July 2013
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Russian Holidays
Category : Life In Russia | UkraineLiving here in Ukraine, it sometimes feels like every third day is a holiday. They honestly seem to have a LOT of holidays here in Ukraine (and Russia). Without a doubt, the most important one is New Years Eve. This is when they give gifts, so it’s almost like Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Years all…
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What Are Russian and Ukrainian Trains Like?
Category : Life In Russia | UkraineAlthough I have ridden on Russian trains, I have much more experience on Ukrainian trains, especially in the past few years. So, what are they like? Watch this video, first, to get a good feel… [leadplayer_vid id=”51F5CF73E4CF4″] Sure, Ukrainian (and Russian) trains are fairly loud and rickety, and they can sometimes be stuffy…but they’re also…
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Life in Ukraine Q & A
Category : Life In Russia | UkraineI had an exchange on Facebook with Brandon Hayes who was asking about the advanced Russian Accelerator course, as well as what life is like in Ukraine. I thought this would be an interesting read for many of you, so I’m posting it here: Q & A with Brandon Hayes Brandon: Wow. you live in…
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Shashlik: Barbeque Russian Style
Category : Life In Russia | UkraineStay long enough with your Russian friends during the summer, and they will eventually invite you to a Russian-style cookout called shashlik. Sure, on the surface, barbeque is barbeque wherever you go, but nonetheless the Russian experience is unique, and very worth doing. Here’s what will happen: Everyone packs into a car or two and…
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Think you know what a Russian dacha is?
Category : Life In Russia | UkraineThink you know what a Russian dacha is? In Russian, a ‘dacha’ is a simple – often primitive – home erected on a plot of farm land. The dacha owned by my Ukrainian wife’s parents, for example, is just over three acres. These are not intended as quaint, country homes for weekend getaways (as seems…
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Behind Closed Doors in a Ukrainian Dating Agency
Category : Russian Dating SecretsBehind Closed Doors in a Ukrainian Dating Agency Warning: You’re about to discover who’s actually writing you “love letters” from that dating agency in Ukraine you’ve been using. If you believe that those letters are being written by the same beautiful women in the photos, you’re in for a shock. Not long ago I was…
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Travel Mistake in Russia: Not Bringing Gifts
Category : Life In Russia | UkraineHave You Made This Travel Mistake in Russia? Headed to Russia or Ukraine on a social visit? Here are two words of advice: Bring gifts!. In the U.S., we rarely bring gifts when we travel, except on Christmas, of course, or when visiting a relative who has a young child. But in Russia or Ukraine,…
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Why Travel To Western Ukraine?
Category : Russian City ReviewsWHY VISIT?: Western Ukraine is where the heart of the Ukrainian people can be found. From the castles of Lutsk to the gorgeous, European-style architecture of Lvov, Western Ukraine is a growing tourist destination. HOW TO GET THERE: Fly to Kiev, take a cab to the train station, and from there buy a ticket on…
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Discovering Ukraine by Anelore Anderton
Category : My Trip To RussiaI’ve now been to Ukraine three times in three years! My first visit to Ukraine was in 2011 with my husband and three other family members. Our decision to visit this exotic location was prompted by my Ukrainian heritage: my father had been born in the Poltava region of Ukraine in 1921. In a way,…
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Randy Mauldin Trip to Simferopol and Sevastopol
Category : My Trip To RussiaAs a child and into adulthood I had dreamed of visiting Russia and Ukraine. I remember vividly seeing pictures of the Black Sea and the most beautiful blue colored water found only in my dreams. I saw pictures of gold topped churches and high mountains with snow covering them and the thrill it brought with…