The following things are some cultural observations I’ve recorded during my six months in Ukraine. Some are funny and peculiar while others are extremely important in understanding and acknowledging in order to be accepted into a Ukrainian household.
1) Ukraine is very much a foot culture. People will pass judgment on you based on the cleanliness of your shoes. Remember to take off your shoes once entering a house as most times even guest slippers are available. Many important buildings like schools and administration buildings have small troughs of water to clean the mud from your shoes before walking into the building. Our shoes in America would probably be a lot cleaner if we weren’t able to drive just about everywhere.
2) One of my favorite customs is for family or friends to sit in silence before someone leaves to travel. Long ago, Ukrainians would sit still in belief that demons that would be watching and hoping to upset someone’s travels would become bored and then leave. Today this is done more out of tradition.
3) School is much more strict and less lenient than American schools at the same time. Students are expected to stand up and greet the teachers as well as say goodbye, ask to enter a classroom, and basically plead for forgiveness if they are late. On the other hand, students run through the halls yelling, wrestling, blasting music on the cellphones, and join in mass groups during breaks to smoke outside the building. Similarly, there are two bells for each period – the first for students and the second for teachers who are almost always late. I have walked in on teachers smoking in the men’s room and it is not uncommon for toasts to be made with wine, champagne, and even vodka on holidays at school.
4) Bribes are very common in Ukrainian society, whether to get you out of trouble from the militia, local government, or to boost your grade or get out of a test at the public and university level.
5) The people in my town look at me as a child since I speak Russian like a toddler and believe since I am new to their culture I need to be looked after as much as possible. I am not only thankful for my host families assistance, but also for random strangers who have given me cellphone chargers after losing mine, rides home after getting lost, and free food when they found out I don’t grow potatoes.
6) The discussion of money, how much you make or how much you spend, is very common and to many Americans seems very blunt and rude. However, this is just one more way Ukrainian culture is different in their openness to discuss things we may not like to share, like our pay stubs.
7) Men almost always greet and part by shaking hands and women are never expecting to shake hands. Shaking hands with your gloves on is considered to be very offensive as historically enemies would hide weapons in their gloves. Also, it is bad luck to shake hands, or pass money, through a doorframe.
8) Almost everyone has two jobs, their official work that pays them and their gardens and farms that feed them. Ukrainians are food of practical knowledge and people are expected to know how to farm and raise animals for the products as well as experience.
9) Never whistle indoors. Ukrainians believe you will whistle away all their money.
10) Gossip is pretty popular, just like America. Everyone knows what I buy at the stores, what I receive at the post office, and probably by now how much I receive for my living allowance. Teachers at my school also are very reluctant to share feedback to improve my lessons and often just talk to each other to criticize me rather than telling me directly.
11) Ukrainians are very multitalented, as most students play at least one instrument, sport, and can either paint, draw, dance, sing, or all of the above. The time spent at the School of Music, Sports, or Arts is just as important as the time studying Math or Science at the public school.
12) Family names are not important. Ukrainians like Russians use patronymics. This is when an ending is attached to the end of your father’s name according to your gender. For example if a boy named Sasha’s father’s name is Vasyl, then his patronymic name is Vasylovitch. If a girl named Zhenya’s father’s name is Vasyl then her patronymic name is Vasylivna. I used to introduce myself as Keith Alan Jamesovitch, but people just laugh at me. Most times the family name is not even used, especially in schools. Family names will also end based on gender. For example Dima Fiatov and his sister Tony Filatova – same name different ending. Even with studying famous Russians us Westerners don’t acknowledge the patronymic name, like Vladimir Putin, the former president of Russia. Most people here know him as Vladimir Vladimirovitch. (ps. Russian’s new president’s name translates to “bear”)
13) Ukrainians are very reserved. On buses, subways, and on the sidewalk, you won’t find many people yelling and talking loud unless it is following a football (soccer) match. Even good friends may simply greet each other with the nod of a head or a quick handshake when passing in public. This is one of the more difficult cultural characteristics for Americans to fit into since most times we want to smile at everyone, say hi, and talk to strangers.
14) Russian vs. Ukrainian. Do not make the mistake of calling a Ukrainian person a Russian. Though the cultures and countries have much in common, Ukrainians pride themselves in their own identity and their sovereignty. Even out East where Russian is more commonly spoken than Ukrainian, there is still a mix of the languages. The reliance on Russian is often explained as out of custom and what they are used to speaking and what is most widely understood. Speaking clean Russian in Eastern Ukraine is as strange as speaking clean Ukrainian.
