The Utterly Amazing Ukraine
Last Updated: 6/24/2019 | Originally Posted: 08/29/2011
As a native English linguistic communication speaker, I hitting the traveling jackpot. Wherever I become inward the world, English linguistic communication is the tongue franca, too if anything’s ever inward a 2nd language, it’s ever English.
In hostels, people normally converse amongst each other inward English, which way I tin ever uncovering a conversation to join. I’m never express past times language.
While at that spot convey been times where I’ve had to acquire creative amongst nonverbal communication, for the most part, communication is much easier for me equally an English linguistic communication speaker than it is for my friends from Germany or Portugal.
At least, until I went too visited Ukraine this month.
Out of all the countries I’ve been to, Ukraine ranks pose out i on the listing of places where no i seems to utter English.
It may audio similar hyperbole to order that. Surely some people must utter some English, right? Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few do. Those who interact amongst tourists or go inward international restaurants tin empathise a few words.
But everyday Ukrainians? The ones I encountered couldn’t fifty-fifty empathise words similar “water,” “train,” “bill,” or “thank you.”
Now, I’m non i of those tourists who demands the locals know my language. I don’t genuinely hold off anyone to hold upwardly fluent inward English, merely equally person from some other house wouldn’t hold off me to hold upwardly fluent inward their language. But given how pervasive English linguistic communication is around the world, most people inward major cities tin order something.
One night, I was recommended a overnice Ukrainian eating theater past times my hostel possessor inward Kiev, too I asked the guy if they spoke English linguistic communication there. His response? “You’re inward Ukraine, man. No i speaks English linguistic communication here.”
But y'all know what? The lack of English linguistic communication didn’t plough me off Ukraine.
In fact, faced amongst an incomprehensible script (Cyrillic) too no i around to utter English linguistic communication with, I was genuinely excited past times Ukraine. While it was nearly impossible to acquire around too inquire for help, I looked at it equally a challenge.
I spent twenty minutes staring at a develop schedule to figure out which develop was mine. I got creative when trying to utter to people, using equally many manus signs too drawings equally possible. I pointed a lot at things I wanted. I had to pantomime “choo-choo” to acquire to a develop station, write numbers downwardly for prices, too overall, merely hold upwardly rattling confused.
I loved the challenge. Though I was solely at that spot for a week, I recall that’s why I loved Ukraine then much. It was a challenge to go around. It was an adventure. And for me, the bigger the direct chances too the greater the challenge, the to a greater extent than I experience similar I’m traveling, discovering, too learning close the world.
But Ukraine had a lot to a greater extent than to offering than merely a linguistic communication barrier. I solely saw Lviv too Kiev, but they were rattling interesting cities (I liked Lviv to a greater extent than because of its one-time historical center). There was this mix of modernity, one-time Soviet architecture, too beautiful parks. If I tin order anything close the communists, it’s that they genuinely dearest to construct parks.
Little babushka grandmothers walked adjacent to girls wearing Prada. The Russian Orthodox churches littering the country, amongst their gilded plating too cone tops, were both opulent too symbolic of a deep feel of faith. And I genuinely loved Ukrainian food. I was surprised at how flavorful it was. I was expecting a hearty, bland cuisine of meat too potatoes.
But the borscht, the spud dumplings, the blintzes, the meat — it was all delicious. The sour cream they pose inward it adds a wonderful texture to the soup. (For inexpensive too practiced Ukrainian food, consume at Puzata Khata, with locations all around the country.)
While I was inward Kiev, I also met upwardly amongst a bunch of Couchsurfers who took me to a Ukrainian academy party.
Other than my Couchsurfer guide too i of her friends, no i at that spot spoke plenty English linguistic communication to converse with. There was a lot of translating involved.
And a lot of vodka toasts.
The Ukrainians dearest their vodka. I recall to avoid awkward silences caused past times the linguistic communication barrier, nosotros merely toasted to things. We toasted likewise much actually, too when I commence to ho-hum down, they laughed too tried to feed me to a greater extent than vodka. I can’t concur my vodka equally good equally a Ukrainian.
I never Ukraine expected would hold upwardly then thrilling. I’ve barely scratched the surface of this huge country, giving me plenty of novel things to produce when I acquire dorsum there. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 calendar week wasn’t fifty-fifty closed to beingness enough.
But given the linguistic communication barrier, I recall I powerfulness demand to larn some Ukrainian first.
“Na zdorovye” (“cheers”) volition solely acquire me then far.
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