 Two Essays on Kyiv
Two expatriates share their impressions of the capital By Suzanne TONNA |
Upon arrival in Kyiv what initially struck me as a foreigner was the grandness of the city. Being from Canada, a very young country, we are not accustomed to such public displays of history, patriotism, tradition and culture.
Everywhere I glimpsed I saw another statue, monument or war memorial and these were not small or inconsequential pieces. For example, the Rodina Mat, a magnificent statue which greeted me upon my arrival into the city of Kyiv, boosts a 45 meter height from her feet to the tip of her sword and rests on a base which stands 102 meters. No diminutive sight for a foreigner.
Although Kyiv is a thriving metropolis, I was surprised by the number of parks and green spaces dispersed amongst the city allowing for an escape from the hustle and bustle within walking distance from any location, truly a jewel amongst large urban centers.
To stroll the cobblestone streets of Kyiv was a delight and to know my footsteps were treading on historic ground was awe-inspiring. As I walked the streets, I was pleasantly surprised to find many quiet walkways, which led to beautiful vistas of the city and quiet nature spaces.
With many visits into the core of the city, I was captivated by the perfect marriage of modern and historical architecture. Historical buildings with their grand structural designs nestled beside sleek modern buildings, nonetheless maintaining the integrity, history and architecture of the city.
The people of Kyiv I encountered on my travels were warm and friendly, and despite my broken Russian, were very accommodating.
While on my travels I had the opportunity to eat at many of the local restaurants which offered a varied selection from the very traditional fare to a culturally diverse menu, which I might add was all superb.
My stay in Kyiv, however short, was
a wonderful and exciting experience. As I boarded my plane back to Canada, a sadness overcame me. Kyiv had stolen my heart and I sensed a great loss at leaving her warm friendly borders, which had embraced and welcomed me. I felt as if I were leaving my home and returning to a now-foreign land.
I knew at that moment in my heart I would have to return to my Kyiv once again to be embraced by her beauty, splendor and warm hospitable nature.
Lost in Kyiv?
By Jim HYDZIK
Long-term expats say that Kyiv can be as big or as small as you want it to be, but when I'm lost, the city feels too large to handle. I've been lost in New York and Paris, and that's bad enough. There's something different about not knowing where you are here, though, that makes it both worth avoiding and celebrating if you do so and live to tell the tale. Now that I've been in the city for a couple of seasons, I feel compelled to share what little I know about handling that trying circumstance. I wouldn't use this as a literal guide, but when you're at your watering-hole celebrating your return to the known universe, you might recognize a grain or two of truth in these thoughts.
I've heard of some foreigners coming here with Global Positioning Satellite tracking systems and topographic maps of the city, and with the numbers of all the tram lines memorized. This over-planning won't help a bit when you're truly lost. Many street names have been changed from their Soviet-era names to new Ukrainian ones - but even if the names on your map are up-to-date, the street signs may not be. In addition, many residents still call their local street by its old name.
What do you really need? Three things. First and most important, you need the telephone number of an English-speaking woman. This holds true no matter whether you're male or female.
A Ukrainian man is pretty much the same as any other when it comes to admitting that he has no more clue concerning your whereabouts than you do. On top of that, the women here generally think faster on their feet - a definite plus if you're lost and it's the coldest day of the year.
Second, you'll need a phone card, as most of the phones here refuse to accept coins. This is the same as most of Europe, actually, though North Americans may find the concept daunting. Don't worry - think of it as an ATM machine with a telephone attached and needing a special credit card to work. Have your English-speaking woman friend run you through the process before you venture out into Kyiv on your own. With the third thing, some luck, you'll be OK. Luck? It's necessary, as about 30 percent of the pay phones in the city don't work. Yes, that's the estimate - 3 out of 10 of those ATM-type phones aren't functional. That's why they are installed in groups of three or more! And there is a fourth necessity: She needs to answer the phone when you call.
