Traveling to Donetsk soon

[rad419]

Hello everyone,
So I am traveling to Ukraine soon and am a bit concerned about not speaking any Russian. Will I be able to communicate my needs to local taxi drivers and hotel personnel? How about going out to eat at restaurants? I am under the impression that most people do not speak or understand any English.

Are there any other things that I should know about my travels to Donetsk? Any night life worth wild? How about places to meet ladies? My thoughts are against using a "romance tour" service solely because I feel that they are way over charging for something I can do myself.

I know that I am taking a "shotgun" approach here, but hopefully some kind people here will steer me in the right direction.

I have met a few ladies online whom live in the Donetsk area, but am unsure of their intentions and or authenticity. Their views are obviously much different than that of ours in the U.S. but it really makes me question if they are who they say they are and are being genuine. I have not had any luck getting definitive answers from any of them really (which to me seems abnormal). They all claim to want the same things and all have nice fancy pictures, yet they have no normal means to communicate. By this I mean, they seem to use the excuse that they can not give phone numbers because they can't speak English. Is English really that scarce there?

Any tips or help would be greatly appreciated...cheers!!!

[Shadow]

English is indeed scarce, but most hotel staff and 'official' taxi drivers will know enough. You might want to learn the Cyrillic alphabet and some basic things though.

Women really all want the same. They just package it different.

[mendeleyev]

ladies online whom live in the Donetsk area, but am unsure of their intentions and or authenticity. Their views are obviously much different than that of ours in the U.S

Smart thinking on the tours, by the way.

Take this trip as a fun vacation to see a unique part of the world you've never seen before and to get a feel for Ukraine. Donetsk is generally a tough coal mining region with deep ties to Russia. I think you'll find most people willing to be helpful in spite of language differences, although not as outwardly friendly as you might find at home. That is only outward so don't worry about it.

If you're ready to travel and haven't yet discovered these ladies to be authentic, they probably aren't. A real one would be excited at your pending arrival and offering advice for your trip. If under 30, they speak at least a few words and understand a little smattering of English but as Shadow indicated, not enough to hold extended conversations. The excuse about no phone communication is more likely because she is a he and if you ran into she on the street, she might not have the foggiest notion that he has been writing to you. If I'm wrong then so much the better but in the meantime get out and about during the day because that is how you meet wife material.

Nightspots can be the best places to be separated from your money and perhaps even your teeth. If you alone on a first trip stick to day spots.

As far as views, stay away from "mean old Russia" talk and topics such as "we won the Cold War" and "Putin is the anti-Christ" because other than that, they eat food like we do, sleep at night, listen to music, laugh with friends, tear up during a movie about children, walk their dogs, help their children with school work, so there is not much else to be different about other than some traditions and a different language.

Be thankful that you're going to a real part of Ukraine, not Odessa/Crimea, and you'll be fine so go enjoy the change in scenery, drink in the different culture, and if you happen to meet a real lady, resist the urge to propose marriage on your first trip. Above all, you're making the trip of a lifetime--have fun!

[JayH]

 

Hi rad and welcome. Re English speaking--most younger people  have some English. Often reluctant to use it because they believe they are not good at it. Amongst older people it is less prevelant.
     Some things to make life easier--- write address down so you can give it to taxi driver--or use to ask for directions.A little preparation makes this easy enough. A lot depends on how you are--if you are personable and confident ( not arrogant)  and convey the right body language you will manage ok. It is a tough environment-that is true-- but these are good people and my experiences have mostly been positive.
    Re meeting--it is best if you have arranged in advance at least a backbone of meetings .From your comments about "ladies" it sounds like you are using particular websites-- it will pay you to explain a lot more here and get forum advice.
  The forums contain a lot of information that can help you-- get reading pronto--it will lead you to the questions you need to be asking..

[Brillynt]

Rad,

I was just in Donetsk two days ago. You will find it is a nice city with plenty of things to do and see.  There are several universities and the Euro 2012 was last summer, so you will find more people that speak English. I have stayed in Donetsk several times now, the apartments for rent can be very nice with good locations.  I have found the best location to stay in Donetsk is near Artema Street and Myru Ave. This is near the football (Soccer) stadiums. Pushkina Blvd has a wonderful park for walking with nice restaurants and cafes.

Map of Donetsk
http://goo.gl/maps/yzsgU

http://www.booking.com has a good selection of Apartments and Hotels and I have used that site for booking an apartment.

