Here are photos of my apartment. Everyone who sees it says it looks very "Soviet"--the furniture is bland and utilitarian (fine with me!) and the kitchen is rather stark and simple, but everything works! Some of my friends have had real problems with their apartments and their landlords, ie Victoria kept getting electrical shocks when she used her stove, Pat and Roman were without water for several days and without hot water for two weeks, someone else's toilet leaked, etc., so I'm lucky.
I'm also lucky because my landlord, Igor, speaks English. He's about my age and managed to survive and even thrive under the Soviet system. Some of my friends say he must be crooked--anyone who has any money here is suspected of being connected to the criminal underworld. But Igor may have other connections. He told me that when Ukraine gained independence in 1991, the new president received the first visa to the US, and he (Igor) received the second.
On the other hand, as his tenant, I'm supposed to be his "cousin from America who doesn't speak Ukrainian." So who knows?
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2 comments:
HI Mary Beth,
Your apartment looks nice, neat, and has a great view. Perfect for you. How's your job going?
NO FRILLS IN THE FURNITURE THAT'S FOR SURE, A POST MODERNIST RELAXED MODE I LIKE TO CALL. WHAT IS THE BASIC MEAL IN THE UKRAINE? KIT AND I GOT TOGETHER IN LOS ANGELES AND ATE A PLACE CALLED, "UZBEKESTAN". IT WAS A RIOT. THEY HAD A KAROKE WITH UZBEK SINGERS WHO WERE NOT SO TALENTED BUT COULD SING IN THEIR NATIVE TONGUE OF UZBEK. HOW DO I KJNOW THEY SPEAK UZBEK, WE ASKED. THE WAITER SAID IT IS A MUSLIM COUNTRY. IT IS FUNNY TO HEAR A RUSSIAN ACCENT FROM A COUNTRY NOT RUSSIAN IN ETHNICITY. HA, THE FALL OF COMMUNISM HAS BROUGHT SUCH INTERESTING RESULTS. I SUPPOSE SOME MISS IT. ALICIA
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