Best Market Around ~ Vladimirsky
I quickly learned that when buying from the markets you pay by kilogram rather than number of the item. It took a few gestures on my part to clarify that to one of the vendors: I'd shown her three fingers for three potatoes and she started loading up 2 bags. "Pol kilogram" (half a kilo) is a safe number for now until I learn how to speak Russian:-)
I have now been in Ukraine for about 1 week exactly. I'm not too sure how to describe the things I have seen and done in the last week, so instead I will post some pictures and comment on them to give you a better sense.
To summarize quickly...it has been quite a trip. It's hard to believe I'll be living here for two years, but already i'm feeling pretty settled in my area. I'm about 25 minutes walk to the center (Maidan Square...where the Orange Revolution took place, and where they have weekend concerts and various shows/events including a Motorcycle stunt competition we saw this weekend!!). My roomate Heather and I live in a beautiful apartment just 5 minutes from the best outdoor/indoor market in Kyiv: "Vladimirsky". Today was our first orientation day and the admin at PSI have been incredible in giving us lots of support and advice on how to get comfortable in the city. Luckily I live with the best tourguide at the school, so have already been introduced to different parts of the city, aside from my own curious feet discovering my neighbourhood.
Overall, I am very happy with the move so far..it was just the kind of change I was looking for, though maybe i should wait till school starts to make bold statements like that! Kyiv (Kiev - in Russian) is a beautiful city with lots of greenspace, and unique architechture dating from all different eras. The Ukrainian people have been very helpful and warm towards us anglophones, and I can't wait to start speaking the language so I may communicate beyond "Spasiba" (Thank You) and "Da'sviDanye" (goodbye). The language spoken here appears to be mostly Russian, although many of the signs are in Ukrainian, so I will get a chance to pick up elements of both languages which is nice. Here is a photographic documentary on some key experiences thus far (kind of in backwards order...still figuring out blogspot):
Expats scaring off a local clubber with their strange dancing ways
Dinner at "The Drum" featuring their specialty:
Drum-shaped chicken (complete with toothpick and corn drumsticks)
Roomate Heather...making me Borscht
Borscht cooking away...
Maidan Square on the weekend: Motorcycle stunt show
Kyiv Militsiya with some annoying tourists
These kiosks are all over the city selling mostly Beer and cigarettes. It is legal to drink beer on the streets and a bottle costs about 3.oo-4.00 UAH (about 75 cents a beer!!)
The entrance to my apartment building...Most buildings are a dull grey or concrete yellow, which is mostly covered by greenery at this time of year but (as I have heard) can enhance the greyness during the winter. We'll see if it gets the best of me. Each individual apartment is much nicer (all newly renovated) than the exteriors of most buildings. I learned from one of the staff that many young Ukrainians who are landlords take excellent care of the apartments they rent out as it is typically their sole income, and they invest most of it back into its maintenance.
Palats Ukraina (Ukrainian Palace) is just 2 minutes from my apartment and is the main hall for many concerts and shows in Ukraine (equiv. to Place Des Arts...for all you montrealers)
...And YES, this infamous 70s group (see ELO) will be performing sometime soon.. tickets are fairly cheap for most shows...around 25.ooUAH ($5.oo US)but i'm not sure if foreign rock shows are more...
Am I in the future?
(Some of the newer buildings around the city..this reminds me of the Rocketeer)
One of the many beautiful downtown buildings lit up at night...
"Coca" ads
heading downtown...
PSI teachers: Jen, Nadine and me
5 comments:
Sounds like you are having such a great experience. It seems you have already met some wonderfully beautiful, intelligent, fun people! I'm sure you will stay good friends with them as they seem like a good support team! :)
... a most interesting, entertaining and colourful blog. What a fabulous first week. Thx for the wonderful mini-tour of Kyiv. Keep it coming.
What an amazing introduction to beautiful Kyiv and your new surroundings during this first week! Great snapshots and side commentary footnotes, too. Looking forward to more insightful observations from your blog in the weeks ahead. Thanks for sharing your excitment and new experiences. Warm hugs.
Hi JocleynSo glad you arrived safe and sound
Mom & Dad were here tonite and were tell us all about the suitcase episode. Glad you managed to arrange it all to get it on the plane.
UKr looks like a lovely and interesting place . It looks like you are settling in fine. You have all ready see alot. It doesn't take long to catch on to shopping and language. i am sure you will do fine.
Your parents sent me your Blog so i managed to see all the pictures.
Well take care will keep intouch
Love Gail & Larry from the Hollow
Hi - I have an awful cold but went to see Cam's 3rd Dan test at YorkU yesterday with yr dad, shan, david, jenn+friend and Cam's girlfriend. Whom I didn't get to see meet! Vladimir came back from Ukraine with good election stories. Elsie's reading a good book by Marina Lewycka - Strawberry Fields who wrote "A short history of tractors in Ukraine".
M.(UM)
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