visit ukraine

I’m Ukrainian but I haven’t been able to go there in a long time! I was only 6 when I moved to the States so it’ll be awsome to visit it again! I’m starting to save up for next summer to go! I can’t wait haha.

Someday

I <3 Ukraine!

I went last fall. I stumbled upon some pictures of Kiev, and fell for the place. I studied the language for a few months before I went, I should have done more even though I spoke a little Russian, Ukraine is just enough different , So study hard, learn all you can about the places that you want to see. Some of the sites that I managed to get to were amazing to say the least. For me one of the hardest things that I had to do while there was to head back to the airport. I just didn’t want to leave so soon after getting there. So one last advice would be to give yourself at least 10 days there. There is so much to see and to do , I am planning a trip there for sometime in the next month or so.

Went in 1998. Didn’t see much of Kiev, but saw Donetsk, Mariupol, and nearby locations. Met many great people. Very fond memories from that trip. Went with church Choir and got to see more of the day to day stuff. Quite an amazing experience, all told.

I need to cuz my gramma lives there and this summer shes turning 70 years old!!!

:D

my connection with the ukraine began last summer, when I met a girl called lylia from the ukraine who stayed with our church family. I fell for her. but then when she left I tried to forget about her cos I didn’t think I’d ever really see her again, I only had her email. but then I was invited to be part of a youth team going out to ukraine. Lylia turned out to be one of our interpreters! so she interpreted mainly for me to the church. Well so I decide to risk everything and buy her some flowers and tell her that I love her. surprisingly it works. I cry my eyes out all the way home since I get so attached to the place. I’m an orphan, and I had a couple of the women in the church adopting me as their son, tying green bands round my wrists, sewing me the fattest socks in the world which I have to use as sandals. or if they get especially stinky from wearing, they could make a good distraction for a ferious rockweiller (if I’m in that situation); and naming me a son of the ukraine. When I come back its like I’m trying to become ukrainian, I start intensively learning russian. I return a couple of months later, spend some time with lylia, help out at the church, and with the pastor’s family I stay with in the village. I stayed for 3 weeks at a time. then I returned a final time, it was an ill fated trip. lylia went looony on me. we celebrated new years day and my birthday with lylia’s dopted family then 5 hours later, she doens’t want to know me anymore. and from then on I just wanted to go home, the trip was a night mare. the girl broke my heart. we had christmas celebration which is in January in the ukraine. They traditionally eat salads on new year and christmas, very nice ones though, mixed with meat, and lots of beetroot. we were only ever friends but we liked each other, and she was the only women I have ever deeply cared about and wanted to marry. I wanted to move over there after I graduated to help at the church and get married to lylia. Anyway that’s my sob story. Ukraine mentality is very different. They want a mega strong man who can work his but off for his family. they have a mentality that they must avoid poverty by hard work, and they are a bit obsessed with it. anyway I was not strong enough for her. other stuff about the ukraine, borshe is the best food in the world served with cmetana (sour cream) kvas, and compot (boiled fruit) are the main drinks. watch out for manholes, I nearly died twice, I was told about a girl who fell down one and went for a wee trip throught the sewers and was found with broken arms someone else in town. and drivers, there’s more potholes than there are sunspots on the sun- it feels like speed bumps on steroids. worthwhile, but go with someone else otherwise it’ll be boring and watch out when you go into the fairy tale looking green churches, touch the walls and you’ll be carried out in a body bag! they are very old (the walls and the attendant) and don’t fall for anyone. ukraining women are pretty but completely career absessed and fussy as old women. don’t know if I’ll ever go back again. pictures of me and lylia’s adopted family.

Tickets are booked. 3 weeks till we go. I can’t wait. Still needing to book some hotels/hostels, and figure out what I want to see, get tips/ advice, etc. But it’s uber-close.

Ukraine is probably for the more experienced traveler, it is difficult. Reason being that they just recently opened up to tourism and really don’t know how to deal with foreigners. Make sure you have your ticket OUT before you go IN. This was a stressful situation (the bus company would send us to the train co, the train company would send us right back to the bus company.The private buses would send us to the public bus…aaahh) The alphabet is different, so words are so different you can’t even show thing to people when you need help. Maybe learn more words than you think you should. Otherwise it’s really an experience. There are castles and tons of history, crazy cab drivers that are really nice but don’t know a bit of English. You really have to be able to tough this one out though.

It’s a great place! I’ve been living here for 18 months and love it. I didn’t even know where it was on the map 20 months ago. :-)

People are friendly, the weather is great (for me), long sunny summers and long freezing cold winters, & lots & lots of snow :-)))