Quote: (12-17-2011 01:27 PM)Layercake Wrote:
..... Also what website can I look at? The Ukrainian Gumtree / Craigslist alternative???
See, that's the problem I've run into. Even my local contact who works in IT doesn't really know of a Craigslist-type alternative. She just went to local real estate agents. Unless there's something we're missing, people here just haven't gotten the idea of cutting out non-productive middle-men.
In general, people here I believe are intimidated by "bizness" people, and ascribe more expertise to them than they have.
I'm sure it'll start to change, but guess what: Then there'll be more people like US here.
I went downtown today to shop for an extension cord and some computer speakers. The number of feminine 8's is really amazing. Lots of variety too, tiny petite 5'0" brunette pixies, blond monsters 6'1" with cheekbones wide enough to serve as airplane wings. And big soulful eyes, dude. These chicks seem romantic to me, which is what is missing in Asia for me; I'm sure someone else feels Asians are just as emotional, but from my point of view I don't see it.
Yesterday I had a fun adventure looking for some women's stockings to serve as a pop filter for some recording I'm doing. I went into at least 15 stores that sold shoes, clothing, and NO ONE had freaking stockings.
This is the magic story I hinted at in today's earlier post.
I was wandering around the central oval in the city, and saw a passageway into a set of buildings, and thought maybe there's a cheap little shop that would sell something like this. I mean, these women definitely wear stockings. So I found my way into a small interior mall, and as if by magic I found the stocking store. Only it was really just a glass display case in the mall, about 2 feet square and 5 feet high. With an adorable, wiry Ukrainian 8 patiently sitting beside it, waiting for me as she texted. It was just so freaking cute, her store was this tiny display case.
Google translate on my iPhone prevented her from thinking I was a transvestite, and she officiously got her key ring out and opened the case. I got the stockings I needed, along with a big crush on her. I text-translated for her " This is a new story for you today, yes?" and she giggled and agreed. The sweetness that bubbles out when you give them a humor stroke is a wonderful contrast to their initial formality.
This chick would have been upper-middle class wife bait in Murka, here she's just getting by with her little stocking store I guess. there are a LOT of women who are not just "sort of" thin, they have NO extra flab AT ALL. And they like to show it off with tight stovepipe pants showing their elegant legs.
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Some more scuttlebutt:
1) I haven't seen a pharmacist yet who was less than an 8, out of 4 so far. "APOTEK" or similar is the pharmacy name here.
2) I think they wear their wedding rings on the right hand here.
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I now have servants. Well, one anyway.
My contact recommended a cook and housekeeper, and I am in heaven. I haven't washed a dish since I got here. Luda comes over every 3-4 days and cooks a big pot of authentic borshcht and carrot salad, and I am eating healthier. I was told $6 per hour is decent pay, and that's what I've been paying her, but I can't get rid of her She ATTACKS my house and wants to clean every cranny, won't take more money for working more hours, and I have to plead with her to get her to leave! Today I told her I was going to record and I had to be alone.
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I've started to realize why everything is so expensive in Murka. It's a product of absurdity. Everything is so expensive because everything is so expensive. By that I mean that there are these core items that are so extravagantly expensive-- 800k houses, 35k cars, a defense budget that equals the rest of the world's put together-- so the cost of everything that you need for everyday life is hugely inflated due to the ripple effect of everyone paying down these insane bloated luxuries.
Why else does Yogurt cost half as much here as Murka? They can keep the McMansions, bitchy chicks, and F14's. I'll take the life of leisure and a place where Fat Chick Jihad is just not needed.