[_Cicero]

I recently spent a week in Russia for an interview. I'll be moving there this summer. Here were my thoughts/things I learned:

Given my status as a "Californian", my value in the eyes of women is substantially higher in Russia than in America. Perhaps not on par with my status in Japan or Brazil (I'm tall, blonde hair, blue eyes), but in fact not far off. (I'm not really from California, but I live there now and this elicits a certain emotional response from women in a way in which the midwest would not...) There is a slice of upper-crust Russians who really have a western-fetish.

I set up a few dates pre-arrival on the internet. Response rates were much higher in Russia than on OKC in the US. The girls come DTF, although I fucked up my first two dates by not paying for drinks when the bill came after the girls had already indicated they'd come back to my hotel... (Basically should have read the forums...)

I also confirm that teasing and cocky funny appears less effective. Russian women are different animals from American women.

Though I had heard good things, I was also unprepared for the extent to which Russian Dyevushka are superior to American women in terms of appearance and feminine quality.

Contrary to what I've heard on this forum, at the clubs in Red October (highly recommended -- these have to be on par or close to what you'd find in LA or NYC), nearly every girl I talked to knew some English. This was nearly the opposite from the daytime, when few girls seemed to speak English.

After a day of exhausting interviews, i hit the clubs still wearing my suit. I felt I made inroads with nearly every group I approached and every girl I talked to. I wasted two hours talking to a Russo-Israeli girl, but getting nowhere. Why do I mention this? Because this girl was perhaps the hottest girl I've ever seen in person -- she may have been an 11. I ran through all the game I know and got nowhere, so I met two other girls right next to her and things quickly escalated. She then left.

I eventually settled on a model with fake tits (and I suspect a fake ass). She had me at "I do booty dance for you". Suffice to say I liked her booty dance. We went to the bathroom together, but the security tossed me out like a gay rights activist in Red Square. Had to settle for her number (brought a phone and simply bought a sim card there). She came over to my hotel at 2AM the last night I was there, even though she had to be at work by 10AM.

I can confirm that even well-educated Russians will drop racist and anti-gay comments like its nothing.

I'm a huge fan of the face controlled clubs...

I actually got around just fine with my 8 words of Russian. For the return, I'm learning Russian, but while I expect it to put more dyevushka in play, I'm not so sure it will help my game that much given that I just don't have the time to develop really good russian -- for me this would take six months of dedicated study. This is six months I don't have. Instead I have an hour a day, maybe two...

Contingent on getting my Visa (I'm sweating this due to my employment history), despite the rise in anti-foreign sentiment among the working class, I actually suspect the annexation of Crimea, by likely reducing the number of westerners in Moscow, could make things even more favorable than they already are. And they are already too easy.

And thus I am struck by my good fortune. The path that led me to Russia began when I got sick for 2 years, damaging my career. Then after getting healthy, I managed to get it back on track, and then was stabbed in the back by a superior. Hence, banished to Russia with Ed Snowden, while people around me feel sorry for me, like my grandmother died. Except, my salary will be outrageous, and to live in Moscow as a status-having member of the 1% will be like being a Beatle touring America in 1963. Was it all for the best? To early to tell (to paraphrase Zhou Enlai), but in this thread I'll share the story of what happens next.

[Hispanic_Reasoning]

(03-26-2014 01:26 AM)_Cicero Wrote:  

I can confirm that even well-educated Russians will drop racist and anti-gay comments like its nothing.

[rudebwoy]

Awesome Report!

Welcome to the thread and I wish more newbies would come in like you.

[Enjoying Manila]

(03-26-2014 01:26 AM)_Cicero Wrote:  

Contrary to what I've heard on this forum, at the clubs in Red October (highly recommended -- these have to be on par or close to what you'd find in LA or NYC), nearly every girl I talked to knew some English. This was nearly the opposite from the daytime, when few girls seemed to speak English.

Of course, as in, semi-pros are opposite to good, 'normal' girls.

No offense, but I am not very impressed by your 'Moscow success' : you are young, Californian and wealthy in Moscow, and you just pull 1 semi-pro with "fake tits". You should do better, and so I wish you : Raise your targets, get some good, non-pro, fresh girls. With genuine boobs.

