As we (students and teachers of Kyiv Mohyla Academy) of embark on a discussion about culture and offer guidance to our foreign friends on how to navigate the rich tapestry of Ukrainian traditions, it is imperative to recognize the diversity and uniqueness that define this Eastern European nation.
Ukraine, with its centuries-old history and vibrant cultural heritage, is a land where hospitality and warmth are deeply ingrained in the fabric of society. As we extend a warm welcome to our international guests, it becomes essential to familiarize ourselves with the nuances of Ukrainian customs, norms, and etiquettes.
We encourage an open dialogue, where questions are welcomed, curiosity is celebrated, and mutual respect forms the foundation of our cultural exchange. Together, let us build a bridge that connects hearts and minds, fostering an environment where cultural diversity is not just acknowledged but celebrated.
This discussion may serve as a guide for our foreign friends, offering insights into the beauty of Ukrainian customs and the key to harmonious interactions within this wonderful tapestry of traditions.
Ani Arutiunian:
Be mindful of your body language. Ukrainian culture is not the most tactile, so warm hugs and kisses as a greeting to a person you’re not close with will most likely be considered rude. If it’s a business meeting, a simple handshake will do.
The same goes for smiling. A smile at a stranger with no apparent reason might scare them off. It’s considered a sign of danger.
Punctuality is appreciated. While Ukrainian culture is not as strict as, for example, Japanese culture in terms of punctuality, it’s still considered rude and disrespectful to be late to a meeting.
Olexandr Efremov:
I swear to whatever is holy, don’t smile to everyone here. This is not appreciated in Ukraine at all, unless you know the person that you are smiling to.
When referring to someone, learn what patronymics stand for and how to use them.
It is absolutely necessary to be on time, for it is considered one of the higher forms of politeness.
Sofiia Hutsul:
In fact, some Ukrainians may refuse to go to a café or restaurant, especially if you offer to pay, not because they don’t want to see you any more, but just as they are simply embarrassed.
So, sometimes, it’s worth mentioning that it’s simply a nice gesture to make that person feel more comfortable.
Sofiia Nadtochiy:
Cultural advices for foreigners.
Do not take cash because you can pay by card everywhere. (many foreigners were very surprised by that)
It is better not to be late because it can be perceived as a manifestation of bad manners.
Nodding your head instead of saying thank you is okay here.
Miriuta Yelyzaveta:
when people meet, they tend to maintain eye contact with you and repeat your name (to check if they got it rignt), in most occasions firm handshakes are acceptable too.
it’s not uncommon for people to offer you drinks, food, and pay for you if they initiated the meeting. turning down such offers might be considered rude, so you can suggest splitting the bill instead.
Zlata Kostinova:
If you ask “How are you?”, that means you really want to know. People don’t use it as a general greeting.
If you meet someone new, don’t hug them immediately, it will be seem as rude. Handshake is perfectly fine.
Even though Ukrainian language doesn’t have complex system of honorifics (like Japanese or Chinese), people usually use polite You to address unknown people.
Danyil Lopatin:
When people begin talking to a stranger, they tend to apply to a person by saying пане/пані. It also concerns applying to the people who are older than you. Пані/пане can be combined with the name or surname.
Olexandra Savych:
Ukraine has a very developed culture of shame (of course, because of the USSR, but not only), so politeness – and mostly, polite words in Ukrainian (and also, more than polite mask in front of the people) – will be welcomed.
In Ukraine, it is also customary to give up your seat to older people and women in transport.
If you are a foreigner who doesn’t know Ukrainian, it’s way better to speak English than russian. I think the reasons are obvious, but many foreigners ignore it.
Lana Shpakovych:
Foremost, if you are planning to visit Ukraine, you should be aware of Ukrainian history. Actually, this non-written rule is relevant for every country, but in our case, it’s crucial. I don’t think that people are going to perceive your personality in a good way, if you say some sort of nonsense about Ukrainian culture and history.
If you are about to ask a stranger the pathway or whatever, it is better to ask a younger person because it’s more likely young people speak English 😉
Yelyzaveta Chernova:
General etiquette rules in Ukraine in some fields are different from some other European cultures – notice it. For instance, it`s considered bad manner to cough or sneeze in public or sitting on the table with somebody else – it is better to do that somewhere alone.
