"Some curiosity is needed to travel the Ukraine."
The mood is tarnished in general sooner. Older people seem to regret the Communist system. The people seem to be busy, sometimes also impersonally until unkindly.
In contrast to other former east bloc states, like Poland or the Czech Republic, in the service sector of the Ukraine the same behavior is still to be noticed like the people in 'Russia' have a reputation for.
The service at the customer doesn't rank above any things. So it can already happen, that you have to interrupt the conversation of two salespersons in order to be served.
You will rarely hear the obligatory 'Request and Thank's', even more rarely at ticket counters or at exchange bureaus.
Friendliness, considerateness, friendly greetings - is no casualness! You cannot always expect to look into a friendly face or to be served obligingly.
Some reaction can astonish. So it is absolutely possible that you get no map at the railway station kiosk, at which there are many newspapers.
To the pressing question, where I could acquire such a guide, I got only an uncomprehending shrug of shoulders. Really you get in bookstores and in souvenir shops city maps. Kiosks sell no city maps generally.
At established businesses - like central department stores, exchange bureaus and so on - usually you will have rather the feeling to have just disturbed than have been a customer.
The reason is probably, that nobody at Communist times was accustomed to serve other people.
Therefore much understanding is necessary, if one don't want to spoil one's pleaseure for reason of misunderstanding or of lack of insight into people's nature.
However that are perfunctory impressions! One must not generalize this and must not it understand as personal hurt.
The Ukraine is a country in the change and the deficiencies which happen to one, belongs to the charm of this country.
And helpfulness - above all to strangers - is lived everywhere!