Natural Crimea

[The Natural]

Good one!      And don't try it again.  Let it stand, and the event will remain forever as part of your legend.

Hehe, no, I won't try it again. Retire while on top 

You're a good man Roy, with a good heart. 

It never hurts to help somebody when you can. It doesn't matter where or when you are but, when you're on vacation and have some expendable cash in your pocket is as good time as any. Although, it's good to help all the time, of course as you can. Kudos

Oh, I try and sometimes I succeed. And you're a great guy too, don't deny it 


I've many times thought about how good I have it while there are so many around the globe who suffers. Back home we have no poor people, only people with way more than they need, me included. But I'm skeptical of giving donations to the big charity companies as one so often read about how most of it is spent on running the business and not benefitting the needy. When my girl was in Norway with me, we discussed this and I asked her if she know someone who could really need a little help. My number one priority is of course to help out my girl and her mother, but that doesn't stand in the way of aiding someone else a little as well.


So the other night we again talked about that. My girl and her mother had also talked about it and it turns out there is this 80+ year old woman living in a rundown neighbour apartment from where we are. She has a son who's an alcoholic living with her. He has no income, do odd jobs for little money and is now in hospital with a broken leg. My girl told me years ago he had frost bites and had to remove some toes and have pain since then. They suggested we give the old woman 100 grivnas and we agreed that my girl would go to her with the money. I didn't want to go as not to scare the old lady, a foreign man showing up at her doorstep and all. She was even a bit fearful as my girl knocked on her door and told her that she has a guest in her house that would like to help someone in need. The old woman pointed to herself and exclaimed: "I need help". She was handed the money and was so happy. She started to cry and told my girl to give many blessings from God.


Imagine that something like that can bring so much happiness to a human being. It's only about 12 bucks, means nothing to me in terms of materialism. One can actually say giving is an act of egoism. It feels great to be able to make someone's life a little brighter. I can only imagine the many hardships this woman have gone through.


Today my girl and I went to the supermarked to buy food that we will bring with us on Saturday when we go to the Azov sea where we have reserved two cottages for 5 days (one cottage for her mother).
I decided to buy food for the old woman too. So we bought foods like eggs, meat, sausages, butter, bread, pasta, youghurt, fruit and went to her and delivered it. She was of course very happy and as I shaked her hand, she dragged me close and gave me a kiss on the cheek...

[Hammer2722]

Maladiets!!!! Well done Natural. 

[SANDRO43]

 

It's only about 12 bucks, means nothing to me in terms of materialism. One can actually say giving is an act of egoism.

Yes. In my opinion, there is no real altruism but 3 different forms of egoism. You give something that is yours to somebody because:

1. You expect something else in return - to get some thing/favour back.
2. You feel pleasure/satisfaction from the act - to get a good emotion back.
3. It was the RIGHT thing to do - to get nothing back, materially or emotionally.

Fewer and fewer examples noticeable nowadays as one progresses from 1 to 3 .

[The Natural]

:offtopic:Yes. In my opinion, there is no real altruism but 3 different forms of egoism. You give something that is yours to somebody because:

1. You expect something else in return - to get some thing/favour back.
2. You feel pleasure/satisfaction from the act - to get a good emotion back.
3. It was the RIGHT thing to do - to get nothing back, materially or emotionally.

Fewer and fewer examples noticeable nowadays as one progresses from 1 to 3 .

I'd say it's a combination of 2 and 3 in this case. Certainly not number 1 

[ksf]

My trip to Crimea 6/21 am excited... My apartment is in USD as well. What cities in Crimea are you going to visit? I am going to stay in Sevastopol and make day trips to other areas form there. Best of luck on your trip.
Kevin

[The Natural]

Hi Kevin,


Not travelling around, just being here in Kerch with my girl. But we are going to a holiday resort by the Azov sea for 5 days, starting tomorrow. It's a little over 30 km out of Kerch close to a small place called Zolotoe. Wish you a great trip to Sevastopol and areas around. Should be interesting for you.

[Faux Pas]

:offtopic:Yes. In my opinion, there is no real altruism but 3 different forms of egoism. You give something that is yours to somebody because:

1. You expect something else in return - to get some thing/favour back.
2. You feel pleasure/satisfaction from the act - to get a good emotion back.
3. It was the RIGHT thing to do - to get nothing back, materially or emotionally.

