My trip to Ukraine

[millgirl]

Hello everyone. I recently returned from my first visit to Ukraine. I met family that I had found doing my research. Here is an account of our visit:
My husband Reese and I flew to Ukraine on August 16th. Our flight took us from Detroit to Frankfurt Germany. We then changed to Ukrainian National Airlines for our journey to L'viv. Upon boarding the plane we were handed an Ukrainian newspaper for our entertainment. One of the flight attendants spoke SOME English. All of the pilots announcements were in Ukrainian. Lunch was served. It was a piece of cold fish, some vegetables and a dinner roll. Then the drink cart came out. On the cart were gallon size bottles of liquour. You could have as much as you wanted and it was FREE. When the plane landed in L'viv, everyone applauded. I understand that this is quite common on European flights but after looking at the runway I thought maybe it was because the pilot missed most of the potholes. No, I am not joking. The airport looks like something out of the 1930's. You walk from the plane into the building and get in a line. There were several very stern looking men in uniform with large hats at the front of the line. I had to use the restroom and found it just off of this large room. It was filthy and smelled bad. The TP was sitting on the wet floor. Finally our turn to "talk" to the uniformed men. They spoke no English. I handed one of them my passport and my immigration form. He kept looking at the picture, then at me, then back at the picture. He then waved me on to the next man. Same thing. Then I was asked to speak to the man sitting behind the glass window. He looked at my passport and asked me something in Ukrainian. I just shrugged my shoulders. He waved me on. My husband was behind me and went thru the same process. The last man asked us how much cash we had. We told him about $400 US. He said ok and let us walk into the next room. There we found our luggage waiting. No carousel, it was just sitting on the floor with the rest of the luggage from the plane. We picked it up and then had to show our passports to another man. He waved us thru. I spotted my cousin Volodymyr right away. We had never met before. Hiding around the corner were his 2 daughters, Anja age 19 and Olya age 15. Anja speaks English, has a computer at home and we email weekly. They had some roses for me. Outside it was clear we were not all going to fit into their car. They had called for a taxi to help. An old beat up looking car pulled up. This was the taxi. Our luggage was put into this car and Olya rode with the taxi. On the way to our hotel, The Sputnik Hotel, we saw alot of people walking. There were kiosks all along the street selling bread, sodas, cigarettes, magazines, etc. The traffic was crazy and people drive even crazier. The Sputnik Hotel is a large, concrete looking building. No one at the hotel spoke English. We were on the 4th floor. Our room had twin beds ( we had asked for a double) and the bathroom was very small. The furniture was old but suitable. The room had A/C. The TV did get one channel that broadcast the news in English for about one hour each day. Each floor of the hotel has a floor monitor person. You tell them what time you want to get up in the morning and they come and knock on the door. They write the info in a notebook at their desk which is by the elevators. Looking out of our window you could see numerous tall apartment buildings. They were all identical and very run down. I would compare them to the projects in Chicago or other large cities. Low income housing. Later Anja came to the hotel to get us and we walked over to their building. The sidewalks were falling apart and we had to watch where we walked for fear of stepping in a hole. They live in one of these buildings. There were 2 large garbage dumpsters out front and the garbage was overflowing onto the ground. She told us that the garbage is not picked up on a regular basis. Their building had an elevator but it did not work. The stairway was dimly lit and a bit scary. Their flat as they called it consisted of 2 main rooms, one had a love seat size sofa, 2 chairs and the TV. The sofa pulled out to the parents bed at night. The other room had 2 twin beds, Anja's computer and an upright piano. They also had their own nice kitchen and bathroom. These rooms were small. They told us they were very fortunate to have their own kitchen as the majority of families in these buildings share a kitchen with 3 other families. Volodymyr's wife Natalia fixed us a meal. After that we walked thru the older part of L'viv and looked at some of the buildings. There were alot of people sitting in the park. We noticed that although they plant flowers, no one cares for the grass and it was quite long and full of weeds. The city has an electric trolley system that the people use quite a bit. It looked old but seemed to run on time. There is also a public bus system . Anja told us that her family only uses the car when they go to the villages or far away as the gas is too expensive. They cannot keep the car at their apartment because it will be vandalized or stolen so Volodymyr parks it in a garage someplace and goes to get it when they want to use it. We did not see where this garage was. The roads in the city are in terrible shape and crumbling. One thing we noticed was no provisions for the handicapped anywhere. My post is getting too long so I will continue my jouney to Starjy Sambir in the next post. The next morning, Volodymyr, Anja, Olya, Reese and I went in their car to Starjy Sambir, the village my grandparents came from. It was just over 1 hour to get there. Along the way we saw many buildings, mostly brick, that looked like they were in the process of being built but work had just stopped. More on this later. It was hay cutting time, and people were in the fields cutting hay with a sickle. We never saw a tractor or a piece of machinery anywhere. The hay was then being raked by hand. Although there were cars on the road we did see alot of carts with horses. We arrived in Starjy Sambir. At the edge of town was a small plaza. There was a store and a motel. We went into the store. Inside was a currency exchange office and a small pharmacy. The store sold almost everything you could want but most of the merchandise reminded me of our American dollar stores but they were selling this stuff for alot more than that. We were looking for bicycles. My cousin in the village, Yuzepha, lives with her daughter, son in law and 2 grandchildren, ages 12 and 10 and another baby due any day now. The children, Tania and Roman had never had a bike. They have 2 main rooms and the kitchen. No running water, no indoor plumbing. They did not even have their own well and have to walk to the well. It is not a pump type well, the kind you drop the bucket down in. Only 2 burners on the apartment size stove work and the oven does not work. Yuzepha told me that the house is cold in the winter. No one in this family spoke English so I was relying on Anja to translate. Reese and Volodymyr left and went back to the store and bought 2 brand new bikes. The looks on the faces of those children was worth more than anything. We visited for awhile and then Irnya and her husband wanted us to see the new house they are building. We went over there. A brick structure. They have been working on this house for years. Ivan goes to the Czech Republic for 3-4 months at a time to work and then they work on this house as they can. There are no mortgages in Ukraine so they do what they can. The house did have windows now. . They told me they hope to move in before winter. Yuzepha will move there with them when it is done. I assume they will have running water and an indoor bathroom but I do not know. I only saw out houses in the village. I believe this explains alot of the half done buildings we saw on the way. They are in the process of being built but can take years. We then visited the church where my Grandmother went and also her childhood home. The woman who lives there now is the stepdaughter of my Grandmother's brother's wife so she let us come inside. We then went to a small cafe and Irnya and Ivan met us there. We had a whole roasted chicken split between all of us and some bread and Coca Cola's. Time to say goodbye. I was relying on Volodymyr for my transportation so we had to leave. As this post is getting too long I will continue our journey in the next post.

