Posted on 11/21/2010 6:24:19 AM PST by franksolich
It was in March of 1995 that I found myself in Kiev; I disremember why I had gone there, but it must have been important, as when wandering around the socialist paradises of the workers and peasants with free medical care for all, I generally avoided the big cities, preferring instead to amble around the backwoods, the boondocks, the rural areas.
It was the beginning of spring, but still cold from winter. I had contacted a family, saying I would show up at their home on such-and-such a date, to which they responded, "sure, fine, okay; we'll be here."
The family lived in the northern part of the city, in an area that had once been designated for members of the Communist party; in other words, apartments that were somewhat larger than the usual housing. By American standards--and most certainly by Sandhills of Nebraska standards--such places were actually tiny and cramped, barely more than three or four broom-closets put together.....
(Excerpt) Read more at conservativecave.com ...
I assume it's very different now; this was during the mid-1990s, fifteen years ago.
What is involved in all memories of Ukraine, southern Russia, White Russia (Belarus), and Moldavia (Moldova) is the eternal mud, crumbly asphalt, and human waste.
One could not avoid it anywhere, and great admiration must be given the people of those places, who still retained their humanity, their values, their grace, despite all the vigorous attempts of socialism to turn them into human animals.
Of course; freerepublic is great, and I've been thankful ever since I found this site (in 1998, but being a shy, reticent person, I never registered until 2003, and waited a very long time to post a comment.....and even much longer to start a thread).
freerepublic changed media in America, and it badly needed changing. I too love freerepublic.
You should, and as soon as possible. He's a stranger in a strange land, and needs to know that people are interested in him and the Time and Place into which he had been born.
Thank you; I always wondered if the sheer length of stuff I write--and believe me, I've written much longer pieces than this--is a turn-off to people.
People are born with the "need" to talk incessantly, but because of a certain, uh, obstacle, in my case, I can't do that, being generally taciturn in real life.....and then I "make up" for it by incessantly writing.
Could be even worse in other places of the world..
Yes.
It is worse, much worse.
One of my favorite stories from childhood was about a village in the Tyrol of Austria that had two priests at its church; the peasants went to one priest, who could hear, for all things excepting that they went to the deaf priest when making confession.
I'm sure people have spilled out their guts to me, but there's no way I would ever know exactly what it was they were confiding in me.
Uh huh.
I found Russia (the southern part, between Tula and Rostov (I really didn’t go anywhere else in Russia; just that sliver) abysmally poor, but life seemed easier there, than in Ukraine.
Part of the deal with Ukraine was that during the socialist era, even though Ukraine was the second-largest “republic” in the U.S.S.R., Kiev the third-largest city in the U.S.S.R., and Ukraine of course is the mother of Russia, the Soviets had forcibly kept Ukraine a “backwater.”
Ukraine became independent in August 1991, and began opening up to the west (mostly because money was there for the taking) soon thereafter, but in 1994-1995-1996, this “opening” was still getting underway.
As mentioned in the story, as late as 1995, there was but one place in the capital, Kiev, a city the size of Chicago, where one could cash or buy traveler’s cheques, and no place at all where one could use plastic.
(Caution: it may have been different in Lvov to the west, near the border with Poland, but I never thought to check when I was in Lvov.)
“Volunteers” (quotation marks intentional) in the U.S. Peace Corps, when needing medical treatment, were airborned to Paris.
Mike Wallace of CBS News did some reports on anti-semitism in Ukraine, but he hung around only a few hours a day, going to Warsaw or Moscow for the night.
Got driven into the country, did a few interviews, and got driven out for the night. Nothing in Ukraine that met the standards of hotel accommodations for highly-paid famous journalists.
He probably took breakfast, dinner, and supper in Warsaw or Moscow, too.
Because travel to Ukraine was so restricted during the socialist era, the U.S. never even had a consul in Kiev—again, the third-largest city in the U.S.S.R. Nor did any other western country.
I enjoyed that very much. Would you please add me to your ping list? Thanks.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.