extremevx
5/13/2016 04:58 EST
Yesterday was my brother in laws girlfriends birthday. She wanted to go to Riviera mall in fontanka. Since they don't have a car, my wife and I to them. Went to the mall and while my wife and tanya shopped, Vladimir, my wife's brother, went and rode the go karts in the parking lot until it started to rain. Mall.was virtually empty so it was good. After my wife dropped a few ben Franklins, we left for city center. Again, the girls more shopping but I did get draged into the DKNY shop where my wife attempted to get me to try on some gay white t shirt, or footbolka as they say in russian. Meanwhile, Vladimir and I went and found a place to have a beer. Then the girls showed up and we went to a nice restaurant called," city garden". After this it was off to Arcadia beach.
The reason I am telling all this is because though I have been to odessa many times, it has only been to the outskirts to 7km to buy clothes for my wife's shop. I have never experienced odessa like this. It is very much different than nikolaev. Nikolaev feels like living on a military base. It is very sterile and nothing. Nikolaev very much wears on me.mentally as there is nothing to really stimulate you mentally. Maybe it's just me. But odessa is a modern international city and it feels good and alive to be there. I told my wife that we need to move to odessa. There is nothing in nikolaev, but odessa has everything that an American city has. Maybe not alot of it, but I think you could find at least some. For those of you that come from a very busy city in america with a night life and plenty to do, nikolaev may not be for you. I think you would be much happier in a bigger city like odessa, kiev, lviv. Just my opinion based on my needs and wants. In America, I lived in new York, Las Vegas, Dallas, San Diego and Atlanta. So there is the point of view I am coming from. Have a good day!
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Russophile
5/13/2016 09:25 EST
Compared to the variety of entertainment possibilities in America, even Odessa is pretty limited. The national pastime seems to be sitting in a cafe and drinking coffee or walking around the City Center. However, just sitting on a bench on Deribasovskaya or in the City Garden and watching the cavalcade of Humanity walking by in this Cosmopolitan city has great entertainment value.
A walk through the open-air markets like Privoz, New Market and 7k will show you just about everything that can be created, built, manufactured or grown by Mankind. And, if you have some friends that can show you the interesting parts of Odessa that the tourists don't know about, you are doubly blessed.
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MichaelTryn
5/13/2016 10:41 EST
Morning extreme: I feel the same about the Chicao area. The tourists normally go to the near north of the city where the expensive shops are, water tower area, and have no idea of where (you know who lives). I've lived here so many years and never went around Cubs park area, where there 2 bars to every block with an Irish or Bears flag in season. WE spoke about moving to S.D., but ruled it out for the high u.v. with too much sun, and I felt there are too many creeps in Calif. and Calif is even worse than Illinois for taxes I read. My wife would prefer Napa. Now we read S.F. is losing big time with the computer layoffs, and they let rents go so high no one can afford them unless one is a sports player or Dr.
My daughter wants to move to N.Y. as she has seen "Sex In the City." or Miami. In N.Y. she does not need a Dodge Charger. WHERE do the "working people live out there? My guess is the Bronx or Brooklyn. Most Americans know little about N.Y. and gen. Y is helpless without asking the smartphone. I tell a few of the new kids @ one grocery store checkout,
" the twenty is the one with a 2 and ao on the corner. Maybe the arabs around here are tryin to pass phoney bills, some old woman 70 yrs old does not know what is going on . The bank sticks us with the money.
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drdjmphd007
5/13/2016 12:40 EST
My Buddy extremevx…
I completely Understand how you feel!
Although… When You are in a Serious Relationship or Marriage… It’s NOT all about YOU!!!
The Woman/Wife and Family Come First!
I have been in 24 different Countries and Lived in 16 different countries and believe me… You really start missing the Great Restaurants… Movies… Pizza… Hamburgers… Etc. So I had to look for what could replace those “American” things and tune my mind in a way to not MISS those things I thought I did Miss!!! Sometimes this is not easy without a Good Woman or Friends to help you!
Although… If it makes sense for you and your wife to move the Business or Expand and Open another shop… Then go for it… If everyone is on the same page as you!
