10 Common Russian Women Names and How to Pronounce Them

Russia and Ukraine are full of beautiful women with equally beautiful names. For your convenience, I’ve listed 10 common Russian and Ukrainian women names below, complete with pronunciation guides and a few fun facts. Many of the women on Bridesofukraine have been blessed with one of the following names, so read on and prepare to meet a lovely Ukrainian lady today.

 1.  Elena

•    Pronunciation: (eh LAY nah); (eh LEH nah); (yell YEH nah) 

•    Origin: Greek

•    Meaning: Bright, light, or torch

•    Famous Elenas: Elena Yakovleva (film and stage actress), Elena Vesnina (tennis player),

2.  Olga

•    Pronunciation: (OL gah); (AWL gah)  

•    Origin: German, Polish

•    Meaning: hale, hearty; blessed, holy

•    Famous Olgas: Olga Knipper-Chekhova (stage actress), Olga Kurylenko (Ukrainian actress)

3.    Anna

•    Pronunciation: (AN ah)

•    Origin: Hebrew, Latin

•    Meaning: Grace, favor

•    Famous Annas: Anna Kournikova (tennis player), Anna Anisimova (billionaire heiress)

4.    Svetlana

•    Pronunciation: (sveht LAH nah); (sfeet LAH nah)

•    Origin: Russian

•    Meaning: Light, clean, holy

•    Famous Svetlanas: Svetlana Khorkina (Russian gymnast), Svetlana Lunkina (ballerina

5.    Natalia

 

•    Pronunciation: (nah TAL yah)

•    Origin: Italian

•    Meaning: Christ’s birthday, Christmas

•    Famous Natalias: Natalia Vodianova (Russian model), Natalia Makarova (ballerina)

6.    Tatiana

•    Pronunciation: (taht ee AHN ah); (tah TYAH nah)

•    Origin: Russian, Latin

•    Meaning: Uncertain

•    Famous Tatianas:  Tatiana Korsakova (model), Tatiana Golovin (tennis player)

7.    Oksana

•    Pronunciation: (akh SAH nah)

•    Origin: Greek, Ukrainian

•    Meaning: Welcoming, hospitality

•    Famous Oksanas: Oksana Baiul (Ukrainian figure skater), Oksana Pochepa (Russian pop singer)

8.    Inna

•    Pronunciation: (EEN a)

•    Origin: Greek

•    Meaning: Chaste

•    Famous Innas: Inna Korobkina (actress), Inna Ulyanova (actress)

 

9.    Anya

•    Pronunciation:     (AHN ya); (AWN ya)

•    Origin: Russian

•    Meaning: Favor, grace

•    Famous Anyas: Anya Monzikova (model/actress), Anya Seton Chase (author)

 

10.    Tanya

•    Pronunciation: (TAN yah)

•    Origin: Russian, Latin

•    Meaning: Unknown

•    Famous Tanyas: Tanya Andreeva (matryoshka doll artist), Tanya Pesnya (musician)

 

For a full list of Russian and Ukrainian womens name click here

Odessa,Ukraine Information

The City of Odessa is often referred to as "The Pearl of the Black Sea".

 Odessa is a beautiful city on the Black Sea coast that holds a special place in the hearts of Russians and Ukrainians. A visit to Odessa is sure to be unlike a visit to any other city. In contrast to other cities of the former Soviet Union, Odessa is rich in Western European culture. Odessa is known throughout the world for its art and culture and has, what is considered to be, the second most beautiful and important opera house in the world.

 

The population of Odessa is about 1.1 million. It is a cosmopolitan city with 150,000 tourists each year from all over the world. In the summer, they relax along the sandy shores of Odessa beaches and experience this eternally young city. The beaches allow tourists to feel like they are in the Mediterranean. All of the coast of Odessa is lined with popular beaches. In the summer they are filled with beautiful girls, music, and visitors sampling tasty food. One of the most popular beaches is Arcadia Beach, which is located about 10 minutes from downtown.

 Walking in Odessa you can see its history from classical Italian influences to Soviet era apartment complexes. On Deribasovskaya Street — the central street - there is a variety of restaurants, theatres, concerts and a promenade of people. The port of Odessa has ships from all over the world arriving daily.

 

Odessa has 1185 streets, 62001 buildings, 24 hotels, 34 educational institutions, 88 health care centers, and 20 museums. Public transportation in Odessa city includes 21 tram routes, 15 trolley bus routes, 47 bus routes and 35 minibus routes.

 History of Odessa Odessa was founded in 1794 by Catherine the Great. In 1803, Tsar Alexander I appointed the 36 year old French emigrant, the Duke de Richelieu to be the mayor of Odessa. Eighteen months later, in 1805, the Tsar enlarged de Richelieu's authority by appointing him to serve simultaneously as the governor of the three provinces of Ukraine. In the 11 years of his administration, the Duke de Richelieu acquired an extraordinary reputation as a statesmanship, both in Russia and abroad. His statue now points out to the sea, clothed inexplicable in a toga, presumably to indicate the source of Odessa's wealth.

