I've been to poosy paradise (Ukraine) twice, once in 2008 (pre red pill) as well as this summer.
Here is what I've learned:
Reference:
Young Ukrainians = born after fall of USSR
Old Ukrainians: born in USSR
Getting in:
There are many flights to Kiev. I flew with Austrian Airlines out of Vienna. The plane was packed with rich Ukrainians and Ukrainian expats. This might be a better gaming opportunity than flying Lufthansa.
You can also take a train. Don't take the train if you don't know any Russian or what the fuck you are doing. I speak from experience. I took the train from Berlin in 2008 and got kicked off in Lviv because I did not understand the bribe system. If it wasn't for an awesome Ukrainian, a Belorussian, and a 8+ Moscow chick, I'd probably be in a ditch near the Polish border.
The main train to EU runs from Berlin -- > Krakow -- > Warsaw --> Lviv --> Kiev Pass
The train is blue and a piece of shit. You can't miss it sitting next to modern Deutsche Bahn trains. They only served tea and crackers and the toilets were just holes onto the track. In hindsight, getting on and off this train would be a great way to see Poland and Ukraine if you speak some Polish or Russian.
Getting out:
The same way you got in unless something terrible happened.
The Country:
Ukraine is a divided and dysfunctional country. People in the western half of Ukraine speak Ukrainian and feel "European" — whatever the hell that means. They are more likely to support joining the EU, although most Ukrainians are quite honest by saying that their country's infrastructure will never be on the same level as Western Europe. Lviv, a beautiful city, is the cultural capital of the Kiev Rus, a ethnic/cultural group that controlled much of Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages. The Kiev Rus dominated Ukraine and much of Russia, outshining Moscovites for centuries. When economic and military power shifted to Moscow, Russia took control of Ukraine and Ukrainian culture declined.
Eastern Ukraine is more Russian. The first language for most people is Russian. People identify with the policies of Moscow and Putin more than their western comrades. Eastern Ukraine is also much more of an industrial shithole than the west.
Kiev, the capital, is a split city where both Russian and Ukrainian are spoken and often mixed together. The signage is in Ukrainian.
The People:
Ukrainians are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. A Ukrainian friend will give you the shirt off his back. I can't count how many huge favors I owe over there to people who didn't think it was a big deal at all.
Ukrainians can be icy at first, especially in a Street Approach setting. This is in part because of their recent history as part of the USSR. People will be suspicious of someone approaching them just to shoot the shit, especially in English or poor Russian. You may get matter-of-fact answer to "pet shop" type questions although these openers will work well on young Ukrainians who speak some English and are interested in traveling or living in the West.
I have to disagree with Roosh on Ukrainians wanting to stay in Ukraine. Most of the people I met wanted to leave Ukraine. Most mentioned NYC which has a large Ukrainian diaspora. California and Miami were also popular. Canada was surprisingly popular. I would always say, "Canada? WTF?" haha. Inside of Europe, most Ukrainians wanted to live in London.
That said, most of the Ukrainians I met had experienced the USA through J1 Work-Study visas. The English groupies wanted to tell me about their year in Indiana, Wisconsin, Maine, Wyoming, etc...sell the dream....
Ukrainian men will ask you what you think about their women. I recommend being completely honest and telling them that they are beautiful. They will smile and thank you. They will tell you that is the only thing going for them in their country. They will offer to find you a wife. If you know the person at all or through social circles, the offer is not a scam. They aren't making a commission. The men will literally call the girl in the apartment upstairs or their cousin to come and meet you.
In my experience, western Ukrainians generally like Americans and the USA. They like a country that projects strength (debatable) and gives Russia shit every once in a while.
The Women:
I unfortunately didn't get as much time with the women as I would have liked but here is what I know:
The problem with meeting Ukrainian women through social circles is that they are looking for a very serious relationship. They are less likely to resource mine you because it would be embarrassing if it got back to your contact. On the flip side, if you spit bad game and try to isolate they will report you to your contact.
