Moving and living In Ukraine

[Trenchcoat]

The lady whom I have been correspondence, lives in Kiev.  She would prefer I live with her should things work out with her.  I haven't met her yet - but things might not work out with her, or might.  I just want to know before thinking further .....

So, let assume things work out very well, and she wants me to move and live with her in time.

I'm sure some of you did the same - moving to Ukraine/Russia from UK/USA.  Were you willingly to give up your lifestyle, friends, family, better paid jobs to be with your woman?  Did you struggle with adapt to life in the ladies' countries?  What good ion change did you make apart from to be with her?

You mean that place that was a war zone about only a year or so ago? Could easily go south again like tomorrow might be worth reminding her of that. 

[cc3]

You mean that place that was a war zone about only a year or so ago? Could easily go south again like tomorrow might be worth reminding her of that.

Kyiv in a "war zone about only a year or so ago"? Are you at all familiar with Ukraine, at least geographically, including the region of Russian aggressor military activity?

[Trenchcoat]

Kyiv in a "war zone about only a year or so ago"? Are you at all familiar with Ukraine, at least geographically, including the region of Russian aggressor military activity?

Yes, the main point of conflict was/is Eastern Ukraine, however about half of the Ukraine (Eastern and Northeastern part) contains many ethinic Russians. Now before the war of course there was large scale civil unrest. There's no reassurance its not going to blow up again in the near future. Russia's Army is huge and vastly outnumbers the Ukraine's Army, they could roll in at any time across the whole country - they probably wont but they might - take the Crimea for example. It's essentially Russia's back yard, push comes to shove and US/Nato are unlikely to want to risk it all on some far flung country. Even that aside there could still be further unrest if the Russians in the Ukraine push to try and take control of the country again. 

[cc3]

Even that aside there could still be further unrest if the Russians in the Ukraine push to try and take control of the country again.

I think you are confused regarding the identities of the combatants in this conflict. There are not enough "Russians" (Russian nationals) in Ukraine to take control of the country. There are at least 50% of Ukrainian citizens who are Russian speakers (my wife being one of them) but who are loyal Ukrainian citizens. From their ranks come the Ukrainian soldiers and volunteers fighting in the east against the moskal invaders. Without the Russian military and intelligence/special ops personnel masquerading as separatists, this conflict would have been concluded in Kyiv's favor in the summer of 2014. 

[mendeleyev]

Without the Russian military and intelligence/special ops personnel masquerading as separatists, this conflict would have been concluded in Kyiv's favor in the summer of 2014.

So true.

Some of the 6 to 10 week rotations of Russian soldiers who were on "training missions" in Ukraine are now being utilized in Syria.

[mies]

The lady whom I have been correspondence, lives in Kiev.  She would prefer I live with her should things work out with her.  I haven't met her yet - but things might not work out with her, or might.  I just want to know before thinking further .....

So, let assume things work out very well, and she wants me to move and live with her in time.

I'm sure some of you did the same - moving to Ukraine/Russia from UK/USA.  Were you willingly to give up your lifestyle, friends, family, better paid jobs to be with your woman?  Did you struggle with adapt to life in the ladies' countries?  What good ion change did you make apart from to be with her?

Your satisfaction with relocation will very much depend on what is your job and what type of employment will you have in Kyiv. If you live as a typical expat with well-paying job (by Ukrainian standards), you can have a very good and comfortable life in Ukraine, find new friends among English-speaking expats, and generally be happy. If you work there as an English teacher/tutor with modest income - that would be a different story, naturally.

[mies]

My question is really for men who had experience the change.  Not the other way round.   I can only ask women about women moving to other countries.  My question is about men moving into woman's.

There is a newspaper "Kyiv Post" in Ukraine. It is available online too. They have (or used to have) an expat column. The chief editor there is an American: http://www.facebook.com/brian.bonner
Perhaps you will find answers to some of your questions in this newspaper.

