Tea time (Eng)

In the house on our street there is a big refurbishment going on. In fact it is a whole rebuilding of rather impressive house where only façade wall is still standing and the rest of the building is demolished. They are also building big underground pool which has eaten half of the garden. This is very expensive project as only house cost them almost million and a half. But we’ve been interested to observe other thing.

There are obviously lots of contractors and lots of workmen on the site. But every time I pass by there are not that many of them actually visibly working and at least one, but more often 2 or 3 of them are having cup of tea or a cigarette. This is in fact an analogy to Ukrainian ‘perekur’ or smoke break. Effectiveness of English builders in England is not much higher than Ukrainian in Ukraine (the later work much more efficiently abroad), but they charge much more!

It is just a sad fact especially after recently we’ve seen Grand Design programme (my favourite on Channel 4). A couple ordered ready-made designer house in Germany and German builders brought together 2-story astonishing building in … 4 days. No tea times, no slow work, working like machines, rain or sun. We’ve been amazed recalling how ‘prorab’ doing refurbishment of our rather modest flat in Kyiv last year over five months. But what can you do? We are just hoping to find some good but cheap Polish builders when the time comes to improve our own property on the island. When we have it :-)

My new dream (Eng)

I was reading recent speech by David Milliband, Foreign Secretary, at EU summit in Bruges this week. And to be honest, it was like a revelation. It’s not that I never knew about the specificity of the UK policy towards EU: it’s reluctance to engage in many community-level policies and its eagerness to expand the Union even further. I always knew that this is a clever combination of weakening the Union and turning it into more or less manageable ‘trade and economic collaboration block’ which does not pretend to have greater social, foreign policy and defence functions. So I was always pleased when next British politician would tell that EU needs to remain open to such countries as Ukraine, as they are integral part of Europe. But what Europe?

I am obviously one of the greatest supporters of European integration and potential membership of Ukraine in it. But at such price I am not sure it is wanted or needed. By the time we crawl there in 20-30 years it won’t be what we expect it to be. It will be just a bunch of states, from Portugal to Turkey and from Ireland to Morocco, which have very little in common as the majority of functions would be back on the tables of national governments.

David Miliband does not believe that Europe can become a strong power in the world. He admits that there is only one at the moment (US) and there might be only two more coming – China and India (I wonder how much more trouble this statement will bring to UK-Russia relations!). Whatever you do in Europe, he believes, you will never supersede them, let’s face it! What can I say, if Britain will continue such an irresponsible rhetoric it will definitely be true.

I do believe Europe can become the power equal to the States and new Asian ‘tigers’. And for that it must not turn into ‘a super-state’ which is a favourite horror scenario of the Brits. At least it has no heavy luggage of combating the poverty which both India and China still have and which US has – the highest level among developed countries. By uniting its efforts to improve its skills, quality of products and innovations through greater mobility of the resources (including human) it has a chance to stand equal in the multi-polar system.

And to be fair, I don’t want anybody to spoil the drive the EU is already having on this road. Even if this somebody is Britain.

So, I am not sure what new inspiration I should find for myself after giving up a dream of Ukraine becoming a member of the EU. But I know for sure that this is only in the interest of Ukraine and all other members of the ‘neighbourhood’ ring that EU continues to play a crucial role it the international architecture, going beyond trade club, single currency and one visa. And I am not sure it will have such an opportunity if Miliband’s projections come true. To be fair, his speech was changed in the last moment by PM when he found out how pro-European it was. But still, it does not change the result…

Any suggestions for my next dream?

Those filthy migrants… (Eng)

The shambolic crusade against immigrants in UK reached its climax. Not only BNP and Tories are happy to declare their disdain towards ‘those who come and take our jobs and council accommodation’, but also Equality commission with local councils are get their arms ready to investigate what exactly is the situation in order to ‘dismiss the speculations’. And of course in the middle of all this turmoil there is apologetic government with wrong figures and ONS (what a surprise!) unable to produce exact numbers of how many migrants this country actually adopted. Though I personally don’t see how they can be culpable if simply at the exit of the country nobody stamps your passport, for example…

By no means my view is objective, being immigrant myself I obviously have very distorted vision. However I am also lucky to work where I work and thus to participate personally in the migration debate across different tiers and political spectrums. God help me, I’ll be speaking to Northern Fabians about this in a week time! Though I admit I can’t ‘keep touche’ with Sir Green (Migration Watch farther) as nice as my colleague did yesterday in the Newsnight. By the way, my colleague is also immigrant!