 

By 1820, Odessa had become an important commercial, industrial and cultural center in the southern part of Russia and the greatest seaport on the Black Sea. Historically, the economy was based on private businesses. Prosperous private businesses made Odessa a dissident in the old feudal Russia. The unique position of (the city) established it as a vital trade link between the West and the East. The growth in importance of Russia's external trade through the Black Sea in the 19th century made way for the establishment of a big trade port center and for the development of Odessa into an advanced European city.

 

Odessa today Odessa is the 3rd largest city in Ukraine, the most important city for trade and the 2nd most popular city for tourism in Ukraine. It is the largest city along the entire Black Sea. Many years ago, Odessa was once, after Moscow and St. Petersburg, the 3rd leading trading city in old Russia. Odessa is the most important port of Ukraine. With its beautiful harbor on the Black Sea, Odessa has become Ukraine's southern window to Europe and an important cultural center.

 

In addition to the importance of the seaport, the city's industries include ship building, oil refining, chemicals, metal working and food processing. Odessa is also the home of a Ukrainian naval base and many fishing fleets.

 Odessa is situated on terraced hills overlooking a small harbor. The weather is mild and dry with average temperatures in January of 29 F and 73 F in July. Odessa averages only 35 cm (14 in) of precipitation annually. Odessa has many therapeutic resorts. Modern Odessa is a city rebuilding itself, and its downtown is slowly being revitalized.

 

Odessa looks more like a city located on the Mediterranean, having been heavily influenced by French and Italian architectural styles. Odessa has always had a spirit of freedom, probably endowed by its ability to accept many different peoples. The city is constantly hosting exhibits, symposia, and conferences. It is the site of consulates and trade missions of many countries and many cultural exchange societies are active in the city.

 

The city has more local character than any other city in Ukraine. People of Odessa are very famous for their sharp wit and canny trading abilities. The tourists are attracted by Odessa's scenic boulevards, the 200 steps of Potyomkin's stairs, the maritime railway, beautiful sandy beaches along the Black Sea, shops, restaurants, numerous new structures, and the unusual classic architecture of old Odessa. The design of Potyomkin's stairs creates somewhat of an optical illusion making the steps seem bigger than their actual size. The upper flights are 44.22 feet (13.4 meters) wide while the lower flights are 71.28 feet (21.6 meters). The stairs' name was taken from the battleship Potyomkin and was to be memorialized in the famous film of that name by the Russian producer Sergei Eizenstein.

 

Founded in 1794 by Katherine the Second with the purpose of establishing a mighty seaport, fortifying southern borders of the Russian Empire, Odessa has surpassed Her Majesty expectations becoming the biggest and richest port in the Russian Empire.

 

In 1905 Odessa was the site of a workers' uprising supported by the crew of the Russian battleship Potemkin (also see Battleship Potemkin uprising) and Lenin's Iskra. Sergei Eisenstein's famous motion picture The Battleship Potemkin commemorated the uprising and included a scene where hundreds of Odessan citizens were murdered on the great stone staircase (now popularly known as the "Potemkin Steps"), in one of the most famous scenes in motion picture history. At the top of the steps, which lead down to the port, stands a statue of the Duc de Richelieu. The actual massacre took place in streets nearby, not on the steps themselves, but the film caused many to visit Odessa to see the site of the "slaughter". The "Odessa Steps" continue to be a tourist attraction in Odessa. The film was made at Odessa's Cinema Factory, one of the oldest cinema studios in the former Soviet Union.

 

Today Odessa is a city of more than 1 million people. The city's industries include shipbuilding, oil refining, chemicals, metalworking and food processing. Odessa is also a Ukrainian naval base and home to a fishing fleet. It is also known for its huge outdoor market, the Seventh-Kilometre Market, the largest market of its kind in Europe.

 

Odessa is renowned for its nightlife. Unlike Moscow and Kiev, Odessa is a relatively small city, and all of Odessa's nightlife attractions are easily accessible. People often switch several nightclubs before dawn. Prices for nightlife entertainment are much lower in Odessa than in Kiev or Moscow.

 

Arcadia district is the best place for summer nightlife in Odessa. Teeming with dozens of discos, nightclubs, and bars, the area provides ample opportunities for visitors of Odessa. There are some famous summer clubs here, such as Assol, which is a large ship-type club, operating as a seafood restaurant all day and during night turning into a wild club with dancers and striptease shows. Itaka is the club designed as an ancient Greek temple, with columns, Greek statues and marble elements that create a unique atmosphere for the guests. The place is very crowded during weekend, and the most popular nightclubs in Odessa are already full by 11pm. You can always sneak in by giving a $10 bill to security guys.

