Once I was invited to a formal party given by an embassy. The party was nothing special, but years later I still clearly remember one speech given by an ex-embassy worker. The man was on the verge of tears as he addressed the men in the audience, telling them that the locals did not understand their luck at being surrounded by beautiful and intelligent women 's a combination that seemed near impossible to the speaker.
The women in the room would be offended if the man wasn't so pathetic. Instead the ladies had a great laugh of triumph.
Pitiful as that speaker was, his words held a grain of truth. Ladies in the Baltic countries are unique. They make a great number of men return again and again to Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. They make the same men stop in bewilderment on the street. They are well educated 's most of them speak at least three languages 's have good intuition and are stunningly beautiful.
The phenomenon that is Baltic women has been discussed in many places of the world. What we have here is proof of the wonderful possibilities that can arise through an odd mix of bloodlines and cultural values. In addition to their looks, Baltic women have immaculate taste, manners, and above all a strong sense of dignity.
For many years local ladies were taught to make a flawless first impression. Suffering from lack of men after the wars of the 20th century, their mothers and grandmothers tried their best to give their daughters the tools needed to overcome severe competition.
These tools included music, ballet, and foreign languages 's but the most treasured talent the Baltic women have is giving love and appreciation.
Old fashioned feminist views were never popular in the Baltic States. Here, the old stereotype that "every woman needs a man" is still very pertinent.
The complex suffered by unmarried women is still obvious today, even though moral values changed again after the countries regained independence.
This often incomprehensible mix of ancient complexes and modern day freedoms, combined with a healthy dose of European values, has resulted in some strange interpretations of seemingly simple concepts. Here are just a few examples.
COMFORT
In order to begin to understand Baltic women we have to consider what the word "comfort" means to them. Feeling "comfortable" is not quite being relaxed, as many would consider it, but rather feeling beautiful.
High heels are extremely comfortable as they make the legs longer. Skirts are comfortable even when traveling because skirts are elegant. A wooden chair is more comfortable than a sofa because it helps them sit straight.
For the local ladies, the traditional interpretation of comfort, in which it becomes an end in itself, is the greatest enemy of their elegance.
FEMININITY
Though they are in reality very strong, local women like to portray themselves as weak. They want the difficulties of life to be resolved by men as quickly and painlessly as possible.
I know an American living in Riga whose girlfriend used to work in a pharmaceutical company. She was a hard worker but inexperienced in dealing with company politics. With business-savvy advice, the American helped her make the right decisions at work and win a promotion. After the great promotion, the couple had a romantic dinner in celebration of the occasion.
Being proud both for his girlfriend and himself, the American was surprised to learn that the girl was disappointed at how things had turned out. She would have preferred him to use his connections to promote her without wasting time. What the American considered a gift of knowledge and experience was for the woman the exact opposite 's proof of the boyfriend's shallow feelings for the girl.
INTUITION
Great intuition is another asset local ladies have. Here in the Baltics, one can confidently say that a woman generally has better intuition than a man. As children brought up in difficult surroundings and forced to look after themselves from an early age, people from countries full of wars and oppression are more capable of relying on intuition to make quick decisions.
Most local ladies instantly feel if a man is worth their time. This intuition helps them create beautiful relationships, as well as to be understandable and caring partners 's but only if they are impressed by their first impression.
GIVING ATTENTION
Every woman needs attention, something that is even more true for the women of the Baltics.With full knowledge of what they are ready to give, they also know what they want to take.
American style values such as "sharing the bill" or "not opening the door in front of a lady" could be considered a joke here.
Showing an emotional investment is even more important. Because of centuries of cultural integration people from the Baltic States are more open than many Europeans. Never be afraid to seem too eager in building a relationship with a Baltic lady. Here in the Baltics, being interested in a woman's feelings and needs is much better than putting on a show of being cold and distant.
Though Baltic ladies may at first seem a confusing enigma, puzzling through their complexes may prove well worth it to those men who really do understand their luck at being surrounded by the beautiful and intelligent women of the Baltics.
