Thread: Why I am learnging Russian

Hello everyone, I thought I would introduce myself to these forums.

I have visited these forums for about a month now, and registered a little over a week ago.

I have enjoyed reading a lot of the post, there have also been some hilarious ones.
So I am sure a lot of you folks are going to find amusement with why I am trying to learn Russian. But that’s ok, I will be here for your amusement.

I actually met a lady from the Ukraine over the internet.
The communication started back in April via one of those “internet sites”. I will not mention the specific site just so we don’t get off course from what this forum is for.

I never really thought of finding a mate outside the US, however I was doing dating the way people expect you too, and that just did not work out. I then tried internet dating in my local area, and that was really a disaster. Ladies were not putting their real pictures up, or they were really old pictures. Now I know most of you are like “That’s because men only look at the outside”. Well I consider it lying too! Some of these ladies I did not even recognize at our meeting place. But like a gentlemen I went on with the dates anyways. But of course my mind already had a negative on it. But I tried to move on with the date anyway, just to learn that they contradicted themselves on what they wrote me.

Anyways I don’t want to make this post a long boring post for most of you.

I ended up on the site due to the fact that Russian ladies were actually sending me letters via the US sites. Long story short they were all scams. I figured it all out with the help of google – lol
But that did not change my mind on Russian women. So I checked on a few sites and found one and stuck with it. That’s when I started communicating with several ladies. Then I decided to visit. Don’t want to get into too much detail right now.
I did visit the Ukraine and did meet with her and all is great. We have been communicating via the phone, SMS messages, emails, and postcards as well.

She knows English but cannot speak it very well. However she can read English.
And no I don’t know anything in Russian. Russian is spoken more in the Ukraine then Ukrainian; well that’s what I was told anyway. When we met, we first had a translator, for about 1 hour, we then got rid of the translator as we were able to communicate with what little English she knew and with the help of a Electronic Russian/English translation machine. ECTACO 800

http://www.ectaco.com/

So overall everything is good and I enjoyed myself while in the Ukraine. I believe this is not going to be one of those horror stories you hear on the news or read on the internet that’s why I don’t mind posting.

I am leaning Russian, I started with the Pimsleaur CDs, which I think are great but I have to listen to them over and over again. So I am only on Lesson 1 unit 3. But I got all that pretty good. I also invested in Russian Translation Software by SYSTRAN which help me translate her emails from Russian to English. She can read English but not write it. So I no longer need that one site.

I did try to get into a university class but they cancelled at the last minute stating not enough students. So that was terrible.

I am currently trying to memorize/study the alphabet, I think that it is important for me.
I currently know English and Spanish so some of this Russian language sure is confusing.
I find that some words in Russian sound like Spanish so it really throws me off.

Based on some of the posts that I have read I have purchased the “The New Penguin Russian Course” book and actually received it today.


So anyways, sorry for the long post, I am happy to be here, and hope that I can still come an visit. Trust me I am not like “Yankeez” the Pakistanian looking for a servant or whatever he was looking for.
So if you have questions I usually don’t have a problem answering them. I really don’t get offended easily, so most reading is amusement.
Regards,
Тоби

We see through you Yankeez!!! It is just a puffed up version of you! Who did you pay to write this post?

Welcome, Tobi, don't forget to pay the monthly fee of 5 dollars to the user with the longest name and starting with a k and ending with an e!

Lol. I can't say I know how everyone is going to react to you but...

во всяком случае, добро пожаловать на форум. (welcome)

I'm just trying to bite my tongue for as long as possible...

Originally Posted by Бармалей

I'm just trying to bite my tongue for as long as possible...

Я горжусь тобой!

Originally Posted by Бармалей

I'm just trying to bite my tongue for as long as possible...

May I help you?

O hits again?
This will be deleted, I'm sure...
I just spent 3 months teaching a Russian woman to say : "yes, yes, yes, yes, OH GOD, GOD YES!'"

SUMMER 2006

Originally Posted by Тоби

And no I don’t know anything in Russian. Russian is spoken more in the Ukraine then Ukrainian; well that’s what I was told anyway. When we met, we first had a translator, for about 1 hour, we then got rid of the translator as we were able to communicate with what little English she knew and with the help of a Electronic Russian/English translation machine. ECTACO 800

ECTACO translators are sucks. The price-value equation of ECTACO's products are very low, IMHO. It is much better to buy a PDA (PocketPC) or smartphon and install the Lingvo on.

Originally Posted by Guin

It is much better to buy a PDA (PocketPC) or smartphon and install the Lingvo on.

Тока вот этот Лингво более аццкий

Originally Posted by DagothWarez

Originally Posted by Guin

It is much better to buy a PDA (PocketPC) or smartphon and install the Lingvo on.

