FAQ about Ukraine

Note: This was done for a class I had recently. Just wanted to share some of the things I do in my fabulous life as a grad student.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ukraine
By Sharece Bunn, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Ukraine

When I tell someone that I spent 27 months as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine, I usually get asked many questions. Not many people I meet know a lot about Ukraine. Some don’t even know where Ukraine lies on a map. To help clear this up, I have answered a few simple questions about Ukraine. These answers are based solely on my personal experience and readings I may have done while I lived there.

Where is Ukraine? Is it in Europe?
Ukraine is in Eastern Europe. Ukraine is just north of the Black Sea. It borders on Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Belarus, and Russia. Some people wrongly assume that Ukraine is just a part of Russia. Ukraine gained independence in 1991.

What are Ukrainian people like?
Ukrainian people vary in personality, just like they do any place in the world, but Ukrainians tend to share several traits. In public, Ukrainians often have a stoic, stern expression, scaring visitors. But this reserved public appearance changes the moment you make contact with the person and engage him or her in a conversation. Most Ukrainians are very hospitable. It would not be uncommon to meet a random Ukrainian on the street or at the market, chat for a few moments, and be invited into that person’s home for a meal.

What language do they speak in Ukraine?
Ukraine’s national language is Ukrainian. But most Ukrainians also speak Russian. School children are required to take language courses in both Ukrainian and Russian. Ukrainian is more melodic than Russian. In western Ukraine, the language tends to be a mixture of Polish and Ukrainian. In central Ukraine, people speak Sergic, a combination of Ukrainian and Russian. In Kyiv, which is the capital of Ukraine, Crimea, southern Ukraine, and eastern Ukraine, people speak predominantly Russian. In these regions, speaking Ukrainian may seem nationalistic to the locals, who remain loyal to their Russian neighbors.

What’s the weather like?
Ukraine has four distinct seasons. The winter tends to be extremely cold. The winter of 2005-2006 was reportedly the coldest winter in 30 years which temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius. Spring was moderate. Summers were very warm which led people to swim in the polluted rivers. Fall was gorgeous and tended to have a crisp cool air on mornings when there was no rain.

What do Ukrainians think about Americans?
Depending on their exposure to Americans and American culture, Ukrainians have different views on Americans and life in America. Many young teenagers imagine that American life is similar to that of life on the original Beverly Hills 90210 television show. Thus, many students believe that America is merely Hollywood. I was often asked if I had met Angelina Jolie which to me seemed preposterous.

Although most Ukrainians I met saw America as a rich land full of opportunity, there were also those who were well educated on the politics and economy of America. One such person challenged the true prosperity of America. With such high national debt, he wondered if America should be considered a rich country.

How do people dress? Are they interested in fashion?
An old Beatles song has the words, “Ukrainian girls really knock me out.” Ukrainian woman are traditionally thin and beautiful. As long as girls keep their figures, they can shop for the tight-fitting shirts and rhinestone jeans which dominate the clothing market. Dressing up is essential to going in public. Although it may be appropriate to wear sweats to the neighbor’s house to buy a jug of milk, once Ukrainians hit the main drag of town, shoes ought to be shined and pants and shirt had better be clean.

How does the standard of living in Ukraine compare to that in America?
Ukrainians are on a different scale of living than Americans. A middle-class American family would be a rich family in Ukraine. Although more cars are headed on the road in Ukraine, families would never have two cars.

In 2007, women who worked in shops in small towns in Ukraine made one hundred hryvna a week, a total of 20 dollars. My one bedroom apartment cost me 20 dollars in rent per month. Many older homes and some newly built homes do not have indoor plumbing. If people build their houses in stages, they may have to wait to do plumbing until later and will often make do with relieving themselves on the street while they wait for the house to be complete.

What are some common hobbies? What do they do for fun?
Children in Ukraine like to play soccer. Boys often want to be like Andriy Shevchenko, their star “footballer.” Other common interests include reading, embroidery, and watching TV. Friday and Saturday nights are reserved for Ukrainian parties, when friends gather at the disco to drink vodka and dance.

What kind of work do they do in Ukraine?
Ukraine is called the breadbasket of Europe. Agriculture has always been a dominant trade. Jobs in Ukraine are similar to those in America. There are teachers, lawyers, bank tellers, postal workers, shop keepers, preachers, cooks, retirees, you name it. Ukrainians generally have a very strong work ethic. Various difficulties in the country’s history have made them this way. It’s quite common for people to work past the normal retirement age. In an attempt to lower cost of living in Ukraine, Ukrainians also grow their own food in gardens.