Dziwaczne Odkrycia: Ukrainian Evening at Klub Dialogu, Nowy Świat, Warszawa

In 2015, I first crossed the border from Poland to the Ukraine. My journey began in Krakow and I took a night train which passed through Rzeszow (where I head next) and I ended up in dreamy Lviv. As well as touring Lviv, I also loved the country’s capital city, Kiev and I went on a tour of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Here are a few photos which I certainly haven’t shared on this site before.

Perhaps that trip is not for everyone, as people are badly educated on Chernobyl (a day trip to Chernobyl for example is not as risky as taking a flight, or getting an x-ray, radiation wise!) but I enjoyed my time in the Ukraine immensely and by 2016, I had moved to Poland and was now living next door to the Ukraine! While studying Polish in Gdansk, I met some Ukrainians and again on my move to Warsaw. On Sunday 23rd April 2017, I got invited to a Ukrainian Evening, hosted by Ukrainian Students living in Poland! It was to be hosted by the Polish Language School for Foreigners that I attend, Klub Dialogu on Nowy Swiat.

Here is the invite:
“We cordially invite you to KLUB DIALOGU School for a unique event: Ukrainian Evening. The event is organized by Ukrainian Students who study in Poland and who are eager to show you their culture and traditions. They will present their traditional songs, handmade art and cuisine. Many contests are also planned.
Join us, have fun, meet new friends and learn more about the Ukrainian nation and people.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1295480760541645/

This was an event I simply could not miss!!

I arrived at 16.00 on the dot. On arrival we are greeted by the Ukrainian organisers, and Dorota from Klub Dialogu, the boss. I am given a Ukrainian name tag for the event, it helps people remember our names, as there are a lot of people to meet! There is team coffee and biscuits to start with and yellow and blue colours everywhere!

We then go into the main room for the first part of the evening. First up is a brilliant video from the Ukraine Tourist board. Obviously the deal here is to show the Ukraine in the best possible light.

This is followed by a Power Point presentation on the top 15 cool facts about the Ukraine and why we should visit. I knew about 12 of these already from my backpacking days but it was great knowledge!

During the Power Point presentation we learn a lot about Ukrainian culture and history. A lot of the facts stated, I knew already like about the fact that the DickMonalds in Kiev is the world’s busiest and Arsenal Metro in Kiev is the world’s deepest (I remember backpacking in North Korea and the Pyongyang guys told me the same about their metro). But while in the Ukraine I visited the deepest station myself. After the presentation there is a quiz with prizes. I teamed up with Jing Wei, my Chinese coursemate and we only got 1 wrong out of 15. However, it was still not enough to even make the top 5!! Many got all the questions right and it went on fastest finger first. A Slovenian lady next to me, Alina, won a prize.

Next up it’s dinner time and this means Ukrainian food! Varenyky in Lviv and Kiev in 2015, this was not a new taste, BUT now I had the chance to make them! As someone who LOVES POlish Pierogi, these are similar, here is the Wiki Page on it – Pierogi and Varenyky.

So we get the dough, we roll it then cut it into a circle shape, then we fill it with the pre-made potato style filling. Then we fold into a semi circle and are shown how to cleverly seal them so that they won’t open when cooked. AFter frying them in oil, we add a topping similar to what Pierogi Ruskie gets (onion and bacon).

It’s not as bad as I expected making them, as useless a chef as I am. Given that I have become addicted to pierogi and bigos, done a food tour in Gdynia and have a fettish for Polish kebabs, I was mroe excited about eating them!

After eating the deliciously smaczny Varenyky, I grab a coffee and some biscuits and it is time for the final two parts of the evening. First up Piotrek gives us a thorough and detailed story on Ukrainian and Polish history where we learn that to all intents and purposes, we came from the vikings! It is a lot of new information, lots of changing borders, lots to take on board and hugely entertaining and insightful!

After that a rousing conclusion means we all get to sing a Ukrainian traditional song. The song is basically about a girl who lies to a guy about meeting up.Anyway the song is called Ty z Mene Pidmanula and the most memorable words are the choruses end, it also reminded me of former UK number one single from Mark Morrison (Return of the Mack):

“Pidmanula Pidwela!”