It’s just on top of all absolutely just arguments (impact on schools, hospitals, housing, jobs, environmental impact – yes, carbon footprint!) which need solid analysis and practical measures there is a pure polemics about ‘getting only those whom we need in this country’, ‘those who have high skills’ and contribute to our economy. Excuse me, does your economy need any cleaners, waitresses, seasonal agriworkers, workers on the food factories, etc.? I think it does, as your local unemployed for some mystical reason (maybe because they receive benefits which foreigners can’t access and actually don’t want to) don’t want to take? Or because employers are rather take a trip to Poland to recruit 10 bus drivers rather then take 10 people from Jobcentre plus ‘who always late, sick, or arrogant’ ? Yes, because there are 3D jobs – dull, dangerous, dirty – Brits don’t want to do. And teachers and doctors from Lithuania are eager to do this...

But if I listen to the migration minister I have a feeling that in a couple of years time immigrants in this country will be only ‘highly-educated’ (thanks to Ukraine for my extensive education, I wonder whether they will send thank you note to Taras Shevchenko). So, excuse my simplification, but they will move into upper tier of social structure of Britain leaving 3D to locals, distorting even further the delicate balance of classes and masses in Britain. I already can see the highlights of the Mirror in 2 years time: ‘bloody foreigners took all our financial and science jobs and poor Brits have nothing to do but pick apples and serve people in the restaurants’.

I only wonder…

The only Ukrainian in the village? (Eng)

My first party conference season is finished and I could only summarise the essential. It didn't start very well. I barely crawled to Bournemouth – voiceless, powerless, full of EU ideas after Warsaw conference. The weather was horrible, B&B not much better – taking a shower caused flood in the room below and a company of two friendly plumbers (non-Polish) afterwards. I spent on taxis more than on food. But still I enjoyed it. Conservatives’ Blackpool was a much better logistical experience: smooth travel, nice weather, acceptable hotel. The event itself wasn’t as much. So a bit opposite pictures, but still nice.

This was though quite a unique experience. There are quite obvious differences between the party conferences of Labour and Conservative even for such dummy as me – those in power and those longing for it. The number of people, the richness of events, the intensity, the confidence; Labour had it all, maybe even too much. Plus overall town of Bournemouth is more pleasant to my Ukrainian taste than Blackpool.

What can I say from my Ukrainian perspective? Brothers and sisters, we have long way to go. Our party culture is still in the Stone Age and a couple of hundred of years are needed to bring it to the heights of the British party standards. Unless we do amazing fast track... I dream about the time when in Ukraine so called politicians stop drifting between the parties every 6 months and party cease changing its ideology before every election (which happens far too often).

I am longing for the time when the discussion in the party conference halls will be around the very practical and important for people issues: urban governance, flexible patterns of work, cohesion of society (this is the crying priority nobody gives a damn about in my country with overheated East-West divide), equality and security, sustainability and personal carbon footprint, future of EU (when we are actually there!)… Just you name. I am also longing for the time when the respect to other human beings will prevail over the desire to throw lots of dirt and critique and abuse in your opponents which is destroying the very narrow bridges of common purpose and common sense.

Well, I was there. Without being too modest, could probably say that there are not that many Ukrainian fellow citizens who managed to be where I was over the last two weeks :-) And just you wait – Brussels are in my menu for the next week!

I am back (Eng)

It was great but exhausting trip to motherland. What had to be holiday turned out into the busy schedule of meetings and social events. And still I didn’t do even half of what I planned in Kyiv.