It would be essential to find out crucial points of Ukrainian history in advance in order to respect and support the values and heritage of Ukraine.
Be open to witness the splash of creativeness. Deciding where to eat, do not focus on visiting only places with national food, because most of Ukrainian restaurants have something special to be discovered and enjoyed by you (uniqueness is the main vector of modern business here).
Sofiia Miasoiedova:
Try to be polite to everyone, it is respected in Ukraine.
If you want to call someone you don’t know, you can say “pani” if it’s a woman, and “pan” if it’s a man.
Thank for service and courtesy and wish the staff at restaurants, cafés, and shops a good day when you leave.
Try to learn as much as possible about the culture of the country before you visit. It would be easier to communicate with people here with this knowledge.
You could also learn some basic phrases in Ukrainian.
Viktoria Melnychuyk:
The most unacceptable thing that a person can do when being in Ukraine – speak russian or compare Ukraine to russia.
When you first meet people for business definitely address them as “Mr/Ms” and shake hands. It is noy very common to hug on business meetings.
Also it is considered rude to not pay attention while another person is talking, so be careful!
Anna:
In Ukraine hugging is a usual greeting, so be prepared to hug a lot, some ukrainians also have adopted the western european habit of kisses on cheeks as a greeting. Don’t think too much about it.
When meeting new people you should refer to them as “pan [first name]”(male form) or “pani [first name]” (female form), with “pan/pani” meaning mr/ms(mrs). Ukrainians don’t like when you refer to them by last names.
Ivan Lialiushko:
So, I guess the most important thing for a foreigner, especially the one from the West, would be to know, that being humble here is appreciated. We don’t really have a culture of greeting everyone and smiling, but rather a culture of formality and sincerity. Of course, it might make us look too “unhappy”, but that’s not really true. Our emotional spectrum pretty much depends on whether we know the person we are talking to.
Another greatly unappreciated thing would be pointing fingers at someone. Due to some of our historical periods we are mostly trying to blend into the crowds. So any way to highlight and “pull” someone from the crowd would put an unnecessary pressure on them.
Polina Dankovych:
I want to talk about a controversial topic — russian language. I used to come across foreigners from countries colonized by russia in the past who sincerely did not understand why they were not accepted when they spoke russian, but Ukrainians could do it among themselves. My advice to them was that in Ukraine (at least in Kyiv) it is polite to address strangers in Ukrainian or English. Although it may be absurd to address an obviously russian-speaking person, but you never know if it is not a trigger for a war-traumatized person
Anastasia Osadchuk:
I believe there are no shocking traditions in Ukraine. Most of the things I can think of are actually just small superstitions for example don’t bring a bouquet with an even number of flowers, but actually a lot of people would not count them. Probably I can’t think of anything special now because I’ve been living in this environment for my whole life.
Alina Kupriian:
According to the expressions, eye contact is totally crucial in Ukrainian culture and is considered a sign of respect and gratitude. Showing appreciation to elders is expected, and the majority of youngsters rarely call an adult by their first name. Moreover, helping elderly people who use transport is respectful as well. Ukrainians can lend a hand to help an elderly person get up from their seat, offer a hand to let them pass, and either hold or open a door for them.
Zlata Ivanenko:
In Ukraine, it’s acceptable to arrive on time for the meeting. When you meet a person who is older than you, it’s preferable to say “good afternoon” instead of just “hi”. You also should call them using their first name and patronymic. To younger people, you can talk more casually. So, it’s not acceptable in our country to be very informal at the first meeting, except for teenagers or children.
It’s completely unacceptable to kiss other people on the cheek if they are not your close friends or relatives. We also rarely hug others, especially at business meetings. We shake hands instead.
So, Ukrainians are quite serious people. We don’t really tolerate excessive amiability, but we are really friendly to people we know well.
Kate Hryhorenko:
I think foreigners should be prepared for the fact that the love language of Ukrainians is food:) If you come from another country, we will try to feed you a lot of Ukrainian national dishes. Be sure that during your stay here you will definitely try borsch with pampushky, salo, varenyky, stuffed cabbage rolls, and deruny. And don’t forget to thank your hosts and show your satisfaction with the meal — it’s very important to us.