The Russian Revolution is here..

Why Are Russian Women seeking partners abroad? Unlike Americans, they understand the realities of life all too well. They are unpretentious, down-to-earth, and their views of relationships have not been ruined by unreasonable expectations. They are not yet subverted by the onslaught of media and remain highly educated, cultured and conversational.

The ladies seeking foreign husbands and companions come from an elite class - many can write in English, most can speak some English and some are quite conversant. Also, the American glorification of youth is not evident in Russia, Ukraine or Latvia. Age difference is much less a factor. Traditionally, these ladies expect to marry a gentlemen 10 to 20 years older. Russians, Ukranians and Latvians are enamored with everything western, especially American, and the ladies consider it quite an honor to have a western boyfriend. In public they will always take your arm to trumpet this fact. It must be said, however, that the ladies of the European Connections Network are not poverty-stricken, desperately seeking a way out of their homeland. They are more concerned with finding the right man, and you represent everything their men are not: sophisticated, healthy, energetic, financially secure, considerate and sober.

The New York Times reports that a great shortage of Russian, Ukranian men aged 30 to 50 has developed over the last 15 years because of the dramatic increase in occupational deaths, regional wars, alcoholism, smoking and stress. Male life expectancy is 56 and falling. Females live to age 73, on average: the largest gender difference in the world. Furthermore, millions of Ukrainian and Russian men have gone to the oil fileds, mines, and factories of Siberia and the Far East. Because of health factors, American men have 10-15 years cosmetic advantage over their Eastern European counterparts after age 35; furthermore; the men of these countries historically treat women very badly and don't know how to function in a free trade society.

So the women are not looking simply for an exit out of their country. If given a choice, they would keep their Western husband in their homeland, but realize this is not a probable option.