[mies]

Yes, the main point of conflict was/is Eastern Ukraine, however about half of the Ukraine (Eastern and Northeastern part) contains many ethinic Russians. Now before the war of course there was large scale civil unrest. There's no reassurance its not going to blow up again in the near future. Russia's Army is huge and vastly outnumbers the Ukraine's Army, they could roll in at any time across the whole country - they probably wont but they might - take the Crimea for example. It's essentially Russia's back yard, push comes to shove and US/Nato are unlikely to want to risk it all on some far flung country. Even that aside there could still be further unrest if the Russians in the Ukraine push to try and take control of the country again.

and what do ethnic Russians have to do with the civil unrest? There are many ethnic Russians, Ukrainian citizens, who are in a regular Ukrainian Army and in volunteer battalions fighting off Russian military troops and subversive units in Donbas area. The war in Donbas is not between ethnic Russians and ethnic Ukrainians. It is between Russian regular military (active duty, including career officers), Russian mercenaries (paid by Russia), and Ukrainian (ethnic Ukrainians or ethnics Russians) who for various reasons (economic agenda one of them, fear fueled by Kremlin propaganda & lies - another) joined the "separatist" movement. 
The unrest in Kyiv was political: peaceful unarmed protesters were shot at by the riot police, about 100 people were killed, some were abducted by the police and tortured to death. This is in a nutshell what's going on in Ukraine. 

as for the text in red - could you possibly explain what does the civil unrest against criminal and corrupt President who violates the Constitution have to do with the Russian invasion into Ukraine and Russian annexation of the Crimea?

True, Russian Army is large, but your country signed the Budapest treaty, and needs to act upon it.

[mies]

I think you are confused regarding the identities of the combatants in this conflict. There are not enough "Russians" (Russian nationals) in Ukraine to take control of the country. There are at least 50% of Ukrainian citizens who are Russian speakers (my wife being one of them) but who are loyal Ukrainian citizens. From their ranks come the Ukrainian soldiers and volunteers fighting in the east against the moskal invaders. Without the Russian military and intelligence/special ops personnel masquerading as separatists, this conflict would have been concluded in Kyiv's favor in the summer of 2014.

so true.
I speak Russian as my primary and first language, although I am fluent in Ukrainian too. I would NEVER approve any form of separatism or land grab by a foreign entity in Ukraine.

Here is a relevant article from the newspaper in Russia, Barnaul (check it on the map, that's between Kazakhstan and Mongolia, 2500 miles from Ukrainian Donbas - that is 2.5 longer distance than from London/UK to Madrid/Spain just to Trenchcoat a proper perspective) Russia is giving medals to local residents (Russian citizens) whom the newspaper calls "Donbas rebels", for their military achievements:
http://tayga.info/news/2015/06/15/~121783
My personal opinion is, and has been for many years: if any Ukrainian loves Russia, hates Ukraine, and wants to live in Russia - sell the property and go live in Russia. No one in Ukraine will stop them. But do not bring the war to the land. If Russia sends its troops to Ukraine - this is not a civil unrest, that's an invasion.

[AkMike]

This 'Trenchcoat ' chappie sounds like a non de plum of manny!
 

[JayH]

This 'Trenchcoat ' chappie sounds like a non de plum of manny!

Yeah--funny how they pop up with all this "knowledge" of Ukraine.
My troll antenna was on full alert !!

Thanks to CC and Mies  for posts above.

What irks me is that the pro Rus lurkers are still out there posting deliberately misleading crap-regardless of how much has been so clearly discredited and proven untrue.
It is a little like the ongoing delusional comments by Putin himself-- eg - about making a permanent military base in Ukraine( Eastern Ukraine that is) -- the more likely scenario is that Russia will lose the military base it had/has at Sevastopol when they get kicked out of the Crimea.

[krimster2]

"The lady whom I have been correspondence, lives in Kiev.  She would prefer I live with her should things work out with her"

sorry, but completely unrealistic for you to come there and live vrs the other way around, say das va danya and find another...

[GatoMoon]

"The lady whom I have been correspondence, lives in Kiev.  She would prefer I live with her should things work out with her"

sorry, but completely unrealistic for you to come there and live vrs the other way around, say das va danya and find another...

So what is the problem????  I live in UK and it is only 3 hours flight away !!! 

[krimster2]

simple economics my friend.
if she's a typical Ukrainian, she makes about 500 USD month
I suspect you make more than that
I suspect your home is more valuable and of better quality than hers
so it makes more sense for her to come to you than the other way around
that's why all the men on this board (myself included) married to a Russian/Ukrainian woman have the woman come to them
What reason did she give for not coming to your home?

[cc3]

That's why all the men on this board (myself included) married to a Russian/Ukrainian woman have the woman come to them
What reason did she give for not coming to your home?

