Letter from a Russian dating site

This is an e-mail I received this weekend from a Russian dating site. Sorry to offend anyone, but there is some truth in this letter. I have placed my comments and feelings in parenthesis. I do not ask anyone to agree with me nor do I wish to offend anyone. These are just my opinions and the opinions of an outsider to this culture.

"Let me help you to have an impression of what you will find in a Russian wife. The Russian woman likes to look pretty. She likes to dress well when she walks in the city street to her destination. She wears a dress and pumps, or a suit with a blouse and jewlery. She is concerned about her weight, her hair, how she presents herself. She thinks gym clothes are for the gym. {(How many times do I see people wearing sweats in public? Even to work? Look at our youth. They walk around with their underwear hanging out. Boys in jeans that are 3 sizes to big that hang down to their knees and their boxers pulled up past their navels, exposing 90% of their undershorts. Girls wearing low cut jeans that barely cover their butt cracks, do not went they bend over, and pulling their thong underwear up so all can see. To me, this is tasteless. I love sexy underwear and women and I wear boxers myself, but to show them off in this manner to me shows a lack of class and self-respect.)} In Russia, she doesn't have a choice to stay home to take care of her husband, house, and children - for her, it is a dream. There, she willingly works to help her family to survive. {( In this country, both spouses need to work to survive in our economy. In my generation, the attitude of family first has greatly declined. With each one since, it has gotten less and less. "Toys," big cars, big houses, these are foremost in most Americans minds. We tend to think of ourselves first, not our familes. I have a son, he is more important to me than my own life. I quit my job to see his football game. Can any of you say that? No, becuase we need to feed them and pay for our cars to take them to school and pay for our celephones so we can feel they are safe. Yet, we are too busy to share our time with them. I know more and more each day who do not feel close or even a large concern for their children. )} Education is important, a good occupation is an asset. Many women know 2 or more languages and hold degrees from universities. {( In the 1970's, a person could drop out of high school and get a job that paid $30-40,000 a year here. Not any more. There are 100s of 1,000s of people, who are stuck in their meaningless jobs who can not go elsewhere becuase of their morgages and cars and children and lack of education. With each passing year, more and more jobs require college, not just high school. Even fast food places require high school diplomas or GED. Yet, look at how many young people still drop out of school. We say we want higher and better eduaction. But ask any person who works in that field and you will discover just how little the government and others think of education. Less and less money is available each year for education. How much less will there be after this war is over? Oh, do not give me any of your self-rightous crap about how important this war is, becuase I am just as upset and mad as the rest of you about 9/11!)} Each Russian woman I know is willing to learn - to learn English, to learn about cultures, variouscuisines, philosophies, politics, to learn in all aspects. {( How many people do I know here that want to learn about the rest of the World? Very few. Most people here do not care anything about anywhere but here. They think that the only way to think is how they think. Most of them can not find Wyoming on a map, let only Russia.)} The Russian woman's attitude about herself is feminine. She expects to be treated as a lady, she is the weaker gender and knows it. {( I completely disagree! Weaker?! No way! Yet, shilvery is dead.)} The Russian woman has not been exposed to the world of rampant feminism that asserts it's rights in America. She remains sweet and tender with a softness that is absolutely desirable. Yet she is strong, she flourishes with a spirit that goes deep into a history that embraces a gypsy balalaika dance, a vodka drink, a covered head in a cathedral. Her eyes can speak of the trials and hardship of a struggling country, but they can laugh with the indomitable spirit of mother Russia. {(I have a friend who lives in the Philipines. We talked about this. In her words, American women want to act like men, not as women, in order to display strength. I agree. I have always been for equal rights, always! I am at the age were I have seen it go from one end to the other. Yet, there is so much lost. These extreme feminist speak at lenght about how awful men are and yet they want nothing more than to be one. I have no problem with androgyny. I have been told many times that I am more feminine in characteristics than male (not my looks). Good for me! I feel balanced. Maybe there should be more men like me. Yet, I love a woman who is strong and independent and yet, looks like a woman. There are lots of other countries women are treated horribly. That needs to change. It still happens here, to a lesser degree.)} Imagine if they laughed with you and gave you all they had! All Russian brides shown in the photo gallery are marriage minded and available for correspondence. {(I heard a statistic that said over 75% of the people on American dating sites are married! Sounds a little high, but still, I bet it is around 45%.)} Russian women who were registered at my site stay in constant contact with me and it helps me to keep data base up-to-date. I hope you enjoy our personalize dating service and the profiles of the Russian single women. I really hope you will be intrigued enough to take the first step to a happier and more fulfilling life, future and destiny. "

Take a look at any Russian dating site and see. Becuase of their economy, their way of life, most do not have the resources to take their own photos or have a computer at home. Many do not have telephones. I can remember a time in this country when not everyone had a phone. I am not that old, just 45. Most young people in that part of thw World marry and live with their parents until they can establish themselves. It is not too uncommon to find them leaving home for the first time after their 30's. They need to pay a professional for photos. If Americans had to spend our hard earned money, money we need for food, not toys, and if we know that their is little chance of sucess in finding a good spouse and we know that everyone esle is well dressed and groomed, then perhaps we would take more care of ourseves. In that part of the Wolrd, there is a different ratio of men to women than here. The male population was greatly decreased in WWII. Drugs and alcohol, crime, unemployment are more common than here and here it is pretty bad. It is hard for a woman there to find a faithful man who can take care of his family. One thing you will find very little of on their sites are questions about a person's income. It is family and love and loyality first with them. Why is not here?

Do you want to people. I do. But face it, our outward apperance is a relfection of our innerself. You look like a slob, then most likely you feel like a slob inside. On the same token, many use plastic surgry and expensive clothes to make themselves feel better when they are very unhappy inside.

What do I know? I learned a lot of these in college, but I have lived it mostly. This is just my opinion.