"Borderlands" Ukraine by etfromnc

Ukraine means "Borderland," yet with it being a relatively large country, I have wondered why. It does have a common border with four other countries and has been repeatedly invaded and ruled by other nations through the years, most noticeably by the Soviet Union throughout most of the 20th Century. During the era of Soviet rule, their efforts to force the Ukrainians on to collective farms resulted in generating a famine which is said to have killed 8,000,000 people. Another 8,000,000 were killed by both the Soviet and German armies during World War II. It is now in its 20th year of independence since the demise of the Soviet Union.

The Russian and Ukrainian languages are very similar but I am told that there are very definite and distinct differences. You will hear both spoken throughout the country, though many resent those who speak the one that they do not speak. This seemed to be more common among the older folk. At least in the two cities where I spent significant time, huge, drab Soviet-style apartment blocks and statues of Lenin are very common. Although I did see a lot of more modern cars, East German Ladas and Soviet Skodas were probably the most common brands of cars, trucks, and buses. As I rode the train through eastern and central parts of the Ukraine, I saw many streams, forests, and what seemed like millions of acres of rich farmland. Horse-drawn farm implements and wagons are still much more common there than in more western parts of Europe and North America.

I did not get to Chernobyl, although I did see the nuclear reactors at a great distance. They were a major portion of our reason for being there. The accident which occurred there 20+ years ago has killed about 8,000 people and left another 70,000 with longterm, often life threatening, diseases related to the world's most famous nuclear disaster. Our purpose for visiting The Ukraine was to provide medical assistance and other humanitarian aid to those directly and indirectly impacted by the Chernobyl accident. We held a clinic at a church campground near Irpen and had lines of people seeking our help from before opening until after we were supposed to close each day. Some of our nurses visited the homes of those too infirm to make it to the clinic. I spent one day accompanying a nursing team and the pain and disabilities which we observed during the time we were in Irpen, whether in the clinic or in individual homes, was truly heartbreaking, yet it did encourage each of us that we were able to bring some comfort and palliative care to these people who had been struggling with illness for so many years.

• Pros:The people are beautiful
• Cons:Chernobyl's aftermath will outlive us all
• In a nutshell:When can I return? I really do want to go back!!