here in 1990, in the age of 19, remembering well what USSR had been, and what mess it turned into with "perestorika" and "democratization".
I did not want to go. I was in military college, and though that I would do well. I wanted to be an officer of the Soviet Army, just like my Grandfather. My grandfather told me "I have never given you a bad advice, my boy. Listen to me. I want you not to OBEY me, but LISTEN to me. What will start in USSR, will be so bad in a long run, that it will make the damage done by Hitlers invasion look mild. Trust me."
I did. I never questioned my grandfather. As it turned out, he was right.
So, here I am.0 -
what does the cyrillic P on the sight leaf of an AK stand for? 0 -
I am convinced. I have met a Ruskie. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Captplaid
I am convinced. I have met a Ruskie.
Wanna buy some used lottery tickets? Don0 -
quote:Originally posted by dcon12
quote:Originally posted by Captplaid
I am convinced. I have met a Ruskie.
Wanna buy some used lottery tickets? Don
Yeah, but my story was much shorter.0 -
One more thing I got pissed off about. When my grandfather was leaving, not only did they take away his TT, they also took away his medals, while saying "Since you are leaving the country, you do not deserve your medals". That pissed me off to no end, and caused him a lot of grief. He did reply that "He fought for one country, but ended up growing old in another one, which was only a shadow of former majesty."
My grandfather had a portrait of Stalin in his room up until his death.0 -
When coming to America, how does one end up in Illinois?
Sounds stupid, but I have always wondered it.0 -
immigrants go all over. there are iraqis that live smack dab in the middle of nebraska. I was working with one in dallas that was working 2 jobs, sent his $$ back to his wife in NE so he could get the house paid off. (being in armpit, nebraska, it was cheap). then he moved back. and there are more. 0 -
the *$*$$( never did give me back my map either. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Tigerclaw_x
[they take away his TT
Now that would piss me off! Don0 -
Intresting and informative post Dmitry. If you haven't seen the movie LORD OF WAR, you might want to watch it. It's about an arms dealer from Odessa.[:p] 0 -
I met a Russian in 1965 while I was in Antarctica. The USA and the USSR had a scientist exchange program going on, and I had the best Jamesway at Williams Field, so I was asked to host a Russian scientist. Well, actually I was told that I was hosting a Russian scientist.
I didn't speak any Russian, but he spoke some English. Trying to make small talk, I asked him why he became a scientist. He told me there was a lot of security in being a scientist and they usually had a higher standard of living than most of the population. It took a long time and a lot of work, but it was worth it. Because I couldn't think of anything else to say, and for no particular reason I said "There is no such thing as security". He looked at me like I had hit him between the eyes with a two by four, sat down on a bunk, put his head in his hands and started crying like a baby. We didn't talk much after that.0 -
What does this say TC?
????,???! O?? ??????????o ?????d????? ????
D?a???d???? ??????????!!!
???? ????????? ? ?????d??????
?.?. ???? ????,?? ?_???????, ?? ???????? ??? ??????? ???????0 -
quote:Originally posted by Zulu7
quote:Originally posted by buschmaster
what does the cyrillic P on the sight leaf of an AK stand for?
That's the "Zero" mark where you set your sight to zero the weapon.close.
it's a test for our boy tigger, what's the word and what's it mean in russian.
...which has thus far been unanswered.0 -
I stands for Pryamoi Ogon'. The fire Without Elevation. Direct fire. 0 -
<<What does this say TC?
????,???! O?? ??????????o ?????d????? ????
D?a???d???? ??????????!!!
???? ????????? ? ?????d??????
?.?. ???? ????,?? ?_???????, ?? ???????? ??? ??????? ???????>>
Girls! There are a pile of cute foreigners here
Registration is free.
Website for dating foreigners.
P.S. If you find a boyfriend, do not for get to say "Thank you" to me.
Here is an explanation. Quite a few Russian girls want to marry a foreigner. Why? Two reasons: domestic abuse and alchoholism.
Not even Russian elite is free from it. The sad part that 99% of such marriages end in divorce. A Russian girl, being a very passionate and emotional person (like most Russians), will not mix well with a non emotional cold Anglosaxon. Besides, there are plenty of Russian immigrants here (who, incidentally, drink much less in USA). Usually that means that as soon as the girl gets homesick, she will search the company of Russians. Chances are, her new friends will be able to communicate with her much better then her american husband.
Even higher chance that her new friends, after listening to her complain about her husband refusing to learn Russian and just having a different menatlity, will find her a Russian boyfriend REALLY fast.
As soon as this happens, she dumps the american for Russian. Americans have a stereotype as conceided, cold, unemotional, insinsere and ethnocentric. Russians, on another hand, are REALLY passionate, and are creatures of extremes. Very similar to Italians, as a matter of fact. It is said that Russian are a tragic caricature of Italians. While Italians are an optimistic caricature of Russians.