Fewer and fewer examples noticeable nowadays as one progresses from 1 to 3 .

Giving to help or alleviate ones suffering is the RIGHT THING to do no matter the reasons isn't it? The emotion one receives for giving is just a by product and can't or shouldn't be measured IMO. Quite a few people give and feel zero emotion. Uber rich philanthropist would be an example. Conversely, giving because it makes the giver feel good is a gift just the same and doesn't taint the gift one way or the other. Giving and helping those in need is an act of compassion and a good deed.

Your #1 example isn't as bad as it sounds either. Giving or helping for an immediate return of a favor may be a good deed but, not necessarily compassionate. More of an investment. Giving in hopes of the recipient returning the favor someday when it's warranted, without any strings attached is a compassionate good deed. 

[The Natural]

Giving to help or alleviate ones suffering is the RIGHT THING to do no matter the reasons isn't it? The emotion one receives for giving is just a by product and can't or shouldn't be measured IMO. Quite a few people give and feel zero emotion. Uber rich philanthropist would be an example. Conversely, giving because it makes the giver feel good is a gift just the same and doesn't taint the gift one way or the other. Giving and helping those in need is an act of compassion and a good deed.

I agree with you here 100% Faux Pas. I was thinking along these lines as I answered Sandro, but didn't expand. The way I see it, the byproduct of feeling good about doing something good and  unexpected towards another human being, is put into us for a reason. Personally I'm a Christian and I believe God wants us to help each other and both reward us for the act immediately by "feeling good", as well as set us up to do more good later, in order to feel good again.


If you're worldly, it can be explained in the technology of behaviour as positive reinforcement. If you have a positive consequence of an action, you tend to repeat it. I would also rather hope that the behaviour of writing about it might have a positive effect on others, however small, in a similar position of being able to make a difference for the good. That would really make my day 

[SANDRO43]

Giving to help or alleviate ones suffering is the RIGHT THING to do

Of course.

...no matter the reasons isn't it? The emotion one receives for giving is just a by product and can't or shouldn't be measured IMO.

Here I differ, just for the sake of a philosophical argument...along Buddhist lines, if you want.

Quite a few people give and  feel zero emotion. Uber rich philanthropist would be an example.

Not necessarily, they may feel satisfied with abating their taxable income .

Conversely, giving because it makes the giver feel good is a gift just the same and doesn't taint the gift one way or the other.

No sin in feeling good, however my point is that it's not quite dispassionate altruism, since something - albeit on a higher plane, emotional as opposed to material - is obtained in return.

Your #1 example isn't as bad as it sounds either. Giving or helping for an immediate return of a favor may be a good deed but, not necessarily compassionate. More of an investment.

Precisely, therefore not much admirable in my book , although obviously better than #0, i.e. not giving anything at all.

Mind you, I'm not advocating that one should refrain from giving if the result is feeling good.

[Chicagoguy]

My good friend [Siberian policeman] was in Moscow to meet with me when a young man asked him for some money. Claimed he was a down on his luck soldier. Later my friend saw him enjoying a beer. I often gave to babushkas and once to what appeared to be veteran who was in park collecting bottles for deposit. I left mine where he found it with some $ sticking out.
Another time there was young mother in Moscow sitting out late at night in the very cold of winter with about 1 year old baby with her. The baby had no glove on her hand. Never forgot that. Sometimes I gave $2.00 bills. Hope they understood.
When you come from a city, even in the U.S., you can become more cynical. When I was commuter there was always the same blind man in a transit tunnel with a cup. Once saw someone miss and he quickly picked it up.
My wife and I volunter at a homeless shelter one night a week. She was suprised to see this in the suburbs.

[The Natural]

We came back to Kerch yesterday after 5 days by the Azov sea. A wonderful place, secluded and private. The cottages we rented had a good standard and with kitchen and cooking facilities and a refrigerator.


When we were there it weren't too many other tourists. They were all families, so it was quiet and nice.
The beach was long and nice and was private to the holiday resort. It was very close to the cottages, one just needed to walk up and down a staircase to get to it.


I would say this place is much nicer that the arrangements we had last summer in Koktebel. There we had to walk pretty far to get to the beach, share the kitchen with others and the balcony view was nothing more than grapetrees.