With respect, krimster, because I agree with most of what you post, there is an entire forum, expatua.com, with members like me, who have moved to Ukraine, to be with our wonderful wives, who presently do not wish to emigrate westward, for various reasons. Most of us are fortunate enough to be able to work online or to be able to not work at all, due to independent means. I enjoy living in old, traditional, non-politically correct, quintessentially European Lviv more with everyday that passes. We both like Poland, but that's as far west as we would consider moving, at present. Of course, life is subject to change, and we always have the USA as a fallback option.

[GatoMoon]

simple economics my friend.
if she's a typical Ukrainian, she makes about 500 USD month
I suspect you make more than that
I suspect your home is more valuable and of better quality than hers
so it makes more sense for her to come to you than the other way around
that's why all the men on this board (myself included) married to a Russian/Ukrainian woman have the woman come to them
What reason did she give for not coming to your home?

More like $200!!!!      Yes, but I can travel in the weekends     Some Ukrainian women cannot adapt to life or simply homesick, holding parents hands!!!  Neither does Colombian women.  They prefer men living there, EXPECTING them too!     By the way, I work online, so it gives me slightly advantage.

[krimster2]

I have to tell you that based on my experience that the lack of flexibility in this woman lowers the chances of having a successful relationship with her, compatibility is a complex issue, but in this case I think you'd have problems, save yourself the heartbreak

[GatoMoon]

I have to tell you that based on my experience that the lack of flexibility in this woman lowers the chances of having a successful relationship with her, compatibility is a complex issue, but in this case I think you'd have problems, save yourself the heartbreak

At least I won't have to lose my home    I agree with most of your postings 90% though.  I simply think it might work for some, though I prefer to live in UK.  I wouldn't mind living in Buenos Aires, but the women not easy to find though.

[krimster2]

CC3 (command, control, communications)
yeah, I've posted there, of course there are those who moved to Ukraine, I was even one of them.
without knowing any details, I have no choice but to speak in general terms.
generally, the woman comes to the man, for the obvious economic reasons
OK, so my statement had a touch of hyperbole, but it's only to emphasize my point
maybe there's some middle ground for Gato, a compromise, maybe he doesn't have a permanent living relationship with her, or maybe after several visits he can get persuade her to change her mind
but, my experience has been that women who are not flexible and present some fundamental incompatibility are best left alone
that's still my advice here.
It's not hard to meet women in Ukraine, sometimes you get lucky and you meet one that fits with you, keep that one!
I let go of several before I found a keeper, we've been married 16 years...

[GatoMoon]

CC3 (command, control, communications)
yeah, I've posted there, of course there are those who moved to Ukraine, I was even one of them.
without knowing any details, I have no choice but to speak in general terms.
generally, the woman comes to the man, for the obvious economic reasons
OK, so my statement had a touch of hyperbole, but it's only to emphasize my point
maybe there's some middle ground for Gato, a compromise, maybe he doesn't have a permanent living relationship with her, or maybe after several visits he can get persuade her to change her mind
but, my experience has been that women who are not flexible and present some fundamental incompatibility are best left alone
that's still my advice here.
It's not hard to meet women in Ukraine, sometimes you get lucky and you meet one that fits with you, keep that one!
I let go of several before I found a keeper, we've been married 16 years...

Let's talk about 2 sisters who are Italian from Milan.

The older sister always dreamt of living in England since she was a child.  Learnt English and move there and now is happily married to my good friend (who is deaf, but  she isn't).  They have 8 years old daughter.

The younger sister never dreamt of living in England and do not understand English and moved to live with her sister for 1 year.  I was her boyfriend !!  Now, ex!   She wasn't happy and moved back to Italy.   I was NOT surprised, neither do her older sister and her husband.

During her 1 year stay in England, she hasn't made any effort to learn English and always spoke Italian to her sister when they told her to try to learn English.  Not only this, but she always say "Italy this, Italy that.  We don't do it in Italy.  Italy is better....." so on, so obviously living in England was never in my mind.

[krimster2]

GatoMoon,
   I think that's a good frame of reference for you, IMHO this is less about you moving to Ukraine and more about is this woman a good match for you or not.  the only way you'll really know is to go meet her, and if it doesn't work out, at least you'll have a bit more experience under your belt for next time,  I wouldn't give up, I married a wonderful woman from Ukraine, and 16 years later I still wake up with a smile on my face in the morning!!

[ML]

I still wake up with a smile on my face in the morning!!

So what cartoons did you paint on the ceiling?  :-)

[krimster2]

no cartoons, just a large mirror...

[ML]

no cartoons, just a large mirror...

That's fairly erotic.

[krimster2]

more than fairly, if it were true...