How is ukraine like

Hi i am European citizen and i am thinking of moving to Zaporizhzya. Do you have any information? Hi Michael, sure, what exactly would you like to know? Something about the move, Zaporizhzhya as a city where to live, renting a flat or anything else? Well, with a monthly income of euros it would be nice to know whether i can rent a comfortable flat there and any information about the city will be welcome.

With this amount of money you definitely can rent a very comfortable flat and live very well not only in Zaporizhzhya but many other cities around Ukraine. If you plan to rent it for the entire year, I can connect you with a few agents who speak English and can help you find a great option. Zaporizhzhya is very polluted due to dozens of heavy industrial plants within city limits.

There are a few foreigners who work as English teachers and as missionaries but there are really a few of them. I am also finishing a guide to Ukrainian cities where I talk in detail about each city, so it should give you better understanding on what to expect.

Make sure to check it soon. Hello, I have a quick question, I am about to marry a lady from Zaporizhzhia who will come over to America shortly. I have just returned from Ukraine and I have loved it every time I have been. We intend to stay in America until I retire , in about 6 years but my concern is about medical care.

Or to be more accurate the availability of insulin in Ukraine. As if the treatment of my diabetes is basic in Ukraine we want to retire in Ukraine near Lviv or Dnipro. Any help gratefully appreciated Alan. Hi Anya, Thanks for posting this article. I have been to Kiev numerous times now as a tourist and have never felt uncomfortable or that the city was not safe. I do not know the language and have had minor communication problems with the locals but nothing to really cause a problem.

People overall have treated me well and try to understand the English language. I will continue my adventures to Kiev and continue learning their lifestyle and culture.

I am really happy to hear this and to know you enjoyed Kyiv! And thank you for sharing your thoughts. Come to visit other cities in Ukraine too, there is still so much to do and see! Hello Anya I am Robert, an entrepreneur from Nigeria. I plan to to set up my company in Ukraine. And latter plan to bring my kids along. How is elementary and secondary school like for English speakers in Ukraine? Hi Robert, all public elementary and secondary schools in Ukraine teach in the Ukrainian language.

In big cities, there are British and American schools where all pupils are English speakers. With smaller cities it is more challenging though. Are you interested in any particular city? Hey Robert, if you need to contact me, send me your message through contact us page.

I will respond from my email. I am interested in schools for kids as well. Could you please write about school system. I am interested in private schools with english medium. Hmm… I think not only women in Ukraine are looking for husbands. Women all over the world would like to marry and have a family. But if you mean foreigners, then I see lots of foreign men looking for wives in Ukraine too.

Are their women that bad? Ukrainian are better. They are more real, more feminine, less dogmatized. Im a foreigner living in Ukraine for one year and I agree with most of this article. For me, medical care is really important for me to feel totally secure.

And I find the healthcare here too underdeveloped and old fashioned. I feel like Im in a bad movie when I go there. That really blew my mind! Thank you for sharing your experience, Jamie! It sounds like you went to a public hospital because everything you are describing is the dark reality of hospital life in any city in Ukraine.

Everything there is outdated, old and inside of the building it always feels creepy, as you say, like in a horror movie. I personally never go to the public part of the hospital because there is also a private one where everything is new and up to the latest technology and actually stopped going there more than 10 years ago. I will never recommend any foreigner to go to a public clinic. Now I am curious. Did the insurance company pick this hospital for you? Ternopil is home to one of the leading medical universities in Ukraine.

There are a lot of private clinics around the city that specialize in various specialties. How and why did you go to a public one? I would appreciate your feedback! Thanks again! I would say that your best bet is to speak to a local lawyer. A residency permit not always allows a person to work in Ukraine, are you sure yours does?

Second, as a foreigner, if not being highly skilled and qualified, it may be really difficult to secure a minimal wage or entry-level job since preference is given to Ukrainians.

Consultations are usually free. HI Anya Thanks for all the information, receives a lot of stress. Thinking of retiring in Ukraine, speak English and Spanish. Hi Tim, I apologize for responding with a delay, I hope this answer is still on time.