But if you're unlucky and she isn't answering the phone, don't worry! There are some basic parameters for locating yourself in the city. If you see taxis, you're not really lost, unless you're broke, and we use a different term for that condition. If there are a lot of taxis, you're probably near a major artery, and that means that you just might be near a McDonald's. At last count there were about a dozen of them sprinkled throughout Kyiv. They are perfect for getting a general fix. If you see one, go inside and listen to the music. The earlier in the day you hear Shania Twain, the further you are from the center. It's that simple! And if you hear the Beatles or Abba, you're not lost but probably incredibly hung over and are near Maidan Nezelezhnosti. In the expat version of Kyiv, you're in the big square down the hill from O'Brien's Pub. Go back up the hill toward the blue sign and you'll be all right.
Most McDonald's are near the Metro, Kyiv's underground system. Look for the green M near the golden arches. It's much less confusing than the New York City subway system, especially for the task of finding your way back to the known world. This could be necessary especially if you get separated from your friends while at the Petrivka market while looking for perfectly legal copies of CDs or tasteful foreign films. Don't worry, you don't even need to know the Cyrillic alphabet. Just pay the 50 kopecks, go down to the platform and look for the side with the blue and/or red placard on the wall. Get out at the stop associated with the placard. When you get outside you should see some familiar buildings with lots of Stalinesque gingerbread. If not, don't worry! Look for the building that looks like a movie theater with Greek columns (by the way, it IS a movie theater with Greek columns) and walk past it. When you get to the corner, you should see Khreshchatyk Street and the Stalinesque gingerbread.
Other than the Metro, Kyiv's mass transit system isn't of much use to the truly lost. You'd have to know more about the city to take advantage of it. By all means, stay off the route taxis, those generally overcrowded minibuses and vans, unless you're feeling adventurous. You might end up at the national aircraft museum, and most Kyivans don't even know where it is. Looking for a building with a gold top can work well in the older parts of the city. The ones with round tops are churches, the rest are banks.
If you find yourself among a mass of apartment buildings, it might be useful to try and speak with someone. If you can stumble through some Ukrainian or Russian, do so. But if you're not understood at first, remember this - the fact that you weren't taught these languages as a child is seen as a sign of poor parenting even if you are a native speaker of some other tongue. Also, most people here aren't accustomed to accents other than those from the CIS. The perfect Russian grammar that you learned in college might be missed because of your beautiful Southern Delaware accent.
English is the most commonly used foreign language now that Russian has been formally recognized as a minority language, and not a foreign one. However, Ukrainians, especially those who speak English, are generally a quiet and polite people and this needs to be remembered. I thought that waving my arms about while trying to imitate Voice of America Special English as loudly as possible was a purely American trait. I've been corrected by Europeans who know better, but still, how many Laplanders do you see at the train station yelling that they're looking for McDonald's while pantomiming a Big Mac Attack? For a Ukrainian to be seen with such a gesticulating, noisome foreigner is usually seen as a public display of patience.
The vast majority of university students are learning some English, and if you are soft-spoken you may be accompanied and asked some questions instead of being pointed in a general direction. If asked about politics, please deny that we have developed bombs that can repave Khreshchatyk and plant flower gardens at the same time. Mentioning that you think that Independence Square would look better with more trees will make you seem cultured. Asking if the architectural styles were mixed on purpose can lead to a long discussion - use it at your own risk.
When you realize that you're lost, not panicking is important, but not getting angry is necessary as well. Foreigners here are assessed by two criteria - weight and demeanor. Large happy people are from North America and large unhappy people from Central Europe. Try it! Look angry and watch people use every language they know except English - even after you tell them that you're American. Coincidence? I think not.
The most important thing, other than remembering that Khreshchatyk was built to get people from near TGI Friday's to near O'Brien's, is that with patience and a calm demeanor - two very Ukrainian traits - you can find your way through Kyiv.
Jim Hydzik is an American residing in Kyiv.
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Read also previous issue' articles:
Readers' Forum
Samuel Adams Redux
Kyiv's Ultimate Traffic Cop
Ukrainian Integration into Israeli Society
Headed to Ukraine? Expect a miracle!
Two Mikes. Add to Odessa Restaurant Mix
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