Not so bad to be Ukrainian

Talking with a young guy we know, he told us of his plans to go to France to study for three years and hopefully longer. What does your mom say? I asked. - Oh - she is thrilled she is pushing me there. In Ukraine, there is no future.

While there are very definitely exceptions, the people who would not leave Ukraine for anything and see the country as a beautiful and productive country, the former opinion is shared by all too many. In fact, the population of Ukraine is shrinking dramaticly because of a desperate imbalance between births, deaths and emigrants.

When we talk to people, often the first two questions people ask us is - Is it better where you are from, and then, with a grimace - have you managed to adjust to all of this in Ukraine. We always answer them that we have adjusted fine, that Ukraine is our home.

Apparently we are not the only ones who have managed to find a bright side even amidst the the grimy backdrop of Ukrainian problems. A recent article in the Moscow Times said that their are 8 reasons why Russians might actually prefer Ukrainian Citizenship. Among the reason listed are low crime, freedom of religion, and more humane military system. While certainly not definitive, or even representative of most Russians (and you'll also find a goodly number of articles about why Ukrainians want to be Russian) the article is interesting for the fact that it does show a definite leaning towards democratic ideals and principles. In fact, one of the reasons that we are selves are here in Ukraine is exactly for the many freedoms that we can enjoy without having a political guard dog growl at our every move. Truly, the main problems Ukraine faces are centered around a lack of transparency and functioning rule of law. But I believe, that as Ukraine grows in maturity, as western projects continue to bear fruit, that slowly but surely Ukraine can transform into a fully functioning society with a future. It isn't, after all so bad to be Ukrainian.