But after the return to Newcastle on Sunday I can’t stop thinking what was exactly this ‘going back’. I am quite unnaturally split between two homes, two places where I feel safe and comfortable. Can’t even say whether it’s good or bad. Probably former. Extrapolating in the future if I continue moving across the space with the same dynamics in 20 years time I’ll have plenty of spots on this planet where I feel comfortable. Well, probably it’s exaggeration. Or impact of 5 airports in 4 days :-)

Anyway, I am back to UK. And almost immediately off to Poland. Exciting season of party conferences ahead! Stay with us :-)

Frozen tradition (Eng)

Today I had lovely ‘brain lunch’ with my colleagues. It means we just go for food in the nice place and discuss any new ideas, events, things in general which might have impact on our research. Pretty interesting and my brilliant idea! But it is not what made me to write this reflection today. It’s Pimm’s.

For those who doesn’t know what it is I will not explain – Wikipedia does it better. Admittedly it’s something you would expect people drink in Brighton, not in Newcastle. But day was sunny and we had a deal (free glass with the meal). I really liked it: cold, fruity, and lightly alcoholic (but this is wrong impression actually, I understood it 1 hour later) refreshing summer drink. I would call it English Sangria.

Having it made me to remember the day when I had it for the first time (and last time at the same time). It was exactly a year ago in my old office celebrating colleague’s birthday. I liked it then as well. But the memory of what I had with that made me shaking.

English friend of my colleague decided to cook Ukrainian borshch. Which is really nice idea and we really greeted it, though we never had soups in the office so the infrastructure for eating it was non-existent. Everything was ok until we found out (half way through eating) that she cooked it a week ago, before going to short trip to Southern Ukraine, and put it in the freezer. Normal stuff, any English person would say. Nonsense, any Ukrainian would tell you. But we ate it, quite courageously. The an hour after I and another colleague of mine were ill with food poisoning. Maybe coincidence, maybe not. But for a while I could not eat borshch or anything from the freezer.

I almost forgot the story, but today’s Pimm’s reminded me. I just though that probably it’s impossible to freeze the traditional Ukrainian food without damaging it. So, don’t try!

But today I didn’t have any soup. Feeling good so far!

Viva the festival! (Eng)

As we say, better later than never. Approximately 12-15 years later than it should happen I went to the big rock festival (though there wasn’t any of those 15 years ago in the country I lived). It’s completely different thing if you compare it to the rock festival you go to in your home city between the office and having dinner with friends. We travelled especially for this event to another country, wonderful Poland. And not only that: I’ve got visa especially for going to it (though conference in Warsaw in September was another big stimulator).

It was Heineken Open’er in Gdynia (part of three-city along with Gdansk and Sopot) on a beutiful Baltic seaside. It’s happening every June in the same place for the last couple of years. It is quite big event (around 40 thousand people) on the military airbase near the town. Big names were not only big names, but excellent performers. I went there for Bjork, who was crazy as always and absolutely fantastic. To the big surprise of my husband I liked most of the stuff, among which was Block Party, the Roots, Groove Armada, Beastie Boys, Laurent Garnier. But we’ve missed Muse and we feel really sorry. Though there were several good reasons for that, the biggest of which is that it was pouring for several hours and the quantity of mud was approaching the level comparable with the one in Glastonbury a week before that. And finally Duncan was able to answer his own question he’s been asking me for months of living in Britain: ‘Why do we need the wellies?’ There was no better reason to imagine for them to be present in Gdynia that weekend…

Though we were not proper festival beasts since we didn’t camp. It was first time I’ve seen such a huge camping site with people coming from all around the Europe (we’ve seen many Ukrainians, Russians, Lithuanians, Brits, Germans, etc.). But I should admit I would never change our nice apartment in the beautiful area of Gdansk to the wet and small tent in the camp even if it’s super-fun. Especially when the weather is classically British, read cold and wet. But our dearest friend did it and I am really impressed by his labour (though, admittedly, he spent a couple of nights in our not-so-cool apartment). Happy man!!!

So, I am full of positive impressions, absolute hatred to the Heineken beer and love to Poles. They made really great event, and the level of actual organization was amazing. Plus our wonderful friends made our stay really special and to be remembered for a long time. Thank you!

