Spring comes hastily to Ukraine. In a few weeks the trees will put on their best gowns and turn into fiancées, and the streets of Ukrainian cities will be flooded with beautiful Ukrainian women happy to welcome the long-awaited spring.

 

If you have been corresponding with a nice Ukrainian lady and feel that she might be The one, consider coming to visit her in Ukraine. Now is the best time to start planning your trip and if you would like to meet like-minded friends, please share your opinions in this Blog or join Spring trip 2010 group, where you can read opinions of the other members who plan to travel to Ukraine soon.

 

 

Whatever your plans are, we wish you best of luck with them and remember that you can count on our assistance at any stage of your trip. Since we are at the planning stage, here is as a short breakdown of costs you can expect during your trip:

 

Flight ticket: if you shop around and purchase a flight ticket in advance, you can still find good deals for flights to Ukraine. I have just purchased a flight ticket for about $1200 from Vancouver to Kiev for the end of April – May. If you find a good deal now then go for it. Since airline companies cut all possible costs now, try to find out all the details of the flight in advance – costs of luggage check in, meals on the plane, date change fees, etc.

 

If you choose a ticket to Odessa or other smaller city in Ukraine, versus to Kiev, the price goes up by a few hundred dollars. As I visit all the cities where Unona offices are located, sometimes I fly to Kiev and then fly back from Odessa. If you are thinking of visiting several cities, it might be a good option for you too, but talk to your travel operator whether he could find a good deal for you.

 

Transportation in Ukraine: You could always arrange an airport transfer with our agency or with your hotel, but please never ever consider hiring a “taxi driver” in the airport. It is not cheaper, it’s more expensive, but most importantly, it is not safe. Airport transfer in Kiev from Boryspil airport is about $60, in Odessa it is $40.

 

Meals: you will be pleasantly surprised by the meals. When I come to Ukraine, I always take an opportunity to enjoy our amazing dishes made of local products. I still feel nostalgia for Kherson tomatoes and watermelons, and if you ever try them in August-September, you will remember them for all your life too;-). If you happen to travel from Odessa to Kherson, get a chance to visit a market in Koblevo (about 50 kms from Odessa) to try delicious seafood and local wines.

As in any other city you travel to, choose reputable places which look clean and neat, where the staff is friendly and professional. You will find many European-style open markets in Ukraine. They might be fun as they introduce both local and imported produce. Watch for pickpockets in the markets and crowded places!

 

Accommodation:

Usually the price of an apartment or a hotel will be a good indication of its quality. The choice of the place will depend entirely on your preferences – but we definitely advise you to stay in the downtown, close to all places of interest, cafes and of course Unona offices;-). Rent in Kherson, as well as transportation, translation etc. is cheaper than in Odessa and Kiev. If you are on a budget, it is worth of spending more time in smaller cities versus bigger cities. Please check our database of apartments available for rent at http://www.ukraineaccomodation.com/ to get an idea of the rent prices.

 

Meeting ladies:

We advise you to correspond with a few ladies, slowly filtering them to one or two you feel strong connection to, and who could become a good match for you. This way you could compare your own reactions and the reactions of the ladies. But do not plan to meet too many ladies, as you might just lose focus and end up with no one.

 

Consider bringing a suit and a tie during your first meeting. In Ukrainian culture dress code is very important and nice suite communicates a message of a successful and trustworthy person. Besides a good suit looks so sexy, that you can never go wrong with it. If you do not wear a suit during your first meeting, you will definitely need it for the first meeting with the parents.

 

A rose or a bouquet of roses will make a romantic gesture and will help your lady feel special from the very start. If you have never met a lady before, be very careful with the expensive gifts. On the other hand, it is better to give nothing than a piece of cheap chocolate, unless you are feeding each other;-) If your lady has a child, a little thoughtful souvenir for the child will warm lady’s heart instantly.

 

Many couples choose restaurants for their first meeting. Make sure that it is a public place and that you both feel comfortable about it. If for some reason you do not like a suggested place, do not hesitate to offer the other place to meet.

 

In our culture a gentleman usually takes a lady home after a date. If he does not do it in person, he calls a taxi and pays for it. Sometimes he also pays for the way to the date. This is unusual for American culture, so if this is something unacceptable for you, please talk to your interpreter in advance about it.

 

Consider bringing your family photos, they will show you as a real person in real life, surrounded by your family, friends, pets. But open your life and show the photos to the lady only when she is ready.

 

Interpretation: Take some time to study at least essential Russian and if you could take a course of Russian language, that would be just great. You will definitely need it during your travel, communication with your lady, her family and just people around. Most Ukrainians study English language at school and they should be able to use at least very basic English. But do not let lack of understanding to ruin your relationship and budget 2-3 hours of interpretation every day.

 

Safety: this is very important. Ukrainian culture is very different and although people in general are very nice, please be careful. Remember that you can rely only on yourself as the police in Ukraine is interested only in their own well-being, unfortunately. Do not invite strangers to your place, do not flash your wallet in public places, and be very careful with alcohol. Have our agency’s local number on your speed dial and contact us whenever you need help. We wish you to have a safe trip and enjoy your visit to Ukraine. Please read more tips on travel to Ukraine.

 

Budget: So here is what we have so far for a basic trip to Kiev:

Flight ticket: $1000

Airport transfers: 2 x $60 = $120

Accommodation: 7 x $80 = $560

Interpretation: 2 x 7 x $15 = $210

Meals: 7 x $40 = $280

Flowers, gifts, and souvenirs: $250

Total comes to: $2420

 

The money investment is significant so please get well prepared to do the right thing at the right time. And if you need any help, or have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact us -

and have a great time in Ukraine!

 

Elena Volkova,

Unona Dating  customer support