Honestly, American Cooking School idea sounds amazing and if you open it in a large city, your chances of success are higher. This is still something unique for Ukraine and people are curious. There are a few cooking schools not schools, better to say cooking classes I know of but they are actually for foreign tourists, not for Ukrainians.

Also, some restaurants offer cooking classes for kids where they can learn how to make pizzas, sushi, and a few other international foods. But there is not much for adults. A lot of people in Ukraine love attending various events, classes and meetups where they can communicate with native English speakers. However, if you want to open your school officially then be ready to go through seven circles of bureaucratic hell.

You would definitely need to have a Ukrainian help you with documentation, translation and go with you to every single appointment. And keep in mind that opening a business in Ukraine would take months, so be ready for that. But if you get a permission and registration on your school or any other business , you can apply for temporary residence. I hope it helps!

If you have any other questions, just ask! Can I move to the Ukraine to completely retire and live with my girlfriend until we marry, without any problems. Thanks Michael. No matter what you do, do not overstay illegally because you will not get your temporary residency even through a marriage to the Ukrainian resident.

I really enjoyed reading your post. Ukraine is my dream destination. I would really like to go to Ukraine and see all of the historic sights and the architecture, but I would really like to know more about working there and volunteering at a Christian orphanage.

How could I go about getting started on living and working in Ukraine? And what kind of costs are involved? Thank you, Jeffrey. Hi Jeffrey, I am asking around on this subject and trying to find more information from people I used to work with. For now, I can recommend these guys: mission I have been working with the founder Shawn Sullivan and director Vladimir Rezmer and can speak highly of these people. They do a lot for Ukrainian children and run a non-profit organization.

There are a lot of companies on the market who are mainly interested in getting money of volunteers but Mission is legitimate, Christ oriented and they really do a lot. You can get in touch, they respond very quickly. Your desire to come to serve in Ukraine is very commendable and it is a very rewarding experience! Love this article and your great reviews on Kiev living. I am glad to hear my article was helpful! If you are living in Ukraine, I highly suggest you open a bank account, it is definitely safe and nothing to worry about.

My family and I personally use Privat Bank Ukrainian and are very happy with their services. I once lived in Ukraine. I was interested in reading your blog.

Ukraine is beautiful! I have both British and Australian passports. She has been living in Australia with me the last 14 months. Due to circumstances here with me in Australia and my wife,s parents who still live there in the Ukraine we are weighing up our options to go back and live in the Ukraine. I have been to the Ukraine about 10 times and love the way of life there.

My question is, as i am married to a Ukrainian girl does this allow me to live in the country without a visa. Thanks in advance Bruce. Based on your marriage, you can apply for residency which takes months once in Ukraine.

With your British or Australian passport you get to stay in Ukraine 3 months. When you get into the country and if you plan to live there long term, I highly suggest you registering your marriage based on Ukrainian law and then after you get a marriage certificate, apply for residency. It does take some time to get your paperwork, so try to do it as soon as you fly in.

Could anyone possibly tell me which city is better as well as is it a good business to run in Ukraine. Are Ukrainian interested to learn English? Hi Wafi, definitely, opening an English language school will be a good business to run in Ukraine, especially if you plan to bring native speakers on board.

More and more people in Ukraine are eager to learn English. You can take a look at a few schools that have been on the market for a long time, to get an idea of what they are offering and looking for.

Some of them are: London School of English and International House Also, once you open your school, be ready to invest in some advertising to introduce your school to the public. They are equally developed and have a lot of opportunities. Culturally and historically, they are different, so you may prefer one to another based on that. Hi Anya. I enjoyed reading your comments about Ukraine. I am married to an Anya. We are in the U. The plan is for her to get U.

We also will work on getting me at least permanent residency in Ukraine via our marriage — it would not be tied to quotas. I am hoping we can do this from the U. I did a good job saving money for retirement over the years.

