This One is for Zach: Ukraine Description

The buildings:
Ukraine LOOKS exactly how you imagine it does. Soviet apartment buildings mixed with beautiful old gold-domed churches. It took me a while to realize this, but the buildings look strange because although the main structures are uniform, the balconies, which every apartment has and are typically glassed-in are all different, giving buildings this strange pasted-together look. Alex says this is because the buildings are so old and eventually the balconies need repair, but every family can only afford to do so much, so some balconies are beautiful and made of stained hardwood, while others are tacked together with old pieces of rusted metal. I found this to be true of most Soviet housing, regardless the city. However, pre-Soviet buildings tend to be beautiful. Kiev, as a whole, is a gorgeous super-old city that resisted most Soviet architecture. On the outskirts of cities are groups of houses separated by fences and usually without much land. Recently there has been a push for houses in villages nearby cities, but until very recently the villages in Ukraine were dirt poor and not somewhere anyone wanted to live. The wealthiest people tend to live in big, gated communities, within the city limits or in the newer apartment buildings. A family might buy a floor of a building so they can all stay close.

Wealth:
Generally, people here are poor, especially lately. Many typical jobs pay 1,000 Grieven a month... which is about (at the current exchange rate) $100. And things aren't necessarily cheap here... an apartment could easily cost a few thousand Grieven in rent a month, often more, and food is outrageous. For example, Alex and I will go for a "little shopping" buying food to last us a few days and we'll spend 200 Grieven. So 1,000 a month gives you 5 times shopping for a couple. Not so good.

The People:
Ukrainians are very nice. Seriously. They are hospitable and friendly and, although they always seem to be frowning when you see them on the street, seem to be cheery, especially when vodka is involved. Everyone wears fur coats and fur hats. Even little kids. They tend to dress very fashionably and the girls usually look a little on the whorish side (not so say American girls don't). Everyone here is skinny. Most have blue eyes. Most have black or blond hair. The guys dress very European. I have yet to see a girl wearing anything on her feet other than tall boots. Including children.

The Food:
I sort of hate Ukrainian food, as you may have figured out from previous posts. They eat a lot of weird meats and put mayonnaise on salad. They also love eating salted fish with beer and bread and butter topped with weird stuff.

All in all, though, I like it here. The people are nice to me and it is endlessly interesting to be here. I just like being able to cook my own meals :-)