Ukraine through Foreign Eyes

I should confess that it’s not a secret to me that people from western countries know practically nothing about Ukraine. Surfing the internet before starting this blog, I understood that the situation is the same as it was, for example, 10 years ago. Dear reader, what do you know about Ukraine? Can you list at least 5-7 facts about Ukraine without googling or wikiing it? Wow, you know 10 facts!!! Well, I must admit you are practically an expert.

There was a time when foreigners knew about Ukraine only by the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl that spewed radiation across Europe. (For those who think that Chernobyl is somewhere in Russia, I should tell you that the city of Chernobyl is located just about 120 kilometers north of Kiev). However, thanks to the efforts of our sportsmen, celebrities and politicians, Ukraine has become recognizable again. People such as Andrey Shevchenko, Klichko Brothers, Yana Klochkova, Ruslana Lyzshichko, Vasyl Virastuyk, and events such as EURO-2012 Football Championship, Eurovision-2005 and “Orange Revolution” are already known to many people all over the world. Now, an average European can say without any difficulties where Ukraine is situated.

Sure, those tourists who visit Ukraine aren’t interested in the country’s internal problems. However, they are interested in the low prices, friendly people, safe trips, the ease of finding lodging, and to see the various sights. In general, Ukraine is poorly presented by the foreign tourist agencies. Therefore, people who are going to visit our country for the first time usually correspond with someone from Ukraine to find out what life here is like. One of the most importing things each foreigner finds here is a friendly attitude!

Almost everyone who has visited Ukraine speaks well of it. They speak with pleasure about the sights of the big cities, the beaches of the Crimea, and the Carpathian Mountains. The beauty of our girls, their modesty, absence of feminism, their desire to create a family home, and even their knowledge of foreign languages charm foreign men in a special way. Many foreign men say practically the following: “The girls here… It’s just torture!  Mini-skirt, lipstick, and a figure which you can only dream of. A good many of them even know English.”

If travelers gather pleasure from Ukrainian beauty, they experience an emotional and physical pain from the general state of our roads not only in the countryside but also in our major cities. Unfortunately, Ukraine remains for Europeans a non-tourist, post-Soviet country.

The fact that many Ukrainian people don’t know any English also has negative influence on visitors. Also, Europeans are afraid to visit Ukraine because of various rumors such as corruption, fear of revolution, mafia, and inhospitable inhabitants. It’s a pity that the lack of positive information impairs tourist attraction to our country.

If you know nothing of the beauty, architecture, traditions, or way of life of our people, believe me, Ukraine is worth a visit one day!