Post: #1

Confirmed.

I have just moved to Ukraine.

I now live in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

I visited Ukraine in Summer '11, and had a decent time with girls, given my weak game skills that time.

Lifestyle:
I am 20, and shall be teaching English here, alongside eventually being full-time Web entrepreneur.

I might register my company here in Ukraine.
Obviously this country has a horrendous reputation in terms of ease of business, red tape, corruption and so on. Although I happen to have plenty of contacts who have done it in a neat way without much hassles. Besides, it's not necessary I'll do it in Ukraine surely.

I'll be starting out 2 websites in a very short time -

Both are not focused on Ukraine only, but a global audience.

One, catering to "Study Abroad - Volunteer Abroad and Career Consultancy".
I have some contacts regarding it, although any forum member interested in it may PM me.
Another, dealing with Web Consultancy, sort of a step by step program to help you gain traffic and revenue through Web projects.


I am looking for other niche as well - would love to have some suggestions from your end.

Game/Girls:
I was highly impressed by the quality of Ukrainian girls, which large number of Ukraine based threads on this forum confirm.
I had plenty of success in Summers. It's winter now, and I am not used to such winter actually, hence I have some problems being motivated enough in -14F.


I was highly unimpressed by some linguistic issues (I don't speak very well Russian myself) and the fact that people are not very open/receptive of other cultures here.

Ukraine is quite a cheap country, and for other part, I didn't met any sheer racism here.
(I am an Indian, with average shade brown skin)
Kharkiv is quite a beautiful city with most people speaking Russian, and you can find English speakers with some efforts but usually they don't have a very good English.

I didn't see too many expats here, with the exception of too many Africans/Vietnamese/Arabs, who are emigrants and not "expats" strictly speaking.

As for gaming girls, I find them through internet - Mamba/Vkontakte as mentioned on other threads, or just talk them in Metro or around various clubs.

Anyone has comments on coming/living in Kharkiv or Ukraine as a whole?

I think I want to focus on any of the "Lifestyle" or "Game" related aspects.

Can anyone talk about that scene?

Post: #2

Cool. I'm here now too, but just for a few more days. I'll send you a PM about meeting up.

Post: #3

(02-28-2012 08:40 AM)The Duke Wrote:  Cool. I'm here now too, but just for a few more days. I'll send you a PM about meeting up.

Nice.

Post: #4

(02-28-2012 07:58 AM)Ami5 Wrote:  I am 20, and shall be teaching English here, alongside eventually being full-time Web entrepreneur.

I might register my company here in Ukraine.
Obviously this country has a horrendous reputation in terms of ease of business, red tape, corruption and so on. Although I happen to have plenty of contacts who have done it in a neat way without much hassles. Besides, it's not necessary I'll do it in Ukraine surely.

Congrats on moving to the Ukraine, but if you're a Web entrepreneur and not running a business that requires a physical location why in the world would you want to register your company in the Ukraine and not in a business-friendly on- or off-shore domicile?

Post: #5

In eastern Europe some problems you may face are the fact you aren't from the same village. Stick to the cities and you will be fine. Racism sadly exists in every country. As for women digging you plow on!!!!

Post: #6

(02-28-2012 09:55 AM)Soma Wrote:  Congrats on moving to the Ukraine, but if you're a Web entrepreneur and not running a business that requires a physical location why in the world would you want to register your company in the Ukraine and not in a business-friendly on- or off-shore domicile?

I actually asked my question earlier , about registering a company but could not get too satisfactory answers.

No, I am not so sure about registering a company in Ukraine; in fact, I am not even keen on it. Although, the situation is not too bad - I personally know three four people who started their business here. It's definitely not a business friendly country; they have to run here and there often for some paperwork, but it's not too bad.

Having said that, I am still not so keen on registering here.
If it's extremely urgent though, I may succumb to do it here itself then.

My plan is to start the website and carry it out without registering it legally for few months maybe, till I have some decent revenue. After that I may opt to go to another country and register there.

Need more info on off-shore investment though.

Post: #7

I would say try and keep your business internet based to save yourself a lot of tears, but then again I personally have not tried to set up a business here.

The people I know that have, have encountered all manner of shit, dodgy accountants, bent landlords, etc.

Be prepared to bribe, a friend of mine recently tried to close his business in Ukraine, he spoke to the lawyer and he said the officals wanted a bribe to speed things up, he asked how much, the guy said "a packet of pencils or some chocolates" hahaha

Post: #8

(02-28-2012 04:17 PM)Deb Auchery Wrote:  I would say try and keep your business internet based to save yourself a lot of tears, but then again I personally have not tried to set up a business here.

The people I know that have, have encountered all manner of shit, dodgy accountants, bent landlords, etc.

