12 ecstasies of a New York-based filmmaker from traveling around Ukraine

Arthur Wei, a traveling filmmaker from Brooklyn, New York, spent 45 days traveling around Ukraine.

He conveyed his vision of the country in a colorful video and blog post titled "12 reasons why I will definitely stay longer in Ukraine."

1. Because of its incredible nature.

These are the Carpathians in the last rays of the sun. Ukraine is beautiful: ridges of green hills, snow-capped mountaintops, lush flowers and beautiful sunsets. The air here is healing, and it's great to go hiking. There are deserts, beaches, 11 million hectares of forests, and more than 70 thousand rivers and streams. For better or for worse (for the local economy), there are few tourists, and so there is peace here.

2. Because of the low costs.

Ukraine is probably one of the cheapest European countries to travel to, if not the cheapest. I traveled here more economically than in Thailand, Costa Rica, or Morocco. Although this shows that the local economy needs help, it also means a net benefit: you spend as much as you can afford and still can stay here longer than in other countries.

3. Because the food is unbelievable.

Perhaps it seems a bit sacrilegious to post a photo from Puzata Khata, the most popular restaurant chain. I'm doing this to emphasize that even if your trip is on a budget, you can still enjoy delicious Ukrainian dishes royally. You will need only 158.5 UAH (6 USD) for: dumplings with meat, pork baked with mushrooms and cheese, homemade sausage, borscht, vegetable salad, dessert of homemade syrniki with raspberries and lemonade. Imagine what you could get for 15 dollars!

4. Because you can party in Lviv.

Lviv became a prologue for me to get to know Ukraine. It is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This cozy, cobblestone city is now one of my favorite places in the world.

The locals know how to have fun: live music can be heard on any square; there are 50 festivals a year; there is a collection of 20-30 strange themed restaurants, ranging from a BDSM cafe to a secret military bunker. I had the opportunity to meet with Andriy Sadovyi, the mayor of Lviv, who joked that "this city is lively because it grows on chocolate, coffee and beer."

5. Because Ukrainians are extremely smart.

Sometimes Lviv can be compared to Silicon Valley. I am also sure of this because the company I once worked with in the Valley is now here in Lviv. Ukraine is the 4th largest country in the world in terms of the number of IT specialists after China, India, and the United States.

Still, the biggest surprise for me was the love of Ukrainians for chess. I, a three-time winner of the U.S. National School Chess Championship, was simply "shod" by a street player in a park. The secret of their skill is that they start practicing very early. This little girl in a vyshyvanka (a traditional embroidered shirt) was clearly thinking several moves ahead - and that's if she was even paying attention to the game at all. When she won with the Ra1+ tactic, she looked at me and smiled broadly.

6. Because the local heroes are poets.

Yes, the most prominent national heroes in Ukraine are poets. Almost every city has a statue of Taras Shevchenko, the favorite poet of Ukrainians, who entered the Guinness Book of Records as the cultural figure with the most monuments.

I was thinking about this when I visited the University of Chernivtsi, the most beautiful school I have ever seen, with its arched passageways, stonework, attention to detail, and students in robes. I couldn't help but get a sense of rest from the other, crazy world: it was like an escape from it all-an escape to another time, after all, to another place not filled with American politicians, Kardashians, or the latest iPhones. A place that renewed my soul.

7. Because it's just beautiful here.

Ukraine has an impressive eclecticism of architectural styles from different eras. In every city you can see traces of different trends - from green or pink churches to ancient castles, from European to Soviet traditions.

In Kyiv, you can walk through the pastels of Vozdvyzhenska Street and feel as if you are in the land of the "European dream" with its pleasant colors and well-maintained buildings. Of course, not all the streets are in such a great condition, but beauty is in every stone here - the beauty of struggle, victory, and history. In different places you can feel like you are in Central Europe or somewhere in the depths of Russia. In this photo, the colorful St. Andrew's Church seems to rise above the city.

8. Because of its difficult past and hopeful future.

The Lychakiv Cemetery is a beautiful and popular location near Lviv. Ukraine has a special past, as it has been conquered and fragmented for almost all of its history. Ukrainians have already suffered a lot, but it is still happening.

