LETTER FROM AUSTRALIA

Dear Natasha

My name is Anna. I am Russian and currently I study in the university in Australia. I want to get Permanent Residence Status here after I graduate.

I wanted to say “Spasibo” two times for you. Firstly, with your help I have just "russified" my computer (it took me only 30 second)! I have been here for more than 1.5 years and I was still writing all mail to my parents in Latin letters.

Secondly, I really love your site! As you can understand, I also wanted to get away from Russia, but I have chosen other way than marriage - through skilled migration. I was quite young 17 years when I left Russia. When I arrived to Melbourne, I did not know anyone there. I had a deep depression for at least a year. Than I went to visit my parents in Russia and, gradually, I came to the opinion that I was so wrong by denying everything Russian at first. I literally did not speak Russian for one year at all - not a single time (other than phone talks to my parents). But there were quite a few Russians in Australia. Though, I regret that they do not have anything near as strong as Russian USA community.

Reading everything on your site helped me to understand how wrong I was - you should never deny your people. By the way it is not so easy to get into contact with Australians. I understand now all the stuff about Russian Sole. Oh! We do have it - so mysterious! No one else can understand us as well as we can each other.

By the way, in my hidden feelings, I do hope to meet someone here while I am still on my study visa. The Skilled Migration procedure is so tedious. But I do not want to marry just for immigration. I want to marry once and for life or, at least, to try.

But I find so many problems with Ausstralian guys… They are so strange. It is hard for me to establish contacts with them and to understand what is going on in their heads. I still have not had a single boyfriend in my Life! Maybe it is just male - female things. I keep comparing them to my father, Russian famous men, Russian literature heroes, even to my ex-classmates. They are so different. Am I wrong and all men are the same, or you noticed the same about US guys? What should I do about it? If you do not find this stuff silly and ever decide to reply, I will appreciate your opinion.

Very Big Thank you to you.
Yours, Anna.

Dear Anna,
I am glad that you found my website!

I understand how did you feel when you came to Australia. I beleive that most of the immigrants have the same feelings upon coming abroad. They all want to be the part of these new countries, where they came to live and they do not want to associate themselves with other "immigrants".

I am myself, had never looked for "Russians" when I moved to the United States. Occasionally, I met couple of Russian people, but it happened so that we did not have too much in common. Soon I figured out that our nationality does not necessary make us close friends. Common interests, similar characters and tempers do…
When I started my project – the website for Russian Women Abroad - I met many people whom I really wanted to be friends with. With some of them we communicate almost daily, via email or phone until now.
The majority of women who visit my site feel the same. For many of them my Forum has become the only place where they can meet and talk to other Russians. I do my best to create a friendly atmosphere on my forum, so every woman can freely express her inner thoughts and feelings. I am sure that you will be very welcomed if you ever decide to join!

As for your question about the men, I could not say that I have a lot of respect for our country men. Of course, one may say that they are very romantic - "they sing songs for you and play guitar..." They can give you "the last shirt" - and it's all true... But to take care for you and your child, to stay honest and truthful in relationships, to be there for you and your children... I, personally, was not lucky to meet many of them in Russia.

On the contrary, through personal and business contacts, I met many foreigners who, I believe, have good hearts, who are intelligent and trustworthy, and who would make good husbands to any Russian woman.

The problem is that it is not so easy to meet this special guy, who will be right for you. You don't meet them in the bars or at the grocery next-door. If you don’t have too many local acquaintances who may introduce you, I would advice you to start correspondence via the Internet. This way you would be able to meet many different people, to talk to them, to let them know you... And if nothing else, you will get new friends! I believe, that nowadays, the Internet is the best way of communication, and there are surely plenty of good guys around.

If you are not in hurry to get married, please, take your time and you will meet your special man. May be he won't be from Australia, may be he will... The most important is to believe that he is there for you!
Dear Anna, thank you again for visiting my site and feel free to write me anytime you want to talk!

Sincerely,

Natasha

Russian Women Abroad