Happy New Year everyone everywhere! I don't know how you are celebrating this year, but I can tell you that here in Ukraine we are going to celebrate differently than ever before. Of course I don't mean the whole country but only my family, judjung from the lines in the stores and how crowded the farmer's market was yesterday a lot of people will celebrate the usual way. That is with tables filled with meats, salads, fruit and alcohol. Why have we decided to celebrate New Year differently this time? Well, it's been a very tough year, and not because of corona. The virus was just a "cherry" on top of the cocktail of craziness. So I am sitting here with a bottle of sparkling wine opened (won't wait till the midnight) and a plate of salad a la Russe that I made first thing today in the morning and hope that fireworks won't be too loud and we can go to sleep before the "change of years". I understand that 2021 won't bring the normality back. So I will take this change from 2020 to 2021 just like a fact and keep walking my path. In any case, it doesn't matter what date is on the calendar, it does matter if you have quality time with those who really matter to you. And if you want to have real fun - dress your parent's dog to look like a Christmas tree! Cheers!

Back in Ukraine

Hello everyone everywhere! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I have a story to tell you though I've been very quiet this year a lot of things have happened and now I am planning to catch up a bit and tell you them one by one. So my second and last story of this year will be a big one. After 5 years of living in the USA, I am back to Ukraine. Ta-daaam! I know that for a lot of people in Ukraine this decision is something they can't wrap their heads around. I know that for many people in the US moving across the ocean it's something absolutely crazy but romantic. I want to explain to you why they think so and tell you what I think about all of it. For the majority of Ukrainians, I have to deal with on a daily basis moving abroad is a dream of their lifetime. Don't get me wrong, Ukraine is a wonderful country, but being a Ukrainian is a tough thing and demands some amount of patience and courage. We became independent a while ago but our Soviet past still holds an icy grip on our mentality and behavior. So not surprising that the amount of my fellow citizens that believe that the grass is greener on the other side is still pretty large. Once they move abroad and understand that each country has its good and bad sides they take a decision to pretend that they are a story of great success. So they feed their relatives that stayed home all these stories about "money grow here on the trees" and keep all the hardship to themselves. I've never been illusional as for "wonderful abroad" though I have to confess that living in such country as the US opened my eyes on a lot of things and taught me to appreciate my own country. I learnt that the virus of bureaucracy has infected the whole world, that you have to pay attention to what food products you buy (we are slightly spoilt here in Ukraine with more natural products), that you have to be careful with people you speak to because what seems like a joke in Ukraine can be offensive to someone in the States. There is a bunch of other things that I had to adapt to but since I speak the language it was relatively easy for me. However, I am fully aware that I risked living in another country only because of my husband. I am not sure I would do something like that, especially in my age. Moving to another country requires a lot of energy and dedication. It's way easier if you are just 21 years old and there is no power in the world to stop you. Once you crossed the Rubicon of 35 years old you get used to your lifestyle and any dramatic changes are very painful. At least for me )) On top of that Americans live a very stressful lifestyle. They work all the time and rest very little. It literally wears you out and by a certain age you are tired and your health starts going downhill. Ukrainians are hard-working nation too, especially those who live in rural areas. They heavily depend on the land to feed themselves and their families. And since a lot of people still think the old way they tend to grow more than they really need. Smart farming just started coming to Ukraine and it will take a while to reset the minds to new ways. So, for Ukrainians that are shocked about our decision to relocate to Ukraine, I can answer that though the United States is considered a country of endless possibilities the possibilities are actually pretty limited and will require a ton of effort and that still won't grant you anything. If you are ready to gamble like that, well, be my guest. I weighed all pros and cons, my husband did even more of that weighing and we came to the conclusion that it might be a solution for us. Especially if to take into account that we are looking for a quiet lifestyle and downshifting to a rural environment. For Americans that romanticise Europe I can say that, unfortunately, Europe has changed a lot. Old good Europe is pretty much non-existent and the events of 2020 proved that. It's sad but that the reality we have to accept. That's why countries like Ukraine, Romania, Slovenia and alike look more attractive right now. At least they are more attractive to me. I do see both good and bad sides of the developing economies and I can say that some good things I see actually outweigh the bad ones. Among them, I can definitely name the quality of food and less bureaucracy (surprisingly). Of course, if you are a person heavily dependant on American lifestyle you would have massive problems here. I will not pretend that it's easy to integrate into local communities, even the language will look to you as an abyss between you and natives, but with a little bit of an effort in a year local people will call you lovingly "Our American". So I am happy to be home, I am happy I can show my country to my husband in a more profound way, literally from inside. It's a challenge for both of us, though the whole 2020 was a kind of endless quest and I am not sure there is anything left to surprise us. Though I think I should keep my mouth shut because you never know what 2021 has on its mind. With all this said I want to wish you a better year ahead and not to be afraid of changes. What is life if not a bunch of changes we constantly try to adjust to? Greetings and stay safe! P.S. A couple my photos for good mood ))