Saturday, October 24, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Beware the law of unintended consequences...
A few random thoughts today:
I peeled a carrot with a spooon last week. Worked better than expected.
I recently mentioned that someone installed 3 flood lights in the alleyway/arch that leads to my apartment door. In theory, this was done to ward off crime, or maybe make is less convenient for the homeless people who regularly dig through the garbage. As it turns out, the homeless people really like the lights. Since the alleyway is now so bright, they have no problem digging through the trash at midnight and being able to see everything they are picking at. Last night was the second time this week I've come home at night to people digging through the garbage.
Did you know the value of the US dollar is tanking? Unless you follow the financial markets, you probably wouldn't. Not unless you live in a city like New York, Washington DC, or a list of other touristy attraction-esc cities. The dollar is doing so bad right now that the canadian dollar is almost at parity. This is a currency that calls its 1 dollar coin a "Looney." Ridiculous.
The point of this is that because you don't know, you don't constantly worry about how much more broke you just became every day. In Kiev, almost every bank has a display letting you know the current exchange rate from local UAH to USD, Pound, and Euro. Last month, every day the value of the local currently slowly lost money to every other currency - which totally sucks for the locals who have most of their major bills like home and car loans written out in DOLLARS even though they are paid in HRYVNIA.
Oh, and as for my report writing .....I'm averaging about 3500 to 4500 words per day of typing. Basically I'm writing 90% of a report each day. I've got 3 more full reports to write, and 2 half reports. After that, its just going through them all and dealing with page numbers and loose ends. No weekend for me this week.
I peeled a carrot with a spooon last week. Worked better than expected.
I recently mentioned that someone installed 3 flood lights in the alleyway/arch that leads to my apartment door. In theory, this was done to ward off crime, or maybe make is less convenient for the homeless people who regularly dig through the garbage. As it turns out, the homeless people really like the lights. Since the alleyway is now so bright, they have no problem digging through the trash at midnight and being able to see everything they are picking at. Last night was the second time this week I've come home at night to people digging through the garbage.
Did you know the value of the US dollar is tanking? Unless you follow the financial markets, you probably wouldn't. Not unless you live in a city like New York, Washington DC, or a list of other touristy attraction-esc cities. The dollar is doing so bad right now that the canadian dollar is almost at parity. This is a currency that calls its 1 dollar coin a "Looney." Ridiculous.
The point of this is that because you don't know, you don't constantly worry about how much more broke you just became every day. In Kiev, almost every bank has a display letting you know the current exchange rate from local UAH to USD, Pound, and Euro. Last month, every day the value of the local currently slowly lost money to every other currency - which totally sucks for the locals who have most of their major bills like home and car loans written out in DOLLARS even though they are paid in HRYVNIA.
Oh, and as for my report writing .....I'm averaging about 3500 to 4500 words per day of typing. Basically I'm writing 90% of a report each day. I've got 3 more full reports to write, and 2 half reports. After that, its just going through them all and dealing with page numbers and loose ends. No weekend for me this week.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
You don't know how good you have it
Recently there was a news article here in the local english paper about the government looking to increase the minimum wage here. It was interesting because (well I didn't even know there was a minimum wage here) the minimum wage here....well it's pretty low. Based on a monthly scale, the current monthly minimum wage in Ukraine is 669UAH. The proposal was to increase it to 922UAH by the end of 2010.
Now, I don't know if that's for full time work, part time, or if you just work 1 hour a week you qualify for that - but it doesn't really matter. Let's look at some numbers to put 669UAH into perspective. The current US Federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, which, at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, comes out to be just shy of $1,257 per month. Obviously you don't get to take this much home because of payroll taxes, but since I don't know the tax rate in Ukraine we'll just go with that number.
Now, obviously 669UAH isn't dollars, and for the sake of comparison the figure shouldn't be converted into dollars, but since you may be curious - at today's exchange rate 669 UAH equals about $81. EIGHT ONE. But what can it buy?
669 UAH will buy you about 83 bananas in Kiev, or 81 loaves of bread. Based on the price of the chicken in my fridge, it could also buy about 33 pounds of chicken. My guess is that you are better off with the $1,257. Obviously Kiev is expensive, its the NYC of Ukraine, so living out in the country this would go much longer. Last night I spent 37UAH on a large cup of hot chocolate - I'd be able to buy 18 of them with the minimum wage...and then be homeless and hungry for the rest of the month.
...So the bottom line here is that it would suck to be living on the minimum wage here in Ukraine. Interesting statistic - unemployment in Ukraine is only 2%. I'm actually quite shocked that it's that low. It may have something to do with the fact that the government gives you a maintenance/janitor type job if you want to receive unemployment benefits. So it's kinda like employed-unemployment, and quite possibly indentured servitude.
