18 yrs old -- travel to Ukraine alone in Feb?

[grasswire]

I'm nervous about the plans of my nephew. He has saved up some money to travel this spring. He's 18. He's flying to Kiev in February and has no itinerary and no traveling companion. He intends to stay in Eastern Europe for a couple of months and wander around -- in the middle of their worst cold winter ever I might add.

From what I read, Kiev is extremely dangerous for someone traveling alone. There are many scams played by corrupt cops, taxi drivers, thieves and thugs. There are plenty of warnings on travel sites against it. He isn't interested in hearing any cautions about the dangers -- hey, he's an invincible American kid with a Canada hat!

He does speak high school German. And he has traveled to Hungary when he was a child.

But geeeeee. If someone mugs him or he gets in some kind of trouble and disappears, no one will even know where to look for him, as he doesn't have an itinerary.

Anyone have travel experience to Ukraine?

[Brickbat]

1. I would strongly recommend that he get some basic Ukrainian in him.

I studied in Russia when I was in college, then lived there on my own in my early 20s. While many of the dangers he'll face are the same as if he were in New York, he does need to be aware that standing out is asking for trouble. Any degree of big-city savvy will help him, but just plopping down in Kiev and saying, "Hey there, I'm in Kiev! I'm an American, I don't speak the language, and where can we party here?" is not going to work the way it might in, say, Paris.

Having said that, there's nothing like solitary travel to make you realize who you are and what you're capable of. It can be a grand adventure as long as he's not a dumbass about it.

[grasswire]

4. thank you

Is there an anti-Russian sentiment in Ukraine, do you know?

[Brickbat]

9. In some parts, yes.

In some parts, no. Even if he can speak a few words, or even some Russian, that goes a long way toward establishing goodwill. But to go there without knowing anything is folly, IMO.

When I was living in St. Petersburg, there was an American kid -- 17 or so -- who sort of fell into our laps who didn't speak any Russian and was having an Eastern European adventure. He did OK, staying in town for a couple months until his money ran out and he went back to California. Maybe if your nephew can at least find places where expats tend to hang out, and then go from there...

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. Make sure he takes an international cell phone and keeps it in a safe place

so that he can contact you in an emergency.

I recently heard a couple tell of their experiences traveling in Russia. They arrived in St. Petersburg from Finland late at night, and they were about to take a cab to their hotel when a Russian woman who spoke English warned them that the cab looked dodgy. (In fact, the whole neighborhood around the station looked dodgy.)

They feel that they might have gotten into deep trouble if this Russian woman hadn't been looking out for them.

Is there any reason why he wants to start in Kiev, of all places? Is he of Ukrainian descent? Does he have a visa? Does he even know that he needs a visa for most of the former Soviet Union?

I'd recommend starting in a "tamer" Eastern European country like Hungary, which he has already been to, or the Czech Republic, and working his way from there.

[grasswire]

3. good questions

He is going to Ukraine because no visa is needed there. He wanted to go to Russia, but of course he would have to wait for a visa. He loosely wants to go to Moldava and Romania (where he will be much safer).

Unfortunately, he and his friends have always been enamored of cold war spy movies and also of adventure shows like Man v. Wild where extreme adventures are conquered by the actor (who has a camera crew and rescue). One of his friends who is a year older initiated his travel year by flying into Iran without papers to do so. He was promptly sent back. So I think they are seeking grand adventure and believe they are invincible.

[grasswire]

5. the cell phone is a worry in itself

This is a kid who constantly loses wallets, phones, cameras, etc.

I guess he will sink or swim. But his mother does not have the resources to go after him if he sinks.

[Kali]

6. He will be fine.

Stop worrying. This kind of travel is so fucking good for people it should be mandatory!

[CharmCity]

7. I used to do things like this...

I would worry less about crime and more about him getting really, really cold. Make sure he has tons of layers of clothes to keep him warm. He should arrive with currency so he doesn't have to exchange in the city until he's oriented. If he doesn't have any of the language, there is a great likelihood he will end up staying at hostels and hanging out with english-speaking kids like himself. He should distribute his cash in different pockets, money belt, etc. Make sure he leaves a copy of his passport and credit cards at home and carry a copy elsewhere in his luggage. Be alert. Avoid isolation, like walking in deserted areas. If confronted, looking tough and mean actually goes a long way -- predators go for weaker prey. A little speech on not getting very drunk/experimenting with drugs might be helpful (more likely to get into trouble when you don't have all your wits about you).

Note: I am a petite female blonde and have traveled the world alone; it can be done. He will come back a stronger, smarter person.

[Kutjara]

8. Aside from the normal dangers of a big city,...

...the biggest problem most tourists in Eastern Europe face on a regular basis is taxi scams. Most decent hotels will suggest they send one of their cars to pick you up from the airport (for a charge), so you can avoid taxi drivers who will, for example, drive you into the countryside and then threaten to throw you out unless you give them 10x the fare.

You can probably get a bus from the airport, but that will typically drop you at the central bus station, which is invariably in a grubby part of town full of cheap hotels and shady characters. You then have the same problem of finding a taxi that isn't owned and operated by Grifters-R-Us (I think taxi meters are the most unreliable technology in the world, judging by the sheer numbers of them that are "broken").

Whenever I travel to Eastern Europe, I usually find it's worth the money to stay at a reasonably good hotel the first night, have the hotel provide the taxi, and then start off on my "adventure" with a clear head the next morning. The other benefit is that you can leave your enormous "I am a clueless American student tourist" backpack in the hotel's saferoom after you check out, which lets you tour the city and work out what's what, without attracting (too much) unwanted attention.

