Love in Ukraine

I'm home after an extremely long day, it is almost midnight, and I just turned on a movie I haven't seen in many years. I've seen it twice, and it was sentimental for me both times. The name of the movie is "For the Love of the Game" starring Kevin Costner. I realize that through everything, I think I love the game of baseball more than anything else in the world. There is something special about the game that just cannot be put into words.

In the last 35 years, the game has changed, and especially in the last 17 years since the second baseball strike. However, watching the movie, I am reminded of walking out onto the manicured grass, the smell of the grass, looking up into the stands, taking batting practice, taking infield practice before the game. Let's go backward from there. Left pant leg first, then right. T-shirt underneath my jersey. Tucking my jersey into my pants. Slipping on those spikes, following your own little superstitions, left sock first, then right. Left shoe first, then right. Finally, tying those laces on my high top spikes, and then leaning over into my baseball bag to pull out my batting gloves, my baseball glove, and my bat. Putting on my cap, and hitting the field. Man, what an amazing experience, I loved every minute of it.

The game itself is even better. From the handing of the lineup card to the umpire before the game, to taking infield, to the fist pitch, even that was insanely enjoyable for me. The game itself is almost anti-climatic. No, it's not. Each and every pitch is a battle between the pitcher and catcher as a team, and the hitter. And, of course, if you are on defense, you have got to pay attention. Positioning is the key. Being alert and expecting the ball to come to you each and every pitch, even though you will be lucky to get more than about 4 balls hit to you over the course of the three hours it usually takes to play this great game.

The past three days, I have been taking care of an American guy who got his ass kicked. And, when I say kicked, he was beaten and left for dead, all because he came to Ukraine, searching for love in Ukraine. The guy is an insanely nice guy, but non-confrontational. There was a girl who was money hungry, but he didn't care since he wanted a nice, young, thin, pretty

Emptying Out Ukrainian Christmas

I have woken up extremely irrtable, and I was extremely irritable last night before I went to bed. The reality is that my life is nothing like I would like it to be, and it is moving in the direction that I want it to go too slowly for my taste.

In early March, I will have been teaching English in Ukraine for 4 years, and on May 4th, I will have been gone from America for 5 full years. If you would have told me that I was going to be away from America for this long without returning, I would have told you that you were on drugs.

However, the reason for me not returning is the thing that bothers me the most. I can fly back to America. A one way ticket is not that expensie, about $1,200. However, what would happend once I arrive back in the United States? I do have a couple of people who would be willing to help me by giving me a place to live and a few bucks until I got a job. However, I would be expected to hit the ground running by finding a job immediately. As a result, I could not be very choosey when it comes to finding a job. I would have to accept one of the first jobs that comes along.

That brings us to the next question. What types of jobs can I do? The reality is that I cannot do that many jobs. I cannot get a teaching job because in America, a person would need a certificate in order to get a teaching job. That certificate takes about one year to earn through classes and tests. Who could take care of me while I get this certificate? No one. I could be a substitute teacher while I earn my certificate, but then, how would I get around? I would need a car. Public transport in the United States is not like it is in Ukraine. There aren't enough public buses to take people to every corner of the city in an expedient manner. As a result, I would need a car. I cannot see myself taking the bus to work every day, and then, taking the bus to courses at night. That is nearly impossible. The reality of a minimum of one year like this would be miserable, especially since substitute teaching would rarely be at the same school two days in a row. So, going back to America without a little money is nearly impossible.

That leaves me here in Ukraine. What is my life like here? Well, actually, I have many things to be grateful for. I have a stable teaching job which pays me enough money to pay my rent and basic monthly expenses. My friend believes I should move into a much cheaper apartment, but that doesn't make sense to me. First off, I need space around me. I lived in a 25 square meter flat in Cheriomoshki for two and a half years and I was miserable. Next, if I do not live in the center, or have a bog, nice flat, I cannot earn as much money because I will spend too much time traveling, cannot have private students over, and cannot entertain. Also, I live only a block from my work, so there is virtually no travel time. That allows me to be more efficient with my work, and taxi money adds up. There were a couple of months I took taxis almost every day while living in Cheriomoshki and that adds up quickly.

Lastly, on this point, my clients are western men. Well, most western men stay in the city center when in Odessa Ukraine. Why would I want to live far away from them, which would make it more difficult to meet them, to go out to restaurants, etc. No, cost of living would not go down if I get a cheaper apartment.

