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ronin1
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| Joined: | Saturday January 21st, 2006 |
| Location: | S.F. Bay Area, California USA |
| Posts: | 622 |
| Visits: | 7 | | Currently: | married |
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Posted: Saturday October 13th, 2007 06:39 am |
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All Russian Brides Want a Clever Man…
For most WM starting out in this endeavor, he will be reading many agency sites where RW profiles are asking, from among other sterling attributes, a “clever” man. I’m sure that most are aware that all is not as it seems because of cultural differences and that accurate meanings can easily get lost in translation. There are many Russian words that have no comparable translations at all and must be explained sometimes at great lengths to grasp the full meaning.
Many WM would construe “clever” to describe a person that is intelligent in making use of all available resources. This word also has a tone of underhandedness or of doing things that may not be 100% morally, ethically or legally correct. So, initially, to read large numbers of RW profiles that are requesting a man that is loyal, kind, decent and clever somehow doesn’t strike true as a proper and consistent set of qualities. After a time it is very easy for a WM to dismiss “clever” as one of those anomalies in interpretation where the true meaning must be something akin to “intelligent.” This assumption would make sense and fit nicely into that set of qualities that I just mentioned. However, as with many assumptions, this would be a mistake.
Russian cleverness is a mix of street smarts, opportunism, intelligence and skill. Under normal Russian conditions a clever man will prosper. Under worst conditions he will survive. This is a man who can and will do whatever it takes to insure the survival of his family.
Life in Russia is uncertain at best. For most Russians, just getting by day-to-day is a 24/7 task. It is a society that is based on concepts of survival. On top of that there are the threats of black days (catastrophes) that can happen at any time. A clever man has his fingers in many pies with multiple avenues to gather resources when in need.
He is someone who seems to always have something going on the side. Whether it is negotiating small deals, bartering his services or acting as an impromptu driver he is always on the go when an opportunity arises to make a few extra rubles.
Making money is just the half of it. Not letting go of what he made is the rest. A clever man will not let his money slip through his fingers. A clever man will get many things for free and what he has to buy will be at the best quality for least price. Sometimes the effort of acquisition may far exceed the value of an item but that is no matter. A person’s time has much less value in Russia.
A clever man is a handy man and would be more inclined to repair things that break and install new things by himself. Money is typically a rare commodity in Russia. A clever man will tinker, struggle and hammer until a product works or is positively certain the task is beyond his means.
A clever man believes in recycling. That abandoned warehouse at the edge of town was the main source of materials for his dacha that he built from scratch. The stone fence came from leaving of the local quarry. The timbers came from the nearby forest. Those things that are difficult to come by, he would use his personal resources to find a way to barter and/or borrow.
So you see, a “clever” man goes way beyond what a WM may have thought. For RW, initially any WM may appear clever at first. The average WM has financial means that is well beyond that of the average RM. In that, it would appear at first glance that any average WM has amass financial wealth which is often the result of considerable cleverness.
In the West we tend to be specialists in order to maximize our earning capacity. In doing so we often forsake our ability to be self-sufficient in other aspects of life. Initially, RW will respect a Western husband for his ability to earn a living, however if he is later found to be frivolous with money (in the Russian sense) and/or is not skillful in retaining it for the family in all aspects mentioned above, the RW may loose respect and even develop resentment. Often, RW believe we are clever by vurtue of being able to meet them in Russia. This is so easy to do on our part. Their expectations are set and if their belief is not reaffirmed in their new homeland, they may feel mislead and even betrayed.
I would go so far to say that being clever is one of the attributes of the elusive ideal Russian soul. As such, any WM that is clever has a better chance to truly understand and capture a RW’s soul. With this you will not only have her respect, but her infinite love.
RoninLast edited on Tuesday March 4th, 2008 07:54 pm by ronin1
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