Another day has gone by with no word about our next appointment. Our main contact was hoping to hear by the end of business today, but she did not get any definite info. All we kind of know is that we will most likely not get another appointment tomorrow either...it will more than likely be Thursday or Friday....we may go out to the local mall tomorrow just so we can get out the house for a while....we purchased a cell phone so we can be reached at anytime...all incoming calls are free so if you feel like making a really expensive call, let us know....
During our free time we are doing our best to document all of our adventures, as you have been reading. We have a few more stories to share and new ones are happening nearly everyday....
Although we have only been away from home for 12 days.....we are both missing a lot of things!
In No Particular Order.....Here Are Some Of The Things We Miss Most About Home:
Begin each one with, "We miss...."
1. Family, Friends and Pets!!
2. Taking a shower without worrying about getting water in your mouth.
3. Having more than one trash can...in each of our apartments so far there has been only one small trash can located under the sink.
4. Ice Cubes!! Since leaving the airplane we have yet to even see an ice cube. It is pretty clear that even the locals do not 'drink the water.' On that note, we also miss being able to drink tap water...a constant supply of bottled water is a must!
5. Our Comfortable Bed.....we are both sore from sleeping on a variety of surfaces ranging from slate to granite.
6. Watching TV in English.......we have had 15 to 30 channels to choose from, depending on our location. The programs that are in Russian have been dubbed into Ukraine. Not a big help.
Lisa will be blogging later on the state of TV here in Ukraine....Stay Tuned.
7. Jersey Mike's Sub Shop in Flower Mound, TX. Our last U.S. meal was Jersey Mike's on our way to the airport. We would definitely pay the delivery charge for a Number 9 on Rosemary Parmesan and a Number 8 on Wheat!
8. Driving our cars!
9. Watching the bird feeders in our backyard. We send our sincerest apologies to all of the hungry birds in Lantana for leaving them without seed for so long....
10. Chips and Salsa!!!
11. Doing laundry in our washer and dryer! We have been washing our clothes in the bath tub and hoping they are dry the next day.
12. Cooking our own meals.
Bonus Items:
Lisa misses: Going to the Center and seeing her friends & Hanging out at home with Schnapps, Sabian and Snickers while watching cartoons.
Richard misses: Going to work..(this is the first tax season I have missed in 9 years) & Playing my drums.
Thank you all for your continued support.....
Love Richard and Lisa
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Monday March 30th
Today has gone by without us having our second appointment. All we can do at this point is wait. Hopefully Tuesday will prove to be a more productive day.
St. Sophia Cathedral.....built in the 11th century
Us in front of St. Michael's Catherdal of the Golden Domes. Orginally built in the 12th Century...destroyed by the Bolsheviks....rebuilt in 2000. There is also a nearby monument dedicated to the great famine, also caused by the Bolsheviks. Our translator told us her Grandmother vividly remembers haveing to eat spoiled food to survive. The Bolsheviks burned crops and did their best to be sure nothing would grow here for a long time. A very sad and painful period of Ukraine history.
The weather changed again from the sunny weekend temps in the mid 50's back to cold and rainy...we also had to set our watches ahead over the weekend for their daylight savings time. We are now another hour ahead of the U.S. (see chart below for those playing at home)
10 hours ahead of Disneyland
8 hours ahead of Lantana
7 hours ahead of St. Mary's Hospital
We continue to email and update our Facebooks....we are so glad we bought this mini-notebook...it has really kept us in touch with the rest of the world.
Here are some more photos:
St. Sophia Cathedral.....built in the 11th century
Us in front of St. Michael's Catherdal of the Golden Domes. Orginally built in the 12th Century...destroyed by the Bolsheviks....rebuilt in 2000. There is also a nearby monument dedicated to the great famine, also caused by the Bolsheviks. Our translator told us her Grandmother vividly remembers haveing to eat spoiled food to survive. The Bolsheviks burned crops and did their best to be sure nothing would grow here for a long time. A very sad and painful period of Ukraine history.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Some Photos...
This monument is for the women (grandmothers, mothers, sisters, daughters, etc) who lost a man during World War II.
One of the most important people in Ukraine history whose name escapes me right now..He helped liberate Ukraine from Poland.....and the second most important person in Ukraine...Lisa....she helped wash my drawers!
This one goes out to all the fans of "Trading Places." Here I am on the train with beef jerky....that's right folks....in the immortal words of Eddie Murphy..."Beef Jerky time."
Saturday, March 28, 2009
March 28th......more random thoughts and experiences
When we returned from our unsuccesful trip it was too early to check into our new apartment so Lisa and I and our translator went to a 24-hour coffee shop kind of place. We had been there a few days ago, but just for something to drink and very unusual ham sandwich that I am still not sure of all of its contents.... This time it was early in the morning so we were going to have 'breakfast.' After being unable to find a Grand Slam on their menu, I finally ordered a piece of apple struedel served with a small scoop of vanilla almond cinnamon ice cream....I know it sounds shocking, but I have never had ice cream for breakfast....Lisa had more traditional order of an almond croissiant and a hot chocolate.....well at least she thought it was going to be hot chocolate. It was as if they took some Hershey's Syrup, heated it and then added 11 teaspoons of sugar and a cup of cornstarch to thicken it beyond the consistency of motor oil a few thousand miles past it's date to be changed. Even if we could have learned to like the taste, it was impossible to drink it at a normal rate due to it's thickness and if you waited too long between sips a skin would form on top of it like when Mom used to make pudding the old fashioned way...
Even our translator said this was a 'fancy' hot chocolate and most other places have the instant kind...
