Visiting Someone's Home in Ukraine

Video Transcript

There's some superstitions that that that are prevalent. For instance, you shouldn't shake hands right under the doorway. I don't know why, but apparently that's not a good thing. If you're going to bring flowers, make sure to not bring an even amount of flowers. Apparently, that's considered to be bad. So either take one out or add an additional one. Thirteen. Eleven, but not twelve. And always come with a gift of some sort, and something usually that they can't get locally. something American. It could be foreign, German coffee or American coffee or, I remember Starbucks was incredibly popular in Ukraine because they didn't have one at the time. So Starbucks would take you anywhere you wanted to go. It was great. But bring something with you. Don't come into handed to someone's house and also come dressed appropriately. And you don't necessarily have to be in a tuxedo. But dress in a way where you are showing that you respect the person that invited you, because they're going to dress like that. They're going to dress appropriately to sew shorts would be out of the question. You know, a T-shirt would be out of the question.

A service member offers advice on being a guest in a Ukrainian home.