Cultural differences go very deep. It's not just habits that differ, but also the assumptions and worldview that underlie them. Habits come and go, but world views are forever. At the same time, the habits and attitudes of individuals within one culture differ even more widely than the culture as a whole differs from other cultures. Here we tried to compose a helpful crash-course in Ukrainian life for those people who still can't tell Ukraine from China. Our guide is based on comments of foreigners who had visited Ukraine.

Hospitality
Ukrainians are very hospitable. In Ukraine guests are given lots of attention. If you are someone's house guest, your hosts will likely take you around town and show you the sights for several days. Traditional Ukrainian attitudes dictate that guests be well-fed and entertained as long as they stay at your home. They love to have people in their homes. It is always a pleasure to sit at their tables to eat specialties such as borsch, varenyky, or holubtsi and drink compote. Dinner is usually followed by tea and plenty of conversation.
Note:

• Bring a gift to the family who invites you to their home for dinner. A bottle of wine, cake, box of candy or a bouquet of flowers are traditional. A small gift for the child is always appropriate. (If you bring flowers, make sure the number of flowers is uneven; even numbers of flowers are for funerals.)
• Don't forget take off your shoes entering an apartment. Russians do not wear shoes inside the home except for house shoes ("tapki"). Most Ukrainians have several pair of slippers at their home for visitors. If they do not have enough extra house shoes for guests it's normal to enter the room without shoes. Even if you are going to someone else's home you will still need to remove your shoes before you enter their home. Most Russians have several pair of guest shoes at their home for visitors.

 Business and Ukrainian Hospitality
One more Ukrainian tradition is to drink! The person who drinks and does not drunk is always respected. Many business deals are solved while drinking together. But Ukrainians never drink without a reason. Every time they want to drink they bring up a reason. It can be anything from buying a new thing to celebrating a weekend . You can expect to be offered wine ("vino"), vodka ("vodka"), or cognac ("kanyak") at most business meetings along with things like sandwiches ("buterbrody"), Ukrainian salads ("salaty"), slices of lard ("sala"), fruit ("frukty"), tea ("chay"), coffee ("kofye"), mineral water ("mineralnaya voda"), and cookies or wafers ("pechenye").
Any alcohol served in such settings is accompanied by toasts. Depending on the size of the group and the nature of the occasion, dinner may last from one and a half to four hours (no joke) and have from four to 20 or more toasts. During toasts among larger groups the speaker often rises to his feet. A witty toast to successful cooperation, friendship is expected. Though it may seem so at first, the purpose of these rituals is actually not to get drunk. Excessive drinking is usually seen as poor taste. Everyone except the very rare non-drinkers will get a little tipsy. What is the purpose of drinking among business partners? In Ukraine everything, it seems, is based on informal relationships - business included. Eating and drinking together lowers barriers and encourages partners to talk about themselves and share sentiments with the group. It is a chance to see what each participant is made of and evaluate their trustworthiness and conscientiousness. Ukrainians want to have a warm, somewhat emotional, working relationship with their business partners. If you are a non-drinker, make this known to your hosts in advance to avoid awkward misunderstandings. It is, of course, easier to turn down drinks in informal settings.

 Note:

• Be careful, the vodka can catch up with you.
• Be prepared to give toasts at dinners, etc.
• Traditionally the third toast, during which all the men will stand is to women.

Body language
An average Ukrainians' personal space is smaller than in Germanic and Anglo-saxon cultures. Some people touch each other quite a bit during conversations if they are standing. Greeting with a kiss on the cheek is common within friends. On the gesticulation scale Ukrainians are more subdued than southern Europeans but more animate than Scandinavians. Stiffness and formality is the rule during public speaking.

Note

• Don't put your thumb between your first two fingers. It is a very very rude gesture.

Illnesses
Physical sensations and ideas about what makes one sick differ from culture to culture. In Ukraine it is worse to be cold than to be hot. In the cold necks and heads need to be covered, but gloves are not mandatory. Cold drinks and drafts and sitting on cold surfaces can give you a cold. If you have stomach problems or have caught a cold, you won't have great difficulties buying medicine to treat them while in Ukraine. Often representatives the senior generation offer unsolicited advice on a wide range of topics usually having to do with health. Be tolerant with them and view them as it is a part of culture.

