r/europe • u/MarktpLatz Lower Saxony (Germany) • Apr 03 '17

What do you know about... Ukraine?

This is the eleventh part of our ongoing series about the countries of Europe. You can find an overview here.

Todays country:

Ukraine

Ukraine is the largest country that is completely on the european continent. The Ungarian people's republic was founded in 1917, the ukrainian state in 1918. It later became part of the soviet union and finally got independent in 1991. Currently, Ukraine is facing military combat with russia-backed rebels and the crimean peninsula was completely annexed by Russia. Ukraine will host the next eurovision song contest.

So, what do you know about Ukraine?

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u/MaybeAMonkey Apr 04 '17 edited Apr 04 '17

I'm married to a Ukrainian so this topic is an interesting read. :)

1) A lot of Ukrainians problems is their own fault, because literally everything they do brings bad luck. My wife wanted a watch, but specifically asked me not to buy it for her birthday cause if you give a watch to someone, it brings bad luck. Encountered a woman with an empty bucket? Bad luck. They will ask you not to shake hands at the door, cause it brings bad luck. Want to give flowers to the lady? Make sure you give an uneven number of flowers cause otherwise you'll wish her dead. If you're​ scared now of doing anything among Ukrainians and you want to just stand in a corner whistling awkwardly like in the old films? Good job, you've just brought bad luck on everybody, let alone that it's very very rude. :)

2) Ukrainians, if they don't like something, will tell you that they don't like what it is you do. No filter, no mercy. Or is that just my wife? :) Also, they're very ironic towards each other in hysterical ways. I was standing at an airport in Ukraine a year back where the customs officer asked a girl in front of me whether she faked her Ukrainian passport, to which she said: "Really, of all passports that can be faked you think I'd buy a Ukrainian one?" Such an attitude can get you in trouble anywhere else. In Ukraine an absolute valid response. :)

3) It's impossible to learn Ukrainian. The alphabet is okay. The language is a nightmare. And Ukrainians love to hear funny stuff. Subsequently I can curse like a sailor in both Ukrainian and Russian, I think I know enough Russian swearing to start a nuclear war. It's all they ever teach me, and when showing off my skills to new Ukrainians I meet, all they teach me is new bad ways to swear. I have no idea how to say anything nice in Ukrainian. :)

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u/Bolteg Crimea Apr 04 '17

The first part is valid for all of the Eastern slavs

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u/gbursztynek Gůrny Ślůnsk (Poland) Apr 04 '17 edited Apr 04 '17

Not just Eastern. My mom is exactly like this and I recognize most of the superstitions listed. Although, to be fair, she is from the eastern part of the country, where Belarusian and Ukrainian influences are very noticeable.

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u/Bolteg Crimea Apr 04 '17

Then most, if not all, Slavs. I'm not very familiar with Western and Southern Slav culture, but it makes sense, as the roots are common

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u/[deleted] Apr 04 '17

My grandma believes the same and she's also from Eastern Poland (so is my whole family tbh)