Differences

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

America: no smoking in restaurants (at least in California).
Ukraine: smoking everywhere and everyone smokes!

America: people dress somewhat fashionably, but mostly for comfort, and for the most part pretty modestly
Ukraine: women are in toe-pinching high heels, short tight dresses, and their girls are hanging out. Men look like they came straight out of a Miami vice re-run, and pointy white shoes are in.

America: PDA (public display of affection) is rare and generally not tolerated
Ukraine: O.M.G.!!!!!! I saw a man with his hands up a girls shirt on the metro escalator yesterday. That is just one example of this lust-centered culture. Yuck.

America: Depending on the city, most people are friendly. They will smile, hold the door for you, say "hi", or the like. They usually have decent manners. I've seen the opposite, mostly in big cities. I've also seen road rage and people getting cussed out, flipped off, or in fist fights. I've seen coldness from many people in America, but generally most have a warmness about them.
Ukraine: In Kiev, there are more than 3 million people. It's a huge population crammed into a relatively small space. People get where they are going and get there fast. They don't have time to be friendly or hold the door for you. They don't have the will to smile because that would require eye contact, which takes more time! I think they are so engrained into their daily lives they don't think of others. They crowd and push. BUT, I have seen kindness here. Two women at different times offered to help when they saw we needed it (one time for translation, and another to figure out the metro signs). The waiters/waitresses I've encountered have been friendly and service-oriented. The street vendors also have been pleasant the majority of the time. I really think the rudeness here is not out of character for the demographics. You get the same in NYC and San Francisco!

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LIVING QUARTERS

Ukraine: In Kiev, people live in apartment buildings. Think of Harlem, NY and you'll have a pretty good idea of what most of the buildings look like. Once inside, they are decently decorated and modestly furnished for your needs. Most apts do not have a/c, and a washing machine is a luxury. There are no clothes dryers in the country, so everything is hang dried. Beds are not ornate and are set low to the ground with a very thin "bunker" type mattress. They have square pillows and cases. No fitted bottom sheet... Just one flat sheet lying on the mattress that barely covers it and moves when you do. And usually another duvet-style top sheet.

One of our apartments (I've now lived in 5) was gigantic. It had to be at least 1200-1400 sq ft. It had 2 huge bedrooms, and 1 1/2 bathrooms. We had ice-cold a/c in the large living room, a washing machine, wifi internet - We were seriously living in the life of luxury, and the building was new - only 70 years old. It had a nice elevator too. I am NOT exaggerating or being sarcastic at all. It was nice!

The first "one night only" apartment was just weird and gross.

The 2nd apartment was very nice for a couple and maybe one child... Our favorite by far with it's quaintness and location, balcony, large shower/tub and cute kitchen, but there was no a/c and it got really hot. Still I loved that apartment, with the broken bed and falling apart couch and all. The stairwell was so smoky though, like you were in a bar.

The third one was the big one I talked about and would have been a mansion for a family. That is probably what we'd have to live in with all 5 kids! It was so nice, but to get nice and new we had to be on the outskirts of town just a bit. You can't have it all. It was a 15 min bus ride to the metro stop, then another 45 min to the orphanage (including a 10 min walk).

The fourth one was small but adequate for our needs. One bedroom, one small living room, and a tiny kitchen with a small bathroom. It was only two metro stops to the orphanage and I liked it a lot, but it was overpriced and the landlord kept bothering us to show it. And the smells in that building were atrocious - cat pee or days worth of garbage, and the elevator was very scary. Then I went home for 10 days.

Now, I'm by myself in a cute studio apt on the 4th floor of a building with no elevator - 69 steps up and 69 steps down. Good exercise, but would not have worked with Annie or all our stuff we had to haul. There are no smells here! I have a/c, wifi, and a washer. There is a shower curtain on the bathtub stall. There is no oven though, go figure and so weird. The bed is intact and it's bright and airy and cozy. If Barry and I ever come back here without kids, this would be the place I'd pick to stay. What? You can cook a frozen pizza in the microwave :) And it's only another 57 stairs down and around the corner from the closest metro - very convenient!

America:
Home. Need I say more? A house with a yard and a driveway. Space. 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms for a family of seven. 2200 sq feet is gigantic!

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TRANSPORTATION

Ukraine: Walk, walk, and walk some more :) The public transportation is bus, trolley, or metro. Very cheap and easy to use, but at times you feel like you're packed in like sardines, and sometimes the B.O. is so bad you want to puke, which someone did and left a stench in one of the metro cars we later rode once. There are cars here, and even the occasional Suburban, truck, or minivan, but mostly small cars. I've heard you have to be rich to own one. And honestly I wouldn't want to drive here anyway. I am amazed at how close cars can get to each other and not hit... On streets, sidewalks, and parking lots. It's really quite impressive.

America: I know we have public transportation in big cities, but for me in my bubble, I like to have my big Suburban that fits my kids comfortably. And we have two vehicles in our family which is a luxury. Gas prices are horrendous, but it is very convenient to have an automobile. I am very spoiled. Our wallets will miss the $12 monthly metro pass though.

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FOOD

Ukraine: Markets. Some small, some large, some outrageously expensive. You have to weigh your produce and get a sticker before the checkout or someone will come and take your lemons and do it for you while cursing you in Russian. You have to pay for you grocery bags or you'll get cursed out in Russian. How many times did I get cursed at? I don't know!

Also, no peanut butter, ranch, or the usual creamy sauces we have, and no tortillas. They have mayonnaise and lots of varieties of bread, and Nutella. Most of the food has no preservatives and is quite healthy.

When you go out, portions are small and there are no free refills of anything. The drink glasses are small unless you get a beer, then they are huge. At McDonald's if you ask for a large "cola" they look at you like you came off a space ship. Ice is an anomaly unless you are American. Cold drinks are hard to come by, unless it's a beer. People love to drink here... I've seen people drinking at 10am! Diet coke is "coke light" and coke is "cola".

America: Grocery stores. Well you know!

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LANGUAGE

Ukraine: Russian is most common, but a lot of Ukrainian too in Kiev. Very few people speak even a little English, but there is a lot of using of the hands/gestures to communicate and we get by :) I also heard some visitors speaking English from France and Germany!

America: we are a melting pot and there is not one National language, but I'd guess 90% of the population, if not more, speaks English of some sort.

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DOGS

Ukraine: There are strays everywhere! They keep to themselves, but they are like homeless people on skid row.... All over the place! Friendly too.

America: Dogs are common pets and are put in shelters if found stray. Strays can be dangerous in both places, but more so in America I think.

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GOVERNMENT OFFICES

See my post titled "passport office" and you'll get the idea.


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