I am not a millionaire but I am comfortable. However, in the U. So we started looking abroad. We love Europe and Portugal was on our short list. However, we are thinking instead about moving to Ukraine for retirement. My wife is from Vinnytsia which is regularly cited as one of the best cities for living in Ukraine. My retirement and Social Security would go MUCH further in Ukraine and we would have a lot of extra money to travel extensively throughout Europe and spend a couple of months back in the U.

With Airbnb, Booking. Anya knows Russian and has been teaching it to me. I will never be fluent, will never be able to read and write in it. However, if I can learn enough helpful phrases or so of them would be nice , over time I think I can learn to handle myself alone in Vinnytsia when Anya is out with friends.

Many restaurants there have English on their menus. Kyiv is only a 2. If you have any additional thoughts for people in our situation, we would appreciate your insights. Best of luck to you and Mark. Hi Gary, retiring outside the US is definitely the right decision to make and Ukraine is a good place for that.

You are absolutely right that you can have a high quality of life here and travel all over Europe and beyond with the retirement money from the US. If you have ties to Ukraine which seems you do, considering your wife is Ukrainian , your life here will be also much easier.

Knowing the language and being able to understand the culture which is very different from American is certainly going to help. Doing it through the embassy in the US will be a hassle and take much more time and money.

No, the Booking. Hi Anya: I find myself returning to your travel blogging site again and again. My husband and I have fallen in love with Ukraine but we are stumped on how to obtain a temporary residence permit because we cannot find any volunteer or working jobs, such as teaching that are current or available.

Our problem remains however, trying to figure out how to obtain those permits, would love to see more coverage on this subject. Thank you for your intriguing and unique content. In fact, i am planning to emigrate to Ukraine for a large number of reasons first of which is to further my education in PhD.

After graduation, I intend to work as a constructor so i will be able to, for example, refurbish old buildings. Hence i will be a self-employed. Do you think it is a good place for me?

It is a bit challenging for me to advise if Ukraine is a good place for you personally. It depends on many factors, including your lifestyle, values, goals, etc. Moving to Ukraine to get your PhD in civil engineering? This is a good choice since there are many excellent schools for that. Starting your own business in Ukraine as a foreigner, to be honest, can be difficult because of all the bureaucratic attitudes.

Compared to Iran, Ukraine is behind Iran economically but there are many opportunities for growth and development. Also, Ukraine is a very relaxed country in terms of freedom, press, religion and political views. Do you have an opportunity to visit Ukraine at first and see how you like it?

That would definitely give you a broader picture. Here are some more reasons to take the trains:. Trains have lots of elbow room in them, compared to planes.

Seats are much bigger, with plenty of legroom. A plane takes 1. Passengers board trains thru about 40 doors simultaneously, 2 doors per wagon. These Schalfwagons allow one to travel while sleeping in a real bed with sheets, rocked to sleep by the gentle rolling of the train. You see so much from the huge train windows, whereas from the tiny plane windows you see only cloud tops. Trains have a dining car where real food is cooked and served to you at real tables with white linen! Some of the most interesting people can be met on a train if the seating is right.

Unlike airports, train stations are in the center of town, close to where people live and work. One must drive about an hour out of town to reach an airport. No neighborhood wants the noise.

Train stations are in the centers of towns, and they are much more numerous — these 2 factors make train stations closer to you. One must arrive at the airport 2 hours before departure. On a train you can have a huge suitcase or two without having to check them. Wheel them on yourself.

And no charge for any luggage. Upon arrival, no waiting 45 minutes for your bag s to show up on the luggage carousel. After finally boarding your plane, you sit for another half hour or so before the wheels begin to slowly turn. Finally your turn to take off comes and the engines begin to scream, about 20 feet from your ears.

They continue their high decibel screaming throughout the flight. On a train the engine is far away from your wagon; usually it cannot be heard. The former Soviet Union countries use old passenger train wagons from Italy and W.

European countries. These are far superior to the modern wagons in use in the West. Ukrainian train wagons are divided into about 10 compartments. Also in these old wagons from Central Europe, passengers can open the window in their compartment.