“You lied to me” – Mark Morrison (Return of the Mack)

Here are the words in Ukrainian, Polish and English!

“Pidmanula pidwela” / “You tricked me and let me down”

Ukrainian lyrics	Polish transliteration	English translation
Ти казала в понедiлок Пiдем разом по барвiнок Я прийшов, тебе нема, Пiдманула, пiдвела. Chorus: Ти ж мене пiдманула, Ти ж мене пiдвела, Ти ж мене молодого З ума-розуму звела. Ти казала у вiвторок Поцiлуєш разiв сорок Я прийшов, тебе нема, Пiдманула, пiдвела. (chorus) Ти казала у середу Пiдем разом по череду Я прийшов, тебе нема, Пiдманула, пiдвела. (chorus) Ти казала у четвер Пiдем разом на концерт Я прийшов, тебе нема, Пiдманула, пiдвела. (chorus) Ти казала у п’ятницю Пiдем разом по суниці Я прийшов, тебе нема, Пiдманула, пiдвела. (chorus) Ти казала у суботу Пiдем разом на роботу Я прийшов, тебе нема, Пiдманула, пiдвела. (chorus) Ти казала у недiлю Пiдем разом на весiлля Я прийшов, тебе нема, Пiдманула, пiдвела. (chorus)	Ty kazala v ponedilok pidem razom po barvinok Ya pryishov tebe nema, Pidmanula, pidvela. Chorus: Ty zh mene pidmanula, Ty zh mene pidvela, Ty zh mene molodoho Z uma-rozumu zvela. Ty kazala u vivtorok Potsiluyesh raziv sorok Ya pryishov tebe nema, Pidmanula, pidvela. (chorus) Ty kazala u seredu Pidem razom po cheredu Ya pryishov tebe nema, Pidmanula, pidvela. (chorus) Ty kazala u chetver Pidem razom na kontsert Ya pryishov tebe nema, Pidmanula, pidvela. (chorus) Ty kazala u piatnytsyu Pidem razom po sunytsi Ya pryishov tebe nema, Pidmanula, pidvela. (chorus) Ty kazala u subotu Pidem razom na robotu Ya pryishov tebe nema, Pidmanula, pidvela. (chorus) Ty kazala u nedilyu Pidem razom na vesillya Ya pryishov tebe nema, Pidmanula, pidvela. (chorus)	You have told me that on Monday We’ll gather periwinkles together I’ve come, and there you aren’t, You tricked me and let me down Chorus: You tricked me, You let me down, You’re making me, a young man, Lose my mind. You have told me that on Tuesday You will kiss me forty times I’ve come, and there you aren’t, You tricked me and let me down (chorus) You have told me that on Wednesday We’ll wrangle up the cattle together I’ve come, and there you aren’t, You tricked me and let me down (chorus) You have told me that on Thursday We’ll go to the concert together I’ve come, and there you aren’t, You tricked me and let me down (chorus) You have told me that on Friday We’ll gather wild strawberries together I’ve come, and there you aren’t, You tricked me and let me down (chorus) You have told me that on Saturday We’ll go to work together I’ve come, and there you aren’t, You tricked me and let me down (chorus) You have told me that on Sunday We’ll go to the wedding together I’ve come, and there you aren’t, You tricked me and let me down (chorus)

And on that note, the evening ended! It had been truly exciting and rewarding and very eventful. I learned a lot, I laughed and thank the organisers so much for the entertainment. Having experienced my own St. Patrick’s Day in Warsaw and now a Ukrainian Day it does seem I am enjoying the slight multi-cultural lifestyle of the Polish capital, despite being a strong right wing nationalist at heart and mind. The show goes on and I will write about my Polish lessons soon! Some final photos with the organisers!

“Pidmanula, pidwela!”

Here are my videos from this excellent Ukrainian Evening at Klub Dialogu in Nowy Swiat, Warszawa: