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Odessa Vignettes 11

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Russophile
  9/29/2016 09:11 EST

Odessa Vignettes 11

I have been 'in country' for about a month now, and I thought I would tell you all what has changed since I went on vacation back to the states for the summer.

My food bill has increased by about 25%. The cost of breakfast at McDonalds has increased 15%. I can't say too much from comparing just one month against last year, but prices have definitely increased.

Rents are about the same. I paid 170 UAH/meter last year for a mediocre apartment right in the city center. This year I have a really nice apartment that is about a 10 minute walk from the City Center and it costs 166 UAH/meter.

Restaurant prices have not increased much, but I noticed that the portions are smaller for the same price.

I live farther away from the City Center, but I only have to walk a block to catch a bus going anywhere in this city of 1.5 million people. My extensive travels in the city this month cost me a total of $6.50 in bus fares, and a lot of that was paying for two people.

What do I do to stay busy? I teach English privately to some of my friends here. I work as an English proof-reader for an IT company in Odessa. I joined a Toastmaster's Club and a Ballroom Dance Club. I will attend gala costume balls on October 1 and October 7 (with a beautiful date who is a fitness instructor). The dress code is white tie and tails. I have an interview Saturday with the Director of the Odessa National Scientific Library to be a volunteer for their 'Window on America' division. I study Russian 3 days a week with a tutor and I will be traveling to the Carpathian Mountains for a week on October 11 with a friend.

I made it a point to immerse myself in the culture here, and all of my friends are locals. They show me some very interesting things and give me interesting experiences that tourists can never even dream about. I get to do things here that I would never get to do in America.

But, unlike so many of you, I have no beef with America. Sure, the choices we have before us for a President have become the substance of a tragic comedy, and the societal fabric has been unraveling for years, but I still have a great love of the country. Perhaps it is because I live in the US in a place that is clean, progressive, crime-free and where I am surrounded by good people with good families that are honest, helpful and hard-working. If I could afford to live there year-round, I would do it. But now I get to experience the best of two worlds and I will continue to have more fun than I deserve for as long as I can.

NA67
  9/29/2016 17:42 EST

Yes, when me and my wife traveled back to Odessa in Dec/2015, she commented regularly about how much the food prices had gone up since she left Odessa in the Fall of 2012. She said taking the bus was more and using the train was more also.

I think as long as Kiev keeps taking EU and IMF money cost of living will continue to increase. Just as gas and electric has risen over the last three years.

I have even noticed on the Ukraine reality web sites that the cost of homes and flats have gone up also. As KK has confirmed this to me recently in another post. I really find it shocking that homes and flats are going up in price, when the cost of every day living (food, gas, electric, public transportation) goes up also. I was not aware that Ukraine citizens salaries were going up to pay for higher home prices!

I think I only know very poor people in Ukraine. None of them could even think of buying a new or used home in Ukraine. They are much more occupied with paying for food, gas, and electric. But if the situation in Ukraine is getting so much better that home $$$ are going up, that's great....for someone!

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kkmail
  10/1/2016 07:47 EST

Ya guys, I have seen prices rise also but inflation is inevitable. Average world inflation is around 3 percent, per year, so you must compound that 3 percent. So as Nate"s wife noticed the prices were higher, compound 3 percent for the time gone, roughly 3.5 years and ya, it's going to be noticeable..This country is doing incredibly well, being under siege I might add.. So maybe it's just me but im not on board with all the negativity about Ukraine. Home ownership is even higher that the usa. Yes I know the government gave a ton of flats to the people a few years back but its still home ownership and they buy and sell them and pass them on generation to generation..
Speaking for myself, yes I could live anywhere I wanted to but my likes and dislikes have brought me to Ukraine. I think anybody on this forum would be hard pressed to find a country they would rather live in. After adding crime, politicians, attorneys, laws, welfare, and so on, I believe I have made the right decision to leave the usa.. Ya there are good people there, but that population is shrinking rapidly ! I really hope for the sake of my family there that Trump wins the election but it isn't looking to good. I hope I'm wrong because another 8 years of the current policy's, and divisions that have grown and will continue to grow will not help anything the constitution there stands for. HUGE government is killing that place to say the least and we are paying for it..I feel much more free in Ukraine and there isn't a stupid law telling me what I can and cannot do at every dam corner..So life to me is what I make it. I like Mr Russo's enthusiasm and desires but even more, I like that he is achieving them !
More about living in other country's : I just returned from Italy and my god talk about a bad value ! I'm aware of tourist traps so I avoid them and tend to go where the locals go, buy what they buy etc. and our dollar value here buy's a helluva a lot more than it does in Italy ! And anywhere in the Eurozone for that matter. I've been to about 19 of those country's ! About the typical Ukrainian family.. Well I've heard it over and over that for them it is difficult. I'm saying it depends what you call difficult. I've see with my own eyes all the beaches packed person to person M-F during working hours ! There isn't hundreds of closed business's here. The middle income salary in the usa has been going down since Bam Bam took office ! Yet housing is up. At least were not going backwards right !! So that's my take on the situation, if any of you know a better place let me know !!