(and, one more proof that day-game brings you muuuch better quality girls)

[samsamsam]

(03-26-2014 12:55 PM)Enjoying Manila Wrote:  

Of course, as in, semi-pros are opposite to good, 'normal' girls.

No offense, but I am not very impressed by your 'Moscow success' : you are young, Californian and wealthy in Moscow, and you just pull 1 semi-pro with "fake tits". You should do better, and so I wish you : Raise your targets, get some good, non-pro, fresh girls. With genuine boobs.

(and, one more proof that day-game brings you muuuch better quality girls)

His goal wasn't to impress you, I imagine it was to share.

Maybe I am missing it but your comments seem a bit condescending.

I always thought the goal of this forum was to help one another.

[Enjoying Manila]

(03-26-2014 12:59 PM)samsamsam Wrote:  

(03-26-2014 12:55 PM)Enjoying Manila Wrote:  

Of course, as in, semi-pros are opposite to good, 'normal' girls.

No offense, but I am not very impressed by your 'Moscow success' : you are young, Californian and wealthy in Moscow, and you just pull 1 semi-pro with "fake tits". You should do better, and so I wish you : Raise your targets, get some good, non-pro, fresh girls. With genuine boobs.

(and, one more proof that day-game brings you muuuch better quality girls)

His goal wasn't to impress you, I imagine it was to share.

As someone who has spent time in Moscow, I just wanted to give him an advice : In his situation, he should aim for top-quality, fresh and gorgeous women. The kind he will maybe meet at his work, or through day-game.

[_Cicero]

Re: Enjoying Manila -- Samsam is correct -- I didn't share the story to brag about my exploits, or to try to claim I'm god's gift to women, I wrote to share what I experienced. In fact I'll confess I'm a decent looking guy with totally average game in the US for someone who's read the pickup literature. I guess I can only aspire to be a master p.i.m.p. like Enjoying (the prostitutes) in Manila.

[samsamsam]

Cicero,

Keep posting, this stuff is great when people are talking about their experiences.

And it's 3 sams, bastard

Just kidding, welcome to the forum.

And good luck in Russia.

If you really wanna do it right, get a roosh shirt and take pics of it on the girls you bang. Like this http://www.rooshvforum.network/thread-21...#pid401975

[TripleG]

"and thus I am struck by my good fortune. The path that led me to Russia began when I got sick for 2 years, damaging my career. Then after getting healthy, I managed to get it back on track, and then was stabbed in the back by a superior. Hence, banished to Russia with Ed Snowden, while people around me feel sorry for me, like my grandmother died. Except, my salary will be outrageous, and to live in Moscow as a status-having member of the 1% will be like being a Beatle touring America in 1963. Was it all for the best?"

_Cicero, you are truly a lucky guy, many guys on this forum would give their left nut up just to be able to have a high paying job in Russia and be surrounded by all those supermodels. Moscow is Kiev x3 (and before visiting Moscow a few years back I thought Kiev was as close to paradise as possible for pickup). If you don't mind me asking what type of job do you have? Also, did you notice any anti-American hostility while in Moscow due to the total stupidity of American government and them enacting economic sanctions?

[_Cicero]

Re: TripleG -- yes, I feel fortunate. Actually, I was in Moscow just before everything happened in Crimea, so really could not detect any anti-American sentiment. However, I know several Russians in the US who've lived most of their lives in the US, but who likely get their news about the motherland from their actual mothers who get their news from state-controlled Russian sources. Shockingly, these Americans of Russian descent believe the world is being unfair to Russia and that Crimea is no worse than the US's involvement in Kosovo, they see NATO as an anti-Russian conspiracy, etc. etc.. If college educated Americans of Russian descent believe Putin did a good thing by standing up to American hegemony, I can only imagine what Sergei the plumber thinks.

I work in "research". Unfortunately, can't be more specific than that. It's so specialized I would be identifying myself...

[presidentcarter]

Good stuff. Let me know when you get here to stay.

[samsamsam]

(03-26-2014 07:08 PM)TripleG Wrote:  

_Cicero, you are truly a lucky guy, many guys on this forum would give their left nut up just to be able to have a high paying job in Russia and be surrounded by all those supermodels. Moscow is Kiev x3 (and before visiting Moscow a few years back I thought Kiev was as close to paradise as possible for pickup). If you don't mind me asking what type of job do you have? Also, did you notice any anti-American hostility while in Moscow due to the total stupidity of American government and them enacting economic sanctions?

