Tour History
Dnepropetrovsk August 5 — 14, 2004
My name is Anna and I work full time in Anastasia web Moscow Office. Normally I work as a phone introduction operator and enjoy this job as I like to communicate with people. During Anastasia web tours in Moscow I also work as an interpreter at the socials, which I enjoy even more than phone interpreting.
This summer I was assigned by the company to work as a senior assistant during two Anastasia tours. It was a real honor to me: it meant that I could be trusted enough to be handed the responsibility of dealing with our clients under the unpredictable circumstances of a tour. I went to Odessa in May 2004 and worked with a group of 36 people and in August 2004 I went to Dnepropetrovsk. Well, if you are interested, you can read about my impressions from Odessa tour here: This essay in devoted to Dnepropetrovsk Late Summer Tour only.
It all started on Thursday (August 5) when the group arrived at the airport of Dnepropetrovsk. The weather was unusually cold and rainy for August and there were dark clouds in the sky. On our way to the airport we thought that the plane would not be allowed to land in such weather and when it started raining heavily as we reached the airport we had but a vague hope to see our clients that day. It was a big surprise, almost a miracle, when the arrival was announced and our clients started to appear form the passage. They all had had a good flight and only one guy had lost his luggage (which is a usual case with such flights).
On the way to the hotel we had a lively chat with the group. As it turned out some guys were not newbie and I even had met one of them, Jason, before. I told the customers not to lose their custom’s declarations unless they wanted to stay in the Ukraine forever and surprisingly enough they said that it was not such a bad idea.
The check in at the hotel went fast and smooth. Only one customer, who was unusually tall, had to change his room because the bed was too short for him. I reported to the hotel staff about the problem and it was taken care of very fast.
At briefing we introduced ourselves once again and I gave the guys the usual information about the city and the hotel. Barry, one of our clients who had been in Dnepropetrovsk two month ago was very helpful with the directions. Everybody asked questions and shared his opinion and experience and gradually the briefing turned into a very agitated friendly discussion. It lasted for about two hours and only hunger made us leave the conference hall and go to optional dinner. I must say that our American representative Brian gave a very nice speech at the beginning of this meeting and demonstrated the good relationship he had already established with the group. I understood at once that he would be a great help for us.
Almost everybody was present at optional dinner and the guys were astonished at the fancy interior of the restaurant Berloga, which means Bear Den in Russian. The restaurant was decorated in Hunter’s House Style: there were staffed animals and different hunting weapons. The vast choice of dishes, as well as their high quality, also was a nice surprise. Usually all the visitors from the Western countries admire Ukrainian food – this time was no exception. After the first day was over I realized that I was very lucky to have such group: everybody was friendly, active and optimistic – the right attitude when you travel to a foreign country.
The next three days, the socials, were a proof that my suggestion was right. All the guys were very active, took hundreds of phone numbers, made dates, danced and had fun. They sure enjoyed the outnumbering quantity of the women, their beauty and friendliness although some guys said that they felt guilty because they could not marry all of these women.
Some of the guys had made their choice even before the tour started: for example Jason, the client whom I knew from the previous Moscow tour, was in Dnepropetrovsk just as a tourist. He was accompanied by his fiancee, Elena, all the time. This couple was inseparable and was a wonderful inspiration factor for the rest of the group.
For some clients the choice was still in to be made. I remember one of the guys asking me: How do I know when to stop and which lady is my second half? When do I stop passing from one to another and concentrate on the One. I told his that his heart would probably tell him when to stop and it happened this way with almost everybody.
As for the setting of the socials I must say that the club I Dnepropetrovsk, Labyrinth, was a really fashionable place: there were several separate rooms and in each room the music was different: you could listen to jazz, rock-and- roll, disco…At first it seemed a disadvantage to me: the clients could not see all the ladies at once they had to move from room to room to meet new ladies but later I understood that this club suited our purpose just fine. Men always feel awkward to talk another lady when the lady to whom he just talked is watching. At Labyrinth this problem was taken care of by the unusual setting of the club. They could just go to the nest room and meet new ladies!
There were about 300 hundred ladies at each social, so the guys had a lot of work to do: to meet as many as possible, to get as many phone numbers as possible was their task!
In Zaporojie the social was also a success. Those who had not met the only one in Dnepropetrovsk used this chance and by the end of the third social most of the guys had dates arranged for the rest of the week.
The next three days we were busy with the cultural program. We went on a city tour, visited a Horse Farm in Orlovchina and a Folk Arts Museum in Pertrikovka. Most of the guys were very interested in learning about the unique culture and history of Ukraine. They asked our guide a lot of questions and she was really very knowledgeable and efficient. She told us not only the well known historical and cultural facts: she also told the group about the life of common Ukrainian people and this touched the guys the most.
I enjoyed working with the group and made friends with most of the guys. They came to our hospitality room all the time to just have a chat with us, assistants. They asked us where to go shopping, shared their experience with us, and asked for personal advice. They brought us flowers all the time. There was always a bunch of fresh roses in the hospitality room. So, we could see that the tour was a success. Everyday I met the group for breakfast. I was surprised to see them sitting all at on table although there were usually plenty of vacant tables. From my window in the Hospitality room I could often see them going out together on group dates. I am sure that most of them will stay in touch after the tour.
I can not say that the tour was absolutely smooth: some of the guys were not happy about the hotel. The rooms seemed too small and most people needed a king size bed. Well, I agree that the hotel rooms are not the kind they are have got used to in the USA, the service is also different but I am grateful to the guys for their understanding and tolerance. I wish the guys could have seen the hotels in Ukraine ten years ago, that way the progress would have been obvious to them…The hotel was actually the only ruff point of our stay. Generally the trip was wonderful and we spent unforgettable time and took hundreds of pictures.
Author: Anna Klokova
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