I spent some time on several different trips of various duration to Ukraine from 2003-2005 and finally lived there for a year from June 2005-June 2006. I met a Russian woman living in Poltava and subsequently married her, but it didn't work out.

I'm still very ambivalent about the place. If you aren't rich, you must learn to speak some Ukrainian or Russian or you will never get anywhere. Unless you are in a large urban center like Kiev -- and even there I say good luck! -- and don't speak one of the local languages, life will be very difficult. It's as simple as that. I lived in a city of over 300,000 for a year and never met a single native Ukrainian who spoke English. Ok, I taught English part time for a few months and met a couple of instructors. They were the only ones! I ended up taking Russian for six months so that I could navigate daily life at a survival level. But be warned, Ukraine is very insulated from the West. It is no accident that it's one of the very few countries in eastern Europe (along with Belarus and Albania) which is not in the EU!

But I love this dark, soulful place, its frustrations notwithstanding. I will comment more if I receive questions or comments.

 

It's a very corrupt, oligarchal society, so the huge disparity of income is normal. If you don't have your own good business, you will never make any money in Ukraine. Well, if you're a customs guy at the airport or some police positions you can get good bribes. But if you just work for someone (and you're Ukrainian), you are never going to get past the just eking by stage. Never.

Of course the cab drivers are scammers. It's one of the few jobs where you can exploit foreigners!

 

I want to ask that ,how is life of foreigners students in Poltava, Ukraine? About part time jobs, about living, and how much they can earn by job?

 

If you want to know information actual at the moment on life in Ukraine, ask me, please. I will answer your with pleasure.
And in this forum will be OK.

 

Everything is very cheap in Ukraine now (2015)- accommodation, food, entertainments, in comparison with Europe.

 

The valye of your work is very cheap in Ukraine. They have a payment someyhing about 200-500$... you can to earn money like a native keeper of english))

 

I agree with you. Even 100-200$ today. It is slavery.

 

I live in Odessa since 2008. Before the Maidan time was nice, after of course life changed. Anyway is clear the population is living a transition time trying to disconnect from Russia, its Soviet story and get closer to Europe. I am not here to comment the events which caused the death of many people, events like that unfortunately happen during a changes of identity in a Country if a democratic way is not available.

The life in Odessa, the third mayor city of Ukraine, is good, cheap despite the cash movement restrictions introduced due to the actual financial situation. I was in Odessa for a visit after Kharkov. I was just curious to see a country which was part of USSR, curious to see how was the life there. Now I can say is impossible to don't love Odessa. Is beautiful city and people is really correct. In eight years I didn't have a problem. I got my own flat and I don't plan to move from there.