People Tell the Story: Ukraine
As Oksana references in the interview below, the people of Ukraine will move mountains for you. Language barrier or not, Ukrainians seemed to be gentle, friendly once you get past their stern faces, and extremely loyal and dedicated to their family, friends and fellow countrymen. Unlike other countries where many farmers have migrated to the bigger cities, Ukrainians still value a strong balance of their traditional way of life. It is not part of the Ukrainian culture to smile at or interact with a stranger on the street. In fact, Kat and I initially had the impression that the people were a bit standoffish. However, after having a few key interactions with locals during our long travel days and after living with a doting family in the countryside, we were able to get past their cold exteriors and realize that Ukrainian people are some of the friendliest we have encountered on this trip.
Read MoreTrue Life: Ukraine
Deep in the heart of Ukraine set among the sprawling Carpathian Mountains lies the small village of Kosmach. A place of complete serenity and traditional life. A place where families live off their own land. A place where you can smell nature and hear church bells ring in the distance. We visited Kosmach to see and understand Ukraine away from its big, touristed cities. We lived on a local farm with a family of nine, helped with daily duties, and explored the wonderful Carpathian Mountain range. This was the ultimate Ukraine experience.
Read MoreWhy Not Ukraine?
Why Ukraine? We were often posed this common question before embarking on the third and final leg of our trip around the world. During our first few days in Kiev, even local Ukrainians asked us the same thing. Tourism in Ukraine isn’t huge, especially among Americans. Historically, this is probably due to the language barrier and the country itself not being set up for mass tourism. But after recently co-hosting UEFA’s Euro 2012 (huge soccer tournament) with Poland, Ukraine drastically improved its infrastructure. Now, it is a truly navigable, not to mention, affordable country. The west needs to take advantage before it becomes the next new destination in Europe.
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Giving Back
A huge part of our journey is about giving back. While the personal travel is sure to dazzle, we are confident that it will be the volunteer experiences that will show us the most about the world and touch our souls. Read more...