If your nephew is planning on staying in youth hostels, he should arrange to leave anything he doesn't actually need at the "left luggage" office at the train or bus station. Other hostelers stealing my stuff was a regular and irritating occurrence during my hosteling days.

[grasswire]

10. that is a great hint about the hotel

....I passed that on to his mom and she instantly decided to give him that first night's decent hotel stay as a birthday gift. That is taking a huge load off the worry factor in which we picture him hijacked right at the airport...ha.

Now if you have any hints on finding a decent moderately priced hotel, I'm all ears.

Thanks so much.

[Zavulon]

11. I spent almost a year there. You need to stop him.

I recommend that he stay away. I speak Russian and Ukranian and it was hard enough for me.

If he does go, it is IMPERATIVE that he dress like a local and wear nothing expensive or fancy. Cheap coats, cheap jeans, cheap everything. A cheap indiglo-type watch is a very handy thing to have, as is a small flashlight, a lighter (whether he smokes or not), plenty of Kleenex packets (you can never count on toilet paper being readily available unless you're in a western hotel), and every vaccination known to mankind. Particularly important is that he have a current rabies vaccination, because if you get bit by a dog over there you're completely fucked otherwise.

By the way, an excellent way for him to get his ass kicked is to wheel out his German in a bar. Those old Soviets have long memories, and everyone there lost someone in the war.

He would also be advised to search Google for scams people play on tourists and read every single page he finds. Most involve money, fake cops (plus the corrupt ones you mention), dishonest cabbies, exorbitant bar tabs (you order a bottle of wine, not knowing the price has been set at a thousand dollars, and your order is legally binding), good samaritans who offer to "help," and so on.

No offense, but your nephew is an idiot and is very likely to be sorry. Going over there alone, as a westerner with no knowledge of Ukranian or Russian? I can't imagine too many things less bright than that.

If you care about this kid at all, put a stop to it. You can start with the following facts (I don't meant to scare you, but I think I have to):

1.) AIDS is roughly 10 times more common over there than it is here. The number of pretty females who are ready to jump a westerner for a chance at a green card is staggering, but finding a clean one is not always easy.

2.) Male-on-male rape is far more common over there than it is here, and sex trafficking isn't limited to young girls.

3.) Lots of young males who disappear wind up as slave labor in some distant eastern mountain range. Governments know about it and do nothing because of drug kickbacks.

4.) Because he'll be traveling alone and it will be obvious to everyone around him, his chances of getting drugged by someone with bad intent are roughly 50-50. The best case scenario if that happens is waking up with no wallet, passport or cash. The worst cases are described above in items 2 and 3, as well as outright murder.

Seriously, your nephew would be safer getting sent to a maximum security prison on child molestation charges. A teen traveling in Ukraine (or anywhere in Eastern Europe, for that matter)? It's practically suicide.

BTW, his Canada hat won't fool anyone. Every American claims to be Canadian over there, and nobody buys it. By the time your nephew passes through customs and has his passport stamped, every cabbie waiting outside for him will already have been TOLD he's American (cell phones with pic messages). He's going to be the sucker with the big red target on his back, and will be the only one in the postcode not in on the joke.

There are no words for how idiotic your nephew's plans are. Good luck - you'll both need it.

[grasswire]

14. sigh -- thank you

You've put my worst fears into words. It would be so easy for him to be "disappeared." And who would know? And when? And with no itinerary, how could anyone hope to find him? He's extremely good looking. Blonde, tall, dazzling smile, extremely engaging and smart. And (obviously) naive about his ability to protect himself from harm in the big bad world we know it can be.

[proteus_lives]

12. Tell him to keep his eyes open.

Any place can be dangerous. Learn basic Ukrainian or get a great and easy dictionary.

Keep his passport, cell and money on him at all times.

Tell him to have fun and be aware.

[JCMach1]

13. I wouldn't recommend this either... their are few hostels and the hotels are expensive

for what they are...

There are far safer places in Eastern Europe to visit if he must go there. Western Europe is far more student friendly. And why winter... it's FREAKIN' cold!!!

Unless he lives in Bangor, or Minot he has no idea how cold it will be there and won't have proper dress on arrival.

[Swede]

15. Show him this thread,please.

I had a friend that had Rohypnol placed in his drink in a bar,here in Canada. He lost 24 hours and his wallet. He is terrified of what happened in those 24 hours.

[grasswire]

16. I am sending some of this to his mother.

She feels that pressuring him about the worries will only make him more obstinate about going ahead with his plan. He's 18 -- he scoffs at advice. So I'm trying to supply her with some of what I'm reading here and elsewhere on the net.

[cordelia]

17. This is from the State Dept

in case you haven't seen it.

Good luck.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1053.html

[Libertas1776]

18. Not to knock Ukraine or Eastern Europe

for that matter but seriously, if I were him I'd be saving up for a trip to Western Europe. When you're young and inexperienced like that, it's a better alternative and a good primer. At only 18 and traveling alone to Ukraine, he might as well be parachuting blind into outer Mongolia (Actually, that would probably even be safer than Kiev in winter)

My advice: Try and talk him out of it. Sure, we all have been in that spring chicken and greenhorns phase where we want to spread our wings and see the world. But you got to start out easy, at least in a westernized locale. However, if all else fails, at least make sure that he checks in with the local American Embassy about his travel plans, that way, if anything should go sour (heaven forbid) they at least know he is there.