Now, I don't know if that's for full time work, part time, or if you just work 1 hour a week you qualify for that - but it doesn't really matter. Let's look at some numbers to put 669UAH into perspective. The current US Federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, which, at 40 hours a week for 52 weeks, comes out to be just shy of $1,257 per month. Obviously you don't get to take this much home because of payroll taxes, but since I don't know the tax rate in Ukraine we'll just go with that number.
Now, obviously 669UAH isn't dollars, and for the sake of comparison the figure shouldn't be converted into dollars, but since you may be curious - at today's exchange rate 669 UAH equals about $81. EIGHT ONE. But what can it buy?
669 UAH will buy you about 83 bananas in Kiev, or 81 loaves of bread. Based on the price of the chicken in my fridge, it could also buy about 33 pounds of chicken. My guess is that you are better off with the $1,257. Obviously Kiev is expensive, its the NYC of Ukraine, so living out in the country this would go much longer. Last night I spent 37UAH on a large cup of hot chocolate - I'd be able to buy 18 of them with the minimum wage...and then be homeless and hungry for the rest of the month.
...So the bottom line here is that it would suck to be living on the minimum wage here in Ukraine. Interesting statistic - unemployment in Ukraine is only 2%. I'm actually quite shocked that it's that low. It may have something to do with the fact that the government gives you a maintenance/janitor type job if you want to receive unemployment benefits. So it's kinda like employed-unemployment, and quite possibly indentured servitude.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Spoon
I ate my breakfast with a spoon today. That's not normally a big deal, but when you consider I had scrambled eggs for breakfast, it becomes more confusing. I have 6 forks in my apartment and 12 spoons. 6 forks really isn't enough for a single guy who doesn't do his dishes that often.
Also, it's pretty much winter here now. It's cloudy, dark, and rainy almost every day. The sun sets at an even more ridiculous time each day. Below is a table that shows the sunrise and sunset times for the rest of the month:
Oct 21, 2009 7:30 AM 5:54 PM
Oct 22, 2009 7:32 AM 5:52 PM
Oct 23, 2009 7:34 AM 5:50 PM
Oct 24, 2009 7:35 AM 5:48 PM
Oct 25, 2009 6:37 AM 4:46 PM
Oct 26, 2009 6:39 AM 4:45 PM
Oct 27, 2009 6:40 AM 4:43 PM
Oct 28, 2009 6:42 AM 4:41 PM
Oct 29, 2009 6:44 AM 4:39 PM
Oct 30, 2009 6:45 AM 4:37 PM
Oct 31, 2009 6:47 AM 4:36 PM
As you can see, on October 25th we "fall back" an hour for fall, making the day end even sooner. This whole process bottoms out in December, when the average sunset time for the entire month is just shy of 4PM. I sure can't wait!
Also, it's pretty much winter here now. It's cloudy, dark, and rainy almost every day. The sun sets at an even more ridiculous time each day. Below is a table that shows the sunrise and sunset times for the rest of the month:
Oct 21, 2009 7:30 AM 5:54 PM
Oct 22, 2009 7:32 AM 5:52 PM
Oct 23, 2009 7:34 AM 5:50 PM
Oct 24, 2009 7:35 AM 5:48 PM
Oct 25, 2009 6:37 AM 4:46 PM
Oct 26, 2009 6:39 AM 4:45 PM
Oct 27, 2009 6:40 AM 4:43 PM
Oct 28, 2009 6:42 AM 4:41 PM
Oct 29, 2009 6:44 AM 4:39 PM
Oct 30, 2009 6:45 AM 4:37 PM
Oct 31, 2009 6:47 AM 4:36 PM
As you can see, on October 25th we "fall back" an hour for fall, making the day end even sooner. This whole process bottoms out in December, when the average sunset time for the entire month is just shy of 4PM. I sure can't wait!
Monday, October 19, 2009
10 Days Later
So I haven't wrote anything here in the last 10 days. It's not that nothing has happened in the last 10 days, but that I've been busy being busy. I've also been busy acting busy but not being busy. See, I'm a chronic procrastinator, and with my November 1st deadline looming, I'm almost hoping to waste a few days so that I feel the crunch of time later in the week. For the time being, I've been maybe a little too efficient with my time and I'm just on pace to finish with no real rush or hurry at all. Also, regarding the November 1st deadline, its a Sunday. I don't know if that means my work is done the Friday before, or the Monday after. I should ask, but I'm afraid that if its the 2nd I'll want to use the extra days.
As for some of the random things that have gone on over the last 10 days:
I have heat in my apartment now. It apparently takes an act of city council to determine when the ~11k residential buildings in downtown Kiev get their heat turned on. Once they approve of a time - which is largely based on weather - they set a 1 week rollout period. So this morning I woke up with my radiators working ...barely. I really can't remember how warm or hot they were when I arrived, but if it actually gets cold in my apartment, I may just have to use the gas stove/oven or hot water/steam from the shower to warm the apartment.
I've gotten pizza twice in the last 10 days. Both times I've come home with the pizza (carryout) there has been a homeless person digging through the dumpsters in the alley that goes to my apartment. That's an uncomfortable feeling.
