Where is it located?
Ukraine, a country in Eastern Europe, shares borders with Belarus, Russia, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and if you count Transnistria, it has one more border! The capital city is Kyiv, which is likely where you’ll fly into, but of course before the war. Ukraine has a blend of tradition and modern influence.
Where to find hosts in the country?
In addition to Kyiv, you can find hosts in cities like Lviv, Odessa, and other major urban areas. Finding a host in Kyiv is quite easy. Even when my two friends and I visited, we had no trouble finding a place to stay.
Our first host was a friend of mine who had previously stayed with me. The second host was an Israeli guy living in Kyiv at the time, although he has since relocated. Most hosts are in Kyiv due to being the biggest city. Despite the ongoing war, there will be fewer visitors now, making it potentially even easier to find a host. This trend holds true in other conflict-affected countries as well.
What did I do with the hosts?
After the arrival in Kyiv, a friend of our host picked us up and took us to their place. We enjoyed a traditional dinner together and shared stories. The evening was pleasant. Later, another friend arrived with camping gear around 1 am, and we went to a nearby park. We camped there illegally, experiencing a unique experience. I’ll detail this adventure in a separate article.
We started a small fire in the morning, making it an eventful first night. After returning home for a quick break, they even gave me a fantastic haircut. We all went to the city to meet their friends and played paintball. Following the paintball session, we attended a festival where we also reunited with our second host.
With the second host, we participated in the festival before returning to his place for pre-drinks, joined by our first host and his friends. We continued at the festival until the end, with a massive Ukrainian flag hanging above us—an interesting sight uncommon in Germany.
After a visit to Chernobyl, our host showed us around the city and we spent quality time together. We discovered a hidden restaurant with moving chairs, which turned out to be an unexpected delight.
How was the Experience?
The experience was truly amazing, especially since most of our activities were unplanned, aside from paintball. It underscores the richness of using Couchsurfing or simply engaging with locals instead of strictly planning every aspect of your trip. These unforgettable memories remain in my mind, and I’m grateful that I had the chance to experience them before recent events happened.
What’s important to know?
It’s important to say that all of my experiences happened before the conflict. While I’m not certain how Couchsurfing operates now, I believe it could still be functional due to reduced tourism. Nevertheless, keep in mind that certain areas are considered war zones. Although places like Kyiv and Lviv seem relatively safe to visit, guaranteeing safety is impossible. Friends suggest that these places are okay to explore, but I wouldn’t bet on this information.
Summary
My journey to Ukraine was truly amazing. I made friendships and collected memorable experiences. The locals displayed evident pride in their country, and even before the recent conflict, you could sense their hate for Russia. The tension was visible and it was probably just a matter of time before something like this happened. It is sad that it happened because the people who suffer are the locals living there and that is the same bad in all other countries with ongoing war.
Visiting Ukraine, like any conflict-affected country, comes with risks. If I had Ukraine on my list, I would consider visiting, even at this time. While countries in conflict zones are theoretically sometimes safe to explore, it is still unpredictable and that should always be kept in mind.
