The rains of Киев and the skies from which they find themselves

These scattered transmissions from inside the hideout of Ukraine's demographic group comprised of the wave of youth which the fall of communism sparked off have been a bit scattered in the последные days, as the most reliable of these internet cafes ridden with post-communist youth washing away the social and political troubles with video games is in the centre of Kiev. Some techno.electro washing over the broken Russian and Ukrainian and the best direction apart from beer, which is a social faux paus to not walk the streets without in your posession, is probably one of the most inspirational locations to reside in for attempts to carry across the struggling identity which is Україна.
The disillusionment is everywhere, and all you have to do is order anything from Мистер-снак or any sort of кафе to any range of the word to get a full view of the resonance. Service with a kick in the face and some vulgarities is the highest sort of interaction in most places, which on the other end of things has increased some of my understanding of the rough colloquialities. Although the harsh treatment when ordering a beer or a Кок is smooth to translate when you view any instance of the other ends of interaction with waitresses or anyone else, initiating with shouting девушка!, interchangeable for girl, female, girlfriend, or server in the culture. The sort of unbelieving looks are great to recieve after you drop a thanks or спасибо after anything, that is if you drop it after they try to scratch increased grivna out of you if the US accent slips into Russian. Eastern European personal interaction doesn't swing from sides of the range, it just fucking is or is the negation of that. While the blankness in faces and unexpected dives into full scale arms races and open conflict over the 20 kopecki that you don't have to make even change for a пирожок are inherently an excpected element with Ukrainians, the full scale sexual escapades between a Ukrainian couple on the steep descent to the metro are another side of peoples. It almost seems that in Ukraine there is an inherent inner divide which is never merged or bridged, which causes conflict and is openly recognized and taken into the unconscious internalized display which is culture, and at the same time functions and unites the population. Individuals selling bunches of flowers to the bubbling couples in passing, decrepit and worn already in contrast to the vivid colours representing a fresh view and furthering of life, leaning against the side of a building with a Mercedes parked on the sidewalk before it. Divide and unity in the distant relation. Fucking brilliant.
So the last week has actually been a bit farther from complete concentration on cultural assimilation, and пиво with increasing occurences of водка have been closer to the actuality. Hit up a place называется Art Club 44 a few days past, fucking excellent times and fucking extended hangover! The place has live music every night from a few bands, the stage is directly across from the bar and there is almost a metre space between the two, all in the dark understructure and arching brick columns under a building around the centre of Kiev. The place is usually filled so we laid down a reservation which also included paying an 80 grivna tab in advance and 30 at the door for the bands in the smoky abyss. Bogdan came around for the night and furthered the Ukrainian drinking experience by fucking miles. The take on a bottle of chilled bottle was 50 grivna, and after that was dispersed into the previous sobriety of 4 люди in the depths of Ukrainian nightlife another two half bottles and a few вольшое пиво followed for the trip around. Felt that one the next day. So followed it with another night, not as rampant but taking in the Ukrainian strategy of if you are hurting from something the night before, fight it with the same thing the next day. We landed out at a great terrace at a pub close to the opera house and Театральна станция and the sounds of Day of Kiev echoing around a few blocks fromt he centre. Started off on some Ukrainian vodka with honey and pepper in it, hardcore fucking vodka! Few Murphy's and a shot or so past that and everything was in its right place. After a few other events and the dispersement and lack in returning of some parts of the group I ended out dropping 100 grivna between myself and Andy to take a round trip cab ride, on that if you want a good fucking time try getting to a random apartment you are staying at from downtown Kiev with limited ability at directions and a пьяный друг and then the return!, and then getting myself into a club to try to find some other people in the group and after no return on that attempt walking from the centre to the apartments with no grivna for another cab! One street in the centre we found a map of Kiev and the prospect of our location as off the edge of the map.
Into the rains Киева.