Was giving a lecture to local civil servants on Ukraine's European integration for the second day in a row.
At the end of the talk played the game "Euro-Bingo" with the audience, and when discussing the correct answers touched upon the issue of Schengen visas...
When asked whether anybody ever obtained a Schengen visa, the present civil servants replied that none, of course - as if it were self-evident that since they worked for the local governments, they could not have any chances to go abroad.
I heard this not for the first time, but in that moment I was astounded. Usually in a room at least a couple of hands would be raised on that question, but in this room an air of doom condensed suddenly. It only got lighter as one lady asked - with hope - if students could participate in the activities of my NGO (since I mentioned that I travel almost for free around the world - being an NGO activist) - and I assured her that they could. She ment better chances for her son/daughter to see the world.
Euro-Bingo examples: today's - in Russian, regular version - in Ukrainian.
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