allBeautiful.net Professional Ukraine Dating Agency



Your mobile phone!


If you're from the USA one of the most important things you can do for yourself is prepare your phone to work in the Ukraine. You will need a GSM type phone and most mobile phones sold in the USA are now. The problem is all USA phones are locked. This means they will not accept a foreign provider's simm card. To unlock it all you need to do is contact your local provider and have them send you the unlock codes. All you do then is install your foreign simm card and follow the procedure they sent you. To buy a Ukrainian simm card I would suggest having your girl or Interpreter help. There are many choices and they can help you choose the best one for you. Once you have your local simm card there is no need of a contract. You just have to purchase pay as you go minutes. And the minutes will not expire for one year. Having a local number is the best way to keep in contact with your girl, interpreters, or friends. It's low cost to you and to them. Another option is to just buy a phone once you are there. You can buy a simple one for $50 and keep it as your Ukraine travel phone.

How to get there:


Most likely you will arrive at Kiev's main airport Boryspil. To reach Kharkov there are a few choices. There are a couple of domestic flights from Boryspil to Kharkov each day. The flight takes about one and a half hours but be prepared for a long lay over at Boryspil depending on your arrival time of your international flight. The cost will be about $80 one way and can be easily purchased online. The domestic terminal A is right next door to the international terminal B and only a 5 minute walk. I find this the most convenient way to travel from Kiev to Kharkov. Your other travel options are either by bus, train, or taxi. The bus leaves right from the airport, cost about $30 and takes about 6-7 hours to reach Kharkov. You can purchase the tickets at the airport and several buses run throughout the day and night. I don’t recommend the train because it requires additional transportation to and from the airport. Your last option will be taking a private taxi. Many taxi drivers at the airport will be offering you this service as soon as you leave customs with your baggage. The current rate is about $250. It’s more affordable if you have a travel buddy to share the cost with. What ever you choose to travel to Kharkov, once you arrive I would recommend having your girlfriend, guide, interpreter, or apartment manager pick you up. The cost is small and well worth it.


Where to stay:

Really only two choices here. Hotel or Apartment. I recommend 99% apartment. Apartments are less cost and offer you true privacy and independence. Most apartments rented to foreigners are remodeled with western standards in mind and located in the city center. A fully functional kitchen is the norm. Also, many will have a washer but be prepared to hang dry your clothes. Basically all the comforts of your own home but on a smaller scale. Also be prepared to walk up a few flights of stairs due to many apartments don’t have elevators or they simply do not work. If you have problems with this, then perhaps a hotel would be a better choice for you. Also there is one other benefit of an apartment over a hotel. If you are planning on meeting a girl or going there to meet girls, keep in mind that she will almost never go with you back to your hotel. To be seen with a foreigner in a hotel is almost instant bad reputation for her even if your intentions are pure. The locals in the hotel will see her as a working girl. The apartment on the other hand is more private and you have a good chance of inviting your girl over for dinner or just a quiet night relaxing together.



How much will it cost you:

The largest expense you will have will be your airfare. Depending on your location in the USA and the time of year you travel you can expect to pay about $700 to $1500 round trip. Typical apartments range from $40 to $70 range per night. You can find cheaper or more expensive but I found this range to be the norm. Once you are there you will find the prices in Kharkov for day to day things will be a little less than what you will find in the USA. For example if I were to take a date out to dinner with some cocktails or wine and would spend $100 in the USA then expect to spend about $75-80 for the same thing in Kharkov. Groceries and food for the apartment will also be a little less and can be much more less if you have a girl who knows where to shop for you. I personally budget myself for $100 a day. You will spend less if you are meeting or returning for only one girl. If you are dating many girls and going out a lot then the $100 a day budget could be higher. As for travel money, bring cash, and use your ATM card. In Kharkov you will find almost no place that will accept a foreign credit card. You will need to exchange your dollars at the kiosk or use your ATM money card. They call the ATM machine Bankomat, and they can be found everywhere on the streets. Use 100 dollar bills to exchange and make sure they have no strange markings on them or are very worn out. Clean bills will be needed. They will deny the others. You will always pay the balance of your apartment rent in cash so also bring good clean bills for that. Be sure to notify your bank you will be in Ukraine so that they do not deny your ATM card while you are there.