The sea was wonderful to swim in and I reckon one could walk at least 100 metres in shallow waters.


Absolutely recommended!

[Ranetka]

Another time there was young mother in Moscow sitting out late at night in the very cold of winter with about 1 year old baby with her. The baby had no glove on her hand. Never forgot that. Sometimes I gave $2.00 bills. Hope they understood.

You should never ever give money to women begging with children. You support very cruel industry where children are borrowed or bought from alcoholc or drug addict parents and used for professional begging. These poor children are being exposed to harsh weather, drugged so they would not cry too much etc. This is a horrible industry and you should never support it.

[Muzh]

You should never ever give money to women begging with children. You support very cruel industry where children are borrowed or bought from alcoholc or drug addict parents and used for professional begging. These poor children are being exposed to harsh weather, drugged so they would not cry too much etc. This is a horrible industry and you should never support it.

Agree. best kept secret in the FSU.

[Ranetka]

Agree. best kept secret in the FSU.

it's not a secret.

[Muzh]

it's not a secret.

Sorry, I was being sarcastic.

[Ranetka]

We need a sarcastic smile here on RWD.

[Muzh]

We need a sarcastic smile here on RWD.

I've been asking for the tongue-in-cheek emoticon for quite a while. 

[The Natural]

Oh, I'm so happy! We get so many "dont's" on this forum. It has kept me away from all sorts of problems. But for the sake of a little balance, how about some "do's"?

[Ranetka]

Oh, I'm so happy! We get so many "dont's" on this forum. It has kept me away from all sorts of problems. But for the sake of a little balance, how about some "do's"?
[/quote
 
Do enjoy your holiday!

[The Natural]

Do enjoy your holiday!

I do, I do, hehehe

[Faux Pas]

Oh, I'm so happy! We get so many "dont's" on this forum. It has kept me away from all sorts of problems. But for the sake of a little balance, how about some "do's"?

 

[Daveman]

Oh, I'm so happy! We get so many "dont's" on this forum. It has kept me away from all sorts of problems. But for the sake of a little balance, how about some "do's"?

Do pay attention to the "don't's"   

[Anotherkiwi]

it's not a secret.

Actually, this is the first reference I've seen about this practice.  I did notice one or two such women in Russia, but didn't pay them much attention.  Maybe my life has been too sheltered!

[The Natural]

