One Ukrainian Summer is Viv Groskop's very entertaining memoir about her time in Russia and Ukraine in a study year in 1993 at the age of 20. This being not long after the break-up of the Soviet Union she's confronted with poverty and uncertain times as part of a major culture shock. As well as working as possibly Russia's less well-equipped language teacher Viv embarks on a relationship with the lead guitarist of a Punk band who are convinced they're about to hit the big time. Spoiler alert,they didn't.
This is an amusing story of a young woman negotiating a different culture and trying to find her feet while coming of age as the countries she stays in are doing the same. Young and naive she doesn't always seem to appreciate people who tried to help her while having little themselves and thinks her relationship with aspiring megastar Bogdan was deeper than it was.
This is a great insight into life in Eastern Europe just after the Iron Curtain came down as well as a funny and entertaining look at a young woman's trials,tribulations,loves and experiences of an alien culture.