America 0, Ukraine 3
While in Ukraine, volunteers would cheer each other up when times were tough or when frustrating transactions took place with the words, "that would never happen in America." Oh yeah?
In the first week of my arrival home I had to take a bucket bath (after heating up the water on the stove, just like in days of yore in Korostyshiv) and watched the internet/cable/phone go out for no apparent reason. Things like that ALWAYS happened in Ukraine and it never fazed me, but here, it just seems ludicrious that something inconvenient would or could happen at all.
In addition, the price of certain things in America seems bloated or just plain ridiculous. I had to go to Kinko's to use an internet with a printer and fill out some application form and then fax it in addition to getting resume paper and making copies of my resume and references on that resume paper. The total cost of doing all of these things was easily $20. In Ukraine to do all of those things would have not even cost me 20 UAH, or $4.
So, basically, Ukraine has it on America--3 to 0.
In the first week of my arrival home I had to take a bucket bath (after heating up the water on the stove, just like in days of yore in Korostyshiv) and watched the internet/cable/phone go out for no apparent reason. Things like that ALWAYS happened in Ukraine and it never fazed me, but here, it just seems ludicrious that something inconvenient would or could happen at all.
In addition, the price of certain things in America seems bloated or just plain ridiculous. I had to go to Kinko's to use an internet with a printer and fill out some application form and then fax it in addition to getting resume paper and making copies of my resume and references on that resume paper. The total cost of doing all of these things was easily $20. In Ukraine to do all of those things would have not even cost me 20 UAH, or $4.
So, basically, Ukraine has it on America--3 to 0.
posted by Molly | 5:54 AM
5 Comments:
Molly -- NEVER go to kinkos when you can come to our house. The only thing we DON'T have is a fax. Free internet, free printer/ink, free (regular) paper, and free food... even a shower that works! :-) The sales people at our house are pretty nice. So, please intrude on us at any hour of the day. Bring your resume paper and have at it. Stop at Kinko's to fax stuff, or give it to me and I'll fax it at work. Capisce? 610 873 3079
Molly -- NEVER go to kinkos when you can come to our house. The only thing we DON'T have is a fax. Free internet, free printer/ink, free (regular) paper, and free food... even a shower that works! :-) The sales people at our house are pretty nice. So, please intrude on us at any hour of the day. Bring your resume paper and have at it. Stop at Kinko's to fax stuff, or give it to me and I'll fax it at work. Capisce? 610 873 3079
Unfortunately I did all of this in the greater Boston area. I will be home this coming week and can't wait to see the kids! I doubt that I'll even recognize them, Cora must be so big now!
Hey girl--interested to hear more about the bucket bath necessity--at least you were a pro at that after PC Ukraine :) About the prices--yikes--I'm sure Pasha and I will be in shock for a while too... But just think--at least you can buy a computer cheaper over there than over here (a guy from my oblast is going home for the holidays and a friend of his coordinator just handed him $1600 cash to buy 2 laptops since they're so much cheaper in the states) Anyhow, if after time you still miss Ukraine (I know I likely will) you could always be one of the Americans who returns--you could compare living off an American salary to living off a volunteer stipend! Miss you.
Molly, don't be rediculous. The price might be high, but that would take about 5 hours in Ukraine.
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