And most important about train travel perhaps is that it is a lot of FUN! Nor do you ever need to rent a car. Hello, Anya. I am enjoying reading your blog after reading your opinions and suggestions about traveling to and in Ukraine. My question is….. I have a new fiend who lives in Kremenchuk, and wishes to come to the US to live. However they are quite challenged by the lack of understanding the English language, and not having a decent salary to afford top instruction to learn the language.

It seems that there is a very limited source of instructors in that city as well. Do you have any recommendation you might pass along for them to check into for some help? Any help will be greatly appreciated, I am sure. Thank you and keep up the great, and helpful writing. Which language i have study to live in Ukraine Ukrainian or Russian language?

If you plan to study in Ukraine only, you can find many English programs and there is no need to learn the language. If you plan to live and work in Ukraine, then you have to know at least Ukrainian. Regarding your second question about the schools, there are many good schools for foreigners in many cities around Ukraine. It all depends on the major and your budget.

Usually, education for foreigners is more expensive than residents and citizens, yet it is possible to find a program on a budget if willing to study in a small Ukrainian city or town. Loved reading your comments. I have become good friends with some people in the Ukraine. Especially in the world today people need to come together, my ukranian friends have opened my eyes!!!

I intend! To visit soon. Thank you for all the information, MARK. Hi Mark, I am glad to hear you enjoyed reading my post! Hi, Anya. This post is so helpful. I am hoping you might have advice about a few things.

Sorry for a long note. I am leaving for Dnipro, Ukraine in a couple of weeks for an English teaching position in a three month-program.

I will receive three stipend checks in UAH from the school. My second question is about the teaching and consulting for general English and Business English. I have CELTA University of Cambridge certification to teach English to adults and also 20 years of corporate Communication experience working within a wide range of industries and topics. I have many years of business communication experience in health care. Obviously, a pandemic is one of the worst times to start this work, but I am forging ahead.

I have heard that there are many IT workers who need general English skills. They know enough IT-related English but cannot generally converse well. I think recently, lessons have transitioned to online; a format I am comfortably teaching with. Do you have any thoughts about exploring this work in Ukraine? So, answering your question about the checks, I got a bit confused. What type of checks is this school talking about? Usually, there are only two ways to pay a salary, directly with cash or through a bank check transfer.

In this case yes, both banks your international one and Ukrainian bank will charge a fee and the final amount will be in your currency. Depending on the bank in Dnipro the school is going to use, the fee will be definitely different. Some banks charge more, some less but almost all of them work with personal accounts, not just business. If you have more information on this part, please let me know.

To answer your second question, I can assure you that there is plenty of work in Ukraine when it comes to teaching English! There are workers in different fields who need general English skills. Besides IT there are workers in health care, education, consulting, culture and tourism who also constantly look for improving their English.

When I was working for Deloitte one of the Big Four accounting organizations , we were constantly encouraged to attend English classes and the company was paying for them. A lot of auditors these days have a very basic audit-related lexicon but they are not fluent in speaking. So they are also looking for courses that companies pay for. There was, is, and will be a big demand for English teachers in Ukraine for different fields, not only English for kids at school.

Also, not all schools transitioned to online. Smaller schools with fewer attendees still work as they did before covid. It all depends on the region and a particular school. There will be no shutdowns or full lockdowns. Schools will continue to work and there will be a demand for English, be it online or with presence in class.

Thank you, for the information! Knowing about Deloitte is helpful so I can be aware of what large companies or large services, such as health care, might hire business English and general English teachers. My hope is to eventually only teach adults.

Regarding the stipend from the school, I will receive a living stipend that is paid in three installments. It is not taxed since it is for an educational program. I had assumed each payment would be made with a check, but perhaps I am wrong. The funds that I will need while in Dnipro will only be for food, toiletries and utilities. That would eliminate that hassle. I also assumed that I would be paid in UAH so eventually I would have to exchange the funds to USD prior to departure; and of course I want to avoid what are usually high fees.

My research indicates Citibank is no longer operating for personal banking in Ukraine, only corporate banking. That would leave me with using a currency exchange outrageous fees or a local bank. I also read that the local banks can legally set their own approximate exhange rates and usually provide a low middle market average rate.

