July 4th in Kiev.

[mattsh]

If someone has been to one of these in the past and found it worthwhile, let me know. 

AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY PICNIC 2008

The American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine is pleased to organize the Annual American Independence Day Picnic in Kyiv which will be held on Saturday, July 5th. This great family event is not only fun but also raises money for worthy charities throughout Ukraine.

2008 Annual American Independence Day Picnic Advanced Tickets are available - they are a perfect gift to give your staff or friends to ensure that they enjoy this great American holiday with you and the Chamber. Advanced tickets are limited so please contact Daria Gorb at 490-5800. Advanced Tickets cost 70 UAH each and includes: entrance to the event (70 UAH), plus 6 FREE Picnic Bucks (you will be able to buy a variety of items with the Picnic Bucks at the Event including: tasty food, cold draft beer, raffle tickets, commemorative t-shirts etc.). At the Event: 1 Picnic Buck = 5 UAH Donation. For more details please contact the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine at:

Horizon Office Towers
42-44 Shovkovychna vul., LL1
Kyiv 01601, Ukraine
Telephone: +380 44 490 5800
Fax: +380 44 490 5801
e-mail
www.chamber.ua

[ecocks]

I went 2 years ago out at Chayka - not too bad.  The food was the best part.  More Ukrainians than Americans though - not much English being spoken.

[SilverBullet]

Why on earth would anyone celebrate 4th of July in Ukraine? Save party time to the Ukrainian Independence Day instead! August 24th! When in Ukraine - do as the Ukrainians and not act as a bunch of homesick Americans missing beer and hot dogs on July 4th! 

[mattsh]

For the same reasons people of other nationalities will celebrate holidays that are important in their culture.  Holidays are generally about a whole lot more than "party time," at least where I come from.  And I haven't even seen a whole lot of celebrating of Ukrainian Independence day anyway.  But, I understand your point. 

But my point is socializing and meeting people who speak your native language.  Until my Russian and/or Ukrainian gets a whole lot better, I need to spend some time around English speakers.  If your language skills are well short of fluent, in many cases you're just chatting and not really communicating.  (Although you may convince yourself that you are).  And believe me, I can do without the food. But not the beer. 

[ORDUCK]

My introduction to Ukraine was last year in Portland, Oregon, USA, in late August when some of the 58,000 Ukrainian immigrants living in Oregon put on one hell of a party to celebrate their independence.  I reserve the right to celebrate my country's independence wherever I am in the world with other like-minded people! The food doesn't matter, but there must be beer and people who love America. 

I hear the US Embassy gives a great 4th of July party.  Anyone know how to get invited?

[Packman]

Why on earth would anyone celebrate 4th of July in Ukraine? Save party time to the Ukrainian Independence Day instead! August 24th! When in Ukraine - do as the Ukrainians and not act as a bunch of homesick Americans missing beer and hot dogs on July 4th! 

Why can't you do both?  Maybe you haven't been away from your home country for any length of time?  Actually I've never celebrated 4th of July away from the US in my 6 years away, nevertheless I reserve the right to do so and find out what might be going on for it. 

Your opinion strikes me as overly parochial!  These two events/holidays or not mutually exclusive.

[mattsh]

I hear the US Embassy gives a great 4th of July party.  Anyone know how to get invited?

The only thing mentioned on the US Embassy website, Kiev, is the Chamber of Commerce event mentioned in post #1.  To get invited, just call and pay the fee. 

If the embassy does anything else, they certainly don't advertise it. 

[SilverBullet]

For the same reasons people of other nationalities will celebrate holidays that are important in their culture.  Holidays are generally about a whole lot more than "party time," at least where I come from.  And I haven't even seen a whole lot of celebrating of Ukrainian Independence day anyway.  But, I understand your point. 

But my point is socializing and meeting people who speak your native language.  Until my Russian and/or Ukrainian gets a whole lot better, I need to spend some time around English speakers.  If your language skills are well short of fluent, in many cases you're just chatting and not really communicating.  (Although you may convince yourself that you are).  And believe me, I can do without the food. But not the beer. 

If you really want to learn Russian, the best way is to avoid Americans. I have lived and worked in several countries for 2 decades already, and always avoided "the Ghettos" of fellow countrymen. It will only delay your integration and your effort to learn a foreign language (Russian). You will however have great cameraderi with other, sometimes "homesick" Americans  When you "force" yourself to become Ukrainian fast, you learn so much more. Also many Ukrainians speak some English too.  As for the food - Ukrainian is more tasty and heatlhy than the American. As for beer, I don't miss the American. The best beer in the world is the German - they have the highest standards in making it. When I see the low quality Mexican beer Corona sold in Kyiv for 12 Hryvnia /bottle I must laugh when the Danish "champions" like Carlsberg and Tuborg cost less than 50%. So much for American beer - mass produced and low quality for the most part except for Coors; I would rather enjoy Ukrainian beer, a favorite is Obolon Premium.    