Well, now I am at the stage of being gradually seduced by the idea of going to Glasto next year with our own tent! I am seriously thinking about it.

Welcome back to USSR! (Eng)

Couple of days ago I went for the meeting in the city council of Newcastle. This experience made me to recall the best examples of Soviet architecture and contemporary bureaucracy in Ukraine. I will begin with one interesting fact. The building of the city council which is called Civic Centre has a very picturesque nickname – Kremlin. And I can understand why.

The architecture of the building reminds us about the era of 60-80s when architects were wildly expressing their vision of the future in the concrete and glass. To be fair the building is not that horrible. But is reminded me several masterpieces back in Ukraine, especially impressive ‘Sovmin’ complex in Kharkiv. Actually central registry office in Kyiv where we had our wedding has many in common with it as well. Impressive territory around, traditional ‘prohodnaya’ (main entrance), long wide corridors with red carpets, wooden doors, same design of the reception and office of the mayor (actually of the chief executive of the council, but I will not go into detail of explaining the structure of the local government just yet!).

But most amazing that even the officials moving across the corridors reminded me of those I’ve seen in Lviv or Poltava oblast state administrations… I just don’t know – maybe the nature of the work has deep impact on your appearance regardless the country of residence?

The meeting with the officials proved that they have concerns and vision similar to those of their Ukrainian colleagues. Forget about open-mindedness, independence and strong expertise – welcome bureaucracy, stubbornness, ‘I know the best’ and ‘Oh God, what journalists will tell tomorrow’. Does it remind you anything? It does to me.

So, all in all I feel less and less alien here and the local government culture has important role to play in this assimilation. As well as architecture J

However there is one absolutely fantastic and exotic fact about this building – in the surrounding park lives big colony of rabbits! Actually they behave like squirrels or ducks in St. James park, but they are rabbits near the city council! My mum when saw them refused to believe that these are wild animals and believes that somebody must put them near the centre for some purpose (tourist attraction obviously). But in fact it’s true – they live there absolutely benevolently. Just cool! Maybe they like architecture?

Family traditions (Eng)

I watched local news today. As you imagine in UK, as in any other country, it is not about Iraq, interest rate being increased or visit of the President/Prime Minister to the US. It’s about murder in the local town, children in nursery being introduced to the exotic animals (like lizards) or rap song about daffodils to attract youth to the local not quite inspiring resort. I can see the point of making the news really local and cozy. But there was a bit of more astonishment today.

There was a story from the local church covering wedding ceremony. It was performed by the priest (woman by the way – sorry, but I still can’t get used to this), with all prescribed ceremonies, so everything looked fine. Except that the bride and groom were both of age of five… I first thought it’s some kind of play in the primary school. But not, it was in the church indeed: with the vowels, rings, veil, top hat, guests and stuff. There was reception afterwards with the cake and first dance. No champagne though – what a blow!

For me it was very unusual situation. The logic behind was that the modern children in UK don’t go to church; don’t know what it is for; what are the ceremonies to be performed in it. In order to bring them closer to the traditions they did this little ‘performance’ so the kids would see all the things their parents and grandparents were obliged to participate in their childhood.

Good and wise idea. But the way it was done really shocked me. Maybe because I am from different country? Actually in Ukraine religion was prohibited for 70 years and we are really re-discovering it now (so majority of people might not know all the ceremonies and rules). However it is in the blood or something. I just recall my younger cousins in Lviv being present at weddings and funerals (as well as baptizing, first communion, etc.) since the early years (I was deprived from that living in the capital of Soviet Ukraine). So luckily enough they don’t need this kind of lessons at school. I think this is a good illustration of the difference between the family dynamics and philosophies in our two countries.