Granted, this article is written by a company selling information that would supposedly provide access to banking information that would help with this issue, but their description of what can happen with local accounts is accurate — and scary! Hi Anya, great website. I met a girl that lives in Ukraine and she is not interested in moving to Canada so to be together I would have to move there.

I would of course take a good trip there first to check everything out and see how we are in person. Anyways my question is how difficult is it going to be to stay thre permanetly? I have a monthly income thats more than enough to live in any city comfortably.

You wrote about speaking english as being a huge asset if I would like to find work. I dont need to work but if I have to get a job to be allowed to live in the country i would of course. She makes a lot of money on her own so she wont even be a dependant. What do I have to do to stay there legally? Im a Canadian citizen if that matters. I know Canada and Ukraine have a great relationship and we have an embassy there.

Not sure if that matters. Thank you for your time and again great website. Hi Josh, to be honest, getting permanent residency in Ukraine is difficult.

The government supports the IT sphere and attracts foreign professionals through immigration quotas for IT specialists. Another route more difficult but possible is to apply for a one-year residency as a remote worker and show proof of income mentioned above in this post. I am considering buying an apartment in Borispol — this is close to the airport and intend renting this property out to short term visitors to Ukraine, what hurdles do you think I will need to overcome in this respect.

I have a friend in that Town who would oversee the day to day running. Is property a good investment. Hi David, trying to cover in the comment section the topic of buying real estate in Ukraine is somewhat challenging.

This is a great post. I went to Ukraine Kyiv for the first time in Feb and absolutely fell in love with it. Looking forward to my return when possible. Hello Anya, I am thinking of moving to Ukraine Betdichev for good! Is it to be a huge challenge to live there? Thanks Roberto ,U. I found this video about Berdychiv , so you could understand a bit what the city is like. At first he is giving general information about the name of the city and shows the apartment they rented to live in for a few days.

There are barely any nice cafes and modern big stores. Also, he mentions that they mainly saw older people everywhere, not many kids or young adults.

It is partially an industrial town and many people try to leave and move to larger cities. Next, they went to the restaurant, the only park in the city which is pretty horrible broken flowerpots and asphalt, not taken care of, no trash cans , City Council which looks like it was bombed os something, jeez such an embarrassment , walked in a random apartment complex that is falling apart but where people still live until this day, famous Karmelitska monastery, a park area near the river full of trash and the river is dirty and walked a bit more around the city.

Also, he made a good point about ecology. Berdychiv has some of the worst quality of the air in Ukraine. It has several factories polluting the air and the city gas pipeline emits nitric oxide which is a reason why a high number of people in this area suffer from neurodegenerative diseases. By the way, speaking of ecology. The entire Zhytomyr region county in other words has the highest level of radiation after the Chernobyl catastrophe and Berdychiv is in the Zhytomyr region , the average life expectancy here is the lowest in all of Ukraine.

Verdict from me : If you were my relative or close friend, I would be discouraging you from moving to Berdychiv.

Would it be a challenge to live there? For me and many others — yes, definitely. For you? But most likely — also yes. I hope it helps. And I am sorry if you expected a different answer! Hi Anya, I am an India and was thinking to move to Ukraine. I earn enough to stay in the capital and everything sounds quite affordable to me. However, the thing I wanted to ask if there is any help you can do so I can relocate? Currently, I am staying in Dubai.

I want to move with my Wife and a Kid. Are you asking about the residency? If yes, I am not qualified to give any legal advice. I am considering coming to Ukraine at least for a visit.

Perhaps 3 months. Do I just put it in American bank and use my credit card? Or do I need to do something else? How much cash should I have? Not safe? Thanks for the help. Almost everywhere in Ukraine besides markets, small towns and villages you can pay with a credit card. It will also help you get points on all purchases. I do not recommend you withdraw money from ATM since bank fees are high. The best option is to have a credit card with no international fee and have some cash with you.

I have met a lady in Kiev who wants to come to the US, I want her with me but with the Covid virus everything is complicated.. I have offered to come over to help but she says it is a bad time because of the virus. I have had both vaccine shots, have a current passport so I am wordering if it is advisable. She says it is a bad time, but I wonder if it really is.

