Dear all,
Being a native Ukrainian, but the one who moved to Kiev to build own translator/marketer career, I am very anxious to see changes for better in this city. Besides, the year 2011 will soon be over, so a short summary is always helpful for preparing oneself to future changes. Below are my observations on the life here for the recent years and short comments to them.
1. Prices for food have risen, but other costs are more or less the same.
I think we have good prices for services, especially medical. Some of my friends said that foreigners often visit Ukraine to go to the dentist or receive some complex treatment. Even private hospitals in Ukraine can be cheaper than in Germany, Austria or UK.
2. Because of EURO football championship there are more signs in English here in Kiev, hopefully they can be useful for tourists and expats.
Hopefully the next year many foreigners will learn more about Kiev and city life won't seem difficult to understand because of language barrier. We've even got "Exit" and "Entrance" signs on the doors of metro stations. I think people from other countries are quite clever to guess, where to go, but still it is a positive change I am curious about other things foreigners might want to be translated in Kiev. What do you think?
3. Despite economic problems Kiev is as rich, as before.
Everyone can see new expensive cars in the streets, several entertainment centres have been opened - these are just couple of examples of developing life in Kiev. I have personally enjoyed visiting Dreamtown which looks like a modern European shopping mall and has a lot of other nice things, including aquapark. Still, the same entertainment somewhere in Europe, for example in Poland can be cheaper.
I have also noticed lots of English courses in Kiev - yes, they are really popular here, but their rates have surprised me. Never had I thought some skill (I am talking about English) I had learned at school would be so important for local people here. I heard about "Speak up" tuition fees - I felt like I was not in Kiev, but in France, where the prices are much higher. So present-day Kiev is definitely not Kiev of the 90s. It is faster, more expensive and busy and at the same time is as green, as before - this is what I like in it. I would compare it with a crowded, but rich Spanish city of Barcelona. Well, Kiev is not as beautiful, as Barcelona, but many foreigners can find some places here as luxurious and expensive, as in the Spanish city mentioned above
So as a conclusion I can say that I have positive expectations for the next year in Kiev. EURO will attract more foreigners here, prices will rise like before and businesses will prosper. Rich people will be richer and poor people will be poorer Of course average Ukrainians may not feel these positive changes, but they are used to a different reality than foreigners Still there is one fact that will unites everybody in 2012 - we WILL HOST EURO here))