Though it was the marriage without consequences – only for one day. They didn’t go for a honey moon… They didn’t even like each other (usual question ‘Do you like girls?’ – ‘No’; ‘Do you like boys?’ – ‘No’). The fact is that these kids will have really big story to tell from their childhood in several years time :-)

Russian Deja vu (Eng)

(I wrote this before the news of Yeltsin’s death today. And just astonished what a coincidence – see below)

Reading news from Russia these days makes me feel a bit furious and very much uncomfortable. Marches of people of the streets, trying to deliver some important information and point of view to other part of the society, are being dissolved and harassed. Leaders of opposition including human rights campaigners are being arrested and/or interrogated by KGB (sorry, but this does look like KGB rather than FSB). Is something wrong with the people there? Are they completely brainwashed? Or are we so diverged from them that we don’t understand each other anymore?

Why on earth somebody proclaiming views which differ from those of the government should be automatically doomed as ‘terrorist’ or ‘extremist’? I admit I don’t know official interpretation of these terms in Russian legislation. I do want to read what exactly they call extremism and why. Just need time to do that.

It just feels so much like watching Belarus news back in 2004-2006. Somehow we in Ukraine knew that Russia took a different path, but we could not imagine how different it is from ours. It’s just like sequel of Lukashenka’s war with opposition. Is it all they can do about the pluralism of opinions in their 142-million country?

Where is Russian intelligentsia? Where are the dissidents and those who have been so active in demonising Soviet Union just about 7-10 years ago? Don’t tell me they all are dead or emigrated. They are just silent. Or they are not but we can’t hear their voices because: (1) they don’t have access to press or television; (2) they don’t have access to representative local and regional councils or parliament – new legislation is designed in such a way that nobody outside ‘hand-fed’ parties’ circle could get in.

So isn’t it vicious circle? People don’t have information channels to present their different ideas and views; they create organisations and movements to share their views with like-minded; they get together to bring these ideas to the wider public; they are arrested and prosecuted; they are labelled extremists; ‘common people’ do not understand them and hate them; isolation and lack of access to media/public auditoriums.

I don’t want to be too cynical, but those people saying, that Ukraine is a complete mess, are they blind or just stupid? Watching Russian or Belarusian news is it the kind of order we want for ourselves? Is it the kind of leadership we are looking for? I don’t think so. Whatever mess our politicians and so called leaders might create the richness of information and plethora of opinions means that nobody is forced to believe in something readily prepared and nicely wrapped in ‘stability package’.

Some recent polls showed that about 30% of Ukrainians would compromise their freedoms at the exchange of order and stability. Fair statement for Ukrainians, who have always been quite reluctant to participate in any conflicts beyond their house yard (well, until 2004). But are they sure that the notion of order and stability they have is the same what is on the minds of the main preachers of stability in our country: Communists, Party of Regions and Socialists? Let us check.

I don’t want have the same deja vu in Ukraine in 2 years time. Do you?

Hi (Eng)

Here I am, joining the mass movement of bloggers. Can't say I am a big fan of making my thoughts and judgments public. Even diary was a rare element of my life. However I am so fascinated by this phenomenon and Dunc's example only intensifies this feeling even more.

Moreover my wish could be explained by a very specific situation: new location, new job, new people, new flat (second for the last 3 months). Egoistic unwillingness to write about the same things to my many friends stimulates to ‘posting’ the stories about the events in my life, about the places which impress me (many), people who inspire me (join!), about the things which irritate me (will try to be reasonable about that). However do not expect too open thoughts. I want to leave something for the e-mails to you and out conversations J

I have one problem though: my friends are more less equally distributed among three language groups. That is why the decision which language to use is a fundamental one. I’ve chosen the Ukrainian way: to be good to everybody. So I will be writing in Ukrainian, Russian and English depending on the mood and the topic. I assume Ukrainians won’t be very much interested in my raving about what’s going on in our country while Brits know too much about their country to appreciate the novelty of my ‘English reflections’.

I don’t plan many translations of the same messages. This first message is in all three languages as a polite invitation to you all. And I hope it will be appealing enough for you to wish to come back. With the comments.

As for the name it is simple: the play of words with the name of city where I currently live (Newcastle) plus explanation who lives here (U – first letter in the word ‘Ukrainian’). Subtle, huh? Sorry if too banal.

So, let us begin…