This page has a listing of Taxi companies, I have used Taxi Voyage several times.  http://citylife.donetsk.ua/main/taxi

The Donetsk airport is very small, but it is brand new, very modern and clean.  You can't get lost there. Just be wary of the taxi drivers that are waiting there.  They will try to charge an arm and a leg to take you anywhere in the city.  A reasonable fare to pay to get to the center of the city is about 70 UAH (about $9).

If you need some more information about the city, send me a PM. You can probably check with another member here CC3, he stays in Donetsk when he is transiting to Lugansk and back.

[Daveman]

I have a little over six months on the ground in Donetsk, but I'm not the real expert.  Let me see if I can talk the Guru(ess) into joining the thread.  She can tell you pretty much anything you'd ever want to know about places in the city. 


A member here, Nat, is also a resident there.

[Maryana]

Hi Rad!
You were told almost everything you need to know about the trip to Donetsk. That is the city in which I lived for many many years.It is a very cool city. You will enjoy it. And there are many beautiful girls  .That is definitely good place to visit in every case for you.
I can recommend you some night places to go out to have fun, drink and meet women, but I can't say that clubs will be the best places to get into a serious relationship. But, who knows, maybe you'll get lucky and find a good lay... oops or a Lady.  The most popular kind of night clubs there are: Dom Sinoptikov (Дом Синоптиков), Liverpool (Ливерпуль), Virus (Вирус), Fort Knox (Форт-Нокс). There are some nice restaurants where you can meet someone. Almost all of these cafes, restaurants and bars are not only places to eat.  People go there to have fun, to dance and listen to bands. My favorites are Shato (Шато), Pasta Project, Golden Lion. Actualy you can choose anything in here http://www.restoran.dn.ua/.

If you have any questions, just ask.

Good luck!

[mendeleyev]

But, who knows, maybe you'll get lucky and find a good lay... oops or a Lady.

Мариана! добро пожаловать.

[Maryana]

Спасибо! 

[rad419]

Thank you all for your awesome responses!!

How can I tell if the women are genuine or just trying to get me to spend money on them without any serious intentions of establishing something real? I mean, I have a pretty solid intuition however, I will be in a foreign country and the mentality is completely different than what I am accustomed to.

[JayH]

Thank you all for your awesome responses!!

How can I tell if the women are genuine or just trying to get me to spend money on them without any serious intentions of establishing something real? I mean, I have a pretty solid intuition however, I will be in a foreign country and the mentality is completely different than what I am accustomed to.

 You will not be able to tell--it is not so easy!! Generally speaking the girls are intelligent,smart,clever and can be very cunning !!The biggest indicator is if you are overpaying( ie it is to high a price for whatever is being paid for).
The forum has much information about what potential costs are-- so you can get info like that. You can also do running report and ask as you go--that can be beneficial to you.
What you need to be careful about is that you do not ruin any possibility by being too mean(tight) ,greedy as it is said in Russian.It is a difficult balancing act to assess on the run. By way of comparison-- you will have a lot of money -- and western concept of being 'careful" with money is almost a foreign concept!!

[Shadow]

Thank you all for your awesome responses!!

How can I tell if the women are genuine or just trying to get me to spend money on them without any serious intentions of establishing something real? I mean, I have a pretty solid intuition however, I will be in a foreign country and the mentality is completely different than what I am accustomed to.

While it is hard to really tell, in general if the woman does not seem to care what you spend on things, it is a sign of trouble.
Small things like 'needing' a car with driver instead of just flagging down an unofficial taxi and telling you to shut up until price is negotiated, constantly running to shops for things they 'are looking to buy' and a general tendency to keep you away from her friends and family are what you should watch for.
On your side you should try not to flash your wallet. While you may be better off in many ways, that does not mean you have to buy affection and friendship. It should not stop you from offering to pay for something, but if someone offers to pay for you it will enhance the friendship if you allow them once in a while.

Remember you are there to meet a person and find common ground for a relationship. She is not your tour guide, not your interpreter and not applying for a job. Also she managed to get to the point of life where she met you without you, and will survive without you should there not be any magic.

[Patagonie]

If your relationship don't aim towards intimacy and if the girl keep you at some distance after few meetings, ditch her and focus on an other one.

[Muzh]

Thank you all for your awesome responses!!

How can I tell if the women are genuine or just trying to get me to spend money on them without any serious intentions of establishing something real? I mean, I have a pretty solid intuition however, I will be in a foreign country and the mentality is completely different than what I am accustomed to.

One thing I discovered on my first trip abroad was been surprisingly surprised that after a few days there I felt exactly the same person I was before with no adverse effects to my common sense.

My intuition was as good as when I was at home. No ill effects were noted to my intuition, even after accidentally drank the water.

Also, the level of mentality stayed the same.