[Slusarchuk-Zilinsky]

I am happy for you to have made your first trip to Ukraine to meet your family. Last September was my first trip so I can imagine we must share some of the same feelings about 'walking where our ancestors once walked'!

However, I am reading about your descriptions of this and that, most of which are negative and frankly, in my humble opinion, your perspective does not paint a positive picture of the area or the people. I think Ukraine deserves much more credit!

My visit took me to Chernivtsi and surrounds as well as Bucharest, Suceava and Constanta in Romania. I saw many of the things that you talk about there too but I also saw SO much beauty in the people as well as the countryside and cities!

As a matter of fact, I am returning next September to Ukraine and plan to stay even longer this time!!!

[millgirl]

Thanks for your thoughts. My story may sound negative but the way things are is the way things are. There is no reason for me to "paint" a rosy picture about everything. I have read many stories of visits to Ukraine and I feel I was giving an honest look at life there. Did you spend time with family? My family showed me these things and TOLD me how life really is. Yes, it is a beautiful country and my family was wonderful. But again in reality, the Ukrainian people on the streets and in the shops and restaurants were not warm and friendly. Too many years of oppression.. You may be surprised by our "problem" we encountered with a policeman. Yes, the countryside is beautiful and the people there, especially the young ones are fiercely proud of their independence and want to do what they can to help their country grow. L'viv has a beautiful historical center but the city is crumbling beneath their feet. The infrastructure is simply falling apart. Why should I tell it otherwise?

[wilko]

Thank you for the very candid commentary. My brother and I were toying with the idea of visiting the Ukraine to see our father's ancestral village. It may be easier to drive across the border from Poland since Sokal is so close. It reminds me of Poland in the 1970's.

[millgirl]

