July 2013



  • Any tips on finding work in Ukraine?

    Question: Any tips on finding work in Ukraine? Teaching English is the easiest and most obvious choice. You might be thinking, “But I have absolutely no experience teaching, and I don’t really know all the terms for grammar and stuff.” No problem. You wouldn’t be the one teaching them grammar. What you’d be doing is…

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  • Do you work in Ukraine?

    Question: Do you work in Ukraine? Yes, I did work in Ukraine during my first year here, and I did so completely by the book. That is, I got my “Ч.П.”…Russian for, “Private Entrepreneurship.” I worked as both an English teacher and a guitar teacher. Although teaching guitar was the only job I’d had my…

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  • Ever have any embarrassing experiences due to a cultural or language misunderstanding?

    Question: Ever have any embarrassing experiences due to a cultural or language misunderstanding? Yes. Many. But here’s my favorite: When I was at having dinner at my girlfriend’s parent’s home one night, the subject came up of a photo I’d sent her recently. It was a photo of me, taken back when I’d been regularly…

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  • What’s it like going shopping in Russian or Ukraine?

    What’s it like going shopping in Russian or Ukraine? “Mega-malls” (as I call them) are becoming more popular in Russia these days. Moscow must have twenty such malls. Watch the video below for a fun tour of Sevastopol’s own mega-mall called Muson. [leadplayer_vid id=”51F5D1829E705″] For the most part, the shopping experience in Russia or Ukraine…

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  • What is a Russian or Ukrainian apartment like?

    What is a Russian or Ukrainian apartment like? WATCH my tour of a Russian apartment… [leadplayer_vid id=”51F5CF46E5B3A”] Conditions of Russian apartments vary widely. If you’re in a “luxe class” (aka VIP, 1st class, Euro-remont) apartment, you’ll be very comfortable. In a “luxe” (short for ‘luxury’) apartment, the bathroom will ne nicely tiled, the kitchen well-equipped,…

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  • What are Ukrainian women like?

    What are Ukrainian women like? Russian and Ukrainian women are – to me – exceptionally beautiful and feminine. I’m sure that’s partly genetic, but it’s also a result of their culture. They tend to walk much more and eat much less than their American counterparts. (Unfortunately, they also tend to smoke more, but that, too,…

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  • Why did you decide to live in Ukraine?

    Question: Why did you decide to live in Ukraine? I decided to move to Sevastopol, Ukraine so as to master the Russian language. Although located in the country of Ukraine, the city of Sevastopol is a 100% Russian speaking city, as is all of the Crimea, and pretty much all of the eastern part of…

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  • Dante’s Trip to Kiev and Vinnitsya

    Dante’s Trip to Kiev and Vinnitsya

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    Name: Dante McElyea Age: mid-fifties Cities Visited: Kiev and Vinnitsya (Ukraine) Where did you go, and why? In 2012, I decided to visit two Ukrainian cities, Dnepropetrovsk and Nikopol, to meet a lady from an online dating web site. All my life I have read and heard that the most beautiful women in the world…

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  • Why Travel to Yalta, Ukraine?

    Why Travel to Yalta, Ukraine?

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    Why Travel to Yalta, Ukraine? WHY VISIT?: Once a Black Sea playground for Russian Tsars, Yalta has turned into a summer haven for Russian and European travelers. Below is a video I shot during a trip to Yalta: [leadplayer_vid id=”51F5D01549D62″] HOW TO GET THERE: Yalta has no airport, so some combination of planes, trains, buses…

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  • Why Travel to St. Petersburg, Russia?

    Why Travel to St. Petersburg, Russia?

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    Why Travel to St. Petersburg, Russia? WHY VISIT?: The beauty of St. Petersburg is reason enough to visit, but that it’s home to the Hermitage – a museum rivaled only by the Louvre in Paris – vaults it into Must-See status. HOW TO GET THERE: You can of course fly to St. Petersburg. But since…

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