They (not sure who) installed 3 floodlights in the alleyway to my apartment 2 days ago. That means that since I've lived there they've installed 2 security cameras, and 3 flood lights. I don't know if it's for extra security, or if the area is getting dangerous.
I discovered a new park yesterday. Its much bigger than the park I normally go to, and much nicer. It's basically right next to the places I always go running, and I have no idea how I missed it. It's a shame too because now that its cold here and the sun doesn't come out, it really isn't worth going to if I want to relax. Unless I could build a firepit somewhere I don't see myself hanging out there.
The little fruit shop/grocery store I always go to right next to my apartment has closed. I think its just for remodeling. It's sucked though because for the last week I've had to walk a lot farther to get bottles of water, bananas, eggs, and other random food things.
There's been some more random things...I'll update this again later when I need another break from work.
As for some of the random things that have gone on over the last 10 days:
I have heat in my apartment now. It apparently takes an act of city council to determine when the ~11k residential buildings in downtown Kiev get their heat turned on. Once they approve of a time - which is largely based on weather - they set a 1 week rollout period. So this morning I woke up with my radiators working ...barely. I really can't remember how warm or hot they were when I arrived, but if it actually gets cold in my apartment, I may just have to use the gas stove/oven or hot water/steam from the shower to warm the apartment.
I've gotten pizza twice in the last 10 days. Both times I've come home with the pizza (carryout) there has been a homeless person digging through the dumpsters in the alley that goes to my apartment. That's an uncomfortable feeling.
They (not sure who) installed 3 floodlights in the alleyway to my apartment 2 days ago. That means that since I've lived there they've installed 2 security cameras, and 3 flood lights. I don't know if it's for extra security, or if the area is getting dangerous.
I discovered a new park yesterday. Its much bigger than the park I normally go to, and much nicer. It's basically right next to the places I always go running, and I have no idea how I missed it. It's a shame too because now that its cold here and the sun doesn't come out, it really isn't worth going to if I want to relax. Unless I could build a firepit somewhere I don't see myself hanging out there.
The little fruit shop/grocery store I always go to right next to my apartment has closed. I think its just for remodeling. It's sucked though because for the last week I've had to walk a lot farther to get bottles of water, bananas, eggs, and other random food things.
There's been some more random things...I'll update this again later when I need another break from work.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Banana
So I was shopping today in a big open market with fresh meat vegetables and fruit. Normally I have a banana every day for breakfast, so I know they cost about 2uah a banana - but I don't get them here. I asked the lady for two bananas an she puts them in the scale and says 8. I thought I heard her wrong and asked her again. Still 8. They were big bananas so I said no, and offered her five. She was still stuck on 8. So I walked off.
Moral of the story is that they thought because by Russian is terrible I must be a tourist and have money. That or the lady has no idea what a banana costs.
Moral of the story is that they thought because by Russian is terrible I must be a tourist and have money. That or the lady has no idea what a banana costs.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Lots to update
It's been a week and a lot has gone on. Unfortunately I'm rather tired and will be going to bed soon - it's midnight here. However, before going to bed I think it's worth sharing a thought I had a few days ago.
Being a clothing manufacturer/retailer in Ukraine has to be so much easier than in the USA. I'll use a personal example. When I look around town at the lovely young ladies of Ukraine, I see them wearing clothes of two sizes - small and medium. No large, and certainly no extra large. Things like demand planning and setting up retail settings must be so much easier knowing that there is really no need for 48" jeans.
Which led me to another thought. The margins on clothing must be so much better in countries like Ukraine. The amount of material used on a pair of 24" jeans has to be considerably different than the amount of material used to make a pair of 48" jeans. Yet I've never walked into a store and seen a company try to charge the customer more for the fact that their jeans cost more to make. Hell, they cost more to ship too. Maybe that's what America needs to slim down; retailers should start charging more for clothes that are bigger, and slightly less for clothes that are smaller. Then again, this could backfire if women who should wear extra large clothes start buying mediums in an effort to save a few dollars.
Being a clothing manufacturer/retailer in Ukraine has to be so much easier than in the USA. I'll use a personal example. When I look around town at the lovely young ladies of Ukraine, I see them wearing clothes of two sizes - small and medium. No large, and certainly no extra large. Things like demand planning and setting up retail settings must be so much easier knowing that there is really no need for 48" jeans.
Which led me to another thought. The margins on clothing must be so much better in countries like Ukraine. The amount of material used on a pair of 24" jeans has to be considerably different than the amount of material used to make a pair of 48" jeans. Yet I've never walked into a store and seen a company try to charge the customer more for the fact that their jeans cost more to make. Hell, they cost more to ship too. Maybe that's what America needs to slim down; retailers should start charging more for clothes that are bigger, and slightly less for clothes that are smaller. Then again, this could backfire if women who should wear extra large clothes start buying mediums in an effort to save a few dollars.
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