Saw it happen quite a few times. A Russian girl (or guy, for that matter), is more likely to get along with a person of any other descent, then anglo saxon. In NYC, quite a few Russian girls date Italian guys, Irish guys, Asians, Germans, black guys, but very few date WASPs.
Case and point: my friend's cousin married an Italian
Another girl I know married Irishman
Another girl I know married a Chinese
Another girl I know married a black dude.
Not a single Russian girl I know married a WASP.
Different people, different mentality.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Captplaid
When coming to America, how does one end up in Illinois?
Sounds stupid, but I have always wondered it.
My dad's friend was there. He invited us to Niles, where he lived. We lived with him for 2 months, until we got some crapjobs to pay for our own appartment. Then we got an appartment near Devon Ave. In fact it was 6106 N. Francisco Ave. It was a 2 bedroom appartment. Bedrooms were even smaller then those we had in USSR. At about that time we started wondering if we did the right thing by leaving our Homeland. However, when crap hit the ceiling back home, we were very upset with it. Grandfather would not talk to anyone just sit in his room.
We vere very glad that we were able to avoid the harships that "democratization" brought to our homeland.
Soon, Grandfather and Grandmother gotten jobs as well, and were able to afford a small appartment about 2 blocks from us.
I didn't choose Chicago. Heck, I didn't choose to come to USA, we wanted to stay in Europe or come to Canada or Australia:-)0 -
or they use their 'husband' to get a green card, as soon as they get that they run off to their russian boyfriend (who may or may not have a visa), who was waiting for her.
or they get alimony and/or child suport when they get a divorce. how do they get a divorce? drive the guy crazy until he beats on her, then call the cops. she gets what she wants, and he gets a charge of domestic assault, so he's not allowed to have a handgun anymore.
or it turns out great. I've heard that russian women (the good ones) will put up with a lot and stay faithful because they want to try to make a good home.
I'd probably prefer a russian/polish/eastern european wife myself, for that reason. like I said elsewhere and other times, although I'm born and raised even more american than most people, I've discovered that I'm not your "w.a.s.p." type. I don't get along with them. it's in my blood and I can't help it.
if you don't pay attention to what your values are and where they came from -your parents and their parents- you don't really know yourself. anybody raised as an american has values that came from somewhere else. they're right there in front of you if you look, and you can discover something about yourself.0 -
What is said was:
Devchenki! Here likable foreigners the Registration is free!!! Site of acquaintances with the foreigners p.s. if you find lover, do not forget to me thanks to say.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Tigerclaw_x
I stands for Pryamoi Ogon'. The fire Without Elevation. Direct fire.wrong! sorry, don't have a door prize to give ya.
battle sights (or battle zero, same function), which I suppose you described, but the word is prezhnyets. (can't spell it correctly on an english keyboard, that's how it sounds anyways)0 -
quote:Originally posted by Tigerclaw_x
<<What does this say TC?
????,???! O?? ??????????o ?????d????? ????
D?a???d???? ??????????!!!
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?.?. ???? ????,?? ?_???????, ?? ???????? ??? ??????? ???????>>
Girls! There are a pile of cute foreigners here
Registration is free.
Website for dating foreigners.
P.S. If you find a boyfriend, do not for get to say "Thank you" to me.
Here is an explanation. Quite a few Russian girls want to marry a foreigner. Why? Two reasons: domestic abuse and alchoholism.
Not even Russian elite is free from it. The sad part that 99% of such marriages end in divorce. A Russian girl, being a very passionate and emotional person (like most Russians), will not mix well with a non emotional cold Anglosaxon. Besides, there are plenty of Russian immigrants here (who, incidentally, drink much less in USA). Usually that means that as soon as the girl gets homesick, she will search the company of Russians. Chances are, her new friends will be able to communicate with her much better then her american husband.
Even higher chance that her new friends, after listening to her complain about her husband refusing to learn Russian and just having a different menatlity, will find her a Russian boyfriend REALLY fast.
As soon as this happens, she dumps the american for Russian. Americans have a stereotype as conceided, cold, unemotional, insinsere and ethnocentric. Russians, on another hand, are REALLY passionate, and are creatures of extremes. Very similar to Italians, as a matter of fact. It is said that Russian are a tragic caricature of Italians. While Italians are an optimistic caricature of Russians.
Saw it happen quite a few times. A Russian girl (or guy, for that matter), is more likely to get along with a person of any other descent, then anglo saxon. In NYC, quite a few Russian girls date Italian guys, Irish guys, Asians, Germans, black guys, but very few date WASPs.
Case and point: my friend's cousin married an Italian
Another girl I know married Irishman
Another girl I know married a Chinese
Another girl I know married a black dude.
Not a single Russian girl I know married a WASP.
Different people, different mentality.
The key question here, of course, is do they like to shoot coyotes?0
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