If there is a reluctance from your wife to move… Then… You and the Family just make going to Odessa a Vacation once in a while and have fun!!!
Like EVERYONE Whom has been Married says… “Happy Wife… Happy Life”!!!!
Another way to have a sense of not missing things is to collate “Americans” that are there in Nikolaev… And Create a Business or some type of Recreational Past Time… Hobby… Get Together… to gather your senses of what you miss from America!
As well as People that Speak Your Language!!!
This way you can promulgate things to and extract from other Expats that are in your area!!!
Anyway… I myself should be in Nikolaev by September and if the Woman I have been corresponding with is For Real… Then… I also shall be moving to Ukraine!!!
Semper Fi Buddy!!!
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MichaelTryn
5/13/2016 14:47 EST
Nice day to you KK: I just thought to myself: Russophile's post with the letters LMAO, must mean
"laugh my a** off ! " My daughter confirmed this! refering to one paying income tax in Ukraine!
Also, the "green zone" must mean the best parts of the city that ARE NOT ruined by contractors, Lavra, Andreyevsky spusk, etc ! I would "BY ALL MEANS" prefer to live in a
"Lenin architecture apt" in Leningrad! That is why I post my preference about Charleston or Savannah here!
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sir2you
5/14/2016 18:11 EST
Pasttime sitting in cafe drinking COFFEE? How about vodka.
Most interesting I have seen is the underground tunnels from WWII never used in Sevestopal, not sure I have name right.
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LuvSlav
5/17/2016 15:44 EST
Hey Extreme, it seems like Nikolaev would better suit my lifestyle. I'm not into the night life and clubs, etc. If I can find peace and quiet I'm happy as a clam.
Different strokes for different folks it seems. Right now Odessa is neck deep in ladies available for a good time and soooo many foreign men looking for them. It is totally different from how it was when I first arrived. Everywhere you go it's too darn crowded for my liking. But that's just me. As the old saying goes, you can take the boy out of the country but you can never take the country out of the boy.
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kkmail
5/18/2016 09:28 EST
Ya Luv Slav I advised ya not to hang out downtown with the kids and the hookers two weeks ago !! hahahaha.. Live and learn right !! Head for the hills buddy !!
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NA67
5/18/2016 10:36 EST
LuvSlov, maybe you should do as Russo has in his stay in Ukraine. Just get on a bus or train and take a short adventure to some near by smaller cities near Odessa. You might just find what you are looking for in a smaller relaxed city. Adventures are fun....get a map and make a plan....just saying )))
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smmoravec
5/18/2016 13:41 EST
...or download the maps for Odessa for Google Maps...I have not had much problem with them. They work good.
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LuvSlav
5/18/2016 16:05 EST
Thanks for the advice NA, KK and Smmor, and of course to Russo and everyone on this site. I really appreciate it.
Right now I'm concentrating on learning Russian and getting back in shape. I'm adding all the things you suggest to my list, but to be honest I probably won't do much else on this trip. Next time I come I'll probably start checking off a lot more of those things since I will have had a lot more time to study. I came to Odessa because so many people speak English and I was sure I couldn't afford an extended stay in Kiev. It's gonna take many more months of studying to get me to the point where I can go off the beaten path.
I do love trains though. I think next trip I will take a train to somewhere/anywhere, just to be able to say I've been there.
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NA67
5/18/2016 17:07 EST
On my second trip to Ukraine me and my family took a train to Lviv, what a blast, what a beautiful city. I love Lviv even more than Odessa. Give it a try, you wont be disappointed. I don't think you will miss much if you don't go to Kiev....I wasn't all that impressed. Lviv and Odessa are the two best cities I've seen so far. Karkov might be interesting? I just don't know about the safety factor for Americans up there today. Ask around here someone can give recon on Karkov !!.............Don't stress about not knowing Russian Language, its fun for Ukraine ladies to help you fumble your way thru a conversation. Enjoy your adventure, you spent enough to get there!!!!!
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sir2you
5/19/2016 01:17 EST
Drdj, stay at the Immigrant Hotel, and lots to do close by. Check out Drunk Patricks cafe, I think you'll love it.
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