If a Ukrainian woman maintains eye contact with you for longer than three seconds, you should approach no matter what.
If a Ukrainian woman claims she doesn't speak English, there are several possibilities:
1) She doesn't speak English. Time to fuck off or speak Russian.
2) She isn't confident in her language ability. Reassure her that you understand her, even if you don't. If she continues to try, the odds are that you will understand and that the conversation will smooth out after a minute or two.
3) She speaks English but isn't sure if she wants to speak with you. Stand your ground. Always stand your ground and keep talking!!!
The Men:
No homo. This all relates back to your game.
Outside of the clubs and bars, young Ukrainian men will generally react positively to the idea of you getting with a Ukrainian women. There were a few times I was this close to just saying, "Yeah, so I read this book called Bang Ukraine on the airplane. I want to rail as many fine young Ukrainian women as possible." Some of the men would have given you a high five and said game on!
Older Ukrainian men will not like the idea of you coming to country to take their most valuable resource. These people did not grow up in a globalized world with an international economy. They were taught in school that NATO members, led by the United States, were enemies to the cause.
One thing that concerned me was that most young Ukrainians asked me if anyone had accosted me yet while I was in Ukraine. At first I thought they meant something like yelling "Fuck USA" from across the street but I realized they definitely meant something more physical. During my time there I did not have a single incident of hostility. That said, I did not try to walk unlit streets while drunk like an English teacher I worked with. The first time he did this he was stalked for a couple hundred yards until he gave the man money ($5-8). The second time, he was headbutted by a drunk Ukrainian man. So don't be fucking stupid.
Ukrainian men run caveman game.
To Do in Kiev:
Go to the Perchersk Lavra. One of the oldest and holiest sites in Orthodox Christianity. It is still an active monastery so be respectful. Men need to remove their hats. Women need to wear a scarf over their head.
There is a crypt in an huge underground cavern. There are two ways to get in:
1) Towards the top of the hill there is an entrance where an English-speaking guide will offer to take you (with a bunch of other Americans/Brits) for a fee.
2) At the bottom of the hill there is an entrance that is free to enter. There will be a long line. You pay about 20 cents for a candle to help you see while inside. There are monks and attendants to make sure you find your way. The mummies are saints and tradition states that the remains of saints do not decompose like a normal corpse. These corpses look life-like. There is one where the hand is extended toward the viewing glass — freaky shit.
Sidebar: Told a feminist coworker about this crypt. When I told her she needed a headscarf, she went on a rant about how Orthodox believe that a woman should cover her head so that God doesn't see her small brain.
Sven: "That's right. Now do you want to see some zombies or not?"
Statue to the Motherland
A huge titanium statue of a woman (mother Russia) holding a sword and shield in the direction of Germany. It's basically saying, "Don't fuck with me." Kiev was invaded by the Nazis in WW2 and is considered a "Hero City" of the USSR for its resistance. You can see the statue from the Metro, especially when you cross the Dnipro River. It's basically a huge war museum.
Soviet Air Museum
This is basically a huge park with a bunch of old Soviet military aircraft parked inside. It is next to Zhulyany Airport. If you're into MiGs and jet fighters, go here. The info signs are in Russian and English. There is a comprehensive book about the park in English at the gift shop. If you pay more ($1-2) at the entrance you can climb the stairs into what amounts to an old Russian 747. Not that exciting.
Khreshchatyk Street
Times Square of Kiev. Great place to people watch (as told to me by a Ukrainian friend). Probably a good place to Day Game. On the weekends they close the road next to it so you can walk down that, too. If you need help with an Apple product or something specific to an American franchise, go here.
Andriyivsky Uzviz - Andrew's Descent
This is the tourist flea market. It's right next to St. Andrew's cathedral which is beautiful and has a great view of the city.
