Mail Order Brides Headquarters
The whole concept of mail order brides has proliferated with the advent of the Internet. Suddenly you find thousands of advertisements for agencies that will introduce you to women from all over the world. Russia is a favorite source of mail order brides, as are many countries in Asia and South America.
photo credit: Paulette.Sedgwick
The idea is not totally new, however. Even in your grandparent’s time there were magazine where you could make ‘pen friends’ in foreign countries. Many of these long distance relationships eventually blossomed into a personal meeting. How many of them ended up in marriage is hard to tell, because things were kept a bit hush-hush in those days.
In many ways it can be a win-win situation for both the gentlemen and the ladies involved in such an introduction. Many of the women want to get away from a country where they feel there is no future for them. They might have a degree, yet have to work as a cleaner somewhere. The whole idea of marrying a stranger from a rich country is therefore very appealing to them.
For the men it often means that they have the opportunity of meeting someone from an exotic country; someone that is much more beautiful than any girl he ever imagined himself settling down with.
The cultural and language difference can both be a source of excitement and a hurdle. If she speaks Russian and you can only speak English, one of you will quickly have to learn a foreign language! And if she comes from a culture where men are expected to be true gentlemen, you might have to start thinking about opening doors for her and treating her like a lady very quickly.
It all can be a lot of fun, as long as you keep your eyes open. There are many honest offers out there, but there are also less honest operators. Make sure everything is legitimate before handing over any money. Then sit back and enjoy what can be the adventure of a lifetime.