XXXXX There was a problem, right after I decided on Eastern Europe, possibly Russia, I started learning Russian, but I had an accident which affected my business a lot for several years as it meant lost opportunities in 2011. Also I couldn't go travelling until at least end of Summer 2011, but due to more circumstances it became August 2012. I then went to Ukraine once a year and each time I felt the same: There is something cool in Ukraine everywhere! Diversion 1: Why do people travel to Ukraine -------------------------------------------- Foreigners in Ukraine: On some trips I talked with e.g taxi drivers and some asked me if I came to Ukraine for the beautiful girls. Well, I'm single so perhaps I could find a cool woman here. I find Ukrainian women far more interesting than Dutch women, but I'm not coming here to find a beautiful woman. I find Ukraine and Ukrainian people more to my liking and if all goes well I could find someone cool, but, it's not about beauty. And contrary to what many people write/tell, I don't think women are more beautiful in Ukraine than in NL, though the combination blue eyes + dark hair is more common here and that is very attractive to me, but ultimately not important. What is important and what I am looking for is to have and get in return a deeper appreciation for the personality and of goals in life. Some goals in life and views of what is important in life need to be shared. It is not so easy to find someone who fits with you, if you are looking for a deeper connection... Other people, come to Ukraine for tourism, because it's cheap, or others because they find it interesting here. It makes me sad to hear when people come here because it's cheap, they should come because it's interesting! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX I've talked a lot with Jehova's witnesses in NL and with a few in Ukraine, for example during a train ride, and these people think more about life, and though for me the concept of God is different than for them (for me God = everything, not a creator but everything there is, the whole in which we live, and we ourselves are part of), I feel most comfortable with such people, they have similar views on life as I have, but, they have rules and restrictions that I disagree about, such as not celebrating Christmas with a tree, or not celebrating birthdays. These are simply customs, and for children birthdays are good for birthday presents, so I think they should celebrate thse days as other people do. Also, I'm not a person who likes to join groups. I have my own views, I don't want to be forced into doing things, living someone else's lifestyle instead of my own. [ questions on this topic? ]