Introduction

Kiev, January 2014: millions of Ukrainians march the streets to protest the sitting government of Viktor Janoekovytsj and their new laws. These events were followed by a chain reaction of provocations, violence and geopolitical mind games between Russia and the West. As a result the Ukrainian economy has plummeted, and so has the number of tourists in Kiev. So upon receiving the invitation for the 'Explore Kiev'-project, I was kind of reluctant because of the whole situation. They planned an interesting project, but was it worth the risk? On the other hand, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to push my personal boundaries by leaving the safe Belgian nest and create a wider vision of this topical issue. So,­­­ in the coming month I'll be exploring Kiev, and in lesser extend Odessa and Lviv, and share my experiences on this blog. The blog will be a mix of reports of our cultural excursions and my own interpretation of daily life and the locals in Kiev.

On my way to Kiev from Belgium it became clear to me that the Ukrainian situation is a hot topic in the world . By accident i had booked a flight to Kiev via Moscow and even had an intense discussion there with an Italian pro-Russian guy which almost made me miss my flight to Kiev. To be clear, I want to state that I'm not unanimously picking the side of one party in this conflict. I have always felt closer to Western values than those in Putin's Russia, but recent decisions made by the Porosjenko government, like the banning of the Communist party in a so-called democratic country, make me distrust the  course this government is sailing. My main believe is that there should be a solution for ALL Ukrainian people instead of  the constant 'us versus them' politics of the latest years, let's just say that I'm pro-Ukraine. Anyway, This blog is not meant as propaganda for the sitting Porosjenko government or the rebels, which doesn't mean I won't discuss the current situation as it is inevitable on this trip. However, the main objective will always be to show an image of Kiev as a capital that's not torn apart by war and hatred, but a place where you can safely travel and have a good time.