Disappear (2008)
It is highly unlikely that you will be recognised as a local. Your clothes, your posture and your bone structure will give you away.
However manners can be one thing you can work on.
First if you are 55 years old or over, expect to offered a seat by nice young men on public transport.
If you are a nice young man, then stand up for anyone who looks 55 or over.
In Ukraine 55 is old - by 70 you'll probably be dead.
Second if you enter a lift and there's someone already inside, it is quite usual for the person entering (regardless of age or gender) to walk up to the lift's mirror, stick a finger in their hair, wiggle it about a bit, check their face, and turn around to continue their lift experience. Why? I have no idea.
Do not attempt this if you are the first person in the lift. You would be immediately caught out as a foreigner.
Finally, if you travel on Ukraine International Airlines to Kyiv, join in the applause of the passengers as you land. This is a Soviet-era habit to thank the pilot for landing the plane safely. Nowadays, the pilot does not leave the cockpit door open, and therefore cannot hear this appreciation, but despite logic the habit lingers on. You could add to the authenticity by crossing yourself (a post-Soviet expression of the same sentiment)
Learn this and you will blend as much as possible.
Beyond this just behave as you should in public in your home country and you will be fine.
Are there any Ukrainian mannerisms that you know?
Blending In
It is highly unlikely that you will be recognised as a local. Your clothes, your posture and your bone structure will give you away.
However manners can be one thing you can work on.
First if you are 55 years old or over, expect to offered a seat by nice young men on public transport.
If you are a nice young man, then stand up for anyone who looks 55 or over.
In Ukraine 55 is old - by 70 you'll probably be dead.
Do not attempt this if you are the first person in the lift. You would be immediately caught out as a foreigner.
Finally, if you travel on Ukraine International Airlines to Kyiv, join in the applause of the passengers as you land. This is a Soviet-era habit to thank the pilot for landing the plane safely. Nowadays, the pilot does not leave the cockpit door open, and therefore cannot hear this appreciation, but despite logic the habit lingers on. You could add to the authenticity by crossing yourself (a post-Soviet expression of the same sentiment)
Learn this and you will blend as much as possible.
Beyond this just behave as you should in public in your home country and you will be fine.
Are there any Ukrainian mannerisms that you know?
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