Be prepared to bribe, a friend of mine recently tried to close his business in Ukraine, he spoke to the lawyer and he said the officals wanted a bribe to speed things up, he asked how much, the guy said "a packet of pencils or some chocolates" hahaha

I heard from a guy here, who started his Tea Business here in Kharkiv, that he had to bribe the officials. One official in particular asked him for ten packs of Indian tea and some shitty Bollywood movie CDs!

Post: #9

I have also heard that bribes are pretty small. Estonian guy said "2 euros" will usually get the job done.

Post: #10

(02-28-2012 04:17 PM)Deb Auchery Wrote:  I would say try and keep your business internet based to save yourself a lot of tears, but then again I personally have not tried to set up a business here.

The people I know that have, have encountered all manner of shit, dodgy accountants, bent landlords, etc.

Be prepared to bribe, a friend of mine recently tried to close his business in Ukraine, he spoke to the lawyer and he said the officals wanted a bribe to speed things up, he asked how much, the guy said "a packet of pencils or some chocolates" hahaha

The pussy must be divine for you to overcome the cultural backwater that is business in Ukraine. Here's some pencils, will you file the paperwork now? No? Okay, here's a Hershey bar. I don't know whether to feel bad for them, or to be grateful these corrupt fucks are broke and will take peanuts. Can you imagine the same mentality, but instead of being satisfied with a box of chocolates they wanted $500 USD - Kiev would be like Moscow.

Your posts about Ukraine always make me laugh.

Post: #11

Congratulations, you are a trooper and stay positive.

Oh yeah, post some pics of the talent.

Post: #12

There is no way in hell I would open a business, in Ukraine, unless it was for residency. I would exhaust every other option before doing that.

Bribes can be a two way street. It can be virtually impossible to get anything done there without bribes but can also allow greater freedom.

Getting anything done in Ukraine is a major pain in the ass. I remember having to deal with paperwork there and looked for the correct offices to get information. I would go on a Tuesday to get info and the office would only answer questions between 3 an 4 on Wednesday/Thursday.

I go back on Wednesday at 3 and find out I am in the wrong office. I go to the correct office and they only answer questions between 1 and 2 on Mondays.

Then you finally get the right info and the right paperwork and have to go to a different building (normally a bank) in order to pay for the fees. After you pay you have to take the receipt back to the same office but only between the correct hours on the correct days.

Post: #13

@Rudebwoy: Thanks, mate.

@worldwidetraveler: As I just mentioned, Ukraine is one of the most undesirable country in the world to start a business.
Having said that, it's not 100% bad, given I have a few people who went that route.
The only possibility I would actually register my business here is if I have some urgency and so on. And even then, when it grows a bit, I'd head off immediately to register someplace else.

Why not to shed some lights on registering in other countries as well?

Post: #14

(02-29-2012 02:46 AM)Ami5 Wrote:  Why not to shed some lights on registering in other countries as well?

I only incorporated in the US.

It sounds like you are putting the cart before the horse. It might be better to worry about incorporation until you get something profitable.

Post: #15

You came direct from India?
That's a hell of a leap at 20!I like your pioneering spirit.
Are you relying on English teaching to keep you afloat financially?

Post: #16

Long time Ami5. we never got to talk before you left. I am looking at some job opps in US & Eur. Lets talk sometime.

Congrats on the move from UP to UKR.

Not sure if I ever got to hear the story / report of how you laid your first set during your first trip to UKR.

Post: #17

(02-29-2012 04:21 AM)worldwidetraveler Wrote:  It sounds like you are putting the cart before the horse. It might be better to worry about incorporation until you get something profitable.

Under normal scenario -
Gonna make some profit - just enough not to bugle the alarm. And eventually incorporate in Europe (Belgium,Germany,Latvia) or the US, preferably.

Post: #18

How do you plan on meeting girls? Day/night/internet/social circle?

Post: #19

@Pilgrim37: Thanks. No, I am not relying English teaching solely to keep me financially afloat, but it does is a fair part of what supports me financially, particularly for the first few months.

@xmlenigma: Send you some mails some time back. For Summer trip to Ukraine, you can read the report here.

Post: #20

(02-29-2012 01:37 PM)Roosh Wrote:  How do you plan on meeting girls? Day/night/internet/social circle?

Let me be honest, I have never been in such snow before and such a winter actually marred my motivation completely.
It's been a week here already and I didn't feel like gaming any girl yet.
I guess, I don't get too much turned on seeing fur jackets.


Having said that, I am pipelining hard on internet.
I am combining internet+social circle game - adding the "3rd degree" sort of girls from network into my list and so on.
It doesn't goes the exact way I wish, but I plan to get acquainted with the girls now and eventually when it gets more warmer, I'd like to hit them all hard.


It's good, as I am focusing to start my website in the meanwhile.
You can say, winter and business are holding me up for now, but I am using this time to pipeline and adding girls to eventually fixing numerous dates/meet-ups at once.