 

In winter, there are many nightclubs in Odessa city centre, as the town is bustling with nightlife. Popularity of nightclubs in Odessa changes often so it's best to ask the locals what is popular at present.

 

Odessa in Ukraine has been always proud of its cuisine which is multinational as well as Odessa population. Food in Odessa, Ukraine is great because of numerous word cuisines influence. There are high qualified chefs working for Ukrainian, Russian, Greek, Jews, Moldavian, Bulgarian as well as Europeans restaurants in Odessa.

 

Looking for a romantic setting? There are many Odessa restaurant options that provide intimate dining for when you want to be close and solitary. Known for its special coffee and American style menus, the "Steakhouse" also boasts catering to business dinners and romantic interludes. The menu is a bit pricey, but the food and ambiance are worth it.

 

There is no shortage of specialty Odessa restaurants something for everyone's palette is available. If you're looking for Mexican cuisine, try "Estrellita". Have a craving for great fish try the "Gulf Stream". Perhaps you require a kosher establishment, in which case there is "Rozmarin". This is a cosy and modern cafe providing a traditional Jewish menu. If a Japanese atmosphere is more to your liking, try "Yokogama" where they offer stylish Japanese fair.

 

As well as the great food there are also great beaches nearby. Lanzheron is a popular Odessa beach among the locals and tourists alike. Located next to Park Schevchenko, one can enjoy the greenery of the park and take a dip in the warm black sea at the same time. This is the closest beach from Odessa's historical centre, about a 15 minute walk from the Opera Theatre. Lanzheron stretches over many different beaches, each with its own unique Odessa flavor. Some are fully equipped while others were left alone in their natural state. There are even numerous water slides available for your entertainment along the water, just in case you get bored while in Odessa. If you get bored, you can visit a large newly built Dolphinarium. The well known Khutorok Restaurant is perched on the bank nearby offering panoramic sea views from the terrace.

Why Women from Ukraine Marry Foreigner men ?

I would say the major reason for Ukrainian women to seek foreign men for marriage is because they can. Think about it, 20 years ago we had no Internet nor email, and no ability to instantly communicate with people living on the other side of the globe. Now we can.

 

We also know much more about the world, people from western countries can easily travel to Ukraine, and Ukrainians can travel to Europe and America. During the Soviet times, it was nearly impossible.

 

When travel became possible, westerners started to travel to Ukraine and Ukrainians travel overseas, and of course in the course of travel people would meet locals, talk to them and sometimes develop feelings and fall in love, which resulted in mixed-intercultural couples between westerners and Ukrainians.

 

These couples had experiences, good or bad, which were conveyed to their families, friends and co-workers, reported in media and so on. You probably know someone from Ukraine and could develop your own ideas about Ukrainian people. In short, after Perestroyka started (1987) and Soviet Union ceased to exist (1991), Ukraine became an independent country and soon people could learn more about the world and travel more freely. The expansion of the Internet and email gave us cheap long-distance communication. I am pretty sure more American marry Canadians or Mexicans than Ukrainians, simply because these countries are more accessible. For as long as there is international travel, there will be international marriages.

 

Most Ukrainian women marry local (Ukrainian) men.

 

Only a very small percentage (less than 0.1%) marry foreign men. It is an absolute improbability for a Ukrainian woman to seek marriage to a foreign man without ever dating or being in a relationship with a local man. Usually, women will date locally and only when their local relationships do not result in their desired outcome (marriage), would a woman ever consider seeking someone abroad.

 

The same is true for foreign men who marry Ukrainian women: they try to find a match locally first and only come to the idea of seeking someone abroad when they are not successful. No one starts seeking a partner for marriage abroad if they can find an acceptable partner at home.

 

I often compare search for a marriage partner with search for a job: if you could earn twice as much overseas than you earn doing the same job at home, would you consider the position overseas? This is what a lot of people do, taking a job overseas and being compensated highly for the inconvenience. It's not everyone's cup of tea but some people do it. The law of supply and demand.

 

InAustralia for example, we have a mining boom: any worker working at mines earns minimum $120,000/year, simply driving a track or being a health and safety officer. Miners going into mines earn even more. However, mines have a permanent lack of workers because most people don't want to work in remote areas where mines are. Even though Australia has the unemployment rate of about 5%, we now have to bring foreign workers to work in mines - because, apparently, we don't have Australians who can do it!

 

A Ukrainian woman can get a much better life in a western country married to a western man than she would in Ukraine - still, most Ukrainian women don't consider it as an option and would never even attempt seeking a husband abroad. Just like most Australians earning $45,000/year don't want to swap their city jobs for jobs in mines.

 

A western man can find a much younger and more educated woman for marriage in Ukraine than he can locally - still, most western men will never even think of trying to find a Ukrainian bride.

