"When you travel, remember that a foreign country is not designed to make you comfortable. It is designed to make its own people comfortable."

Quote by Clifton Fadiman
I wish I had read this quote before we traveled to Ukraine. I think then my ignorance or arrogance might have been more prepared for what we were to face. My husband and I went to Ukraine in 2005 to adopt 2 little girls. (The adoption story is a whole 'nother Oprah...you can read about it in my EzineArticle...just click the link on the right column.) The purpose of this post is to talk about my first experience in a developing country. Since 2005, I have been to other developing countries...but I was more prepared.
Ukraine is a former Soviet country that declared their independence in 1991. They are still struggling with their economy and government since '91. Kiev is an interesting mix of old architecture and Soviet style square, grey buildings.
I have heard that in the spring and fall, this mostly farmland country is beautiful. We went in February, it is also beautiful in winter but not so convenient for travel.
I have traveled extensively but not like this. When I have been to other foreign countries, I still recognized things like toilets even though they were called W.C.'s or toilettes. I had heard about holes in the ground for toilets but had never seen one until Ukraine. For someone who likes to go slightly over the speed limit in the US....I was praying for a speed limit in Ukraine. I really thought we might die in a car accident. There may have been rules for the road, but we did not notice anyone observing them. Early one morning around 4 a.m., we were traveling from Kiev to Kharkiv. Our driver was pulled over for speeding. There, in the middle of nowhere, was a police officer standing on the side of the road. He flagged our driver down, told him he was speeding and assessed an 'on the spot' fine. Our driver paid it and off we went.
I never eat at McDonald's stateside but almost kissed the tiled ground when I saw one in Kharkiv. (Not to mention I loved seeing a 'real' bathroom! )
The 1960 Lada taxi that drove us from agency to agency had no seat belts...no heater (this was February, remember).
I learned not to drink any liquids after breakfast to avoid any restrooms during the day. When we were visiting a hospital in Lubotin (20 miles outside of Kharkiv), I thought this would be a safe place to use the restroom.....oh how wrong I was....it was actually one of the worst. Rusty pipes dripping on your head. An inch of brown water on the floor with a plywood 'plank' to walk on from the door to the toilet. This was not a hole in the ground toilet but it did not have a seat on it. The wooden door did not shut all the way so my husband stood guard at the door. He did not need to.....I walked in and turned around immediately. OK, it may seem that I am obsessed with toilets....I'm not really...you just don't realize how comfortable you are in your own home until you see something so foreign.
Every person we met in Ukraine was absolutely wonderful. They were warm, giving and opened their hearts and homes to us. I always felt safe cared for. When we asked our translator, Oksana, about life in Ukraine she was open and honest with us. She said that Ukraine was in a transition period from Soviet times to a more democratic society. They had applied for acceptance in the EU. There was a huge gap between the rich and the poor...we saw the evidence daily. From the charm of a horse drawn cart delivering milk to the rural homes, to the Hummer driving businessmen in Kiev. The hospitals in the rural areas could not afford vitamins or medicine for their child patients. The hospital in Kiev reminded me of a small hospital stateside. (We saw lots of hospitals because we were constantly having to do paperwork on the girls' health.)
The people on the eastern side of Ukraine tended to side with Russia on foreign issues and a few we talked to even said they would like to see Ukraine be a 'Soviet' country again.
That shocked me. Growing up in America, you always hear of the 'evils' of communism. Why did they want to return to that?
They answered, "At least there was health care and we always had a paycheck."
The Western region of Ukraine around Kiev was more independently minded. These were the young folks of the Orange Revolution that fateful November in 2004. (The disputed election between a Russian friendly President and a Western Europe friendly Presidential hopeful. The Orange Revolution successfully, without any violence, was able to bring the 'Western Friendly' candidate to office. Read the full story here.)
As I watched daily life unfold in this country trying to find its identity, I noticed that the people carried on as best they could with situations I found intolerable. It showed me how 'wimpy' I had become. How I am so used to turning the thermostat up or down to make myself comfortable.
Yet the people here, though looking older than their years, carried on without so many of our modern conveniences. (The average life span for Ukraine citizens is 64 for females and 60 for males.) They seemed 'comfortable' in their surroundings, or as my Grandfather used to say. "If you don't know that there is anything better, than this is all you know there is." The Ukrainian government is trying to make life better for their citizens that have lived through Stalin and the forced famine that killed over 8 million Ukrainians. They are also trying to make life comfortable for the younger generations that do know there is something better out there thanks to the internet and mass media.
In the US, we started with the ideals of our Founding Fathers. We may argue how best to put those ideals into practice, but that is the starting place. In Ukraine, and other developing countries, they have histories that span centuries and sometimes millenniums. There are many factions and ideologies trying to find their 'comfort' level and many ideas clash violently making more discomfort.
I have seen the US clash over policies and programs, most recently health care reform....but we know what our government will look like tomorrow. We may not like the person in office, but we know that can change at the next election. Most western countries have a fairly stable government. Developing countries can see drastic changes overnight. When they awake to the new morning and the new government, they awake to a whole new set of ideals that will make some more comfortable......and some less comfortable. It is best to keep this in mind when traveling to a country struggling with its identity. Where you may find comfort one week, may be completely different the next. We know what we have waiting for us when we return home....they do not always know what they have waiting for them when they wake up the next morning.