 Note.

• Ukrainians are afraid of draughts. So, if you are in a stuffy bus, be careful about opening the window. You may get some nasty remarks.

Money and wealth
Wealth in the West is almost universally assumed to be a good thing, but Ukrainians have more ambiguous attitudes. Ukraine does not have the concept of "working your way from rags to riches" or the Protestant notion of creating wealth through "good-old honest hard work". In Ukraine people are still suspicious (and envious) of the rich. A cause of this mistrust of wealth and investment may be the fact that for 70 years the Soviet ethical system taught that wealth and greed are the same things. People were taught modesty and self-sacrifice for the sake of their children's "bright future." Soviet citizens learned to feel guilty for wanting to earn more than they were entitled to and be apologetic about any personal business projects they had.

Public behavior
Ukrainians in public tend to demonstrate restraint and avoid attracting attention to themselves. Ukrainians usually speak quietly in the presence of strangers. Loud foreigners who are oblivious to their surroundings always draw smiles. At the same time in Ukraine it is customary to show negative emotions in public. Any big city has its share of unsavory characters. You will undoubtedly notice (especially in hip bars, casinos, and clubs) scarred men in leather jackets with crew cuts, no necks, and calloused hands the size of basketballs. These are goons. Just try to avoid them.

 Note.

• Don't forget that in Ukrainian Orthodox Churches women should wear a skirt and cover their heads with a scarf or  hat. Men should bare their heads.
• The other thing to remember is that sitting or lying on the floor or grass-plot is inappropriate for public places.
• On public transportation, give your seat to mothers with children, the old or infirm. People will admire you.
• Offer to share your snacks and cigarettes with those around you, especially on the train or at the office.
• Be prepared to accept smoking in public places.
• Yawning without covering your mouth with your palm is considered roughly in Ukraine

Friendship and making acquaintances
The word "friend" in Ukrainian or Russian implies a closer relationship than in most other European countries: one has one or two "friends" and many "acquaintances". The tendency to form informal relationships easily is a part of the national character.
Many foreigners note that it is easy to form friendships and relationships in Ukraine. In Ukraine people get together to talk about things that are important to them personally.
Ukrainians are and have always been very warm friendly people and they are generous and thoughtful hosts. Many of them are only acquainted with Western culture through television and film, and the chance to interact privately with a live representative of the great unknown is usually taken on with relish. It is common for people to invite you to their home where you may be wined and dined and married off to the youngest sibling. You may be surprised by being asked questions concerning your private life, relationships, dreams and so on. Often these questions display that a person has a sincere interest to you. Also such type of the conversation (discussing personal problems) you can heard sometimes even between not quit known people (for example, standing in line or in public transport).

Gender roles
Foreigners note that gender roles in Ukraine tend to be more traditional. The stereotype is that the wife does the cooking and cleaning, while the husband takes care of repairs. When guests come over the wife goes to the kitchen to prepare food, even if it is her own birthday party. But there are many couples-especially among younger generations-where work around the home is divided more equally.
Note.

• It is considered proper for men to do such things for women as hold doors open, pour their drinks and serve their food first, assist them in and out of vehicles, light their cigarettes and help them put on and take off their coats.
• Never forget about 8 March if your girl is Russian. It's an official "Women's Day". On this day men give women gifts and flowers. Men also are supposed to do all the housework this day and women have a chance to forget about cooking, dishes and so on.

Grooming and personal hygiene
Standards of grooming and hygiene can differ widely from culture to culture. In Ukraine there is a sort of double standard. Women (especially young women) tend to dress and groom carefully, while men often are careless about their appearance. Smoking is extremely prevalent in public places. Dental floss is not yet widely used. Many older folks bathe just once a week. However, hygiene among working professionals is comparable to developed countries.

Note

• It is always a good idea to have a packet of tissues in hand, for it is a rare occasion when one finds toilet paper supplied in a public restroom. While any public restroom can be unsanitary, relatively clean toilets can be found in large department stores, restaurants and some hotels. The absence of toilet seats in public restroom is typical for Ukraine.

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