Tell me about Estonia and Latvia....

[b donka]

Partially agree w/ Peter666. For background, I lived in Russia for four years in the late 90s and have been to both Latvia and Estonia over 5 times.
The women in these countries are world-class and model-hot. Granted not every one is, but there are an amazing number of smoking hot chicks w/ great bodies (partially cause by the fact they walk almost everywhere)

Don't agree w/ the take on the economic conditions. Both countries have been hailed for their economic progress and both were accepted as full members of EU in 2004 (an amazing accomplishment). Both were quick to distance themselves from Russia as they embraced the Western philosophy and technology. The middle class, generally regarded as the backbone of a solid economy, also developed quickly. Based on my observations of former USSR countries is that, Gen X and Y have a huge advantage b/c they were quicker to "westernize" whereas the older generations spent much more of their lives/careers following the old style. This is especially true in Tallinn, Riga, and St. Petersburg.

I'll acknowledge there is poverty in both countries - as there is poverty in New York, Las Vegas, London, and virtually ever other country in the world. I would also think that if someone did a term in the peace corps or their church, they're going to be working w/ the poor, sick et al. Naturally, one is going to think the people they work w/ are representative of a larger part of

Quicksilvre, yes you needed to get permission to visit Latvia and Estonia, but the real coveted vacation spots were on the Black Sea (generally Sochi) and Malta.

Wife meeting parties: I was lucky enough to witness one when I lived in Moscow. I had left my jacket at a club and I returned the following afternoon to retrieve it. It was ~3:00 on a Saturday and I expected to find an empty club. To my surprise, there were a lot of people and it felt like a real party - loud music, dancing, drinking, smoking. As I strolled in, a woman came up to me and said "this is a private party, you can't be here." I was caught a little off guard since she spoke English, and I was used to hearing Russian 24/7. I explained that I was going to get my jacket then bail - naturally, I was curious. Strolled inside and eavesdropped on a few conversations - no doubt about it, this was a party where they take Western men, Russian ladies, add alcohol and hope that a few marriages blossom. The guys seemed like losers - dudes who were probably pretty lonely but most seemed to be loving the attention; it was obvious they felt pretty cool. the ladies were generally on the positive side of the coin. I suspect they didn't live in Moscow but rather the suburbs or nearby towns since their makeup, dresses, and overall appearance didn't look current. I would guess the women were there for the same reason as the men - they're lonely. Plus, I presume the women would rather take a chance w/ a Western man over a Russian one b/c way too many Russians are known for their drinking, cheating, laziness, and temper (manifested through spousal abuse.)
Needless to say, I strolled out of the club w/ huge boost to my self esteem.