 

There are stigmas attached to such marriages, both in Ukraine and in the west, as they are considered somewhat dubious, although I must say the acceptance of such marriages improves with every year. Children of Ukrainian women married to Western men become actresses, models, doctors and lawyers in America, Australia and Europe.

 

The western world as a whole becomes more and more international and intercultural. We are not only looking for jobs overseas, we also shop online for goods seeking a better deal. I am buying books from UK and America that I cannot find here - and get a better price, too!

It was inevitable that people would realize they could also get a better deal seeking a marriage partner overseas, and Ukraine is one of the top destinations for western men seeking a wife. It has a welcoming visa regime (Americans and Europeans do not need a visa to visit Ukraine), huge demographic disproportions with women outnumbering men (and therefore huge demand for husbands) and predominantly Caucasian population .

 

 A former Ukrainian president (2005-2010) Viktor Yushchenko had an American wife born in Chicago. This marriage obviously helped Ukraine to open its borders, as well as make the idea of an international marriage more acceptable to Ukrainian people.

 

Ukrainian women may be more open to the idea of marrying a foreigner because there was less anti-foreign marriage propaganda than there is in Russia (Russia has a constant media campaign promoting problems in marriages of Russian women to foreign men, in order to stop the "genes drain" where best women leave the country to marry foreigners, similar to the "brain drain" where highly skilled professionals leave the country for better jobs overseas).

 

If you read information in forums, there will be a lot of sentiments from Ukrainian women how western men make better husbands (which is true). Still, if she could find a good man in Ukraine without too much trouble, she would - but it's hard. First women date locally, then nationally, then they start looking internationally. This is how it happens that some Ukrainian women start looking for foreign men to marry.

 

For foreign men, they browse Internet and come across websites with pretty Ukrainian women wanting to meet men, and these women are much more accepting of age difference, men's kids and not that much concerned with a man's appearance. They just want "a good man".  this is how an Ukrainian-Western marriage happens

More things to know about Ukrainian women

Ukraine Women at work

 

Influenced with the way they were brought up by their parents and how the society viewed them; Ukrainian girls are the typical at-home persons. They love to stay at home and do housekeeping as this stuff is the only thing they are allowed to do. However, modernization led them to realize how to go out of their shells and do the things they love doing. Ukrainian girls are hardworking and dedicated. So they really progress in their chosen fields. The typical Ukraine girls are more inclined with home stuffs such as knitting, sewing and home designing. These hobbies then will be their basis in finding works or business. Of course, it would be easier to do a business where you are most familiar with, so Ukrainian girls really succeed in any business they venture in.

 How Ukraine Women value Money

 For us to know how, Ukraine women value money, let us try to know the different Ukrainian girls first. There are three types of Ukraine ladies; one is the conservative – the one who would resort to the cheapest products and services; the next one is the extravagant – she will avail of the most expensive goods and is very demanding, and the third one is the mediator – the middle type spender. Ukraine women are not so ambitious when compared to other Eastern girls, and they have different principles about money. However, for the benefit of the doubt, majority of the Ukraine women are the conservative spender. As they are hardworking girls, it entails that they value one’s income, and they are not going to spend it for things that are not so important. And it is your challenge to know what type of spender you have found in the internet.

Fashion Statements of Ukrainian Women

As you walk around Ukraine, you have to know different gorgeous Russian ladies that are equally beautiful and stunning. If you notice, they have this unique sense of fashion in choosing their dresses. You will easily see them because of the vibrant colors of their dresses that complement to their makeup, skin, hair and body. They have a very strong grasp in fashion style, and they can compete to any other countries when it comes to style. You will also notice that they often wear dresses, and this makes them look more feminine and elegant wherever they go. They are very particular on how they appear in the crowd. They wanted to be noticed and appreciated that’s why they see to it that their dresses will really make their beauties stand out.

Tips on How to Impress a Ukrainian women

1. Women from all over the world have to be impressed with your look, wit, and your behavior before they will be interested of you. The very first thing that a woman does is look at your appearance for this will show what type of man you are. The way you carry yourself will determine the type of personality you have and definitely will determine the kind of upbringing you have. However, Ukrainian women  pay more attention on how you talk, and you behave. For Ukrainian women, men who know what to say are great and are responsible men. They love mature men who are witty. And most of all they admire men who have the sense of humor. When you know how to talk in a manly and decent manner but with a sense of humor in it, you surely will catch the attention of the lady.

 

2.  The first thing you are going to do in order to impress your lady is to seduce her. How? Always have that humorous person in you. When ever you chat online, no matter how many Ukrainian  ladies, you chat with; use your humor as it will add charm to your personality. A bubbly personality always gets the edge in dating even when it is through the internet. However, while impressing her, make sure you don’t sound like joking. She might not believe you then. Observe the appropriate time to crack jokes.

