Once, eating at an upscale restaurant in a small town in the United States, I overheard a conversation between several people sitting next to me joking about an ordered bride and how low their demands were: “Here’s a glass of clean water for you, sweetheart. ” Bursts of laughter. At first, I was angry, because I had heard that Russian women seeking international marriage were labeled “mail order brides” in the United States and, being from Russia, I totally disagreed with the label. At the same time, there is nothing wrong with making fun of the concept of a woman “sent in a box” to her husband who lives in a richer country (especially to make people aware that this situation actually happened) but when this image is generalized for certain nationalities or for women from certain countries, then it is really not acceptable.

It is interesting to note that this expression is only known in Western countries. If you go to Russia, Belarus, Ukraine – in short, the countries of the former Soviet Union which are sometimes still commonly referred to as Russia – and ask if they have heard of “ordered brides,” you will be surprised to find that practically it is not anyone know that term. So before you bond with your beloved woman from Russia, make sure she understands what she might encounter in her new country. The following suggestions are based on concrete observations made in recent years.

Russian women are very popular among Western men because of their extraordinary beauty and caring nature. Their Slavic legacy generously gave them attractive looks and good skills in caring for the home and family. Population differences between men and women in Russia give women a good incentive to maintain their appearance and to get married abroad. However, … Read More