In 4-6 weeks, it'd be much warmer and by that time I'd feel more stable to hit them up.

Post: #21

(02-29-2012 01:47 PM)Ami5 Wrote:  

(02-29-2012 01:37 PM)Roosh Wrote:  How do you plan on meeting girls? Day/night/internet/social circle?

Let me be honest, I have never been in such snow before and such a winter actually marred my motivation completely.
It's been a week here already and I didn't feel like gaming any girl yet.
I guess, I don't get too much turned on seeing fur jackets.


Having said that, I am pipelining hard on internet.
I am combining internet+social circle game - adding the "3rd degree" sort of girls from network into my list and so on.
It doesn't goes the exact way I wish, but I plan to get acquainted with the girls now and eventually when it gets more warmer, I'd like to hit them all hard.


It's good, as I am focusing to start my website in the meanwhile.
You can say, winter and business are holding me up for now, but I am using this time to pipeline and adding girls to eventually fixing numerous dates/meet-ups at once.

In 4-6 weeks, it'd be much warmer and by that time I'd feel more stable to hit them up.

Ami stop making excuses!

I'm gaming regularly in the snow, apart from when it was -30 a couple of weeks ago.

Post: #22

(02-29-2012 04:29 PM)Deb Auchery Wrote:  

(02-29-2012 01:47 PM)Ami5 Wrote:  

(02-29-2012 01:37 PM)Roosh Wrote:  How do you plan on meeting girls? Day/night/internet/social circle?

Let me be honest, I have never been in such snow before and such a winter actually marred my motivation completely.
It's been a week here already and I didn't feel like gaming any girl yet.
I guess, I don't get too much turned on seeing fur jackets.


Having said that, I am pipelining hard on internet.
I am combining internet+social circle game - adding the "3rd degree" sort of girls from network into my list and so on.
It doesn't goes the exact way I wish, but I plan to get acquainted with the girls now and eventually when it gets more warmer, I'd like to hit them all hard.


It's good, as I am focusing to start my website in the meanwhile.
You can say, winter and business are holding me up for now, but I am using this time to pipeline and adding girls to eventually fixing numerous dates/meet-ups at once.

In 4-6 weeks, it'd be much warmer and by that time I'd feel more stable to hit them up.

Ami stop making excuses!

I'm gaming regularly in the snow, apart from when it was -30 a couple of weeks ago.

Its the light levels, not the cold.

I strongly suggest getting lamps at 10,000-lux and sitting in front of them 30 minutes right after waking up (don't look directly at the light, it should be above your head and hitting the bottom of your eyes).

Seasonal decreases in mood associated with low light levels are common. FYI, Ukraine/Poland are at about the same latitude as Canada... significantly higher than the USA and way higher than India (I think that's where you are from, correct?).

Light therapy has been shown to improve mood, energy, and testosterone levels. Its cheap and has no side effects. I used to think it was bullshit..but it works.

Try it. From Oct to the end of March, 30 min a day, while having breakfast or reading.

Post: #23

I was actually discussing light lamps with a fellow member today. Should have got one at the start of winter not the end.

Post: #24

(02-29-2012 05:07 PM)Deb Auchery Wrote:  I was actually discussing light lamps with a fellow member today. Should have got one at the start of winter not the end.

Yah, kind late now.. but you might as well get one and have it for the final month and for next year.
Its not like lamps change prices from year to year.

I got 2 halogens at 7,000 lux. They are "work" lights like the kind you see on construction sites.
I got bulbs with UV filtering glass. Make sure you have these...or make sure the lamp itself has a UV filter in front of the bulb.

Only down side is the cost of electricity. 20-30 minutes per day ought to do it according to most research.

Post: #25

(02-28-2012 07:18 PM)durangotang Wrote:  

(02-28-2012 04:17 PM)Deb Auchery Wrote:  I would say try and keep your business internet based to save yourself a lot of tears, but then again I personally have not tried to set up a business here.

The people I know that have, have encountered all manner of shit, dodgy accountants, bent landlords, etc.

Be prepared to bribe, a friend of mine recently tried to close his business in Ukraine, he spoke to the lawyer and he said the officals wanted a bribe to speed things up, he asked how much, the guy said "a packet of pencils or some chocolates" hahaha

The pussy must be divine for you to overcome the cultural backwater that is business in Ukraine. Here's some pencils, will you file the paperwork now? No? Okay, here's a Hershey bar. I don't know whether to feel bad for them, or to be grateful these corrupt fucks are broke and will take peanuts. Can you imagine the same mentality, but instead of being satisfied with a box of chocolates they wanted $500 USD - Kiev would be like Moscow.

Your posts about Ukraine always make me laugh.

Yeah, that is not a "bribe".

That is a "gift".