 

3. Secondly, be confident. A man who is confident about himself woos many Ukrainian ladies. However, make sure your confidence is moderated. You might sound like boasting when you over use yourself confidence. Boastful personality is a major turn off, and you don’t want to turn off Ukrainian women right? You want her to be magnetized with your confidence and not push her away.

 

4. Thirdly, appreciate her. Ukrainian women are just like any other ladies in the world who wanted to be appreciated in whatever admirable she has done. Despite how strong her personality may be; it is still refreshing to know that somebody appreciates and loves her. When you have video chat, observe her dress, her make up everything about her and then give compliments. For instance, tell her she looks great in her dress; she looks more fascinating in her make up, everything that will melt her heart.

 

5. Then we’re down to the fourth and last step. Give flowers and gifts. It would be cute if you give your lady a bouquet of flowers. It’s a thoughtful act and your lady, just like any other women will surely appreciate it, and again you’ve melted her heart. Even though you are far from each other, this act is not impossible. A good way to give flowers is through online flower orders and then you just pay it and let them deliver the flowers right to the doors of your Ukrainian lady or in her office. You could also add some chocolates in the flowers to make the scenario sweeter.

Beaches In Odessa,Ukraine

There are hundreds of beaches available for your enjoyment in the Odessa Area. Each is distinct and has its own character. Below is a mini guide to Odessa's main beaches:

 

ARCADIA

 

The Biggest of all Odessa's beaches Arcadia. Is a 15 minute cab ride from the city center and brings you to the largest and most developed beach in Odessa. The main entrance is clearly labeled by two pillars with a sign that reads Arcadia. Behind the sign is a long, shaded boulevard which boasts dozens of entertainment options ranging from karaoke while on a horse to go cart riding. Along this path, you will also notice dozens of cafes, restaurants and kiosks. After about a 200 meter walk you will see a nightclub Ibiza which sits slights before the entrance to the beach. From here you can choose to either go downstairs onto the main Arcadia beach or take a left or a right and choose numerous surrounding stretches of sand that all fall within Arcadia's premises. It is our personal recommendation to walk left until you see large water slides. Here is a full serviced part of Odessa's Arcadia beach, which offers umbrellas and lying chairs for a fee. There is a bar on this part of the beach, soft music and waiter service. Changing rooms and showers are all included with the price. Other activities you can do on this beach range from Jet Skiing to relaxing massages from wondering masseuses.

 

OTRADA

 

A walk downhill is required to access most of Odessa beaches. However, this is not the case with Odessa's Otrada which is known for its Soviet Time constructed cable cars. Save yourself the walk and take one of these cable cars down to the water. Enjoy the beautiful view of coast from atop of the ride. Careful exiting the cars, as they were not built with safety as number one priority. Otrada consists of numerous beaches, almost all of which are fully equipped with bars, waiter service, changing rooms, showers, kid play rooms and various other facilities. Take a walk along the water and see which beach appeals to you most. Some of the more popular beaches here are Riviera and Treasure Island. Both are fully equipped and for a small fee you will gain entrance which includes a beach chair and access to all the facilities. It is also possible to gain free access; however, you may not be able to use all the facilities on that basis. This is one of our personal favorite beaches of Odessa. Here you can also try out Wind Surfing or Jet Skiing. Numerous places along Otrada's waters will rent these out as in most other Odessa's beaches.

 

LANZHERON (Park Schevchenko)

 

Lanzheron is a popular Odessa beach among the locals and tourists alike. Located next to Park Schevchenko, one can enjoy the greenery of the park and take a dip in the warm black sea at the same time. This is the closest beach from Odessa's historical City center it's about a 15 minute walk from the Opera House. Lanzheron stretches over many different beaches, each with its own unique Odessa flavor. Some are fully equipped while others were left alone in their natural state. There are even numerous water slides available for your entertainment along the water, just in case you get bored while in Odessa. If you get bored, you can visit a large newly built Dolphinarium which will also allow you to either watch a show or swim with the dolphins (certain hours). Other popular entertainment options include Jet Ski Rentals, speed boat rides and various other water related activities. Lanzheron is located parallel to park Schevchenko.

 

CHKALOVO

 

Named after the famous Russian test pilot, this sanatorium has gained notorious reputation that the Soviet Hero never could have predicted. It has for some time been the official nude beach in Odessa. While there are others, this one is located close to the center and usually has a significant presence of beach goers. While both nude and clothed patrons can have equal fun at this Odessa beach is prepared to see most of the male visitors fully nude. While hawkers should not rush to see, given it is in the norm for most girls at Odessa beaches to be topless. Sanatorium located on the premises of the beach is also something one may consider if looking for a quiet Soviet Style Hotel experience by the Black Sea.