Next, the idea of Ukrainian girls. Is it possible for a girl ten yeas younger than me, pretty, and thin in American to want to date me? Well, anything is posisble, but it is highly unlikely. The girls in America are not open to age difference as much as Ukrainian girls and Odessa girl. Americans girls are not open to dating men that are overweight, and they are not open to dating a guy like me. The situation just doesn't exist to meet them daily like it does here in Ukraine. Ukraine girls are definitely more open to a larger age difference, my weight doesn't matter as much, and the fact that I am not well-off doesn't factor into meeting great Ukrainian girls. There are plenty of money hungry Ukrainian girls, but those girls aren't really in my circle and aren;t really attracted to me.

Now, to the true reason I an an irritable cuss today. I feel like I am in prison. I feel like I have paid my dues. I feel like I have spent tens of thousands of hours studynig success, wealth, leadership, management, coaching, money, and relatinships, and it doesn't make any sense to me to keep me trapped here in this small world teaching English to people who cannot even learn the simplest of tasks from me. Now, if I were studying to be a Buddhist monk, then this environement would be a nice place to practice as living in Ukraine can teach a person a lot of small things, such as detachment, releasing meaning on something stupid, and learning how to be patient with Ukainian people, many of which have a very small way of thinknig and of seeing the world.

I know some Ukrainian people will read this, and not feel too hapy, but the truth hurts smoe times. I know that my own American people have a lot of faults, and my culture doesn't seem to be moving forward any more. I feel like this whole life is a sever waste of my time and talents. I should already have earned enough money to travel and do some of the things I'd like to do, such as pay off my debts, visit family and friends in Amercia, and to visit England for a little while. There are some things I'd like to see and experience in England.

I ahve writeen a book, created a website, and have a large community, and marketing my website has been much more difficult and time consuming than I had previously hoped. My "friend" has given me lots of ideas, and helped me to understand what I need to do to get my website to the top of Google, but I languish on page two like an unimportant fool. This should have been over two months ago. I should be dealing with a whole different level of probles, instead of having to continue comnig to my English school every day. Just selling 100 books per month allows me to not have to teach so much and work so hard as a teacher.

I do not want an easy life. I will not take time off and stop working hard. I just need to feel like my knowledge and effort are going in a positive direction. I do not feel that at all. I feel like i am wasting my talents. 

I have a partner that is not really my partner. He says he is my friend, but he will not help me to get over the hump. I have been toiling for 6 motnhs in something that would have taken him only two to complete.

I don't want to continue as I just don't have anything else to say without ranting further and becoming even more irritated.  

Feeling Blue in Odeessa

I've been working on my book and blog and website, and Google ranking for the better part of 10 months now, and I have been trapped in what I would call "limbo" for the better part of the past two months. I have a wonderfully generous friend who has helped me design my website in order to make it Google friendly, but he won't help me do the last little bit I need to do in order to get my website to the number one position.

I could move back into a cheap apartment in Cheriomoshki or Tairovo and use the extra money I save on SEO, but that doesn't make sense since I can have private clients in my nice flat, and my flat is centrally located, and my clientele of private clients as well as foreigners stay in the center. So, the money I save will not be nearly as much as you think it is because of time, effort, energy, taxi's and restaurants I would spend that saved money on travel expenses or lose it becaue of missed opportunity if I lived in a less expensive flat. 

Also, my mental well-being would be affected as well. I hated living in a shoe box in Cheriomoshki for two and a half years. Cheriomoshki is a neighborhood of Odessa Ukraine. \

I thought this whole ordeal, and every event was me looking for, or helping others look for, find, and keep their own Ukrainian girl, but the reality is that this whole ordeal is about me creating a life I love, and in this moment in time, I do not love my life.

The last two days, my left arm and leg have been numb. This really makes me nervous as I am aware of the myriad of back problems I have. The nerve running down my spine is compressed and if this compression beomces words it is very possible that I could become paralized in the near future. I thought I had a few years before I would have to be leary of paralysis, but the reality is that this end result might come much sooner and I am depressed about all of this. What woman would want to marry me if I become paralized?

I cannot imagine being stuck in Ukraine without money, and not being able to move.

I know that I have so many things to be grateful for, but those things are easily forgotten when I have so many other things weighing on my mind.

