I was very surprised by your observations of Ukrainians taking benefits and just resting. Here in the UK my experience is very much different. Frequently, I am reviewing CV's for Ukrainians seeking integration into the local job market. Even Anna Tsurkan, who really gave me the impression he had hit a major lottery win being treated like the princess she always wanted to be, is hitting the local job market in Leeds. As far as the UK the only pool I have is 6 people who are now employed and 2 more who are in the process of seeking employment. Then there is Ira from Odesa who we visited on Wednesday in London. Ira left Odesa with her sister for Germany, and they went to Berlin. Ira went to the parent company she worked for in Odesa and is working the same job but is now in a far more senior position. Her sister took a job with P&O cruise lines as a bar server. So while the population is very much insignificant I find that they all are English speakers, most have university/advanced degrees, and each of them dreamed of an opportunity to work not in Ukraine. Now all of these people love living rent-free, some have free travel and a monthly stipend that is unaffected by any wages earned. All of them have a UK family that is helping them adjust. The Ukrainian community really has reached out to refugees.
I wonder if your observations are simply people who are different, stuck with PTSD, just need rest, need language skills, and more support beyond rent and stipend? Perhaps they were never go-getters. Perhaps you have observed people who watch things happen and I have watched people who make things happen.
Keep writing and sharing - we both ( Maryna and I) love the bicycle stories and the adventures of the fearless Zoriana!
Thanks for the note. The advantage of sharing notes is that we observe different things. I know the women you mention - hadn't known they were all abroad. Yes, they are smart and speak good English. Moving may be good for them. I doubt it is good for Ukraine.
Best of all worlds, they meet foreign guys who are pleased to find smart, pleasant, feminine women and want to raise families in a country where they are appreciated. I can dream.
That can happen but I think a few of them are already homesick and once the conflict is over, they all may make arrangements to return as almost all of them are either married, or partnered, and their spouses/partners will be done defending the country.
"this war was inevitable" - As predicted by Krauthammer back in 2014 as noted recently on Fox News. He says Putin telegraphed as early as 2006 what he was thinking.
This war is expensive for all parties. All already had financial issues, including China. Energy producing nations will weather the coming issues better, but pain will become more widespread. Those who can produce food and energy will do the best. Wonder if we will meet the issues by minting new dollars or other currencies.
"boutique blog" - I enjoy it, even the day-to-day. Observations worth sharing and I've gained.
Apparently, it's women and children which make up the bulk of the refugees, men are either staying behind or returning. If the Russians keep losing ground, men, and materiel, there's going to be a reassessment of this by the Russian military, because they have a rather long border to defend, and China has historically been a rival, not an ally. China may have an eye on grabbing Russian natural resources in the East - and they've tried in the past. So there's that consideration. Russia may end up losing Donbass and Crimea as well, if things don't come to a halt pretty quickly - and that may still happen. Putin's actual support may be far less than his propaganda indicates - most of the people who actively support this are the generation who grew up in the USSR - the youngest would be in their mid-40s by now (1991 - 14 = 1977) - see the answers to this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itg3TvbAD-8 - younger people pretty much refused to answer, which would indicate at least to me that they didn't support the war.
Hi Graham,
Just thanking you for your observations.
I was very surprised by your observations of Ukrainians taking benefits and just resting. Here in the UK my experience is very much different. Frequently, I am reviewing CV's for Ukrainians seeking integration into the local job market. Even Anna Tsurkan, who really gave me the impression he had hit a major lottery win being treated like the princess she always wanted to be, is hitting the local job market in Leeds. As far as the UK the only pool I have is 6 people who are now employed and 2 more who are in the process of seeking employment. Then there is Ira from Odesa who we visited on Wednesday in London. Ira left Odesa with her sister for Germany, and they went to Berlin. Ira went to the parent company she worked for in Odesa and is working the same job but is now in a far more senior position. Her sister took a job with P&O cruise lines as a bar server. So while the population is very much insignificant I find that they all are English speakers, most have university/advanced degrees, and each of them dreamed of an opportunity to work not in Ukraine. Now all of these people love living rent-free, some have free travel and a monthly stipend that is unaffected by any wages earned. All of them have a UK family that is helping them adjust. The Ukrainian community really has reached out to refugees.
I wonder if your observations are simply people who are different, stuck with PTSD, just need rest, need language skills, and more support beyond rent and stipend? Perhaps they were never go-getters. Perhaps you have observed people who watch things happen and I have watched people who make things happen.
Keep writing and sharing - we both ( Maryna and I) love the bicycle stories and the adventures of the fearless Zoriana!
Kind regards,
Gary
Thanks for the note. The advantage of sharing notes is that we observe different things. I know the women you mention - hadn't known they were all abroad. Yes, they are smart and speak good English. Moving may be good for them. I doubt it is good for Ukraine.
Best of all worlds, they meet foreign guys who are pleased to find smart, pleasant, feminine women and want to raise families in a country where they are appreciated. I can dream.
That can happen but I think a few of them are already homesick and once the conflict is over, they all may make arrangements to return as almost all of them are either married, or partnered, and their spouses/partners will be done defending the country.
"this war was inevitable" - As predicted by Krauthammer back in 2014 as noted recently on Fox News. He says Putin telegraphed as early as 2006 what he was thinking.
This war is expensive for all parties. All already had financial issues, including China. Energy producing nations will weather the coming issues better, but pain will become more widespread. Those who can produce food and energy will do the best. Wonder if we will meet the issues by minting new dollars or other currencies.
"boutique blog" - I enjoy it, even the day-to-day. Observations worth sharing and I've gained.
Apparently, it's women and children which make up the bulk of the refugees, men are either staying behind or returning. If the Russians keep losing ground, men, and materiel, there's going to be a reassessment of this by the Russian military, because they have a rather long border to defend, and China has historically been a rival, not an ally. China may have an eye on grabbing Russian natural resources in the East - and they've tried in the past. So there's that consideration. Russia may end up losing Donbass and Crimea as well, if things don't come to a halt pretty quickly - and that may still happen. Putin's actual support may be far less than his propaganda indicates - most of the people who actively support this are the generation who grew up in the USSR - the youngest would be in their mid-40s by now (1991 - 14 = 1977) - see the answers to this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itg3TvbAD-8 - younger people pretty much refused to answer, which would indicate at least to me that they didn't support the war.