There are many complicated political problems in Ukraine, argued by those who are loyal to Russia and those who want to join NATO and be more like Western European countries. Just as you hear the Democrat vs. Republic debate in America, this is the most common thing you will hear debated in Ukraine.
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Now what I would like to do is have the readers of this blog share some of their own cultural quirks and the interesting things about daily life in America. Being out of the country has made it difficult to explain the little things about American life as written above about Ukraine so I would greatly appreciate your assistance as to make American culture more vivid for my students. Thanks.
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2 comments:
1. Energy is a HUGE part of most Americans daily lives. Be it pop, coffee, or energy drinks - we all crave it.
2. This is just a general observation of mine.... people wash their hands when they use a public restroom but not at home... even at someone else's home. Whats the difference??
3. Our last names don't change at all and it seems so strange that others do - Mexicans change their names as well by combining their mother and father's last name.
4. Do they reality shows there?? Big here...
5. Is there a welfare system in place there? That might be a big difference.
5. Ice cream? Whats a big flavor over there?
6. Maybe they clean their feet so much because they don't shower as often as we do...
7. What is the weather typically like there? Does it snow?
So I'm a little off on what you asked lol but I just let my mind wander today... If I think of anymore, I'll post again.
Soundslike your loved and appreciated there. In america, we are not so caring, we are very rude in fact and maybe we all need a teaching in what life is about without all the luxurys. We take advantage of our freedom.
Here are some superstions I've learned from my grandmother as I was growing up, I am now 42 yrs old so this is a long time these superstions have been going on, and her beleifs in them was very strong. I never really new the reason why she felt so stongly on good luck or bad luck, so I cheated and looked them up and oddly enough they are the top 10 superstions still today.
1.Friday the 13th – Bad Luck
Many of us can't help but get a shiver of trepidation when we realize that a Friday the 13th is lurking within the current month. A fear of the number 13 is one of the most common superstitions around, and is so widespread that many apartments and hotels omit the 13th floor and some airlines fly without a 13th row. The most popular thought on the origin of this origin is that Judas was the 13th guest at the Last Supper and that Christ was crucified on a Friday. Put it all together, and you have one unlucky day of the year.
2.Itchy Palm – Good Luck
There seems to be a lot of variations on this superstition, but the idea of having an itchy palm generally refers to someone who is greedy or has an insatiable desire for money.
In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Brutus states, "Let me tell you Cassius, you yourself are much condemned to have an itching palm." Some believe that if the right palm itches, you will meet someone new, while an itchy left palm means that money is coming. Others say that an itchy right palm means money coming in and a left-handed itch foretells money going out. The bottom line is, if either of your palms itch, do not scratch them or you will counter the effect – unless you scratch it on lucky wood or brass.
3. Walking under a Ladder – Bad Luck
It's common sense to avoid walking under an open ladder for fear of something falling on you, but there are superstitious reasons for doing so as well. Consider the shape of an open ladder; a triangle that signifies life to some. When you walk though the triangle, you are tempting the fates. You may also awaken spirits that live within the triangle (including evil spirits who may not be happy with the disturbance). If you do accidentally walk under a ladder, you can counter the bad luck by placing your thumb between your index and middle finger. Another method is to cross the fingers on both hands to call upon the sign of the cross to protect you from evil.
4.Breaking a Mirror – Bad Luck
Most will tell you that the agreed upon time span for bad luck is 7 years. 7 years is also how long it takes to fully rejuvenate the entire physical body.
Since a mirror was thought to be a reflection of the soul, breaking a mirror was harmful to the soul. To counter the ill effects, you can take the mirror outside and bury it in the moonlight.
5. Finding a Horseshoe – Good Luck
Some people believe that this is the luckiest of all symbols, especially if it is found with the open end pointing toward you. If you find one of these gems, pick it up with your right hand, spit on one end, make a wish and toss it over your left shoulder, leaving it where it lands. You can also place a horseshoe over the entrance of your home with the open end down to bring luck to the family living within. Some traditions say that the number of nails left on the horseshoe will indicate how many years of good luck are to come.
6.Opening an Umbrella Inside – Bad Luck
It seems like a no-brainer that opening an umbrella inside can be bad luck, since it runs the risk of breaking valuable items and poking folks in the eye. However, there are also common superstitions that prohibit this act as well. Umbrellas that shade us from the deified sun are considered magical. When the umbrella is opened inside and out of the way of sun's rays it offends the sun god. It may even signify impending death or ill fortune for both the person who opened it and the people who live within the home.