 

LUZANOVKA

 

Odessa's Luzanovka is one of the more 'genuine' beaches in the sense that it does not offer the quality and array of services that most central Odessa beaches such as Arcadia and Lanzheron do. While this can be seen in negative light, consider that this Odessa beach is intended for the large population concentration located at an Odessa area called 'Poselek Kotovskovo'. While Luzanovka has a number of quality restaurants and nightclubs do not expect to receive Western quality service or to find many English speakers as the tourist are virtually entirely absent from this area. However, if looking for a different feel from one of Odessa's less developed beach fronts, this may just be the perfect option. Located just fifteen minutes away from City center, makes it easy to get there by Taxi or public transportation.

 

CHAIKA (10th Fontana)

 

This Odessa beach, which is located just south of Arcadia, is a standard beach offering various facilities, and small cafes alongside. Most beaches offer surprisingly good food options along with full bar services.

 

DELPHIN (Champagne Prospect)

 

Delphin or (Dolphin) beach and Delphin VIP are both located just further south of Lanzheron and Otrada beaches. Delphin VIP beach is marked by a big sign overhanging on Frantsuzky Boulevard as you are driving. Few minute walk down the steep stairs brings to all of Delphin beaches. The best one of course as the name indicates is the VIP beach. The cost is worth it, you get a chair and umbrella included in the cost of admission. Plus there is great waitress / waiter service and a bar nearby for those badly needing a cold beer or mixed drinks on a hot summer day. The sand quality on this beach is one of the best ones in Odessa. Overall clean quality beach and relatively great service make this a recommended summer visit on a summer day while in Odessa.

 

Riviera Beach (13th Fontana)

 

Rivera is at 13th Station Fontana and is the cities best beach, You pay from $5 to $10 dollars to get on the beach and is worth the cost, it is more up scale than Arcadia and most other beaches in Odessa and has less western tourists. The water is cleaner than all the other beaches. There also is a great and very popular restaurant right on the beach, where you can sit at a table and enjoy a meal or a beer and watch the kids play in the pool. At night the restaurant is also a nightclub and it is only open during the summer season. There also is live music on some nights or early before the club music starts.

How To Tell If She Is Interested or Not

One of the most interesting questions that I am often asked when I am counseling a client is, "How do I tell if she is really interested in me." This is a very valid question and one that is not easily answered. I don't think that there is one "catch-all," definite answer to this, but just like asking several different people how to make your favorite dish, there are many different recipes that will help you make the meal. I want to share with you some of my experiences and some of the suggestions that I have been given over the years that seem to work.

 

Because I am spoiled by my own loving and caring Ukrainian woman and she makes it known to me on a daily basis that she loves me very much, I am always tempted to reply to this question, "If you have to wonder if she is interested, then she is not." However, Ukrainian women and women in general are as different as snowflakes. While my Anna is very outgoing and obvious, I know other men whose ladies have let them know in other more subtle, mysterious ways. Let's start with the beginning, before your trip, when you are in the writing stage. Keep in mind that the following tips, suggestions and observations assume that the girl is aware of you, your correspondence, etc, and is actually open to meetings with foreign men. Whether she is real, and legitimately seeking a foreign husband is a discussion in previous chapters.

 

The Correspondence Stage

 

The simplest indicator of a woman's interest in meeting you is, does she respond promptly and completely. By this I mean, does she respond within a reasonable amount of time (within a week) and does she address all of the questions and topics covered in your letter. Keep in mind this is by no means "etched in stone," but if she responds promptly and takes the time to address each of your questions and topics, chances are she is interested in you. Another simple indicator is does she ask detailed questions of you? Does she ask the names of your parents and children? Does she want to know about your brothers and sisters etc? The more detailed questions she asks about your general life, family and dreams, the more chance there is that she is actually interested in finding out more about you and ultimately, a meeting. If you receive short, impersonal responses regularly you should probably move on. All that being said, keep in mind that some of these women will be very pressed for time, as they may work long hours or live far from town and may seldom have a chance to write to you. I think the quality of the responses is the compelling factor here.

 

Another pre-trip indicator of a woman's interest is will she do something simple, yet meaningful for you? Let me explain what I mean by this. In most cases, you are going to be spending a significant amount of time and money to write to a woman, as most sites don't interpret letters for free. Since you are willing to do this and eventually take a giant "leap of faith" to travel to the former Soviet Union, it stands to reason, that if this woman is sincere and really interested in a meeting with you, that she would be willing to do something simple for you to affirm her interest in you. A few years back I started doing something very simple that gave me an indication that each girl to whom I was writing was actually interested in Meeting me. Since then, I have had many clients follow these simple instructions with great success.

