Let me introduce you to a few of them – a tiny fraction of many thousands Russian women that found their love and marriage with western men.

But first, a reality check:

* What kind of Russian women are seeking partners abroad, do you think?

-- Some desperate, poor girls that try to better their lot in life by “selling themselves”?

** Who are men that seek Russian brides, do you think?

-- Some old, unattractive losers, who cannot attract any woman at home?

Do those answers make sense to you? Then read on – you are up to a surprise!

Meet real-life Russian brides:

1) Marina Smiley, MD – married to an American she met online.

Medical Doctor by education, Marina used to have her own successful company back in Russia; author or popular eBooks “The shocking truth about Russian brides” (http://www.womenrussia.com/aboutrussianbrides.htm) and “Sex and love with Russian women” (http://www.womenrussia.com/datingrw.htm). Marina hates hype of Russian marriage agencies and believes it is about time to set up record straight in regard to Russian women seeking men for marriage.

2) Olga Sapp – M-degree in journalistic, married to an American man for more than 5 years.

Olga is Editor of popular Russian Women Magazine http://www.russianwomenmagazine.com - a magazine for Russian women living abroad and for interested men. She used to be a successful TV-journalist back in Russia, and knows media industry from A to Z.

3) Elena Hughes – M-degree, married to an American man she met online.

The age group in which a youth is, signifies transformation of an adolescent to a young person, which usually is accompanied with trials and tribulations of a 'child' in becoming a 'grown-up'. A bundle of exuberant but undirected energy, he derives pleasure in taking risks and experimenting with new things. He craves to taste 'forbidden fruits' in his quest for attaining recognition and status amongst his peers. Such a behaviour often brings him in open or concealed conflict with his parents and 'parent figures' which leads to much discussed 'conflict of generations' and 'generation gap'. The situation has been further complicated due to fast paced social transformation brought in society by rapid industrialisation, urbanisation and rural-urban migration. It has eroded traditional, informal, social control mechanisms and has even brought in changes in structure of family, from joint to nuclear, or at best an extended family.

The 'media explosion' has shrunken world, especially for youth, and they are now more aware of things around. This has also raised their level of aspiration and ambition. With materialism, consumerism and individualism gaining ascendancy, modern youth is drifting away from his traditional roots and finds it difficult to cope with ever increasing social pressures. Further, increasing economic pressures compel more and more parents to take full time employment leaving a child, more so a youth, alone in house or in company of friends. With no adequate programmes available to keep them busy, they become easy prey to anti-social activities including drug-abuse.

There may be various reasons for a youth to take to drug abuse, from just curiosity and a tendency to experiment with. It may be an expression of his revolt against established authority, a way of gaining recognition in his group or he may just not be able to say 'NO', when offered.