As far as the market goes, the vendors won't negotiate very much on the prices. They know you're from the West. I even had one guy say, "That's a difference of five dollars, that's nothing for you. I won't go lower." There are some good deals but a lot of outrageous stuff. I wanted a Hard Rock Cafe Chernobyl t-shirt. It was $30-40...wtf? Deck of cards, $5, Soviet Navy Hat $25, Decent knife $3, decorated coffee mug, $3.
Last Thoughts:
Always ask the price of a taxi fare before you close the cab door. A friend that spoke Russian asked a cabby about 50 feet away. He couldn't go with me so when I got in and asked the cabby the price jumped $5. Called him on his shit, gave me the price he quoted my friend.
Separate occasion, asked the cabby while on the way. He ignored me and when we got to the airport it turned into the most expensive three miles in history. Freaked the fuck out, told him I was broke and that I knew he ignored me earlier — got a decent rate worked out.
If they pretend not to understand you, just say "Skolka" (How much?) Have them write a number down on the newspaper they are no doubt reading while waiting for a customer.
Corruption is rife.
Ukraine is actually not far from some African countries on a corruption index. As a western tourist, you probably won't be harassed by the police if you're minding your own business. They generally don't speak English which makes getting the bribe harder. It's much easier for them to screw other Ukrainians over.
If they give you shit, offer to call your Ukrainian friend so that he can translate for them. A good Ukrainian will them to fuck off and tell you what to say next. After that, offer to call the embassy.
Ukrainians hate the police. They flash their headlights at each other to signal a cop up ahead. Why don't we do this in USA?
Ukrainians don't wear seat belts.
Ukrainians are deathly afraid of drafts from open windows.
Ukrainians are great cooks but it takes time to adjust to their food. Vegetarians will have a hard time. They will probably think you're a pussy. So do I.
The most important thing I can tell you about Ukraine is this:
Bring your own toilet paper. No seriously, bring your own or you will get caught with your pants down leaning over a squat toilet or hole in the ground.
Here is what I've learned:
Reference:
Young Ukrainians = born after fall of USSR
Old Ukrainians: born in USSR
Getting in:
There are many flights to Kiev. I flew with Austrian Airlines out of Vienna. The plane was packed with rich Ukrainians and Ukrainian expats. This might be a better gaming opportunity than flying Lufthansa.
You can also take a train. Don't take the train if you don't know any Russian or what the fuck you are doing. I speak from experience. I took the train from Berlin in 2008 and got kicked off in Lviv because I did not understand the bribe system. If it wasn't for an awesome Ukrainian, a Belorussian, and a 8+ Moscow chick, I'd probably be in a ditch near the Polish border.
The main train to EU runs from Berlin -- > Krakow -- > Warsaw --> Lviv --> Kiev Pass
The train is blue and a piece of shit. You can't miss it sitting next to modern Deutsche Bahn trains. They only served tea and crackers and the toilets were just holes onto the track. In hindsight, getting on and off this train would be a great way to see Poland and Ukraine if you speak some Polish or Russian.
Getting out:
The same way you got in unless something terrible happened.
The Country:
Ukraine is a divided and dysfunctional country. People in the western half of Ukraine speak Ukrainian and feel "European" — whatever the hell that means. They are more likely to support joining the EU, although most Ukrainians are quite honest by saying that their country's infrastructure will never be on the same level as Western Europe. Lviv, a beautiful city, is the cultural capital of the Kiev Rus, a ethnic/cultural group that controlled much of Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages. The Kiev Rus dominated Ukraine and much of Russia, outshining Moscovites for centuries. When economic and military power shifted to Moscow, Russia took control of Ukraine and Ukrainian culture declined.
Eastern Ukraine is more Russian. The first language for most people is Russian. People identify with the policies of Moscow and Putin more than their western comrades. Eastern Ukraine is also much more of an industrial shithole than the west.
