Hi all.i have just reurned from my first trip into ukraine.i had arranged a meeting with a lady in kiev, which didn't workout but i still went ahead with my travel plans.after clearing the militery style immigration at the airport,i was greeted outside with a sign with my name on it,it was a pleasent relief,this being my firsrt trip to a former fsu country.i had booked an apartment with brett ousley from kiev connections.my apartment was across the road from mc donalds in central square,at $100 per night.i met brett at the apartment,he showed me around,everything seemed fine.so here i was in kiev,not knowing anyone,i decided to head up to o briens pub,only 5 mins walk from the square.i met a nice guy in there who had lived in kiev for 10 years,he took me to get a ukrainian sim card.i had one contact,a friend of a friend sort of thing.i called her,she arrived and met me in a coffee bar.we hit it off and got along really well.her english was very passable,but not always clear.how i wish i could have spoken ukrainian just to be polite.i had arranged a meeting with a student interpreter the next day.we met in a nearby cafe,$10 per hour for her interpretation services.she turned out to be a very nice,and a very helpful young lady,only 22 with no boyfriend,she will make some guy happy one day,a lovely genuine lady.the three of us have a very nice week,we all became good friends,they even both bought me leaving presents.what really appealed to me was the ukrainian hospitality,very helpful people.the only sad part for me was to see the babushkas begging in the underpasses,the sad looks in their eyes was tradgic to see.all in all i had a very nice first trip out there.
Well done you, you've broken your "cherry" although you sure picked the worse time to come here, weather wise. And will you be returning ?
My first ever trip to Ukraine (Luts'k – Odessa Train Station – Kherson) was in summer 2007, my eyes were the widest open they'd ever been in my life for the entire trip, and it took several months afterwards for many of the images I'd seen (good and bad) to die down in my mind, I have a feeling it'll be the same for you !
Be careful Gent on the money spending also, a Ukrainian friend once told me that Westerners are seen by some people here as "Walking, Talking Wallets" a phrase that has stuck in my mind ever since ! Sounds like you spent a few quid, we have to embarking on such a task as finding our hopeful lifelong partner in a foreign country of course, but saving money, and learning how to save money during this undertaking must also be in the forefronts of our minds, I think.
Bret, for example, I'm sure is very pleasant and charming, I've never met him, although I've seen his photo's and site on the net, but first and foremost he runs a Business, it pays for his wonderful life, I'm sure, in Kiev. That Business is to "introduce beautiful, intelligent & sexy Ukrainian women" – all of which are "marriage minded" to guys like you and me. Letting apartments to us Western guys is also part of making his living, nothing wrong in any of it, just worth remembering next time he shakes your hand and flashes you a big welcoming smile !
Kevin is another American running a similar Business in Kherson.
In another thread I have shamelessly promoted the fact that I have a spare room in my flat here in West Ukraine, and that I would love for guys from this Forum to come and stay a week or so here with me and my girl, for which I would like just 100rph a day towards electricity, water, etc. Meeting and greeting at the Bus or Train Station, showing around the city, Discos, Restaurants etc, and, most likely, dinner every night cooked by either my girl or by me I don't want any money for. I'm not running a Dating and Apartment Business, I'm just a guy like you, who happens not to be a Millionaire and could always do with a few extra Griv's, and I'd really like to spend some quality time with another native English speaker. So this is one way someone such as yourself can visit Ukraine and save a tremendous amount of money !
I would also suggest you might consider looking for your girl in some of Ukraine's Towns and smaller Cities rather than the Capitol Kiev. Girls there earn more and have a more fulfilling life, they're well accustomed to Western guys visiting their City and splashing copious amounts of cash about on them, and there's no shortage in Kiev of good looking, young, trendy Ukrainian guys chasing after them.
Be careful too the websites charging you to read and send letters to "women" in Ukraine if that is what you are doing. Much has been written in this very Forum about this practice, all agree it is to be AVOIDED !
I did it with Globaladies when I began, spent a stash, traveled to Kherson and met up with the girl I'd been corresponding with for around 2 months from GL, she in no way matched the romantic, caring and very interested in me woman that I'd "known" in her letters, although she did match her photo's. I never again used any form of dating website to meet girls in Ukraine from then on, I just kept coming here, kept a belief that I am attractive enough, charming enough and interesting enough to do it on my own, it worked, I wore them down it seems, I've dated quite a few, and I would say all have been 10's, 9's and 8.5's in the looks and sexiness department, quite the confident Romeo I have become., And now I live with possibly "The One" and as Ole Blue Eyes once famously sang…"I did it my way" without increasing the bank accounts of any "middle men"
Anyway, apologies for the novella, your post was great to read and took me back just 2.5 years when I started my own "journey" so I wanted to write to you !
Thank you for your very interesting reply.i did spend quite a bit of cash in kiev,but as long as i'm happy everything is fine by me.your journey seems very interesting.my plan is to return in june with two friends,travel around a bit, weight things up,but look for a lady from a smaller town other than kiev.i must admit they are the most beautiful ladies i have seen on my travels ,and this was my 30th country.i met some guys who told me they were even more beautiful in eastern ukraine......donestk,luhanks? you are in western ukraine?is it more prosperus in the west?it was my first trip and i'm looking forward to returning in june.
western seems like you enjoyed your time, I must get to O briens on my next trip. since I should be there at the end of April the weather should be much better. I think I will take a tour of the monastery and a few other sites while im there this time. seems Kiev is the second most expensive place in Ukraine Yalta being the top of the list.. I spend at least some time in Sumy on every trip, not very expensive but has plenty to do if you know where to go.