_Cicero I am calling the couch for my visit, unless you get a two bedroom Then I'm calling the 2nd bedroom

[Sharky Jackson]

3. Big-Baller Troll
Even if you have a topless Scarlett Johansson currently grinding against your cock, while lavishing you with syrupy praise--making it near-impossible to type your RooshVForum post--Big-Baller Troll still has more game than you. It's interesting that a guy who lays down so much pipe invariably makes retarded remarks about game or asks very elementary questions. Still, he will often excoriate and brow-beat others--with impressive Internet Courage--with bold assertions about his championship-level game, with little proof or indicator that it actually exists.


OP's post count/claim combination makes me

[jimukr104]

(03-26-2014 08:45 PM)_Cicero Wrote:  

Re: TripleG -- yes, I feel fortunate. Actually, I was in Moscow just before everything happened in Crimea, so really could not detect any anti-American sentiment. However, I know several Russians in the US who've lived most of their lives in the US, but who likely get their news about the motherland from their actual mothers who get their news from state-controlled Russian sources. Shockingly, these Americans of Russian descent believe the world is being unfair to Russia and that Crimea is no worse than the US's involvement in Kosovo, they see NATO as an anti-Russian conspiracy, etc. etc.. If college educated Americans of Russian descent believe Putin did a good thing by standing up to American hegemony, I can only imagine what Sergei the plumber thinks.

I work in "research". Unfortunately, can't be more specific than that. It's so specialized I would be identifying myself...

What is your point? I am one of those American born Russians. Putin exposed western hypicrisy for what it is.
The Crimea was Russia's..NO educated person could dispute that.
You assume a lot if you think they are getting their news from their moms who watch Russian tv. Our western sources are propaganda(CNN,FOX,Washington post) and even they have experts that say US/EU started the whole crisis. You should read the Ukraine conflict thread.
Good news for you is that Sergei the plumber didn't like us that much before

[_Cicero]

Cool -- anyone have advice about where to live in Moscow? I haven't yet started to think seriously about it, as in part I heard that open apartments fill quickly in Moscow, and so you'll have a series of take-it-or-leave it options you have to move on quickly. Given how good the Metro is, my only inclination so far is to be very close to a Metro. Unfortunately, my work is not near a metro, which is why I'm actually contemplating bringing my car. Doing so would cost a lot of money due to the import tariff, but if you drive in you can apparently get this tariff waived. (Anyone have experience with this?) On the other hand, since cars are so expensive in Russia, it's got to be a nice status symbol, seemingly so important in Eastern Europe... On the other hand, driving in Moscow is dangerous, and bringing my car implies more contact with police, which I'd prefer to avoid.

@Sharky -- My post/claim makes you what? I don't speak emoticon.

@Prez & Triple Sam -- fo' sho', visa willing will be there sometime in july.

@jimukr104 -- My point was that the Russian annexation of Crimea has succeeded in igniting anti-Western sentiment in Russia. Your post is more evidence of this.

[_Cicero]

So, _Cicero is back. I'll now be heading to Rossiya in a couple of weeks. Looking forward to it.

I was wondering what the cheapest way of getting money out of Russia is going to be? Anyone know? From what I've heard it's changing Rubles to dollars at exchange houses in Moscow, and then bringing quantities less than $10,000 back with you when you fly out of the country. International wire transfers will dock at least 1%, which a good exchange will only knick you .3%.

In any case, while doing this I found an article on avoiding international ATM fees which will be of interest for frequent travellers: http://thepointsguy.com/2013/07/avoiding...ng-abroad/

Note that not all of the info is correct -- Citi actually charges 3% to withdrawal money from a US account at a Citi ATM in Moscow. Charles Schwab charges no fees for ATM withdrawals anywhere in the world. That's amazing, as I just got raped on fees in Brazil using Bank of America...

[Tough lucky Luke]

(07-09-2014 06:48 PM)_Cicero Wrote:  

So, _Cicero is back. I'll now be heading to Rossiya in a couple of weeks. Looking forward to it.