I will now continue our journey in Ukraine. I was sad to leave Starjy Sambir. The hard rain and lack of time inhibited my visit. I want to go back TODAY..if I could. Soon I hope. From there we went to the village of Velykia Lenina. I was doing this as a favor to a fellow researcher who had visited there last year. He left Ukraine with about $400 of Ukrainian money. He could not exchange it anywhere in the US..even went to the currency exchange in Atlanta airport. So, he asked me to take this money and give it to the Priest at the church. The road to these villages is dirt, mud and full of ruts and holes. The ride in a 4 wheel drive pick up truck would have been bad and we were in a small car. I am surprised my bladder survived! Along the way we would see small herds of cows in a field and several people sitting with the cows. We later learned that each family in a village has to take a turn tending the cows each day. There are no fences and wolves come out of the forrest. Yes, wolves! The Priest was not at the church and we asked directions to his home. He came out to greet us in sweat pants and a t-shirt. Anja explained to him why we were there and he said he would meet us at the church. I have never seen a more beautiful and ornately decorated church as this one. The Priest changed into flowing embroidered robes and what looks like a crown on his head. He annoitned us with holy oil..forehead, nose, mouth, ears, hands, rings, feet and then he raised the shirts of the men and annointed their nipples. He then handed me the oil and escorted the men outside while the women annointed themselves. Upon returning he got a bucket of water and a short handled broom type thing. He dipped it into the water and sprinkled each of us. He then got the bucket and walked over to my husband. He kept dipping the broom into the water and pretty much soaked him. I guess there was something he sensed that he needed an extra blessing. He accepted the money from my friend, wrote our names in a book and then gave me another book full of names, dates of birth and deaths and asked me to give it to my friend and for him to take it to an Ukrainian church in the US. He also stated that he EXPECTS my friend and his travel companions to be at his church next June 15th as it is a special day and the Bishop is coming. Outside he walked around the car blessing it. On to the village Voila where Volodymyr's mother lives. The whole family was there waiting for us with a special meal and bottle of champagne. Lots of stories and laughter. They told us about the wolves that come out at night. We saw the giant mushrooms they had picked just that morning and ate honey from the bees in the forrest. The best I have ever had. Again, no indoor plumbing. I just could not picture Baba Anja going to that outhouse in the middle of the winter! She had me sample the milk from their cow. They told us about the cow tax they have to pay.. about $300 a year US. It is paid to a local official who just puts it in his pocket. They told us if they don't pay it, the cow will be taken away and they could be sent to Siberia! These people still fear this will happen to them! Keep in mind, these are the elderly people who live in these villages. The younger ones seem to not have the fear of Siberia and know better. We also met a niece who was born just after Chernobyl and suffered horrific deformities because of it. She has had numerous surgeries. Her Mother was working in Chernobyl at the time of the accident. After many goodbyes, hugs and tears we were off to Natalia's parents home. Baba Olya suffers from severe arthritis in her hands from milking so many cows each day for years. Again, no indoor plumbing and her kitchen is in a separate building from the sleeping rooms. These homes are heated with wood. Back to L'viv. It is dark now. At an intersection a policeman with a flashlight waved at us to stop. Anja told us to be very quiet. The cop demanded a bribe to let us pass. NO, I am not kidding here. Volodymyr used to be a policeman, was injured in the line of duty, and cannot work in this field. He also does not like the corruption and was expected to do this as part of his job. I got the impression from Natalia that this is the main reason he does not want to be a policeman now, not the injury. He carries papers with him everywhere that state he was a policeman. The cop looked at these with the flashlight and then let us go. We asked what would have happened if he did not have the papers. You either pay the bribe or they will search the car and find a reason to arrest you and you go to jail. He did not want the cop to know there were Americans in the car as it could have made the situation more difficult. Volodymyr was very curious as to how this was handled in the US and if the police do this sort of thing. The next day, Sunday we went to a very large church in L'viv. There must have been close to 5,000 people there. Standing room only inside and speakers outside for the crowd to listen to the service. It was a blessing of the harvest. Natalia took a basket of fruit, which we enjoyed after church at a coffee shop. The Priest sang the entire service and then came outside and sprinkled holy water on the crowd. We then toured the historic part of the city. On Monday, we went to the Ukrainian bazaar in the city, visited Natalia at her work at the bank for one last goodbye and then on to the airport. The flights are posted on a large board using letters..no electronic boards here. The luggage was weighed on this huge antique scale. One computer. We were not asked any questions about what we had purchased or our money or anything. They stamped our passports. The bags were X-rayed and then we were allowed to board the plane. Do I want to go back?? YES, TODAY if I could. Being with my family was like we had been together forever. Next time I want to stay in Starjy Sambir for a couple of days and live the life of a local villager. I am very proud of my Ukrainian heritage and am thankful I was able to see first hand the country and their way of life. The younger people are very determined to make their country strong and see it grow and prosper. They despartely want to be part of the EU. They told us that in Eastern Ukraine, the feelings are very different and they want to be associated with Russia. In the Western part of the country the most popular T-shirt sold at the kiosks stated" Thank God I am not a Russian". We also went to a supermarket near their home. This was a fairly modern store, with fresh meat, vegetables and all grocery items available. Thanks for listening.

[wilko]

Very interesting and readable.

For someone who has never experienced life in Eastern Europe the phrase "culture shock" applys.

[millgirl]

Yes, you are correct. Culture shock indeed. I felt like I had to tell my story just as I experienced it. The awe of being there, where my Grandparents came from is only a small part of my experience. I found it to be very humbling and will think about my family using the out house in the dead of winter when I complain about how cold it is when I run outside to get the mail in January. My cousin in Starjy Sambir is related to me in this way: her Grandfather and my Great Grandfather were brothers. She knew my GF's sister( who stayed behind) very well and spent alot of time with her. I only ever saw photos. The ONLY difference between me and Yuzepha and our lives is that my GF got on the boat. I could easily have grown up over there and lived the life she does now. That is what amazes me. A boat trip across the ocean created an entirely different lifestyle. Does any of this make sense??