NA67
  10/1/2016 13:38 EST

Yahoo Finance says the exchange rate is 1USD to 26Hryvnia. That's not very good for Ukraine. Are wages/salaries going up in Ukraine. Who has good enough salary in Ukraine to pay say 150K-250K for a house today?

When I was there in Dec/2015 I must admit I was shocked that many homes were the same price as here in Davis and Weber county Utah. And there are a lot of good paying jobs here in Utah. I struggle badly with the thought of paying close to the same price in Ukraine for a home, as a home costs here in Utah! Add how bad many home designs are there and how bad the streets are in Ukraine. I must admit I'm very confused!!

We were looking in the Chvroni Hutir area alot for a home, I was shaking my head at the prices all day long. Maybe I'm just a penny pincher!!

kkmail
  10/2/2016 11:43 EST

Wages and salarys going up, yes ! All the babysitters must have gotten together because now they raised themself's ! And ya Nate there are 1000's of homes here for sale for the same prices as the usa..Those are ususally bought by people who either own a business or are on the take somewhere or somehow..And there are 1000's of business's right..I know my George can live on $250 month and he makes about $750...So he's a potential home buyer after a few years..And nowadays it isn't so uncommon for both parents to work..Plus Nate,,there are 1000's of flats for sale starting at around 25k for the very cheap ones..So for the people who have had them for awhile, they have enjoyed those prices going up right so they are buying and selling too..Looking at the average price of a hosue or a flat and it will be approx. 75k right..So that's not so out of reach and if it was they would not be selling and/or building new ones right.. This is clear Nate. It's also why I'm not totally on board with the depression/recession in Ukraine. Including 7km, I would venture to say there is about 7500 business's in Odesa. Plus the port jobs pay pretty well, plus most of the government jobs pay pretty good. The banks pay there people pretty good. I know my bank manager just bought a flat and she make like 1000$ a month...
The street's.. This money that Ukraine has gotton has been used to repair the roads and make new ones and it is very evident. ALL the roads in Odesa have been repaired. Yes a few the cheap way, just filling the pot hole, but there are several new roads also. Plus I noticed new street lights going up, imagine that !! So I just think that your either hearing one side of the story or not looking at the big picture my friend...And why is a home in your town county worth more. I cant buy into "quality of life " for sure.. Better gov services, probably, but still, you have laws,attorneys and legally corrupt politicians as well...Plus huge taxes, welfare and on and on !! Stop struggeling !!

hsvgto
  10/4/2016 07:50 EST

the scary thing about property prices is they're akin to a runaway train....what seems steep in Odessa now will undoubtedly become a lot worse....and lookout if Ukraine can shake off the Ruskies

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LuvSlav
  10/8/2016 15:31 EST

Russo, you must love to keep busy. Just don't forget to stop and smell the roses OK. Hope you have a great time in the Carpathians next week!

hsvgto
  10/14/2016 22:32 EST

Hope all you 'Odessians' survived the cyclone there in recent days. Our news reports are a bit amateurish would be good to hear first hand if the weather really was ripping roofs and trees out??

kkmail
  10/15/2016 07:50 EST

Ya it's true, just like a hurricane..I did live in S. Florida before and experienced Hurricane David with 115 mph winds but these were about 80 tops. So we were ready, candles and fully stocked house.. It had rained for about 10 hours before the winds came weakening the tree's causing them to snap, big one's too..The communication wires were down and twisted everywhere.. They were actually sparking right in front of my house.. Electric was out for about 20 hours in our region. Luckily I guess I do have a generator..But anyway, it's normal for people to be without electric for a few hours.. The infrastructure just hasn't been kept up to supply the demand over the years but now they are doing just that..But this storm really didn't seem to be a big deal for the people themselves..High winds and big rain are sort of normal here...The city workers were out in full force the next day cleaning up and it only took like two days to restore everything...But in reality, this wasn't really big news here...Nothing even close to how the media in the states portrays things..

hsvgto
  10/16/2016 03:34 EST

I suppose it's all relative re the weather. I sometimes think I must be in a long term coma as for 364 days a year the weather never really changes,, don't even have to change clothes..t shirt and shorts weather it'swinter or summer....then you get that one day with about 16 minutes of biblical flooding..but that's it.....after 16 minutes suns out for another 364 days! Hell! that Florida stuff and recent chaos in Odessa is quite alarming if your unaccustomed....good sign though if the locals don't bat an eye lid..mind you judging from the way they drive maybe their danger/risk threshold is tough to trigger?

LuvSlav
  10/16/2016 17:59 EST

The weather never changes? What city are you referring to?

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hsvgto
  10/16/2016 21:59 EST

the skin cancer capital of the world(or so we're told)
Queensland,Brisbane

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