Seriousness in Ukraine

Video Transcript

I think it also came from the Soviet Union, or something, from there. I hope the stereotype's going to break at some point. But, yeah, it's also the way, for example, my generation, the way they were brought up at school. You have to be serious; you have to be quiet; you have to go like this [fold arms], you have to do something, raise your hand. That's the way they brought us up. So, we have to have this... they teach us to be serious, a serious attitude towards everything. But foreigners shouldn't take it personally. It's nothing to do with constantly being in a bad mood, or being aggressive, or having something on their mind.

A Ukrainian national discusses the likely source of “seriousness” in Ukraine.