Penguins and Hutsuls

At the anti-kryzova knaypa (anti-crisis club) in L’viv, there’s a sign on the wall that reads “Crises are not Frightening to Penguins and Hutsuls.” 

They have a point. Every time I've shared this phrase in Verkhovyna, people nod their heads in agreement. 

Since most every local heats the home with firewood and survives the winter on stores of corn meal, summer’s pickled vegetables, milk and cheese from the family cow or goat, the energy crisis seems distant. If it gets really cold, there are local banyas or homebrewed fire water usually within reach. 

The gas crisis doesn’t pose the same threat here that it does to the cities, and people take pride in that, but the opportunity to make cracks about the crisis is not wasted. SMS New Year “vinchuvannia” that reference the gas crisis have opened a whole new frontier of Ukrainian text message poetry.