History

Another wonderful meal at the flat of a colleague and her family. What was most intersting was discussing Ukrainian history with the family. The parents are my age, so were born under Soviet rule, but witnessed independence and all the turmoil this has brought. Viktor, a local policeman who certainly does prefer independence, did point out however how some public services were better under the Soviets. College for example, was free if you passed the right exams, whereas now, like at home, the student or family must pay a steep price. His son is a first year university student, and for agreeing to work for the government for three years after graduation, the government provides tuition assistance, but does not pay the total costs. Ukraine means "borderland," and it has truly been a changing border for a thousand years. To hear this from the people who live here and know the stories intimately is moving.