Russia House | Trip Reports | Part 1
Part One: Posted to the Russian Women's List
Other Reports: Two | Three | Four |
Hello List Members!
Let me introduce myself....My name is Patrick Mack and I live in the Central Valley of
California. This is my first trip report and posting to the RWL. I have been
corresponding with Ukrainian women since August '98 and have been a lurker on the list
since that time. Thank you to all the regular posters for your insight and opinion; you
have helped me immeasurably.
I went to Ukraine to visit 3 ladies; one in Lviv and two in Odessa. I traveled
independently, making all of my own arrangements. I used the help of Anatoliy Borys at
the Duet Agency in Lviv; his agency is only a few months old and I was their first visitor
from the West. In Odessa, I used the services of Tania Mikhailovich at a private agency
there. If you have any questions about either of these agencies please e-mail me
privately. Both agencies are new and I found them to be very helpful to me in my travels.
I am including excerpts from letters I have written to friends about my travels.....
In Lviv........this letter was to a Kiwi who is corresponding with my interpreter there.
*********************
Paul,
I was Anatoliy's first visitor so all of this was as new to him as it was to
me. If you visit E. and use any of Duet's services, be very specific about what you need
and what it will cost so there will be no misunderstandings.
I stayed in an 18th century Austrian apartment building in a beautiful, ornate
2 room flat for 30usd a night (or 150usd a week). Be prepared to live without
water at any time. I cached water and brought my own filter to make drinkable
water. Toilet paper isn't as bad as they say.....I never used the stuff I brought.
Driver and car were 30usd per day and Oleg earned every nickel on the
cobblestones of Lviv.
From my experience, be prepared for a different pace of life when you visit.
E. asked me more than once why I was in such a "hurry" when I wanted to get
going by 11 am. I guess I am used to a different lifestyle here in California. I found out
that this is normal in Ukraine. Things start rolling around noon and continue late into the
evening.
I flew LOT through Warsaw to Lviv and had good luck......entering Ukraine
through Lviv airport is very primitive. You go into the only gate (!) (actually just and old
wooden door) which serves both incoming and outgoing passengers......there should be
some customs forms lying on the table near a booth which sells health insurance....mine
cost 11usd for 18 days.....don't know if you need it but I didn't have any
problems entering or leaving. Then you get into the first line of many you
will experience in Ukraine to get your passport stamped (hint....keep the
paper the guy gives you...he wanted it back when I left). Note: My visa said
Kiev as destination but they didn't ask why I entered at Lviv. Then hand your
customs form to another guy who is x-raying baggage and he'll stamp it and
give it back to you. Keep this form too.....you'll need it when you leave.
Then grab your checked luggage off the floor (all this takes place in a little
room) and you'll burst through a single door into a sea of Ukrainians waiting
for their family and friends. Nyet, Nyet to the taxi drivers........
For you E. will be waiting......for me, because of flight delays and crazy
phones in Warsaw, I was on my own. Luckily, a Ukrainian from Chicago,
Vladamir, came to my rescue. He was on the flight with me and helped me with
the health insurance and customs stuff. His father and he even took me to the
Hotel George and made sure I got a room for the night. All this on New Year's Eve! That's
where E. found me when she was going to a party at her friend's house.
To sum up.....I think Lviv is a great place to go if you like European culture
and architecture and where the people are very traditional Ukrainian. I only
saw one other Westerner while there.....we stand out, you know *grin*
Oh, yes......unless you are very good with your Russian...don't sweat it.....you'll likely forget
everything you learned when overwhelmed by all of the language, writing and culture of
being there. I only started remembering my Russian when in Odessa later in the
trip......Ukrainian (Lviv) and Russian are different.
Pat
******************************
I share some more observations about Lviv and my experiences there in another letter to
Paul..........one thing you'll see about me is that I am not a man of few words......*grin*
******************************
Paul,
The only way to really experience life in Ukraine is to go there. I think you
realize this. Only so much can be learned from the experiences of others.
Your experiences will be unique, as mine were. My best advice......expect the unexpected.