 

First, find something personal to send to your lady by regular mail. By personal I mean, a college sweatshirt with your universities logo on it or maybe something smaller like a T-shirt or hat with your favorite sports team, something like that. Keep the package fairly small. If she has children, be sure to include something small for them, as well such as a T-shirt. Send with this a disposable camera, a $20 bill and a self-addressed envelope. Enclose an interpreted letter telling her that these are gifts of your esteem and that you would like to have some pictures taken specifically for you of her wearing your gift. Also ask her to use the camera to take pictures of herself and or her family doing normal everyday things, like eating dinner etc. Tell her to use the $20 to develop the pictures and send them to you. I have done this many times myself and I have had great success. Many of my clients have also done this and had very good response. Keep in mind that in some areas of the former Soviet Union, the mail service is not wonderful and your package my take some time to get there or in some cases may never arrive at all. That being said, I have only had one of my packages not make it to its intended addressee and in that case I re-sent the package and it worked the second time. (I have had great luck with USPS registered mail). If the woman is willing to do this for you, then chances are she is interested enough to meet with you upon your trip to her town.

 

After You Have Met

 

 Now, let's talk about how to tell if she is interested in you once you have met her.Again, there are no absolutes, but if she is readily available for a second and/or third meeting with you, chances are good that she is interested in getting to know you. If it is difficult to get hold of her for another meeting then it is possible that she is not really interested and maybe you should move on. That being said, you should make allowances for difficulty in scheduling another meeting with the girl if she works or if she is a full-time student. It is when you come back to Ukraine/Russia the second time that you should expect her to make a great deal of time for you. The first time, she may not have been expecting to meet someone as wonderful as you and she may not have made allowances, but that does not necessarily mean that she is not interested. If you return to her country specifically to visit her and she knows you are coming, yet she does not make significant time to spend with you then she is not interested and you should move on.

 

it has been my experience that most of the time if a girl is interested in one of my clients she will make sure to let her agency staff know that she would like to see him again. They will not always come out and say that they are not interested, but usually the girl will call her agency the next day and tell them if she is open to another meeting. But, again, that is not always the case. Some girls are shy and not so proactive and will depend on the man to request the second and/or third date. The telling factor here is "does she make herself available to be contacted about the next meeting"?

 

How Can I Spot a "Serial Dater"?

 

 Now we have all heard about "serial daters" and I could devote and entire article to this, but for now I will just give you the basics and some things to pay attention to. How do I tell if a woman who has agreed to see me several times is not just doing it for the dinners and the money I am spending on her? Again there are no absolutes, but pay attention to her body language. If she talks more to the interpreter than to you or if she doesn't try to hold any meaningful conversations with you or ask you any meaningful questions then she may not be interested. But this could also mean that she is just shy and nervous. Also, pay attention to where she asks you to go with her and what she asks you to do. If she chooses crowded, expensive places each time, where you have no quiet time or no chance to get to know one another then she may not be interested. You can't spend every date at the disco or else it will be very difficult to get to know anything meaningful about one another. If she asks you to take her shopping or asks for money in any way other than for a taxi then you might want to raise a red flag. You don't ask a man you have known for a couple of hours for money period! Use some common sense here. Think with your head and realize that if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck ... well you know the rest.

 

Before the Trip Home

 

 Anyone who has visited my site knows that I am not a proponent of getting engaged to a woman whom you have know for barely a week, but there is something that I suggest you do before leaving your lady after your first visit to her town. If you feel confident that you are viable candidates for one another and you would like to come back to see her again to spend more time with her then you might want to buy her a small yet meaningful gift. Buy her something small, but nice such as a necklace or bracelet. Stay away from rings because you are not yet proposing marriage and you don't want any misunderstandings. Tell her that this gift is a symbol of your feelings for her and also your promise to her that you will return in a few months to visit her again. Also, tell her that her acceptance of this gift is her promise to you that she agrees to meet with you again and make time for you on your return trip so that you may get to know one another better. Also, make sure that she understands that the reason for your second trip will be to visit only her to see if you are compatible with one another and if you would like to seriously consider each other for a much more serious relationship. Stay away from the word "marriage" until you have returned for the second time. If she is serious about wanting you to return then she will agree to your proposal and accept your gift.

 

Once I Have Returned Home

 

This is when the "If you have to wonder if she is interested, then she is not" rule takes effect. Upon your return home if it is difficult to get a response from your lady or if you get the feeling that she is just not making the effort to communicate with you then chances are that she may not have really been interested. Upon returning home from my first trip to Ukraine I ran into this problem. The girl that I had spent 7 days with just didn't seem to be putting forth any effort to communicate with me. My fears were realized when I returned to Ukraine and found that she made little time for me. At first I blamed myself and I thought that maybe I was just being too demanding, but when I met Nina, I began to realize how a woman who truly wants to be with you acts. On a daily basis she sent me text messages on her phone and I returned them. She let me know what time she would be available so that I could call her. And she sent me things such as pictures and hand written letters in the mail a couple of times a month. She sent me meaningful emails and asked about my health, my family etc. As I said before, each woman is a different, delicate snowflake, but after you have made such an effort, you shouldn't have to wonder if the object of your affection is interested in you or not. There are far too many women in Ukraine! Russia who will give you their attention and show you their affection for you to have to wonder if your lady is interested or not.

