just back from ukraine...

[keithandkatya]

We just got back last night... I was there for a week. It was a nice trip but the plane travel is exhausting to me and unfortunately I got sick the last day I was there with a cold so the trip back was even more difficult. We were lucky not to have any problems with delayed or canceled flights... Usually I like airline food but this trip with (delta) the food wasn't much...

Have alot I could say about the trip... one interesting thing...they usually turn off the hot water the last week or two in May to work on the pipes or something... one day last week they also turned off the cold water- so no water!! My father in law, my wife and myself went to the closest well and brought some water up to the 5th floor.. a neighbor then called a local official and said she was ashamed of her country because an American comes for a visit and has to bring up water... guess what- later that day not only was the cold water back on but we had hot water... the hot water was not scheduled to be back on for another week... it may have had nothing to do with the neigbor's phone call but I think everyone in the apt building thinks it caused the water to be fixed in record time... pretty funny stuff.. and when my parent's in law were taking us to the airport late at night we were pulled over by the police who asked what we were doing and where we were going... the cops were told that an american was being taken to the airport... the cops said oh okay and apolgized about the whole thing... and before the trip I thought I might run into some anti americanism because of the world situation... just the opposite from a small sample of events...

all the best,
Keith

[Roark]

... in response to just back from ukraine..., posted by keithandkatya on Jun 2, 2004

Yeah, you can't believe what the media say about anti-American sentiment abroad.  Sure, they can find people who hate the USA when that's the story they want to present, but that's just as true here at home as it is overseas.  (Just check any college campus.)  Whenever I hear from regular people who deal with regular people in other countries, they say they've been treated as nicely as ever.

[Haroshij]

... in response to Re: just back from ukraine..., posted by Roark on Jun 2, 2004

It's sad, but there is considerable anti-America sentiment growing in Europe. It's so sad because there is not long time ago everybody here could change a little of John F. Kennedys words and say, we are all Americans. This sincere sympathy for America has been destroyed by your republican leaders which were so much wanted by so many of you.

However, most people here are educated enough to understand that the problem is the American president and his regime, and we are cultivated and polite enough to treat any American we meet with respect and courtesy.

Haroshij

[BubbaGump]

... in response to Re: just back from ukraine..., posted by Roark on Jun 2, 2004

My friend's daughter went on a spring school sponsored tour of Europe which included England, France and Spain and she said the people were friendly to them in every country.  I would not have expected that.

[John K]

... in response to Re: just back from ukraine..., posted by Roark on Jun 2, 2004

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