Kiev, the capital, is a split city where both Russian and Ukrainian are spoken and often mixed together. The signage is in Ukrainian.
The People:
Ukrainians are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. A Ukrainian friend will give you the shirt off his back. I can't count how many huge favors I owe over there to people who didn't think it was a big deal at all.
Ukrainians can be icy at first, especially in a Street Approach setting. This is in part because of their recent history as part of the USSR. People will be suspicious of someone approaching them just to shoot the shit, especially in English or poor Russian. You may get matter-of-fact answer to "pet shop" type questions although these openers will work well on young Ukrainians who speak some English and are interested in traveling or living in the West.
I have to disagree with Roosh on Ukrainians wanting to stay in Ukraine. Most of the people I met wanted to leave Ukraine. Most mentioned NYC which has a large Ukrainian diaspora. California and Miami were also popular. Canada was surprisingly popular. I would always say, "Canada? WTF?" haha. Inside of Europe, most Ukrainians wanted to live in London.
That said, most of the Ukrainians I met had experienced the USA through J1 Work-Study visas. The English groupies wanted to tell me about their year in Indiana, Wisconsin, Maine, Wyoming, etc...sell the dream....
Ukrainian men will ask you what you think about their women. I recommend being completely honest and telling them that they are beautiful. They will smile and thank you. They will tell you that is the only thing going for them in their country. They will offer to find you a wife. If you know the person at all or through social circles, the offer is not a scam. They aren't making a commission. The men will literally call the girl in the apartment upstairs or their cousin to come and meet you.
In my experience, western Ukrainians generally like Americans and the USA. They like a country that projects strength (debatable) and gives Russia shit every once in a while.
The Women:
I unfortunately didn't get as much time with the women as I would have liked but here is what I know:
The problem with meeting Ukrainian women through social circles is that they are looking for a very serious relationship. They are less likely to resource mine you because it would be embarrassing if it got back to your contact. On the flip side, if you spit bad game and try to isolate they will report you to your contact.
If a Ukrainian woman maintains eye contact with you for longer than three seconds, you should approach no matter what.
If a Ukrainian woman claims she doesn't speak English, there are several possibilities:
1) She doesn't speak English. Time to fuck off or speak Russian.
2) She isn't confident in her language ability. Reassure her that you understand her, even if you don't. If she continues to try, the odds are that you will understand and that the conversation will smooth out after a minute or two.
3) She speaks English but isn't sure if she wants to speak with you. Stand your ground. Always stand your ground and keep talking!!!
The Men:
No homo. This all relates back to your game.
Outside of the clubs and bars, young Ukrainian men will generally react positively to the idea of you getting with a Ukrainian women. There were a few times I was this close to just saying, "Yeah, so I read this book called Bang Ukraine on the airplane. I want to rail as many fine young Ukrainian women as possible." Some of the men would have given you a high five and said game on!
Older Ukrainian men will not like the idea of you coming to country to take their most valuable resource. These people did not grow up in a globalized world with an international economy. They were taught in school that NATO members, led by the United States, were enemies to the cause.
One thing that concerned me was that most young Ukrainians asked me if anyone had accosted me yet while I was in Ukraine. At first I thought they meant something like yelling "Fuck USA" from across the street but I realized they definitely meant something more physical. During my time there I did not have a single incident of hostility. That said, I did not try to walk unlit streets while drunk like an English teacher I worked with. The first time he did this he was stalked for a couple hundred yards until he gave the man money ($5-8). The second time, he was headbutted by a drunk Ukrainian man. So don't be fucking stupid.
Ukrainian men run caveman game.
To Do in Kiev:
Go to the Perchersk Lavra. One of the oldest and holiest sites in Orthodox Christianity. It is still an active monastery so be respectful. Men need to remove their hats. Women need to wear a scarf over their head.
There is a crypt in an huge underground cavern. There are two ways to get in:
1) Towards the top of the hill there is an entrance where an English-speaking guide will offer to take you (with a bunch of other Americans/Brits) for a fee.
