Let’s start out with the $64 question – why do women seek to marry overseas and leave the Ukraine? One of the reasons (not well known in the West) is that Ukranian and Russian women outnumber men at home. That’s because the mean life expectancy of Ukranian men is considerably lower than Ukranian women. This is partly due to rampant alcoholism along with several other factors. Naturally the primary motivation is economics – these women are acutely aware that the standard of living in Western countries is much higher than it is in their home country. That doesn’t mean that they are only after your money and will make bad wives. That depends on individual character. So take all the time you need to choose a good one.

Perhaps the wisest way to begin your search is to select a reputable international matchmaking agency. You will need to travel to the Ukraine (preferably not in the winter!) to meet the candidates personally. Out there you will be introduced to dozens of eager, eligible and beautiful women. The way the process works, you will have a date of at most a couple of hours with each candidate. Don’t be concerned because you’ll have plenty of opportunity to get to know your favorites later. The international matchmaking services take precautions to protect these women from predatory men who pretend to be interested in marriage in order to take a sex tour of the Ukraine.

Once you have identified a favorite, be sure to take the time to get to know her, no matter how much of a hurry she may seem to be in. It would be foolhardy to bring one home after your first trip abroad. After all, some women are better than others – if these women want to eliminate men who come over only to sleep with them, you are quite entitled to eliminate the women who are more interested in a green card than they are in you.

Is it possible that after a few bad experiences with local women, you are now considering the possibility of taking an overseas bride? Maybe you have a taste for adventure or are intrigued by what is unfamiliar. Whatever the reason, below are some answers to questions you may have.

1. Are overseas brides only for losers who can’t find partners in their own countries?

Of course not. It is an unfortunate truth that overseas brides sometimes attract the sorts of men that nobody back home wants, but they represent only a fraction of the men who choose overseas brides. Don’t forget that a couple of decades ago people considered “computer dating” to be a way for nerds to find dates – but today it has become a popular and accepted way to find a partner.

2. Are mail order brides all money hungry green card hounds?

Mostly not. Be careful of course – it IS a jungle out there. Just as loser men seek “mail order brides”, so do scamstresses see Western men as walking green cards (with luck they’ll all end up married to the losers). You should at least consider the services on an international matchmaking agency rather than going it alone on the free Internet sites, because if they’re reputable, then part of their fees go towards weeding out the scammers.

3. What do these women want, anyway?

The good ones want the same thing local women want -home, family, children, and love. As for the bad ones – well, need I even go into it? The point is that there are good ones out there.

4. Why are these women looking abroad for men?

A lot of reasons:

(i) They may be facing a life of poverty at home.

(ii) Their culture may relegate women to a low social status – after all, in some cultures a wife is considered little more than a maid / nanny / baby factory.

(iii) “Western guys look like movie stars” – I’m serious. Asia is the only part of the world where I get told I look like Mel Gibson. Well, we’re both white, but I’m fairly certain that’s about where the resemblance ends. But thanks anyway, Hollywood! .

(iv) It’s cold at home! If you were a Russian woman, wouldn’t you have to seriously consider a proposal from a man who lived in Orlando?