Tired

Today's post is just an expression of what is there for me - what is in my conscious mind and my dominant thoughts recently and this morning. To start off with a chuckle, I went to bed last night at about 1:30 am and woke up at 5 am without the help of an alarm. However, last night, I shut the door to my bedroom when I went to sleep. So, at 5 am, I got up to go to the bathroom and walked square into the door to my room. I bumped my forehead, but worse yet, I scraped up my left hand which was exactly at the same level as the door handle. So, the top of my left hand is seriously scraped and bruised right now. Funny, right?

I started this blog in January with the express purpose of helping Western men to avoid the pitfalls and difficult situations that present themselves when they come here to Ukraine or Russia looking for a Ukrainian or Russian bride or partner. In the meantime, I have written a full length book, created multiple websites, learned about SEO, and helped numerous men to find dates, find apartments here, and solve inherent problems that others in my life have had when visiting <a href="http://loveukr.com/odessa-ukraine/">Odessa Ukraine</a>.

I have also continued to teach full time. When my teaching finishes for the day, I proceed home to work on my websites, my blogs, or continue to study the myriad of information I need to know in order to take care of websites and move them up the Google ranking system. When I am not doing those things I have been spending time with the foreigners who visit Odessa because that type of attention to clients is what makes clients loyal to you. I do not regret any of it. Finally, there have been and continue to be little speed bumps which delay me, my businesses, or my website from moving forward. I feel like I spend quite a bit of my time putting out fires or learning how to deal with problems that I did not create.

However, I have not taken any time for myself. I need a break. In three and a half years at my current school, there have been only three Saturdays that I haven't worked. I went to Krakow Poland twice since I've been here for 5 days once and 1 week the second time. While I had fun in Krakow, I can tell you that there were many problems during or after each of those trips. At the end of the first trip, I got stuck in Krakow without any money and was not aloud to get on the return flight from Krakow to Kiev. The day after the second trip, my girlfriend at the time decided to break up with me.

Overall, I am aware that I have so much to be grateful for. My life is moving in a forward direction. However, I am tired. I am truly tired. I just want to lie down and rest for a few days. I want to have nothing to think about, no problems to solve, no people to deal with, and nothing to do.

More Trouble in Odessa

Night before last, I was just talking to my buddy on my patio drinking a healthy smoothie with fresh strawberries, bananas, and chocolate protein blended with ice when BLAM! The glass broke. In fact, a portion of the glass fell out of the bottom and my friend described it as if the glass had been shot by a sniper. 

Smoothie everywhere, and the bottom fell, twisted, and sliced the top of my left foot. If you have ever been cut on the top of your hand or on the top of your foot, you know that the skin is so thin that it does not stop bleeding and the cut can re-open easily. I knew I needed stitches, so while I was trying to keep my head in a panic situation, I was trying to call someone with a car to come take me to the hospital. I made a couple of phone calls and after three declines, decided to have a friend meet me there. My new roommate grabbed my things and money, and I hobbled to the street corner to take a taxi. I told the driver in Russian where I needed to go, and he took us there. 

Once there, we didn't have to wait long because my Russian friend was already there to communicate that I had a bad cut and needed stitches. Luckily, they weren't very busy. I went to Into-Sana which is the most expensive hospital here. When I broke my leg three years ago, had kidney stones last year, and back troubles this year, I didn't go to Into-Sana because of the price. But, this time, that was the only thought going through my head. 

Once there, I saw that it hadn't bled too bad. However, the slice was deep and the wound wide. Of course, if you have ever had stitches, the worst part is when they insert the needle into your wound to anesthetize the area. They sewed it up with only two stitches, and then let me go home. i went and met a couple of friends who lived in the area which is always great. It is humbling to see all of the people who are ready to come and help. That community is what I am most grateful for. I had a pizza and a couple of beers to go with my anesthesia. 

Of course, I live in Odessa, Ukraine, so the water was out when we got home and I couldn't take a shower that night or in the morning. The next morning, which was yesterday, I had to go to the hospital before going to work. So, I was up at 6 after not being able to go to sleep until about 1am. The fact is that once the anesthesia wore off, I felt like I had been beaten ad kicked by about six guys. So, sleep was welcome. Waking up yesterday was not. 