About E. .....I had never looked at her ad until just now and would say it
represents her well. She is a dark blond and her eyes look a bit oriental in
appearance. She is well educated in the history of Lviv and was a good guide
for Halia and myself to the historical landmarks in the city. Her English is
quite good for conversation.
As to my unique requirements......the woman I marry must have an intellectual
capacity similar to my own and have a personality able to thrive in the
stressful environment of business. She will become my partner in life and in
my business and I'm not looking for a quiet, stay at home wife; I need someone
who can stand beside me and face whatever comes our way in life. An equal
partner, so to speak.
I met 4 of the ladies from Duet.....Halia#32, Nadia#14, Marta#22 and Elle.
Marta and Halia are roommates and Nadia is a friend of Marta. Met them all
along with some other friends of Halia's at a New Years Party at her
apartment. All are nice ladies. Anatoliy is a good businessman who is doing
this to make a profit and will provide the services he agrees to. Expect to
pay a fee to the agency in advance of your visit. This is to pay for the
expenses of the free contact you have had with your lady and for all
arrangements made on your behalf while in Lviv. In my case, Anatoliy made
arrangements for a car and driver, an apartment, train tickets and made some
long distance phone calls on my behalf from the office to arrange things in
Odessa.
Regarding the Mafia guarding the apartment door......don't believe everything
you hear and read. I never even saw another person in the building while I
was there....and I was on the third floor. Halia walked home late in the
evening alone; her apartment was about 10 minutes away. She was curious when
I asked her if she felt safe. Evidently women walk alone at night all the
time in Lviv. I saw much of this when we were out.
I started out the trip carrying all of my money on me......after a week, I was
just carrying what I needed for the day and leaving the rest in the apartment.
My advice.....trust your instincts.......Once Halia and E. gave me back $15
that I had dropped in the car.....no, it wasn't a test; I didn't even know.
My belief is that you find in people what you look for......I looked for the
best and was not disappointed.
Regarding language......I was only partially through Level 1 Pimsleur Russian
when I visited and promptly forgot most everything I learned when overwhelmed
with immersion in the culture. People in Lviv speak Ukrainian, which is
different from Russian. There are a few Ukrainian phrases in the Lonely
Planet Travel Guide. My advice to a novice like myself would be to learn a
couple of interesting phrases to say and leave the rest to the interpreter or
your UW.
I have been involved in this pursuit for about 6 months now and recommend
visiting as soon as you have a relationship established with a lady. I
originally was to visit a lady from Chernovsti but she changed her mind at the
last moment. I had written to Halia for only a month before visiting her and
that was plenty. You can learn a lot about someone in a month if each of you
is sincere. I also visited a lady in Odessa with whom I had corresponded for
about the same time. I found no surprises with either visit......two great
ladies! The only mismatch was with a lady from Nicholaev who I met in Odessa.
We just had no chemistry. We enjoyed some good times the 1 1/2 days she was
there but both of us knew there was no future between us. I appreciated her
decisiveness. Sometimes we American men are too polite....at least I am anyway.
<snip>
My opinion of E. having a more Western demeanor came partially from the way
she dressed and partially from my instincts. She wore clothing I viewed as
Western; synthetics and Western styles. I wish I could explain more but
sometimes instinct is difficult to qualify. Every woman is different and I am
not making this observation in a negative way, just sharing what I inferred
from my experience. I will say that, because of her physical beauty, she will
have many men interested in her. Since I was Duet's first visitor, I know
nobody has visited her yet. So, if you are interested and the two of you get
on well, take the next step and visit before some other man does. The early
bird gets the worm.....sometimes. Also, because I was there in person, other
women in the agency who I did not know were interested in meeting me.....this
says something of the effect of being there. I know that these women were
corresponding with many men. And I'm no Italian stud....just a normal guy
pushing 40.
Hope this has helped. Best of luck.......Now check Travelocity for those
airline tickets......LOT Polish was the airline I used.
Pat
*********************
Ok, I'll make this part one and talk about my time with Halia in part two and the trip to
Odessa in part three....... OK, I'll just write a book *grin*
Pat
Russia House | Trip Reports | Part 1
