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[GlyphGryph]

You're a native? Where are you from?

Also, I think I've had this conversation with you before...

Next time I'm there we should totally chill or something.

[Gamerlord]

Is New Zealand really that hard to get into for a non-Australian? As a native, I have to say I'm not entirely surprised. Regardless, I cannot recommend the country enough. It's pretty and the sheep are fantastic whichever way you have them.

Also probably some other stuff too.

I REALLY want to go to NZ one day. Almost as much as I want to go to Russia.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Why would you want to go to Russia?

[Jackrabbit]

Your a native? Where are you from?

Also, I think I've had this conversation with you before...

Next time I'm there we should totally chill or something.

I live in Melbourne currently but previously I kicked it in various locations in and around Wellington (my hometown) and Tauranga (a better town overall, really).

[Gamerlord]

Why would you want to go to Russia?

-I love the language/accent.
-I love freezing places.
-It's part of my plan to take a year off afer making some cash and go from the NE/middle (depending on how much time/cash i have) of Russia across to the W of Russia, into the Ukraine to visit chernobyl (hopefully without a guide, but with if i must) and then across to germany->france. if i still have any money or time left after that i would go up to england/ireland to visit family.

[Svarte Troner]

the Ukraine

I've fixed that for you. Sorry, it's kind of a compulsive thing for me.

But yeah, I'd love to pay a visit to the old country, or Russia. But I probably wouldn't want to live there, in Russia... Ukraine's been making progress towards becoming more democratic (while Russia is regressing), although when they jailed one of the hottest politicians, I kind of died.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

-I love the language/accent.
-I love freezing places.
-It's part of my plan to take a year off afer making some cash and go from the NE/middle (depending on how much time/cash i have) of Russia across to the W of Russia, into the Ukraine to visit chernobyl (hopefully without a guide, but with if i must) and then across to germany->france. if i still have any money or time left after that i would go up to england/ireland to visit family.

I understand, but Russia is seriously lacking in the rights department and full of corruption, and there is little freedom of movement for foreigners. There's also the partially ongoing strife with the Chechens.

In any case, I would seriously advise against exploring the Zone of Alienation without guides, partially because of radiation and partially because of armed Ukrainian soldiers.

the Ukraine

I've fixed that for you. Sorry, it's kind of a compulsive thing for me.

Both "Ukraine" and "The Ukraine" are accurate terms. Like "The Netherlands", "The Congo", "The Sudan", or "The United States of America".

[Ancre]

"The Congo", "The Sudan"

Which ones ? :p

More seriously, can you say "The South Sudan" in english ? I suppose "The Congo" works for both Congo-Brazzaville and Congo-Kinshasa.

And Ukraine sounds better than the Ukraine anyways.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

I'm pretty sure you cannot say "The South Sudan". "The Sudan" would now only be able to refer to the geographic region instead of the political entity.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo and The Republic of the Congo present similar difficulties.

[GlyphGryph]

I live in Melbourne currently but previously I kicked it in various locations in and around Wellington (my hometown) and Tauranga (a better town overall, really).

I enjoyed Wellington the few times I visited, but I'm not sure if I'd want to live there. I lived in Auckland for a while, nice enough city, Nelson was where I spent a lot of my vacation time mostly because I was in love with one of the local bars.

Te Anau, though, man, what an amazing little town. That's where I'm gonna if I ever retire. Something about that lake, and that scenery... and stepping out every morning to a rainbow, usually two or three.

When I go back, though, it will probably be to Christchurch or Auckland, jobs and all that. Better 'n nothing.

[alway]

Oy... Just got done reading the republican party of texas' political platform from the progressive thread. Count me in for a one way trip to Northern Europe.

[Svarte Troner]

-I love the language/accent.
-I love freezing places.
-It's part of my plan to take a year off afer making some cash and go from the NE/middle (depending on how much time/cash i have) of Russia across to the W of Russia, into the Ukraine to visit chernobyl (hopefully without a guide, but with if i must) and then across to germany->france. if i still have any money or time left after that i would go up to england/ireland to visit family.

I understand, but Russia is seriously lacking in the rights department and full of corruption, and there is little freedom of movement for foreigners. There's also the partially ongoing strife with the Chechens.

In any case, I would seriously advise against exploring the Zone of Alienation without guides, partially because of radiation and partially because of armed Ukrainian soldiers.

the Ukraine

I've fixed that for you. Sorry, it's kind of a compulsive thing for me.

Both "Ukraine" and "The Ukraine" are accurate terms. Like "The Netherlands", "The Congo", "The Sudan", or "The United States of America".

Technically, no. "The Ukraine" makes as much sense as saying "The Russia" or "The Mexico". In fact, the Ukrainian government goes by just "Ukraine", and the Ukrainian constitution refers to the country as just "Ukraine". I think the 'the' was thrown in by some immigrants who couldn't really speak English.

[Jackrabbit]

I live in Melbourne currently but previously I kicked it in various locations in and around Wellington (my hometown) and Tauranga (a better town overall, really).

I enjoyed Wellington the few times I visited, but I'm not sure if I'd want to live there. I lived in Auckland for a while, nice enough city, Nelson was where I spent a lot of my vacation time mostly because I was in love with one of the local bars.

Te Anau, though, man, what an amazing little town. That's where I'm gonna if I ever retire. Something about that lake, and that scenery... and stepping out every morning to a rainbow, usually two or three.

When I go back, though, it will probably be to Christchurch or Auckland, jobs and all that. Better 'n nothing.

Never been, but the South Island is generally just amazing for its plains, mountains and sounds. I know you can say this about a lot of places but there isn't really anywhere in the world that looks quite like New Zealand. There's something unique about every single part of it.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Technically, no. "The Ukraine" makes as much sense as saying "The Russia" or "The Mexico". In fact, the Ukrainian government goes by just "Ukraine", and the Ukrainian constitution refers to the country as just "Ukraine". I think the 'the' was thrown in by some immigrants who couldn't really speak English.

Not really. And it doesn't matter in any case. Language is a means to an end, said end being communication. Words and grammar are the pejorative of the speakers of a language to convey meaning, and in this instance both Ukraine and The Ukraine are used and accepted mannerisms of referring to the nation.

[Svarte Troner]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Really. There is no definite article "the" in the Ukrainian language. In the past (and I'm talking 1000 years ago), the word Ukraine was a geographical term meaning "borderland" and the Ukrainian people were identified with a different ethnonym. That's the only way using the word "the" would grammatically make sense, and Ukraine is a nation, not a geographic term. A combination of Soviet misunderstanding and illiterate immigrants perpetuated the usage of the "the". The country is officially recognized diplomatically as "Ukraine". [/sorry_for_rant]

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/up.html

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Ukraine
local long form: none
local short form: Ukrayina
former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic

The only reason it annoys me and I feel like arguing over something as petty as this is because I'm a pissed off 3nd generation Ukrainian immigrant.

tl;dr
"The Ukraine"=Soviet oppression
"Ukraine"=Independence from Soviet oppression