Today Ukraine's capital spans both sides of the Nipro River, with most directions beginning from a particular side of the river right or left. Lightly forced that hills, streams and parks characterize the western part of the city or right bank. Here you'll find classic Kiev, meaning the downtown, with its mix of Tsar, Soviet and modern architecture all kept in balance by the green canopies of the wild chess matriese. The left bank only joined the picture during the 1900s, and at least for now is primarily residential and industrial. Kiev proper is made up of ten rions or districts, each having their own limited local government. District names and boundaries have changed frequently enough over the past century that even locals can be a bit fuzzy of the details. Historians therefore are just as likely to refer to a historic neighborhood or metro stop as they are an official ray on when giving directions. Given its complex political past, there's no wonder that the atmosphere in Kiev is neither straightforward, east nor simply an extension of western Europe. Ukrainians can come off as both weary and welcoming and that pace alternately wired and laid back. Expats often cite a simple walk around the city as a favorite pastime, giving them a chance to take a mental snapshot of the constantly evolving environment. Although many residents will claim that their first language is the official language, Ukrainian, newcomers may be surprised to hear so much Russian. In fact, spoken Russian combined with written Ukrainian is the standard for much of the business world here. The two languages share deep linguistic roots and it's common for conversations to flip flop from one to the other, even if you haven't decided which one to learn, it's highly recommended that you familiarize yourself with the Cyrillic alphabet. This will help tremendously with the basics like reading street signs or food labels, and English is spoken here, though it's almost exclusively a reserve of the young. Like in many cities of a similar size, the closer into the center you choose to live, the more likely you'll be looking for an apartment rather than a house. For those hoping to score a vintage turn of the century flat, it's recommended to withhold judgment until you're in the accommodation itself. Faded exteriors and unrenovated foies often give way to comfortable renovated spaces. Large rooms can be found in the Pacherskruholysov districts, or a bit further out in Petro-Povlifska Borša Hivka or Sofia Skuborša Hivska. These latter areas are also host to some of the city's more popular international schools. Both Pachersk school international and Kiev international school provide comprehensive education as well as an opportunity to pursue the international baccalaureate. Other alternatives in the city include the British International School, the French School and the German School giving young families a broad range of educational choices. City shoppers have their pick. Fruit and veg stands are scattered quite evenly throughout town. A combination of specialties, shops, malls and large supermarkets like Silpo, Valica, Forset and Ošan ensure that residents are able to purchase virtually anything that they need for day-to-day living. Private medical treatment in Kiev is on par with that with which you would find in most western European cities. Books in hospitals such as American Medical Center, Urla, Boris and Medicom can handle everything from routine medical screening through emergency care. Just because you've moved to Kiev doesn't have to mean that you or your kids have to leave your wind surfing ambitions behind, or curling, or rock climbing, or painting for that matter. If you think of an activity, chances are there's an opportunity to pursue it here. But first, you'll need a way to get there. Public transportation in Kiev is cheap and efficient, and in the case of the Metro Station decor, it might even dazzle you. Crouting and its attendant problems like pickpocketing can be an issue during rush hour, but many prefer to brave the congestion below ground rather than take their car and face one of Kiev's intractable traffic jams. Also world-class theater, ballet and museums will compete for your winter attention, while warmer months are perfect for enjoying Kiev's excess of parks and street life. The whole family can test out the hydro park waters and entire island on the Tnjeppro dedicated to fun, where water sports and music festivals are only the beginning. I think the main misconception about living in Kiev is that it's all going to be grey and everyone's going to have a miserable face, and sometimes it's grey like everywhere, and a lot of people do have miserable faces like everywhere. But also there's, you know, it's a very pretty city, much pretty than I thought. I think what surprised me is the depth of different activities that I can enjoy and clubs. I've been surprised by what a kind of bustling city it is, and my parents are the same thing when they came and visited the class. It's a pretty bustling city, there's a lot of things to do, there's a lot of theater and ballet and restaurants, and so it's more bustling than I expected in a lot of ways. The team of consultants here at Move One looks forward to the opportunity to introduce you to Kiev and sharing with you all that this wonderful city has to offer.