The food, water, and restaurants:

The water is not as bad as it is in Mexico but still not safe to drink from the tap. I do brush my teeth with it and have not yet had a problem. Stock up your apartment with bottled water and you are good to go. Be sure to buy it without gas. Otherwise you will basically get what we know as soda water. You will find Ukrainian food to be very good. Many great dishes with Fish, Chicken, and Pork. Beef is not the best. Forget about finding any American style steak. Also you will find their portions to be much smaller than what we are served in the US. But I found it to be just the right amount. So, with all the walking you will be doing, and the smaller portions you will be eating, you can expect to lose some weight while in Ukraine. Kharkov has many charming cafes and restaurants. At times, you will think you are in some kind of fine dining restaurant back at home. Their plate presentations are beautiful. You will find the service not as attentive as in the US. This is partly due to the fact that local people will go to a cafe or restaurant and sit for hours just drinking tea and eating a small desert. No one seems to be in a rush to go somewhere as they are in the US. The normal tip in Ukraine is 10% and is sometimes included in your bill. I still tip US standards of 15-20% and just like in the US, a big tipper gets remembered, and if you really like your server then a golden hand shake is even better. Many restaurants pool the tips together and sometimes the manager will pocket the extra himself.



Dating in Ukraine:

You now have arrived in the land of beautiful women! Be careful not to catch the Ukrainian man's disease! I have never seen such a large concentration of beautiful women as I have seen in Ukraine. That being the case you can now understand what is the Ukrainian man's disease. He has too many choices! It is difficult for them to settle with only one. This will be an advantage for you because your girl will appreciate your loyalty. If you plan to date more than one girl while you are in Ukraine it is important that you never tell the girls you plan to do so. I know in our culture we think honesty is the best policy but in this case it is not. She won’t accept it and you will lose her. Be prepared with some white lies or excuses to explain why you can't meet a girl the next day etc etc. Your interpreter can coach you on this. Once you meet a girl you really like and feel special about and you are getting positive feelings from her as well, then it will be time to drop the other girls. Now is the time to be loyal and build your relationship. If all fails, don't worry and don't give up. There will be plenty of more girls to meet on your next trip. :)


The Ukrainian girl is not only very beautiful and sexy. Almost all of them will have some form of higher education and they value it very much. The Ukrainian girl has more vanity than our American girls. For example, if you tell a Ukrainian girl she is very beautiful she will reply to you "I know." Don't be put off by this. She's not in love with herself. They just understand beauty for what it is and answer your question logically. As with all women in the world, if she is interested in you she will show it. She will be eager to see you again, she will make time to meet you, she will send you text messages. If she is always busy, doesn't answer your calls, or reply to your text messages, these are signs that she is not that into you and you should move on. Remember there are many choices. :) If you are allowed to meet her parents and family that is a big indication she is very serious about you. Don't be insulted or disappointed if you do not meet the parents right away. It may take many months or visits before she is ready to allow you to meet her family. This is normal. It's a serious thing to them. 


Helpful miscellaneous Information:

Two important things to remember. Just because you are American does not mean all the girls will fall at your feet, and forget about the stereo type that all Ukraine girls want to live in America. Represent your country well and don't be a braggart about how great you are. Respect their country and their culture. It will go a long way in their eyes. Remember many of the girls or people you will meet will have a negative attitude about the USA. This is due to the Iraq war and the economic crisis. We are guilty of both in many of their eyes. Myself I like to tell the girls and the people I meet that I love my country and its people but I don't always agree with my government. Your reputation as an American can also be negative in many of the girls eyes. Many girls think of us as arrogant, not educated, and that we have the attitude we are better than anyone else. It is up to you to represent yourself and your country well. You can change their mind! I have had many girls tell me I don't act like the typical American and she meant that as a compliment. Their reputation in your eyes can also be negative. There are girls who just want to use you for you money. There are girls who just want to use you to get to America. There are girls who will scam you for what ever they can get from you. Yes, you will meet girls like this from time to time. But most of them are kind, serious, and sincere. When you travel to Ukraine pay attention to your clothing. Try to dress with some current style. Fashion and style is important to these girls. They take care to always look good and they will expect the same from you. You won't see girls in the small shop or walking down the street wearing no make up or wearing old comfort clothing like our girls in America. I will end with some man to man advice. Be careful with your digital camera and mobile phone. If you are dating multiple girls and one of them decides to have a look at your pictures she may find last nights photos of another girl. This happened to me. Lol! And some girls go as far as to sneak a look at your text messages on your phone. So, be careful! :) Well, Good luck and enjoy you stay in the land of beautiful women! 


Dean Marshall

Michigan, USA
Summer 2009