I've just come home now. It was a long day, 18 hours travelling but at least I made it home on the same day this time.
I might sit down and write some more about my experiences, include a few photos. But for now I will just write a few words about how we navigated through Kiev and sent me home.
We took the overnight train from Kerch this time. This train only goes from Kerch to Kiev in the summer season and it was nice because it saved us a few grueling hours on the bus which is what I really get tired of. My girl called a taxi and we drove down to the train station in Kerch. A tip to get the fair taxi rate is, as my girl explained to me many times, not to stop a taxi on the road but to call them on the phone. Then you get the official rate and a sms confirmation and registration number of the car. Of course she can do that, speaking Russian and all, but she has done that many times travelling with me and we always get these really reasonable rates.
So we board the train and find our compartment of the standard 4 beds. There's a man already there, settling in. And here I have to inject, contrary to last year’s trip to Ukraine, this year much to my surprise I have found several Russian people who speak English. Some really good and relatively advanced English. This has really added to my experience mingling with other people as my Russian is to put it mildly, very limited. I can count to 4 and say words like katorska, da, njet, spasiba, raboto, vodka, privjet, davai and a few more. This get me a few smiles from the young waitresses but won't get me far with the taxi drivers, I'm afraid.
The guy in our compartment was pleasant and talked some to my girl, but I quickly found out he also knew English quite well even though he himself claimed he only speak a little. I've had a few drinks beforehand and during the evening there were a few more, so I was being real socieable and we got to talk. This man, who I guess is in his 40's somewhere, is a chief engineer for a German shipping company and was on his way to Kiev to apply for a visa to go to Germany. I told him he looked like an Englishman and he was every bit as charming as a true English gentleman can be.
I don't know how many short stops along the way we were, but we got to a place where the train stopped long enough for my girl and me to go out and have a smoke. A few people passed by us, some selling different things but not being intrusive about it. Then there was this family of five. A couple and two kids and an elder man. The two kids clinged to and hugged the man. It was apparent that he was going away on a travel, leaving them behind for a while.
The young female train worker signaled us and we got onboard again. Then this man we saw earlier came into our compartment. At first I thought to myself "Now, what?", as the guy looked like a Muslim or something. He greeted us and settled in and soon all of us were in conversation. First Russian, then we found out that he too spoke good English. A real nice and extrovert guy. Turned out he was not a Muslim (not that it’s anything wrong with that, to quote Seinfeld) but he is half Jewish. This guy, believe it or not, also works for a German company. It sure don’t seems like they lost the war, hehe.
 Don’t recall the company name now, but he works as a human resource contact in a company who installs escalators. I was very surprised to hear that he is being paid 2000 dollars a month. He didn’t make any fuss about it, just said he think it’s pretty standard payment in a foreign company. But he knew, what I have also learned, of the basic salaries in the Crimean region ranging from 1000 to a few thousand grivnas and the appalling low pensions of the elderly. Still, I’m pretty sure he, living in a low cost country like Ukraine, have a better living standard than myself having twice what he earns. However, he said he worked long hours and was always on demand by different people on the phone,even when he was off work.
The four of us were sitting in the compartment and had a very good time talking about all kinds of things. My girl and I were lucky, these two men were both very nice, knowledgable and interesting persons to interact with. They talked about their lives but were also interested in ours and how it it’s like in my country.
When my girl and I boarded the train in Kerch, I helped this woman with her bag up the train stairs. She is an American. Later she joined us in our compartment with the other two men and we all talked about this and that. She is from New York and signed up for a tour of more than two years with the Peace Corps. She currently lives in Kerch and was on her way to Kiev on some assignment. She told us she signed up for it in the US and is working on learning Russian as she goes along. She get 325 dollars a month from the agency. She was talking to my girl at a train stop while I were talking with one of the Russians. They exchanged personal details as they both live in Kerch, they wanted to hook up and teach each other languages, English and Russian.
The American woman commented on my excellent English which she found surprising and wondered how I learned that. Well, the answer, I guess, is public education from a young age, coupled with US and English TV and movies without dubbing and reading a lot of English. But what is strange is that when I talk English to people with English as their second language, it’s really broken and stupid whereas when I speak English to natives I automatically pull myself together and manages to make a decent display of the English language.
Well, it was morning as we approached Kiev and the Jewish man and I exchanged personal information on his insistence. He told me to give him a call if I was in Kiev and I could have his apartment or other help. I believe him. I asked him for his Facebook info and will add him.
When we came to Kiev, my girl and I got in a taxi and went to the Baccara hotel in Hydropark. The hotel is a ship that lays besides the Dneper river and we were very professionally greeted, checked-in and shown to our room. The staff spoke English and were clearly trained how to meet western tourists. Our room was moderately priced at 81 Euros, but the restaurant was on the pricey side with a glass of wine costing 60 grivnas, so we went somewhere else to eat.
As with many other sources, were advised by the hotel staff to make a 60-minute allowance for the taxi ride to Borispol. So my girl called and ordered a taxi on the evening and it was waiting for us outside the hotel before 6am. Appartently, the Baccara hotel is ideally situated because it was a very short drive before we were on the highway, driving straight towards the airport. Traffic was low and we were there in 25 minutes! We had a few cups of coffee before saying goodbye to each other and I went to the security control. That was also a breeze and once inside the departure hall I had plenty of time for a 20 grivnas plastic cup of coffee and a Marlboro.
On my return all the way home I noticed something that I’ve never noticed on my travels years back. All the flights were near packed full! I guess it’s cheaper to travel now than back then. On my first flight from Oslo up north there were a big group of French people and at the terminal there were also a lot of Germans (they’re everywhere it seems J) It’s a tiny airport by international standards but I noticed they were headed back to Germany on a direct flight to Munich. I suppose they were here to visit Lofoten, see the midnight sun, fishing and so on. It reminded me I’m living in the middle of a tourist destination myself.

[Gator]

Roy,  It seems that you had a relaxing time with your woman, and that you really enjoyed your interactions with Ukrainian people.  When you marry a FSUW, it is important to not only respect her culture and history but to embrace it.  This seems "natural" to you. 
 
When does your bride officially emigrate to Norway?