Тока вот этот Лингво более аццкий

Это уже перебор, IMHO... Я предпочитаю придерживаться анекдота: "Оптимисты учат английский, пессимисты - китайский, реалисты - автомат Калашникова." И я пока, несмотря ни на что, - оптимист.

Хотя, с другой стороны, украинский - это как раз для оптимистов.

Originally Posted by Guin

It is much better to buy a PDA (PocketPC) or smartphon and install the Lingvo on.

Or Palm. Lingvo has also Palm version.

Some questions, concerning Lingvo.
Do you really use it on PocketPC/smartphone?
Do you like its interface?
Is it very popular in your environment?

Originally Posted by Wowik

Originally Posted by Guin

It is much better to buy a PDA (PocketPC) or smartphon and install the Lingvo on.

Or Palm. Lingvo has also Palm version.

Some questions, concerning Lingvo.
Do you really use it on PocketPC/smartphone?
Do you like its interface?
Is it very popular in your environment?

Palm is suxx as well, IMHO. This is an obsolete platform and it constantly loses it's popularity.

What about me, I really use the Lingvo on my PocketPC, and I like it very much. The functionality of PPC version is almost the same as on PC, with the only exeption: it has no function "Show Word Forms". It is not very gut, certainly, but I can easily live without it. All other functions are the same in both versions. I wouldn't say that it is very popular in my environment, but I know al least 5-6 people that have the similar devices.

Originally Posted by Guin

The functionality of PPC version is almost the same as on PC, with the only exeption: it has no function "Show Word Forms".

The second exception: there is no full-text search (Ctrl+F).

Originally Posted by E-learner

The second exception: there is no full-text search (Ctrl+F).

You are right.

Originally Posted by Guin

Originally Posted by E-learner

The second exception: there is no full-text search (Ctrl+F).

You are right.

I handed thought about using it on PPC, but those seem to be 2 fairly important defects. I guess you can always hope for those functions in a new version (esp. the text search -- WHY would you not have something so simple!??!).

Originally Posted by Бармалей

I handed thought about using it on PPC, but those seem to be 2 fairly important defects. I guess you can always hope for those functions in a new version (esp. the text search -- WHY would you not have something so simple!??!).

Ну это не скоро...

Originally Posted by Тоби

So anyways, sorry for the long post, I am happy to be here, and hope that I can still come an visit. Trust me I am not like “Yankeez” the Pakistanian looking for a servant or whatever he was looking for.
So if you have questions I usually don’t have a problem answering them. I really don’t get offended easily, so most reading is amusement.
Regards,
Тоби

Basurero

Hi Тоби, and welcome to the forum! I'm the resident board romantic , so I'm usually sympathetic to guys that come to the board because of internet dating with a Russian woman. Don't be surprised if you get teased a little about it, but no worries. You're welcome here.

Good luck to you in studying Russian, and good luck in your relationship. The New Penguin course is pretty good, one of the better ones out there. But you're going to need to work on pronounciation. Pimsleur is good for this when you're just beginning, but it won't take you very far in my opinion. And you need a tutor to help you understand the grammar.

I'd suggest if you can afford a tutor and find one, that you take Russian lessons from a native speaker. Another alternative is arranging lessons thru the internet using Skype. I know of a couple of reputable Russian teachers that do this, one of them lives in Kiev (so she might be a good choice) and she's a very good teacher. There was a post earlier this week from another teacher using Skype and offering lessons, but I don't know him or her so I can't vouch for that person.

Dobry

Originally Posted by Тоби

I actually met a lady from the Ukraine over the internet.
The communication started back in April via one of those “internet sites”. I will not mention the specific site just so we don’t get off course from what this forum is for.

I never really thought of finding a mate outside the US, however I was doing dating the way people expect you too, and that just did not work out. I then tried internet dating in my local area, and that was really a disaster. Ladies were not putting their real pictures up, or they were really old pictures. Now I know most of you are like “That’s because men only look at the outside”. Well I consider it lying too! Some of these ladies I did not even recognize at our meeting place. But like a gentlemen I went on with the dates anyways. But of course my mind already had a negative on it. But I tried to move on with the date anyway, just to learn that they contradicted themselves on what they wrote me.

Hello Тоби! I find your story fairly interesting to read. You don't get many good stories about Americans' relationships with Russian/Ukrainian etc. girls here. I recall seeing a couple of TV programs where they said that a huge percentage of American men who make friends with Russian women via the Internet or by post, come to Russia and take the woman they like to the US. However, after a few months' relationship, falling-outs start and sometimes things go so badly that couples actually start using force. In most cases it's the Americans who try to use force to make their Russian girlfriends shut up. Such TV programes hardly ever say anything about successful relationships - I mean those that last for a long period of time without any force used.
It's quite natural that most of the Russian ladies you tried to date put up fake pictures. They know perfectly well that they have much more chance of getting involved in a romantic relationship with a foreigner if they upload the photos of someone more beautiful than them. If you like the photo and arrange a date, the girl has done the trick. Now that she's met you in person, she'll try to do all in her power to go to the USA with you. Seducing is the right way to make you want to stay in touch with her, I believe

First of all, thanks to all who gave me a warm welcoming.
I know that learning Russian for this reason is a bit skeptical to some folks, I had my doubts too. But after months of checking etc.. there is no such thing as “Russian Bride” as most people see it. Basically meaning that you pay for a bride. I just don’t see it. I am sure it is out there, but with rules and regulations the way they are now, it is hard to come by. I also do not believe that would be the proper way to find your wife.


