Lisle Kauffman writes: What we love and don’t love about Kyiv.
What I love about Kyiv:
Food
I think it is fun, tasty, good quality and healthy. I also think Ukraine has the very best tasting milk I have ever had, much higher quality than the nasty and watery American stuff. I absolutely love Ukrainian food, and there are some restaurants where it does not cost an arm and a leg.
Historic buildings
I love the wonderful architecture of the historic buildings Kyiv. The Philharmonic is one of my favorites. I love the building itself, particularly the orchestra hall inside, and I like being able to buy really inexpensive tickets for great seats to see wonderful performances. The opera house is wonderful, too.
Pyrohiv
I think [Pyrohiv National Museum of Folk Architecture and Culture] is one of the most interesting museums in the world. I like to go in the spring when the weather has warmed up, the flowers and trees are blooming, and the crowds haven’t arrived yet. It’s a very quiet, beautiful and peaceful place to just relax and think, while also learning about Ukrainian culture and history.
Historic sites
Kyiv is so full of interesting historic places and museums that there is no excuse to be bored.
Public transportation
It is easy and inexpensive to get around Kyiv. There are many options, though the metro could use maps and more description and clarification. I wonder how do tourists manage to use the metro? I actually prefer to walk, but if I need to go someplace too far to walk, there are a number of inexpensive options.
People
I love Ukrainians. They are sincerely welcoming and generous. They will welcome a perfect stranger and make him or her feel at home, while sharing considerable food until he or she cannot eat anymore…they will also make their guest drunk too, but only out of sincere hospitality.
What I don’t love about Kyiv:
Disregard for architecture
There seems to be rampant disregard for historic buildings that get razed to make room for chic, sleek expensive hotels. It seems the oligarchs and politicians (is there a difference?) have no respect for history or culture.
Unhealthy habits
Come on guys, quit spitting on sidewalks all of the time, it so gross! Yuck!
Poor hygiene
Does anyone in this country brush his or her teeth? It gets rather revolting at times.
Bathrooms
I can’t get used to the weird squat toilets, regular toilets without seats, and no toilet paper. Come on folks, this is 2011. Does Ukraine really want to be a Third World country?
Extreme rudeness
I love living here, I really do, but I think Ukrainians are at times the rudest, meanest and pushiest people I have ever met. To quote one of my colleagues in Kyiv: “In their homes they will give you the shirt off their backs, but in the streets they very different…it is schizophrenic.” I get tired of being physically and roughly pushed out of people’s way without an “excuse me” or having the backs of my shoes stepped on. If this country is going to move forward, it must address this problem. I am serious. I think Ukrainians’ lack of manners hold the country back, because it influences so much at multiple levels of society and government. It is a very old, Third World mentality with profound negative consequences for Ukraine’s development.
Dangerous drivers
This is actually quite infuriating. I don’t like being honked at when I am walking on a sidewalk. That’s an excellent way to spoil a perfectly good mood. Excuse me Mr. Rich Driver in your BMW; what part of sideWALK, don’t you understand?!
Speaking of sidewalks…
I get tired of falling down in the winter because cities will not maintain their walks. I have never seen so many dangerously icy walks in my life. The walks are so dangerous that falling down becomes a topic of conversation with my Ukrainian colleagues at work.
I just want to conclude by saying that I love Ukraine, and it’s going to be a sad day, indeed, when my work here ends and I have to return to the U.S. I would come back in a heartbeat!
Lisle Kauffman is an American citizen living and teaching at Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University in Luhansk.