 

As I have said before, "I am not the burning bush," but I will willingly share my knowledge and experience with those who would like to have it. I hope that this helps you in your search for your one and only.

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Ukrainian and Russian Online Dating Blacklists: What You Should Know

There she is.  The most beautiful woman you’ve ever seen looking into the camera, her emails to you over the past months professing her undying love and now she says she’s ready to take your relationship to the next level.  Yet, in the back of your mind, you can’t shake the nagging suspicion that it’s all too good to be true.  “No one that young and beautiful could ever really love me like she says she does,” you tell yourself.  So, like many others, you search the internet for proof that that your suspicions are founded and that the young lady who claims to love you really has ulterior motives.

Without a doubt, you can likely find negative comments made about any company or organization if you look for it.  Just as easily, you can find websites claiming that the moon landing was staged, Elvis is still alive and the Earth is actually flat.  Everyone has an opinion and, with the increasing availability of internet access and the ease in setting up a free homepage of your very own, everyone has the ability to share their opinion, unchecked, with the entire world.  It does not seem to matter whether the information is truthful or accurate; opinion is paraded as “fact” without any regard to the possible repercussions.

 

 

This is true even when it comes to “anti-scam” and “black list” websites, which claim to spread the “truth” about Russian dating and “mail order bride” services.  Now, we won’t comment on whether one such list or another is telling the truth; we’ll leave that determination up to you and your own personal experiences.  What we can do, however, is share some tips to help you sort out the facts from fiction.

 

How to Judge a Black List

 

1. First and foremost, keep in mind that any website which is considered to be an “International Marriage Broker” must obey applicable laws which govern their industry; however the so called “blacklist” websites are not regulated by ANYONE.  There are no “official” black list websites or agencies for the international dating and correspondence industry, so any information you see posted to these “black list” websites should be considered the publisher’s subjective opinion.  Want to check with a reliable source?  While there are none specific to international dating and marriage broker services, there are many official consumer protection organizations which may be trusted, both within the government as well as in the private sector.

 

2. Trust your own judgment.  Ultimately, with a little common sense and objectivity, you are the best judge of what’s really going on.  Obviously, if a lady is asking for money or gifts, cease contact and report her to the site’s administrator.  Be cautious about giving out your personal information.  Be wary if she’s in a rush to meet off the site or too quick in professing her undying love before you get to know one another.  While this doesn’t necessarily make her a “scammer” since some people are quick to become emotionally attached to a potential mate, it should raise a red flag.  If you are unsure or something doesn’t seem right, contact the administrator for the site you’re using.  A trustworthy service will investigate your concerns and discuss them with you, no matter the outcome of their investigation.

 

3. Accept the fact that very few people do things purely out of altruism.  Such people do exist, but most people are motivated by personal gain, whether this is monetary or simply petty revenge.  So, when someone offers something to you, ask yourself “what does this person stand to gain if I accept and follow their opinions?”

 

4. Check which websites have purchased advertising space on a blacklist site, and then compare these sites to the ones who appear on the “approved” or “safe” list.  If you only see one or two advertisers and they’re high up on the “safe” list, it is possible the “blacklist” owner is receiving kickbacks from the “approved” website.  You should especially be suspicious if links to these sites appear to be part of an affiliate program, where the blacklist publisher receives money in exchange for traffic sent to the linked site.

 

5. Look closely at reports that come as a result of a failed relationship.  Sadly, many women are accused of being “scammers” simply because of a personal dispute.  The dissolution of a relationship can be very painful and sometimes, in pain, a man will stretch the truth or even outright lie to make the woman seem much more villainous…and make themselves seem more like the victim.    So always take post-breakup reports with a very large grain of salt.  If you weren’t there and don’t know either of the people involved personally, it’s impossible to know what REALLY happened when the couple broke up.

 

6. Watch out for disgruntled, former employees.  Keep in mind that, in order for websites and agency offices to keep running, a staff must be employed.  Just as in every industry, there will be unfortunate cases in which a staff member’s employment must be involuntarily terminated.  This is never a pleasant event, but in rare cases, former employees may seek retribution by making up stories about their former employers.

 

7. Look for the evidence.  Regrettably, many reports of scammers are presented in a “he said, she said” fashion.  They are 100% based upon hearsay, rather than objective evidence.  When you read through these reports, ask yourself “Where is the evidence?”  Is the blacklist’s publisher showing you the email (with headers) and screenshots of the alleged scammer at work…or simply asking you to take their word for it?