When i got there, I had to wait more than an hour, which made me worry because I told my boss that I was going to be at work. Of course, I could have called off, but that is just not my style, and I also want the money to help promote my website and business. Finally, they lead me into the little operating theater and remove my bandage. Everything looks fine. However, when they went to wrap it up, they just put a bandage and a small piece of sticky tape over it. I know that that is going to come off. I have had too many cuts on top of my hands and feet. I am a ballplayer and an athlete, I understand that in this situation we need a figure 8 wrap in order to keep everything in place. So, when I asked the 20 year old intern to wrap it in a figure 8, he didn't understand. Then, he just wanted to put flimsy gauze over it. WE ALL KNOW GAUZE DOESN'T STAY TOGETHER IN A SHOE!!! So, i go so frustrated. I just wanted some athletic tape and I'll wrap i myself. I've had my ankles wrapped hundreds of times in my life and I've done it myself a couple of hundred times too. But, alas, no athletic tape and no understanding of what the hell I wanted!!!!

I was so frustrated!!! When it come to medical care, I cannot stand this place. I decided walked to the bus stop, cursing the whole time to get all of my frustration out, that when my book was successful, I would figure out a way to do some kind of exchange program for doctors, nurses, interns, and other hospital staff to do some kind of exchange in America so that they can learn different ways to do things. I don't believe that western medicine is the end all be all. I actually lean toward a more wholistic approach, but simple things like this drive me crazy!!! 

When I broke my leg, they used gypsum!!! That freakin' thing weighed about 15 pounds! that's about 7 kg for those in Europe reading my blog. What about a fiberglass cast or just a pain plaster cast so it doesn't break. I had to replace that piece of shit every two weeks for over 5 months because it kept breaking! Oh, how about non-stick gauze bandages which cost about 1 penny to make??? No where to be found here. 

Hence, I was frustrated until about lunchtime yesterday!!!

Things are looking better this morning though. 

Russian Girls and Ukrainian Girls

Millions of men search for, hunt for, google, and travel to meet Russian and Ukrainian girls every year. I have searched the statistics and the monthly number of searches is over 4,000,000

I have written a book, designed a website, and am in the process of creating a couple of other websites with the express purpose of bringing a little integrity to an industry that lacks integrity.

Most men who come here to Russia or Ukraine to find a girl don't have an unlimited amount of money to spend on this endeavor. It pains me when I see the level of deceit that is occurring daily. That is what I want to try to stop. Dating agencies, marriage agencies, translators, girls, and men in this industry have set up every possible means to deceive Western men and sold Western men a lie that all Ukrainian girls are dying to leave their homeland all with the intention to get into their wallet. Not all Russian and Ukrainian girls are dying to leave their homeland.

I have seen countless Western men lose their entire life savings trying to find a needle in a haystack - having been misled and deceived by websites. There are many wonderful Ukrainian girls here. However, those girls are not usually on these sites. My goal is to educate those men to help prevent them from being taken to the cleaners, and to help them succeed in their quest. If you are open to hearing the whole truth, or of you are wanting to help in some way, please feel free to follow the link to my website, or contact me.

Thanks for being willing to read this.

Vincent

http://loveukr.com/

Western Men Frustrate Me!!!

I was walking to my friend's house in the city center last night and I passed by a guy walking next to a girl. He was speaking English, so I stopped him with the intention of giving him my card and possibly offering to help him NOT TO make the same mistakes that so many others make. .

He resisted my advance and my card, and told me that he didn't need any help. The rejection in and of itself is not that big of a deal. I am not a little kid. My feelings do not get hurt that easily. However, it was his body language.

His shoulders perked backward, he stood up straighter, turned his body at an angle, and backed away as if he had just been approached by a diseased lepper. So, the subconscious, non-verbal message he was sending to me was that he already knew everything he needed to know, and the possibility didn't even exist that I could possibly offer him anything of value. So, in fact, he was sending me the message that my information was worthless and that I was worthless. The guy looked like Rick Moranis!, Short, weak, with glasses, etc.

I wanted to yell at him, MY BLOG IS FREE YOU IDIOT!!! I AM NOT TRYING TO TAKE FROM YOU LIKE SO MANY OTHER!!! I AM TRYING TO HELP YOU!!! STOP BEING AN ARROGANT PRICK AND REALIZE THAT I AM NOT ASKING YOU FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN TO OPEN YOUR EYES AND TO OPEN YOUR MIND SO AS TO SAVE YOU A LOT OF TIME, EFFORT, ENERGY, AND MONEY IN ORDER TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS!!!

I challenge you as a reader to look into your own life. Is there anywhere where you think you already know all of the answers? Is there anywhere in your life where you have not looked at a problem or situation with an open mind and an open heart, seeking a new point of view???