| THIS IS A READ-ONLY ARCHIVE FROM THE SORABJI.COM MESSAGE BOARDS (1995-2016). |
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I'm not sure if her dad is serb or croat. she was born in kiev. they're real proud of her there. the fifth element played for like a year. |
these are excerpts from a story my friend katya wrote. " The OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe] report noted that, in particular, employees at hospitals and schools were strongly encouraged to vote for Kuchma [the incumbent] and urge their patients and students to do likewise. Verified reports of these types of violations were uncovered in 11 regions. "The militia were also observed disseminating campaign material and campaigning door-to-door in favor of the president, which could be perceived by voters as intimidation," the report said. ... In what may have been the most conspicuous violation of that kind, at a polling station in the eastern town of Kramatorsk the cardboard voting box was broken after a voter tried to stuff a thick pack of ballots into it. ... "The United States congratulates President Kuchma on his re-election, which is an important endorsement by the Ukrainian people of a policy direction of continued political and economic reform and Western integration," State Department spokesman James Rubin said in a statement released Nov. 15. "The United States remains committed to assisting Ukraine's transition to democracy and a market economy," Rubin said. " |
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Fed up with their men, Ukrainian women look west ... More and more Ukrainian women are being lured by promises of wealthy, stable men in faraway countries. At the same time, these agencies tempt estern men with promises of beautiful Ukrainian women who have not been spoiled by feminism; women who will cook for them and care for them. "Ukrainian women are 'tired of being repressed; tired of alcoholics ... tired of unemployed boyfriends and husbands,'" reads the Website for the Ukraine Girls International agency. Future foreign husbands do not have to be "either millionaires or Mr. G.Q. for the women to be interested. They have had enough good-looking boyfriends and husbands who are unemployed, abusive or alcoholics." ... "When a woman comes to me for help, I see her as an autumn: already withering. Even if she is young, she is low-spirited, almost dying," Grigor said. "There is no sparkle in her eyes, but after she talks to me and actually sees that there is still a chance for her to have a good life, she is alive again, she goes to a hairdresser and a manicure master, it is like a breath of fresh air for her." Since then, she has had trouble finding the right man. Sometimes she longs for a time when things were different. She remembers her school years when the boys were raised to be polite and respectful toward women. Today, social mores have deteriorated. "I only see disrespect from people. It seems that this started to appear only recently when the economy collapsed, everybody grew mean. People are unsatisfied with the government, with the way they live, and this tension is reflected in human relations." It has made her weary, and she is tired of waiting for life to improve in Ukraine. "I do not see any future in this country," Belova said. "I am tired of the constant blows to the country's economy and in my personal life. I want to find a person who could become my soul mate and then I want to leave this country." Belova is an air-traffic controller by profession, but she has been unemployed for four years. She left her job when her boss made a pass at her and threatened to fire her if she didn't comply with his wishes. "I just could not stand this kind of attitude, and now it is very difficult to find a new job." Seeing no other way out, Belova went to Rendezvous. ... At Rendezvous there are more than 800 female clients in the pool - and the number of clients is growing. It is a competitive process; the younger and prettier women tend to get more offers than the others. Most women begin to study English so they can write to their potential husbands. Those who don't know English seek the help of interpreters to correspond with their prospective life partners. ... The price depends on the number of women they want to meet. Some men pay up to $1,000 searching for their Ukrainian wife. Some agencies offer discounts on older women. The agency Veronica will cut 50 percent off the regular price for men who choose a woman over the age of 40. At Rendezvous, Grigor sees a wide range of female clients, ranging in age from 18 to 55. "Sometimes a mother brings her 18-year-old daughter to me and asks to help find a decent man who would be a good husband for her child." Grigor says. "Many different women come to me: divorced, those who have kids, single - and they are all desperate." They want their lives to be put in order, they want their children and parents to have a decent and secure life "just like in any other developed country," said Elena Korol, a 23-year-old divorcee who wants to marry an American man. Belova is aware that many think that these are merely marriages of convenience. "We are known as very good wives and have won the reputation of being feminine and caring, unlike the feminist women in the West. And it is not a secret that we live very poor and want to get out of here." It's not just a desperate act, Belova contends. "The main thing is not just to leave the country, but to be able to build a stable family and know that your children will have a future," she said. Belova has not found anybody yet, but she is not worried. She has chosen the country of her dreams - Switzerland, or somewhere near. "I hope that somebody will like me, and we will build a family." |
That's hilarious. |