800 jobs created by US capital
Last Saturday the US expats and their Ukrainian friends staged the 12th Fourth of July picnic in Kyiv.
A young fellow sporting a red T-shirt reading “USSR” up front, complete with the good old hammer and sickle, did not voice any special emotions but obviously enjoyed the barbecue and grilled sausages, washing every helping down with Coca-Cola.
Before the event at the Spartak Stadium it had started raining cats and dogs, so a local fire brigade had to be alerted to help clean up the mess. Also, those eager to take part in the festivities had to stand in two huge lines to buy an entrance ticket for 18 hryvnias (although, for some reason, each had to pay an extra $10 or UAH 60 — we will return to the Spartak exchange rate later). The old-timers were instantly reminded of the first US exhibit in Kyiv, the only difference being that then people were admitted free of charge, closely watched by somber- faced men in plainclothes with KGB written all over their faces. This time every visitor was frisked by security guards and every lady had to open her purse to show its contents. The Ukrainian militia were standing to the side, acting as a backup force, men stationed at 10-meter intervals alongside the stadium fence.
True, the media people were accorded special treatment. This author had to wait for the security guard to find his name on the accreditation list and was then cordially let through the gate, although the man forgot to attach a paper stars-and-stripes bracelet to my wrist, so that precisely 30 minutes later I was spotted by security guards within the perimeter and politely led back to the gate where Mr. Jorge Zukoski, chief organizer and President of the US Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, personally fixed the bracelet, finally authorizing me to access the territory under temporary US lease.
I took advantage of the situation and asked Mr. Zukoski (35, clad in a red T-shirt reading PICNIC, shorts, and large black shoes, little resembling Uncle Sam to my mind) for a brief interview, kindly assisted by a Motorola official acting as an interpreter. His answers to my questions showed that he knew what he was talking about. He said, in particular, that the twelfth US picnic in Ukraine was different from the first one in that the number of sponsors had substantially increased, currently numbering 75. The most gratifying aspect, in his words, was that, unlike the first picnic, the current one actively involved both US and international companies, including Ukrainian business entities.
In a word, it was now an international business society. The President of the US Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine added, however, that the number of Americans and other Western businesspeople operating in Ukraine had not registered any noticeable increase in the past twelve years, as quite a few Ukrainian nationals were in their employ now that the scope and turnover had expanded substantially. In particular, the US Chamber of Commerce (including firms from other countries) had created an extra 800 jobs in this country.
Meanwhile the celebration (showing little official pomp, thank God) gained momentum. Some were having beers, others launching kites or trying to toss the ball through the basket, still others (this author included) were doing cardboard weightlifting or playing softball. The festivities centered round an open podium where some of the picnickers vied in a vocal, dance and wits contests. The children were allotted a specially constructed playground, having lotteries, winning balloons and small flags, treated to liberal helpings of ice cream. Optimists, gamblers, and philanthropists (I among them) concentrated on a somewhat more serious lottery (the organizing committee said the proceeds would be used for charity). At this point I have to get back to the exchange rate issue as a major one these days. At the Spartak Stadium, it was $1/UAH 5.60, while the official National Bank rate is slightly over 5.30 hryvnias. Anyway, the stadium’s ersatz currency allowed one to buy lottery tickets along with food and drink (save what was dispensed freely). In other words, buying a picnic dollar with a real US one paid off better than using hryvnias.
US Ambassador Carlos Pascual seemed in a festive mood, receiving congratulations, kissing US and probably Ukrainian ladies. He did not drink any beer and was content with food, eating in a very democratic manner. When asked about the difference between celebrating the Fourth of July in the US and in Ukraine, he replied, probably hinting at something, that Independence Day was more on the level of personal sentiment than official. Everything depended on the individual, whether or not he or she was fully aware of the festive spirit. One had to have it in one’s heart, meaning that the date had its own special meaning in any given country; it was what one considered the most important thing for oneself.
Traditionally, the festivities ended with singing the Ukrainian and US anthems, followed by breath-taking fireworks.