[ecocks]

ORDUCK is probably talking about their internal, private party.  The Embassy doesn't sponsor a public party, probably for legitimate security reasons.

The only one I know of is the AmCham event already mentioned.  As I said, the food was the best part and substituting Ukrainian beer for American is probably a net gain rather than a loss.  The first time I went I rember being surprised that there were so few Americans and at hearing so much Russian. Ah well, it is what it is as one of my acquantainces likes to say.

Still, a good time and it can give you a touch of nostalgia if you enjoy the "ribs and corn-on-the-cob on a paper plate" variety of it.  I won't go this year but I am glad i went that other time.  Not many of us can say we celebrated a 4th in a foreign country.

[Packman]

For the same reasons people of other nationalities will celebrate holidays that are important in their culture.  Holidays are generally about a whole lot more than "party time," at least where I come from.  And I haven't even seen a whole lot of celebrating of Ukrainian Independence day anyway.  But, I understand your point. 

But my point is socializing and meeting people who speak your native language.  Until my Russian and/or Ukrainian gets a whole lot better, I need to spend some time around English speakers.  If your language skills are well short of fluent, in many cases you're just chatting and not really communicating.  (Although you may convince yourself that you are).  And believe me, I can do without the food. But not the beer. 

If you really want to learn Russian, the best way is to avoid Americans. I have lived and worked in several countries for 2 decades already, and always avoided "the Ghettos" of fellow countrymen. It will only delay your integration and your effort to learn a foreign language (Russian). You will however have great cameraderi with other, sometimes "homesick" Americans  When you "force" yourself to become Ukrainian fast, you learn so much more. Also many Ukrainians speak some English too.  As for the food - Ukrainian is more tasty and heatlhy than the American. As for beer, I don't miss the American. The best beer in the world is the German - they have the highest standards in making it. When I see the low quality Mexican beer Corona sold in Kyiv for 12 Hryvnia /bottle I must laugh when the Danish "champions" like Carlsberg and Tuborg cost less than 50%. So much for American beer - mass produced and low quality for the most part except for Coors; I would rather enjoy Ukrainian beer, a favorite is Obolon Premium.    

Gee, your parochialism is forcing me to me a homer...which I decidedly am not.  First of all, to say Ukrainian cuisine which is extremely high in fat content is more healthy is laughable.  As for the beer, obviously you haven't experienced American micro-brews.  Obolon is nothing more than another variety of mass produced swill of the likes of Coors or American budweiser.

[ORDUCK]

Good job, Packman!

I don't drink Coors because of the owners' right wing $$$$$$.

I would invite you all to visit Portland, Oregon, home of the largest concentration of micro-breweries in the US.  I have become spoiled by the variety of seasonal and specialty micro offerings. 

But Ukrainian beer can be very tasty, especially if one wanders beyond the normalnya. 

I'm looking forward to the 4th of July with the Chamber!

[3000ftup]

Please excuse me for being off topic, but good beer goes with celebration.  Yes, Oregon is definetly home to great micro brews.  Ever try Czech beer... in my humble opinion, it is the finest in Europe

[Carlushika]

Pardon me for continuing off topic! I suppose everyone has their own preference for I was rather surprised that Ukrainian beer doesn't seem to go down too well. I find Slavutich and Chernihivs'ke delicious, especially on a very hot day as long as it is well chilled. Personally, though, I do have to agree that Obolon has a strange taste. I wonder why it is Ukraine's most successful, being exported all over Europe.

I haven't tried those beers from the so-called micro-breweries. Are they available in Europe at all? Can any of you provide a few names?

Maybe we need a new thread for this beer topic!

[mattsh]

Pardon me for continuing off topic! I suppose everyone has their own preference for I was rather surprised that Ukrainian beer doesn't seem to go down too well. I find Slavutich and Chernihivs'ke delicious, especially on a very hot day as long as it is well chilled. Personally, though, I do have to agree that Obolon has a strange taste. I wonder why it is Ukraine's most successful, being exported all over Europe.

I haven't tried those beers from the so-called micro-breweries. Are they available in Europe at all? Can any of you provide a few names?

Maybe we need a new thread for this beer topic!

I'm with you on the Ukrainian beers.  Compared to US beers, they are quite good.  It's often said that the mass-marketed American beers taste like warm piss.  I tend to agree, in most cases.  And Coors?  Used to be better many years ago.  Now it's just one of the pack.  And yes, there's that politics thing for me too. 

As for the US micro-brews.  As the "micro" indicates, it's a very small operation.  Generally they brew for in-house use only.  A few larger ones might have limited distribution, maybe 20 miles or so. 

But there are a couple of micro-breweries right here in Kiev, if I'm not mistaken. 

[ecocks]

So, back to the OP, anyone going?  My wife is wanting me to go even though my allergies are killing me.

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