2) At the bottom of the hill there is an entrance that is free to enter. There will be a long line. You pay about 20 cents for a candle to help you see while inside. There are monks and attendants to make sure you find your way. The mummies are saints and tradition states that the remains of saints do not decompose like a normal corpse. These corpses look life-like. There is one where the hand is extended toward the viewing glass — freaky shit.
Sidebar: Told a feminist coworker about this crypt. When I told her she needed a headscarf, she went on a rant about how Orthodox believe that a woman should cover her head so that God doesn't see her small brain.
Sven: "That's right. Now do you want to see some zombies or not?"
Statue to the Motherland
A huge titanium statue of a woman (mother Russia) holding a sword and shield in the direction of Germany. It's basically saying, "Don't fuck with me." Kiev was invaded by the Nazis in WW2 and is considered a "Hero City" of the USSR for its resistance. You can see the statue from the Metro, especially when you cross the Dnipro River. It's basically a huge war museum.
Soviet Air Museum
This is basically a huge park with a bunch of old Soviet military aircraft parked inside. It is next to Zhulyany Airport. If you're into MiGs and jet fighters, go here. The info signs are in Russian and English. There is a comprehensive book about the park in English at the gift shop. If you pay more ($1-2) at the entrance you can climb the stairs into what amounts to an old Russian 747. Not that exciting.
Khreshchatyk Street
Times Square of Kiev. Great place to people watch (as told to me by a Ukrainian friend). Probably a good place to Day Game. On the weekends they close the road next to it so you can walk down that, too. If you need help with an Apple product or something specific to an American franchise, go here.
Andriyivsky Uzviz - Andrew's Descent
This is the tourist flea market. It's right next to St. Andrew's cathedral which is beautiful and has a great view of the city.
As far as the market goes, the vendors won't negotiate very much on the prices. They know you're from the West. I even had one guy say, "That's a difference of five dollars, that's nothing for you. I won't go lower." There are some good deals but a lot of outrageous stuff. I wanted a Hard Rock Cafe Chernobyl t-shirt. It was $30-40...wtf? Deck of cards, $5, Soviet Navy Hat $25, Decent knife $3, decorated coffee mug, $3.
Last Thoughts:
Always ask the price of a taxi fare before you close the cab door. A friend that spoke Russian asked a cabby about 50 feet away. He couldn't go with me so when I got in and asked the cabby the price jumped $5. Called him on his shit, gave me the price he quoted my friend.
Separate occasion, asked the cabby while on the way. He ignored me and when we got to the airport it turned into the most expensive three miles in history. Freaked the fuck out, told him I was broke and that I knew he ignored me earlier — got a decent rate worked out.
If they pretend not to understand you, just say "Skolka" (How much?) Have them write a number down on the newspaper they are no doubt reading while waiting for a customer.
Corruption is rife.
Ukraine is actually not far from some African countries on a corruption index. As a western tourist, you probably won't be harassed by the police if you're minding your own business. They generally don't speak English which makes getting the bribe harder. It's much easier for them to screw other Ukrainians over.
If they give you shit, offer to call your Ukrainian friend so that he can translate for them. A good Ukrainian will them to fuck off and tell you what to say next. After that, offer to call the embassy.
Ukrainians hate the police. They flash their headlights at each other to signal a cop up ahead. Why don't we do this in USA?
Ukrainians don't wear seat belts.
Ukrainians are deathly afraid of drafts from open windows.
Ukrainians are great cooks but it takes time to adjust to their food. Vegetarians will have a hard time. They will probably think you're a pussy. So do I.
The most important thing I can tell you about Ukraine is this:
Bring your own toilet paper. No seriously, bring your own or you will get caught with your pants down leaning over a squat toilet or hole in the ground.
the peer review system
put both
Socrates and Jesus
to death
-GBFM