If I married here there, could she get a visa through me to stay in the US? I have steady income for my work and social security. We planned on marrying here which makes a lot of sense. I know this is true since I had occasion to use it recently for a heart attack! The care was professional and competent even if not employing the latest technology available elsewhere! A Dachia is usually a place out a bit from the city in a country setting that is not usually intended for every day living.

A Dachia usually has running water typically located outside the building and electricity. It usually has only an out-house for toilet facilities. But they can be upgraded fairly inexpensively. Most are fairly near bus-stops.

Real Estate in Ukraine has experienced an unrealistic increase in perceived value within the past 5 years. A modestly appointed and minimally acceptable to most Western tastes yet still decent, the low-range apartment will cost that much or more. The going rate is 20 Grevnah per hour! Fluency in either Russian or Ukrainian is not necessary in order to manage everyday things like shopping and inter or intracity travel. I manage well enough on my own with a Russian vocabulary of only about words.

There are many Laws in Ukraine! But, few of them are ever actually enforced. The local police are not particularly interested in putting people in jail as in some other countries. If a law is broken there is usually only a relatively small fine involved and one is back on one merry way with no grudges held.

The police largely leave those who keep their noses clean alone! In this sense it not unlike the WildWest of North America. Politically speaking, Ukraine has technically joined the U. This is usually not noticed since its almost always included in the purchase price. Western Ukraine especially Carpathia is mountainous and has good fishing in lakes and some streams.

Snow skiing is available at very reasonable costs. No fishing licenses are required or even available. What is referred to, as Crimea by Westerners is known locally as Krim. Yalta and Sevastopol are located there. Otherwise, most of the fish here is not what most westerners would consider good game fish except pike. Locally they are known as Chukka Krim has a protecting arm of mountains looking outward to the Black Sea.

It is known of as the Riviera of Ukraine! The country is establishing closer ties with the European Union and reimagining itself as a cultural centre of Eastern Europe. Ukraine's Soviet past has given many expats the impression that it is grim-faced and gloomy, but those who stick around for a while will discover that the pros outweigh the cons in this misunderstood country.

Individuals who enjoy a good challenge will find life in Ukraine to be a new and captivating adventure. Expats moving to Ukraine will find that accommodation can be inexpensive, even in metropolitan areas. However, buying and renting property should be done with caution and possibly a lawyer, as there are frequent reports of expats being scammed.

Compared with the rest of Europe, Ukraine has an astonishingly low cost of living, despite it becoming slightly more expensive in the larger cities. While it is possible to find an apartment on one's own using online or printed classifieds , many people opt for a realtor.

Realtors run the real estate game in Ukraine: some merely provide the phone number of a landlord, while others will escort house hunters to the apartment and interact on their behalf, but fees can be high. Meanwhile, Ukraine is riddled with real-estate scams that go mostly ignored by the government.

Expats should be cautious and never hand over money before finding out exactly what is being offered. Ukraine has a rich cultural history and the lifestyle of its people is characterised by good food, deep friendships and a love of nature. That said, the near constant threat of conflict and corruption are among the problems that face expats in Ukraine.

Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, was founded approximately 1, years ago and was a major centre of cultural and political influence even into the Soviet era. Throughout the centuries, Ukraine has seen rich, global influences on the entire country's art and architecture: from the fluted domes and spires that crown Kiev to the industrial modernism of later years.

Ukraine is making the old new again by using traditional methods to make food that appeals to the contemporary palate. Expats should try local favourites such as a steaming bowl of borscht beet soup with a creamy dollop of sour cream on the side. If this does not appeal, thin pancakes filled with anything from strawberry jam to garlic-fried mushrooms will hit the spot.

Everything from cherry dumplings, cabbage rolls and cold summer soups to delicious honey cake is on offer. While Ukrainians can appear stiff and uncaring on the outside, it's a different story once one gets to know them. Friendships are taken seriously and people will go out of their way to help a friend. The geography of Ukraine is bewilderingly diverse, and this means there is a lot to see and do.