In 2014, the country was plundered and bankrupted by the government, but it has been rebuilding since Euromaidan and the popular uprising known as the Revolution of Dignity, when parts of Ukraine (the author refers to a photo from Kyiv - ed.) were burned. With the recent conflict with Russia in the east, Ukraine has become united, and this self-identification is stronger than ever.

9. Because you can go back in time.

The most interesting place I have ever visited in my life (although it is considered "dark tourism") is Chernobyl. There was a severe nuclear accident there (a nuclear reactor core meltdown) that released 100 times more radiation than the atomic bombs in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The subsequent explosion could have wiped Europe off the map if it had not been prevented by 800,000 brave people.

Today, you can walk through this abandoned city, where everything remains as it was in 1986: schools, hospitals, houses, and an amusement park. Nature has already taken over a bit. A children's book is lying there, as if a child is going to come back for it soon. You can get here only as part of an organized tour.

10. Because of its millennia-old culture.

Ukraine gained its independence in 1991, separating from the Soviet Union and becoming an independent state after the end of the Cold War. However, its distinctive folk culture, traditions, and customs existed thousands of years before any lines appeared on the map.

These people know that no matter how many times the government has changed, their identity is above all. Their songs, dances, embroidery, and needlework have stood the test of time and foreign power.

The upper part of the photo shows a Bukovynian music and dance performance in Chernivtsi, and the lower part shows old photographs found in a hut in the Carpathian village of Babyn.

11. Because of its people.

There is a myth that Ukrainians are not friendly. On my first night in Lviv, we were playing "I've never..." and one Ukrainian woman said that she had never started a conversation with a stranger. Doesn't sound very friendly, does it?

Well, two weeks later, the same company - now my friends - made me a video birthday greeting with a full-size picture of me printed and cut out, and my AirBnB host threw me a surprise party with a violin concert and a trip to Milk Bar for dessert. Ukrainians may not like to be the first to speak, but they are the most caring people I have ever met. You will realize that friendship here is full and real.

12. Because I only got to know it superficially.

There are so many things to see in Ukraine, not only because of its large size but also because of its rich content. Bukovel surprised me with its beautiful nature and excellent skiing with 60 kilometers of ski slopes and 16 ski lifts. In the summer, you can enjoy hiking, the lake, mountain biking, and all the benefits of the resort town. And even though I've been here for a month, there are still many places I need to visit.

I never thought I would be so fascinated by Ukraine until I arrived here!

Based on the materials of Matador Network.

Two years ago, Wei sold everything in exchange for his first camera. Since then, he has been living out of a backpack, in his own words, creating short videos all over the world, Voice of America reports.

When a Canadian travel agency offered him a free trip to Ukraine in exchange for a blog post about his experiences, Wei, who had never been to Eastern Europe, accepted without hesitation, but did not expect anything special from the trip.

According to the director, he knew nothing about Ukraine, except for a few things he saw on the news. "I never thought about Ukraine," says Wei. "That's a shame, because it's the biggest country in Europe, and it's beautiful.

This is the idea Wei is promoting through his video, which has already been viewed by 30,000 people on Facebook and has received a very positive reaction from viewers: "Every time we hear about Ukraine, it's something bad in the news. But this is exactly why every traveler I've met here is surprised." The video features panoramic shots shot with a drone and sensual, colorful episodes that convey the atmosphere in Ukrainian villages and cities.

"Voice of America asked Arthur Wei how, in his opinion, Ukrainians can make their country's image more attractive to tourists, and he answered:

"That's a great question. I know they have a lot of things that need attention, like the conflict in the east of the country, but Ukraine is a hidden gem. Ukrainians need more bloggers, filmmakers, influencers to showcase their country. Look at the Philippines.

Ukraine needs to invest money to spread the word. I made my video purely out of love, the photo essay was a real result of my trip that I could present to my clients. I didn't get paid for this video, but I would say that it's really worth hiring people to popularize your country. The return on investment will be huge for the economy.