To All:

I just wanted to share my experiences during my visit in Poltava. I am from the Dallas, TX, USA and went there on vacation for one week. The reason for my visit was initially, to visit a girl whom I had been corresponding with through one of those online dating sites ("Dream-Marriage.com") to be exact. This girl (who is from Poltava) and I had been corresponding for about a year. We had decided that I should come visit her. I won't go into all the gory details, but let me tell anyone who thinks about finding someone on a site like that: DON'T!! They are a complete waste of time and money and serve only one purpose: to-rip-you-off!! I found that out the hard way, and through first-hand experience am giving you sound advice.

It didn't matter to me though. I had already purchased my plane tickets six months ago, and they were non-refundable and I was determined to have a vacation no matter, what.

That said, I was fortunate to make some really wonderful friends there (not the least of which is the owner of this site!) and did some really spectacular things and overall had a really great time! Even though my baggage was lost and not returned by the Airport to me for three days, I made due (although it was kinda rough!) The next time I go however I shall be more learned in the Ukrainski language. As a matter of fact, I recently made a purchase on this software (http://www.byki.com/) and I highly recommend using it to learn any language. It's cheap, fast, and effective.

Now, on to my trip to Poltava. I stayed at the Gallery Hotel, which I also highly recommend to anyone visiting Poltava. It is relatively cheap (about $50 US dollars/night), clean and has English-speaking personnel working there. It is conveniently located in the "circle" or "hub" of Poltava which is also nice. I visited the "Rotunda" (Friendship of People) and a few of the museums around there, including the "War Museum"; which is absolutely a "must-see."

Again, my friends effortlessly showed me some of the highlights, including the memorial to Cossacks, some old churches and other sights. I guess the really special gift to me was, getting to see a place called "Cossacks Ranch" which, I'm guessing, is about 45 minutes drive northwest of Poltava. There, I was treated like a king and had a wonderful soup called "Vorsh" and homegrown, steamed vegetables, fresh sausage and, no meal would be complete withoug celebrating the occasion with a whole lot of Vodka! Swimming in the pleasant, cool waters of the Psol river really helped make the vacation complete and my friend and I even had to walk about 6 miles back to the bus stop, all the while admiring the beautiful Ukranian countryside!

One thing that is amazing, is the culture I found the people immersed in, there. Oh, it was true enough, what the dating Website had said about "Ukrainian women like to always dress-up fashionably." What I fail to understand, is why droves and droves of them sign-up to these Websites. Although, the next time I visit there, I shall know enough of their native-toungue to find that out for myself; it was quite obvious that the people there were genuinely sociable, and everyone there had several other people join them in the pubs and various other shops to accompany them and socialize and just have a good time in general. Why, then do thousands upon thousands of girls from this country do what they do? The answer alludes me for now. But I'm waiting to return there, if nothing else, just to visit the friends I made there during my last sojourn, and to be sure, to meet many, many more.

Originally Posted by rob_hyland

wonderful soup called "Vorsh"

Right spelling is "Borsh".

Dear Rob, it is wonderful to read such a good review about my hometown! Be sure that you would meet more new friends when you'll be back again.

Originally Posted by rob_hyland

What I fail to understand, is why droves and droves of them sign-up to these Websites. (...) Why, then do thousands upon thousands of girls from this country do what they do?

What can I honestly say to you?...
1. they're stupid enough to use these websites (as you've said too, nobody recommends to use them)
2. they have a wish to have better life with a groom in other country (not only US, also Europe, and even Arab countries).
That's only my humble opinion.