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The unique way Ukrainians ask for and give favours
One bud’ laska at a time is our spell against the unkindness of the world
It’s 10 am – the peak morning hour for this particular coffee shop. The door opens and closes like a relentless fan. People come, order takeaway coffee and leave like busy morning people who can’t immobilise for a moment. Before they go, I hear dozens of bud’ laska escape their mouths and bounce against the rehearsed, baritonish and articulate bud’ laska of a barista.
I was one of those bud’ laska just an hour ago. I entered the coffee shop earlier and said meni bud’ laska americano. The barista made me an americano, handed me a delicate green cup of black coffee and said bud’ laska in return.
Living in Ukraine means going through a daily, repetitive cycle of giving and returning bud’ laska to each other. It’s a generic phrase, but that doesn’t make it meaningless. I even dare to say that bud’ laska is our national philosophy. It’s how we live and how we think about those who live by our side.
When the war ends and you all come to Ukraine, you’ll say and hear bud’ laska a lot. The direct translation of these two words to English is be kind. It’s our standard and only phrase when asking for a favour or fulfilling it. We don’t say please. We don’t say you’re…