7. Knock Twice on Wood – Reverses Bad Luck
The origin of this common superstition dates back to a time when some cultures believed that gods lived in trees. When one would ask for a favor from these gods, he would lightly touch the bark of the tree. To say thank you after the favor had been granted, he would knock lightly one more time. This custom may have also originated with Christians who were offering thanks for good fortune with this gesture to Jesus Christ who died on a cross made from wood.
8. Tossing Spilled Salt over your Shoulder – Good Luck
Salt has always been considered a valuable substance capable of purifying and warding off evil spirits. By tossing spilled salt over your left shoulder, you are driving away the evil spirits lurking with the intent to cause misfortune.
9.Black Cats – Bad Luck
This is a tough one for cat lovers to swallow, but in the Middle Ages it was thought that witches kept black cats as companions. Some people even believed that these kitties could turn into witches or demons after 7 years. Powerful men like Hitler and Napoleon Bonaparte were prepared to conquer nations, but terrified of a little black kitty.
10. Saying "God Bless You" – Good Luck
You may think it is etiquette pure and simple, but blessing someone after he sneezes is actually a common superstition. In the 6th century, people were congratulated for sneezing because it was thought they were expelling evil spirits.
Early Romans believed that a good sneeze could release your soul into the world, and a "bless you" would keep it safe. When the plague hit Europe in 1665, the pope mandated that everyone should be blessed when they sneezed since they were probably going to die. The blessing was usually followed up with the sign of a cross for good measure.
Here are some of our cultural behavings I observe in our states which some are not much different from theirs.
If you get lost in the states forget it, you just may get hijacked because they like your car. Maybe we too should have clean shoes.
Maybe we ought to teach our students today to stand up and greet the teachers as well as say goodbye, ask to enter a classroom and plead for forgivenss if they are late. But then again,you may end up in jail if you ask to much of them to have proper manners.
And we all wonder why kids misbehave.
Our kids talk geberish here. (I didn't think that the Gremlins was even on TV anymore).
You might want to catch up on this geberish language if you want to teach the younger children here. Russian may not be that hard to learn as you thought.
I can't even learn Spanish. I can't get through the concept of they don't teach you the alphabet first before you start reading, and they say English is a hard language to learn. Spanish is going to be the number one languare here in the next 10 years. Wow, am I going to be in trouble, maybe I should start watching Dora with my granddaughters.
Flirting in the states to bribe teachers and police officers to get out of trouble is not uncommon. We know better than to bribe with money, but nothing against the law with flirting.
It's important to know your numbers to know how to read a digital clock and very important on how to use a calculator.
Do you wonder what that someone is doing staring a clock with hands on it with this funny look on their face like their looking at something from another planet or why you received back the wrong change? Forget using your brain anymore, it's not a requirement anylonger to live in the states.
Oh, and don't have to worry about triping over your shoe strings anymore, the country has went stringless. Maybe this is for you can run when you get hijacked.
Work, what's that? Americans don't know the hardship of having to work. Maybe if we all learned what is like to be without we would be a more caring and loving place to live.
It is rarely noticed for us to help a homeless person asking for a hand out on the streets.
With every bar on the corner in my city, you'll find a church. Why drive to a bar and risk getting a DUI, when you can walk bar to bar till you get home. I don't see much difference here except it is not legal to walk the streets with open containers, but rarely enforced. If the churches are next to a bar for someone can repent their sins, I sugggest they stay open till 3 am for no one feels sinful till after the bars closes, and then again they really are only worrying about what bars are open 24 hrs to go to next. Forget the fact you have to be at work in 3 hrs.
I am from the midwest and everyone in the north (chicago land) where you are from thinks I talk with a twang. I think this is odd cause you say "POP" and I say "Soda". If we here anyone say "POP" then we think you are from Tennessee. If I say "POP" in Chicago land, they bring you a Coke. If you say "Soda" where I am from they ask you what kind. So, when someone wants to arguue the point of my twang, I make sure I point out they say "POP' which is a southern language to us. I am only 300 miles away from Chicago land so even just that language barrier is odd for me, and I crack up when it says it on your menus. Our menus say beverages.
We have slang in our vocabulary, like hoosier. If I go to Indiana, they ask if I want a glass with my drink and I say "no thank you" I'm a hoosier, and that throws them off cause they are known as the hoosier state.
Wuz up dude, is known across the nation from the young and the old.
Maybe all teachers should join the Peace Corp to teach. I find the teachers here don't care about you if you don't make their jobs easy. If you don't make a least an "A" or "B" forget it, then your not worth wasting time on and all they worry about is when they're going to raise the tax dollars to get a raise for not doing their job.
I know your family is proud of you and personally I am too. We need more young kids in the world like yourself.
I know you will bring back experiences for yourself and the kids your going to teach to last a life time.
Be Safe!
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