Now about the ECTACO system. Yes it is not the greatest system and definitely could use some common sense enhancements, but I will tell you that it made our conversation worthwhile and fun for both of us. I purchased mine on eBay so I got it for a little less then what it is listed on the site. I also received a free ML3200 which I took with me on the trip and actually left it with the lady. She just loved this because it could help her learn English as well. I don’t have any other use for the ECTACO system today other then if I travel again I will take it with me as I don’t have a PDA. So yes a PDA would be 100 times better to use with the LingvoSoft software package.


I have received the Penguin book and it is wonderful, but I am putting it down for now until I can memorize the alphabet first. Once I do that I can then associate the letters with the Russian words. That alphabet is sure hard to learn. I had learned a few words before going to the Ukraine in July, and I was told that my accent/pronunciation was that of Russian. That apparently I upset some cab drivers because they thought I was messing with them when I told them “ I don’t understand Russian” in Russian. So I think I got the accent down unless a few folks were just being nice to me. I think my Spanish accent helps this a little because of the ability to roll my English R’s, in Spanish this is hard for the typical English person to learn.

I did try Skype with one fellow that would teach however I could not hear him very well.
My internet is currently Satellite only because of where I live. But when I use my headset for other means of communication it works fine. He stated that his internet connection is 128KBps so that may be the problem as VOIP is better at a constant 200KPBps or higher. So Dobry, I may be asking you for that other teacher’s information and I can try her out. But I will do it after I learn the alphabet.

I also found this new trial software that I thought was great to learn phrases, I have not purchased the full product, but it is interesting.
It gives you flash cards with the Russian and English statements as well as the sound of it in Russian. So that is great, as you can read it in Russian, know what it means in English and listen to the pronounciation.

Website = http://www.byki.com/

You folks may have ran into this already so it may not be new to you.
Lingvo has the same thing but I don’t believe they have the pronounciation.

Thanks again everyone!
Тоби

ReDSanchous,

I totally understand what you are stating in your comments about Russian/Ukrainian women or the website that has them.

The pictures I was referring to were pictures that women posted on the US sites called match.com or Yahoo personals etc.. I was not expecting women from outside my state to email me. But these women were from outside the country. Of course they were all scams, but like I said, I never got scammed because I did my homework.

As for the pictures these ladies post on the “Russian Bride” sites, they are a little touched up meaning, it would be like what a women goes through when she goes to one of those photo shops at the mall called “Hotshots” or something like that. They do make you look your best with makeup and the surrounding etc.. but you can pick the lady out of the crowd if you only seen her picture. For the ladies I met in the US it was hard for me to find her because she looked so different then the pictures she had in her profile or what they sent later. So I never met any of the Russian ladies I communicated through the US sites such as Match.com or Yahoo personals.

I will have to say, that they women I did see in the Ukraine, had a higher percentage of beauty in them then any of the other countries I had visited. I believe that is somewhat realated to the fact that they don’t have very many fast food restaurants like we do in one typical city here in the US. So they eat a a lot more healthy therefore looking a lot more healthy as well.

I went on a “tour” to meet the ladies I was communicating with. The only reason I did the tour is because it was my first time traveling to the Ukraine and I wanted to be able to have help if needed. So yes I spent way more money then I needed to but it was worth it. Now I know I can travel alone on the next trip.
I traveled with about 45 other men in the tour, and they set up 3 different nights to meet women, I would say a good 90% of these men had the wrong idea of what the site was about or what a partner should be like. They just thought of it as a meat market and they were choosing ladies like a farmer chooses livestock. I don’t think they had the right intentions leading to the horror stories you mentioned above.

As far as this one lady coming to the US, we have not talked about it much, I can tell that she adores the Ukraine so I don’t want to push something on her right now. She has stated she would move for the “right man” but I have left it at that. I will continue to communicate with her and I also have another trip planned in November for 3 weeks. Yes I know its going to be very cold, so I will dress warm. I may bring it up then, but like I said, I don’t want to push something like that just yet. I believe she would say yes, but I want to give it some more time. My 3 week visit will be great for both of us as she has asked me to stay with her instead of a hotel. So that in itself will give us 3 weeks of living together to see how we cope with it. If everything is great I will decided then if I should pursue a K1 Visa.