Report 1, April 23, 2008 (from J. Kachelman)

Arrival in Kyiv

I arrived at the Borispol airport on time and after a brief wait retrieved my check-through bags and Alex escorted me through Customs. The weather is dreary and wet! Upon arrival at the flat in Kyiv I had to go purchase some staples (water, bread, cheese) and in the process got soaked. I had forgotten my gloves and scarf at the flat and by the time we had walked several blocks was missing them! Travel always loses Tuesday and so as I am writing today (Wednesday) it seems like Tuesday to me! The trip over was in a crammed, stuffy airplane with seats that barely reclined making any sleeping a torturous ordeal. With the new security regulations, passengers on commercial airlines are not to walk around and congregate. This even applies to standing around the toilets; but, thankfully, it is not enforced since it is also impractical.

Upon arriving in the Kyiv airport I could not help but think of the contrast between my first arrivals in Ukraine and the arrival this time. The first few years when I arrived, the airport was deserted except those passengers that were on my plane. Yesterday as I walked into the airport the place was crowded and there were four luggage carousals conveying passenger’s checked baggage. This indicates the much improved economy in this country, but the improvements are largely in the larger cities. In looking around Kyiv one would think that things are going very well. But the improving economy also does not touch the elderly, the disabled, or the abandoned children. These are still very vulnerable and in desperate needs. Health facilities in the smaller towns and villages are still in great need. The gasoline crunch is worldwide and it evident even here (where one liter of gasoline sells for 6.45 grievnas). The weakened dollar is also impacting Ukraine. Yesterday I saw the dollar exchange as low as 4.70 and as high as 4.90. (This means that 1 U.S. dollar will exchange for 4.70-4.90 UA grievnas. On previous trips I have exchanged the U.S. dollar for 5.75 grievnas). The inflation is also significant here and those I have talked with state that everything has increased.