Regardless of who comprises the better halves of the whole, any
relationship can indeed be challenging. It becomes doubly challenging
when you are dating a lady from another country. Then you would have to
deal with things you do not have to deal with if you were dating your
own countrymen: language barrier, differences in culture and lack of
knowledge about your fiancee's views on life's issues. But you can
always start hurdling the challenges from the point of the most mundane
- knowing your ladylove's eating and drinking habits.
What you should know about Ukrainian cuisine is that Ukrainians are
very hospitable to their guests. Indeed, they are very generous at
feeding guests. Chances are, your Ukrainian lady would also know how to
cook. Thus, the first dating tip that we can share to you is to prepare
yourself to eat a lot of what you have been served and exerting your
best effort to not refuse a second serving of anything when you are
having dinner at your ladylove's home. Otherwise, they (herself
included) might think you are rejecting their hospitality and do not
like their food (as well as the effort that they put into the cooking).
Ukrainian cuisine runs the whole gamut of dishes - from the very tasty
to the exotic. The most traditional of Ukrainian dishes are Salo or
Pig's fatwith garlic, Borshch or beet soup, Vareniki or the Ukrainian
version of Ravioli, Nalisniki or pancakes, and Golubsti or cabbage
rolls. Some of these items you will definitely love, while others you
might hate. Another tip then is to think about an inoffensive and nice
excuse on why you do not want to eat or even taste some of them.
Of course, you should make sure that your excuse is nice, and more
importantly, believable. Pig fat is not eat in the United States and in
most countries of Europe. You might even be feeling sick now as you are
reading this (more so if you eat it), but do not tell it to her family.
So think ahead and come up with a very good reason why you deny it when
it is offered to you.
As to their drinking habits, you should know many of them Ukrainian men
drink a lot. Most of them prefer cognac or vodka. The drinking habit
is, in fact, why many of the women in Ukraine wish to marry foreigners.
Thus, if you want to be successful in your relationship with your
Ukrainian lady, do not drink too much and do not share with her your
adventures at the pub.
Of course, there are some Ukrainian ladies who drink a lot of alcohol.
Most of them think it is okay to drink some wine or other liquor when
you are having a date or when you are taking part in celebrations or
holidays. Still, there are some ladies who are very specific about
their men not drinking any alcohol at all.
If you are visiting your ladylove's family or when you think you are
ready for it, talk to your lady first about her views on drinking. If
she is not against it, you may give a bottle of alcoholic drink to her
father or to her entire family when you are visiting. Remember though
not to drink too much even when the rest of her family is generously
offering you to drink more.
Keeping to these simple rules when dealing with Ukrainian cuisine and
drinking habits will help you to positively impress your lady and to
avoid unnecessary conflicts in your relationships.
