Like so many mail order brides, Lena has a university degree, and speaks workable English -- she needs to expand her vocabulary, and get a better mastery of tenses, cases, etc. I'd be delighted if, at first, she made enough to cover her own pocket money and maybe part of the expense of calling Ukraine and supporting her parents. But given her English, and the state of the economy, I think it's likely that at first she'll have to settle for a low-wage service sector job. Even that might be difficult to come by, so now I think she would do well to work as a volunteer.

To my mind it's at least as important that mail order brides get out of the house and use English, as it is that they make money. And volunteer gigs can lead to good references and contacts. Either way, I figure that if she always has to come for me for spending money, it could lead to tension. So I've set aside a few hundred dollars for her -- not really so much, for the Washington DC area. And I radically reduced my expectations for her first few months here. We both agree that she'll have to get some kind of job, but now I think she'd do well if, after a month or two, her English improves and she has a good feel for the city, the transit system, how to apply for a job, etc. I always try to emphasize to Lena that finances will be tight at first, and that it's not likely that she's going to get a job with much money or status right away. One thing that worries me is that this doesn't seem to sink in -- to my mind, limited expectations are essential to making this experiment work.... On the other hand, mail order brides are resourceful and intelligent, and really, it's difficult to describe how life will be different here. I'm betting that she'll rise to the occasion. mail order brides and money allowances