I was wondering what the cheapest way of getting money out of Russia is going to be?

Why would you get money out of Russia?? The whole point is, having fun and spending all your money on women and booze, in Russia!

[_Cicero]

Yeah bro, I feel you, but I don't want to be a wage worker my whole life... I need to save and invest.

[Tough lucky Luke]

Invest in good fun and good memories

But seriously, if you have thousands of dollars on you, be careful at the airport (X ray machines see the banknotes!)... and on your way to the airport, of course!

[BigDave]

I live in Moscow. Lots of good areas to live. The Russians consider the "green" areas the best to live, and lots of those aren't in the very center. Frunzenskaya embankment is one of the closest in, and it's outside the garden ring. Lots of other good regions like that.

If it were me and I had shit tons of money to live wherever I'd live in Zamoskvareche, which is the area right across the river from the Kremlin (metro Tretyakovskaya). Great convergence of metro lines there, and nice streets to walk around. That would also put you in walking distance to red october. Opinions differ though. If you plan on bringing your car I'd live further out, but I would strongly recommend against it. Don't forget for half the year driving conditions are just terrible and traffic is almost never good.

I'd live somewhere central close to a metro convergence point. Living on the ring line can be really great, very convenient to get around.

EDIT: Also if you don't know already, the tool all the real estate agents use is cian.ru. I'd still suggest getting an agent, but they all use that site as the database, so you can get a sense of what's available. No English version, but you can search by all parameters you'd expect (by metro station, time walking to station, price range, room range, furnished, etc.)

[BigDave]

As for the best way to get money out, I wouldn't worry about dodging the 1% fee on wire transfers. Once you live abroad for a while you realize currency rates are bouncing around way more than 1%, so I just don't worry about it anymore.

Some banks are better than others on the rates. The standard advice is that Unicredit and Raiffeisen are the best for currency transfers. I have an account with them, and also a Sberbank account (which is great b/c their ATM's are everywhere).

But yes, you can take cash back if you want.

[_Cicero]

Thanks for the tips Big Dave.

I was all set to ship my car to Helsinki (paid for by my institution) and drive it to Moscow from there, thus evading the import tariffs, when I read that Putin is deporting people for minor traffic violations: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-13...-loom.html

Decided I didn't want to fuck with that. I do suspect having a nice car would be a huge DHV in Moscow though.

The green spaces would be good. Last trip I stayed in a hotel near the train station, and inhaled lots of the foul-smelling billowing black smoke that comes out of Russian trains. That's not shit I want to inhale and absorb on my skin on a daily basis...

[Constitution45]

I don't see the point in driving around Moscow, there is ridiculous amounts of traffic and the metro is reasonable enough, cheap, fast and efficient. As for DHV, if you are a Westerner with some game, wearing suits and having a high income salary; you shouldn't have to concern yourself with buying a car for DHV. take in mind the dating scene in Russia is very different to in America, the men aren't expected to be performing monkeys over there.

People will suggest different locations in Moscow, the areas inside the large circle are the most expensive. Personally I don't see the problem with moving outside of the circle. Locations such as Markstiskaya, Pervomayskaya are my favourite, the latter being the one I would move to. It's further out but reminds me of New York, air is fresher too. Inside the circle Kievskaya, Pushkinskaya, Barrikadnaya are good locations, although they will be very expensive.

I wouldn't concern yourself with "Anti Western sentiment". The mindset is different to the West, they may appear more aggressive and rude, but you will find over time that they are mostly very sincere and will value your friendship, relationship, whatever it is a whole lot more, than back home in the West. Over in Moscow, me alongside other foreigners found it easy to make Russian friends and girlfriends. They may not be politically correct but they value honesty a lot more. Also the Western media does over blow Russia as being a rogue European state that is dangerous to live in as a foreigner.

[DaveR]

Your company should be providing a car and driver. It's standard with management positions and other specialists who are above the $10k/month mark.

[_Cicero]

Yes, they should be providing a car and a driver. But no. And my workplace is also not near any metro stations -- hence the desire to have a car.

I'll choose a place to live on a direct bus route from my work, and very close to a metro. Means I likely won't have that many options. I'm definitely not going for a pimped-out apartment within the first ring, as I suspect Moscow's sky-high price level will eat into my generous salary...