A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE: Reflections of Ukraine (08/24/97)

UKRAINE'S INDEPENDENCE: THE SIXTH ANNIVERSARY

A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE: Reflections of Ukraine

by Walter M. Wess

I have had the pleasure of traveling to Ukraine 14 times between June of 1994 and June of 1997. Although initially I traveled on humanitarian aid business for Adopt-A-Hospital Foundation Inc., today I travel to Ukraine primarily to enjoy myself and learn more about the customs and culture of the people - a people whom I have grown to love, admire and think of as my own. (Let me add here that every trip I have taken to Ukraine has been entirely at my own expense, so contributors can relax.) Although I have no Ukrainian blood, I have studied the language for three years, and have been told I speak it well; I also read Ukrainian.

During all my trips I have stayed with the local people. These travels have taken me from the Chornobyl region to Yalta, and from Slaviansk and Donetsk to Lviv and Chernivtsi. Most of my time has been spent in Zaporizhia, and a significant amount of that time has been spent in the villages, towns and cities throughout the oblast.

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Lately I have seen many articles about the problems now facing Ukraine and the way they are being dealt with. That is why, on this sixth anniversary of independence, I wanted to write more about the positive aspect of what I have seen by comparing and contrasting the past three years.

When I was in Kyiv and Zaporizhia the first time (June 1994) I saw only seven foreign cars during the entire trip. (Yes, I did count them.) The stores were empty, and my hosts had to go to a great deal of trouble to obtain such basics as soap, toilet paper, light bulbs and just about every other product.

Today, in every village, city and town, there are many foreign cars; on any given day you will see far too many to count. There are far more stores than ever before and, not only can you buy virtually any product you want, but you can actually shop various stores for different brands. Food stores similar to ours exist in the larger cities - even imported delicacies are available. Computers, televisions, VCRs, home health care products, cosmetics, clothes, automotive needs and virtually all types of products are available.

To be sure, I frequently hear the comment: "But who can afford these items"? The fact is, people are buying them. There are many privatized stores, and they cannot afford to be "museums" - they can only afford to stock what they can sell. I try to be a careful observer, and my informal estimate is that about 25 percent of the people are doing well, with incomes from the private sector. Another significant portion of the population operates on the barter system. In 1994 I estimated that the people doing well comprised about 10 percent of the population. As for the barter system, who had anything to barter?

I have read and heard many stories about corruption within the political sphere; everyone talks of the need to pay bribes to get something done. What would you say if I told you I could clean all of this up given 10 minutes of time on Ukrainian national television? That's right, just 10 minutes and no official would take another bribe. How, you say? It's simple. I would teach them two English words: campaign contribution. I don't mean to trivialize the corruption, but let's put it in the proper perspective, relative to what is going on here in the U.S. Think about this seriously, folks: if favors were bought with the term "campaign contribution," instead of bribe or gift, nothing would have changed except our perception of the situation.

Just one other thought on crime: at night I feel comfortable on the streets of every village, city and town in Ukraine; I don't go to the cities at night here in the United States.

On my last trip, which was in June and July of this year, I was in Lviv, Rohatyn, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Sokyriany and Kyiv. I visited several drug stores in each city or town. A wide variety of medicine was available in each and every location. Most of these were privatized stores. In speaking with the pharmacists and observing the shelves and counters, I discovered that even maintenance-type medications for blood pressure, heart problems and diabetes, seizure medication, etc., were available. And, no, these were not stolen or black market drugs from U.S. aid shipments. They were high-quality Swiss, French, Polish, German and Ukrainian manufactured drugs. Some were made by foreign subsidiaries of American companies. (They have great allergy medicine, I use it here.) Contrast this with an emergency trip I made in January 1995 to deliver antibiotics to a sick friend who could not obtain high-quality antibiotics. They simply weren't available at any price.

While visiting and staying with friends in Rohatyn I was introduced to an older woman and her daughter who were working in their field. In the conversation that ensued they acknowledged that village life was hard, and it showed on their faces and hands. We also discussed the positive side of village life: the feeling of belonging to the place, the land, church, schools and family. We talked of the feeling of satisfaction in the high degree of self-sufficiency that comes from producing and conserving your own food.

