About Andriy Hudymyak Expertise I can answer the following questions with 99 % accuracy:
What is the best time to go to Ukraine?
Best places to visit.
What airlines will take you there.
Your safety in Ukraine.
Special advices for non-ukrainians travel to Ukraine.
Business trips vs traveling for pleasure.
Currency exchange.
Experience I have graduated from Lviv State Univrsity (Ukraine), Geography Department in June 1994. Traveling was a requirement. I have traveled all over Ukraine. Also I have travel in Russia (2 months),Poland (3 months), Germany, Belgium, England.
Expert: Andriy Hudymyak Date: 2/18/2002 Subject: Do's and Dont's
Question Can you give me a list of the mistakes americans commit when they travel to the Ukraine in relation to speech, dress, gestures, ets
Answer Thank you for your question.
I dont think americans make any mistakes when traveling anywhere. If you are not Ukrainian you will draw peeple's attention regardless of where you came from US, Canada or Germany. It happened to me last year i was traveling in Europe i felt i am different cuz i am so americanized now. And i was asking myself the same question. For example i got very upset when they told me in the store in UK that i can not talk to the manager cuz he is having his lunch. It does not happen here in US thanks God. Dont forget USSR was a closed country and people in Ukraine are not used to seeing foreigners every day as we do here in US.
A few things you might want to know:
1. Ukraine is very old fashioned country. Unlike in US things like gays, body piercings, girls with tatooes and pierced tounge are considered very sick things, low life disgrace to the society.
2. Dont talk like all americans do that you dont have money and you have tons of bills to pay every months and they suck. The way people think there if you dont have money you sleep on a street otherwise shut up, right?
3.Dont be cheap, spend money otherwise if you dont want to spend money you dont travel. Dont count your change in the bar dont forget you are not in US. If you are visiting relatives or friends there make sure you give them a few $$$. It will be greatly appreciated. Dont forget people in Ukraine are much poorer then any average american. The only difference they will never show you that, and they will never cry that they have bills to pay (although they do). If you have a problem with that read N:2 again.
3. Dress code... Use common sense. Make sure you look neat and clean. No holes in jeans and make sure your footware is clean. Dont wear Nikes when dressed in suite, or white socks and black shoes like some wakos in NYC. Dont forget people look at you and in Ukraine first opinion about you people will have is how you look and wether you know how to dress. DONT never and ever wear jeans when going to church on Sunday dont even think, forget you have jeans.
P.S. About myself: i have not been in Ukraine a few years i came to US when i was 21. Thigs might have changed since then but from what i hear things did not change much.
If you tell me who are you visiting and what part of ukraine you are going to, maybe your age I can give you more specific advise.
