From Russia, with Lubov, Part 2

This beautiful girl wants to date you. And you. And you and you and you.

NOT.

For those of you who may have missed it, last Thursday's article From Russia, with Love ended up being terrifically popular. For fun, we thought we'd check in on the correspondence between Charles and Natalia, to see if she's caught on to the fact that he's caught on to her. From the inexorable and unflappable march of her prose, I'd say.... nope.

Oh, a few quick notes first.

On Thursday, this article was also posted at Free Republic, and as always, the Freepers turned out an interesting and amusing thread. A couple of the comments included protests that I oughtn't to paint all of these women as scammers.

Agreed. Some are legitimate attempts to find a husband abroad. Often, it is because of the unfortunate nature of Russia as a country, or it is because, as one Freeper said, many...

What always cracks me up are the 50 year old men who believe that Russian culture is vastly different than American culture. They seem to think it creates 20 year old subsevient hotties who really want a man 30 years older and 40 lbs overweight.

As someone with a recent Russian immigrant living in my home, I can honestly say that she isn't much different than any American woman. If anything, Tatyana is more independent and bull headed than most of the American women I know.

As someone with a recent Russian immigrant living in my home, I can honestly say that she isn't much different than any American woman. If anything, Tatyana is more independent and bull headed than most of the American women I know.

Spot on. Bull-headed describes most of the Russian women I've known, including the one I dated!

And traditional roles are groovy---my wife and I certainly adhere to at last some of them... but for goodness' sake, who would want a women to be subservient anyway? My wife is strong and powerful in all the right ways, and it makes us a much more formidable team!

I read both columns. Amusing but, ultimately, how much fun is it to respond to what is essentially a form letter? We know there really is no Natalia at the other end or, at least, not one who understands English enough to know when she is being mocked and heckled.

I have visited with some Russian women online and have a running e-mail chat with one but I did not meet her through any sort of dating service and she does not seem eager to come to the U.S. But she does relay her disdain for Russian men. We've talked by phone and I have a picture of her wearing something I sent her for her birthday so I know she is quite real and progressing in her English proficiency.

Still, happiness is where you find it and it can be found in some "gorsk" in the middle of Siberia or in the middle of Florida. Conversely, either place can also make you miserable if you are not happy with yourself.

I do think many Russian woman want to escape their surroundings and will use their beauty (as most women do) to try to make their lives better in one way or another. Those who are genuinely interested in becoming good wives in America, I wish them well and hope the guy they find values them as an equal. For the scammers, it is just one more reason why you have to be careful and wary with the world that comes to you through the World Wide Web. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.