I told them that I saw in their lives a beauty and continuity, a oneness with their "being" that I greatly respected and saw lacking in my own life in the business-professional world. I wondered if they knew how sincerely I meant what I said. I saw in them a strength of character and a gentle determination that reflected not only the strength of Europe, but also the "stock" that made America great in our earlier years. Later we attended a high school graduation that was attended by the entire town. This manifestation of civic pride was refreshing.

Another event I attended in Rohatyn was a "shashlyk" (shishkebab) cookout in an area that had been a hideout for the Ukrainian Insurgent Army. My host had been one of the men who had used the hideout, or encampment. The national pride that is emerging can be seen by the fact that, as beleaguered as many Ukrainians are, they are building small shrines like the one pictured on this page to honor fallen heroes - those who made the supreme sacrifice in the last effort for independence. Happy Birthday, Ukraine, and may God bless you with 10,000 more!

Lately I have read a lot about fears of a return to communism. Among the many friends I have in Ukraine, including a few who were "party" members, no one seems to think seriously about a return to communism, or a reintegration with Russia. This includes one gentleman who was a former first secretary of the Communist Party in a "significant" area. I have explored this issue openly and honestly with him and many others, and I don't think they are simply telling me what I want to hear.

What I do hear from time to time is a longing to return to "the good old days." Whenever I examine and question such statements, it is not "communism" that's longed for, it's a normal work routine, a feeling of having a job, continuity in life and a regular paycheck. People are tired of uncertainty and foot-dragging on reforms, and they want a simpler, more ordered life.

Imagine yourself awakening one morning and finding you no longer have a paycheck, the money is different, the government is different, and the services, however meager, that you had been accustomed to are no longer available. The continuity of life is shattered. The stoicism of the Ukrainians living in Ukraine who have dealt with this for six years never fails to amaze me. In fact, their strength impresses me more than anything else in Ukraine.

I don't think Ukraine is entirely out of the "communist woods" yet, but most of you who are reading this have some connections with someone still in Ukraine. Perhaps the single most significant thing each of us could do would be to encourage and support their efforts to start small private businesses. It could be part-time; it doesn't have to be elaborate or expensive. It just has to show the way to free enterprise and personal independence from the old system. If you can't help them start a business, encourage them to work in the private sector.

Let me tell you about one such business run by a 10-year-old businessman I observed for over an hour at the railroad station in Lviv. This young boy was clean, neatly dressed and articulate. The youthful entrepreneur had a squeegee, a bucket of clean water, a spray bottle and a rag. He zeroed in on the cars waiting to pick people up more than those dropping people off. He would say to the drivers, "For one hryvnia I will clean your windows, and your passengers will have a clear view of our beautiful city." Most of the drivers agreed to the deal. The boy did an excellent job, carefully cleaning every window and mirror, and the headlights on the car. He also wiped off any water that dripped on the car's finish. He was averaging four cars per hour. I saw some drivers give him more than one hryvnia. I pointed this out to the Ukrainian nurse I was with, and we figured out his weekly take if he worked 40 hours. This came to approximately her monthly pay. Is this a trivial item? I don't think so - not when you contemplate the beginnings of many of our earlier giants of industry and commerce. The Wright brothers, Howard Johnson, Fuller Brush and a host of other companies and their founders came from similar "starts" and backgrounds.

This young man was an inspiration to me. I feel Ukraine's future is great, and with young people like this it will excel economically, morally and spiritually. I thought of giving him a compliment and a few hryvni as a reward for his enterprise, then I decided not to. I was afraid I might dull his drive and hunger for success and its rewards. (Maybe I learned from our welfare system that a handout can become a way of life.) I just know I didn't want to change anything in this kid's character, he had it all: a desire to improve his lot, a good work ethic and the ambition to carry it out.

I left Lviv headed for Kyiv on the overnight train in the Grand Hotel car. The two-bed compartment was clean and "world-class"; the service was excellent. The courteous and conscientious staff (a far cry from 1994) promptly brought our food and beverage orders. The food was very good, and ice was available for drinks if you wanted it. The car had two bathrooms that were kept spotless throughout the night, and toilet paper, soap and paper towels were on hand.

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The last stop for me in Ukraine always is the fountains in Kyiv. I love the fountains, but I become disquieted that my departure is near. It is a bittersweet time for me. Do I miss Ukraine? You bet I do.

Walter M. Wess M.A. is an audiologist in private practice in Manahawkin, N.J. He is also a founder and the president of Adopt-A Hospital Foundation Inc.

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