Also on the day we returned we learned that part of Kiev was going to be shut down due to a strike. Apparently their Prime Minister, Yulia Tymoshenko said something to anger the 'Blue Party' and they were going to strike and demonstrate on Friday......(yesterday) Her photo is to the left.... We have been calling her 'The Braid Lady' since she is seemingly never seen without her trademark braid. While we were walking the Post Office near downtown we saw hundreds of people out in the streets, not at their jobs, supporting the strike. A giant stage was built on the steps of the capitiol, I asked if there was going to be a concert and was told, "no." Luckily we made it to the Post Office and to our apartment before the demonstration began. We were able to hear it from our window and saw the coverage on every local newscast. Still not sure what it was all about....Friday, March 27, 2009
March 27
Hello All...
We are back in Kiev today after our two day trip via train. Unfortunately our trip was not sucessful as the child was a not a good match for us. We are now awaiting our second appointment to see more children.
Although our trip was not a success, we did make a lot of memories.....
I will try to share the highlights with you now...
We were able to travel First Class on the train down south.....our 15 hour trip...
First class meant we each had a six foot long.... foot and half foot wide bed with a two inch mattress and plenty of blankets. Although it was quite cold outside, like all the buidlings in Ukraine, the train had Central Heat that cannot be controlled. Since windows cannot be opened on the train, we were forced to endure the heat the entire trip. When we finally arrived it was cold and rainy and soon after began to snow. We were also close to the restroom, which was built around 1948 or so.......I only used it once and "held out" until we arrived... (T M I )
Our driver was waiting for us as we got off the train...of course he recognized us, since we have been told "we look very American," but I had no idea who he was. He tried to take my suitcase from me and I told him...NO!!....then I saw him talking to our translator and carrying her suitcase...oops... It is still better to Trust No One!!
-------------TRAVEL TIP--------------
When you travel to Ukraine...
1. Hire a driver
2. Do not rent a car (see number 1)
3. BYOS (bring your own soap!)
(very few public restrooms have soap)
4. BYOTP (bring your own toilet paper!)
(not many public restrooms have TP and the ones that do have something that resembles an ACE Bandage....feels like one too)
-----------------------------------------
Both of our drivers have been wonderful. They know all the shortcuts, they can manuever around 93% of the pot holes, they stay with your luggage while you go eat before your train leaves and they even help carry your lugguage from the car to the train, from the train to the car and from the car up the 3 flighs of stairs to your apartment! They are well worth the money....
Lisa's thoughts on driving in Ukraine - April 6th - Well, after 2 and 1/2 weeks here I have a few additional tips on driving here.....
1 - just don't even try it....hire someone
2 - All the driver's here must have watched Speed Racer as kids because they are all truely "a demon on wheels"
3 - When riding in a car with a native driver just don't look. If you look out the fromt window you see how many cars, busses and babushkas you might hit.....and if you look out the side window, you might see either how many might hit you, or how close you some to losing your side mirror to the truck driving 6 inches away from you.
4 - Don't underestimate the number of cars you can fit across the width of a normal street here. They park on the sidwalks, then park on the streets, and still ahve foom for 2 lanes of cars.
5 - They also drive on the sidewalks....when we went to get our passport photos today I felt like I was in a scene from "The Blues Brothers" just weaving in and out among the pedestrians with store fronts going by about 3 feet away....except no one was running away and screaming.
6 - which leads me to my last realization. To fit in here as a pedestrian, you have to be fearless. You step out in front of traffic without flinching and see who stops first, the car or the walker.
Before we got to visit the child in Crimea we had some time to get something to eat. No food was sold on the train. Only kofye or chaj (coffee or tea) were offered....we had our own bottled water and a suitcase full of snacks from home to tide us over.
We went to a "pizza place" for breakfast/lunch.....
The pizza was tasty, not as good as Ifratelli, but it hit the spot. Lisa tried another version of Chicken Kiev that was pretty good, but not as good as the one we had in Kiev....duh....lol.....
After spending Wednesday night in an apartment, we went to Mc Donald's for lunch prior to our train ride back to Kiev.
The 15 hour train ride back was also "first class," but this time both our compartment and the restroom were built in 1948 or so.....if you would like to a get a visual of the restroom add 'The Mummy part two' to your Netflix rotation and fast forward to the train scene...when the little kid flushes the toilet and is able to see the tracks below, you will know what it is like to ride a train in Ukraine in 2009. As I mentioned before, the temperature on the train ride down was quite warm.....well on the way back it was boiling! Even our translator thought it was too hot and could not sleep. We guessed it was about 85 degrees in our "spacious" compartment. The 0nly way to cool it down is to leave your door open, but if you leave your door open and fall asleep.....your things could disappear. Instead we left our door closed and tried to sleep....
to be continued....
We are back in Kiev today after our two day trip via train. Unfortunately our trip was not sucessful as the child was a not a good match for us. We are now awaiting our second appointment to see more children.
Although our trip was not a success, we did make a lot of memories.....
I will try to share the highlights with you now...
We were able to travel First Class on the train down south.....our 15 hour trip...
First class meant we each had a six foot long.... foot and half foot wide bed with a two inch mattress and plenty of blankets. Although it was quite cold outside, like all the buidlings in Ukraine, the train had Central Heat that cannot be controlled. Since windows cannot be opened on the train, we were forced to endure the heat the entire trip. When we finally arrived it was cold and rainy and soon after began to snow. We were also close to the restroom, which was built around 1948 or so.......I only used it once and "held out" until we arrived... (T M I )
Our driver was waiting for us as we got off the train...of course he recognized us, since we have been told "we look very American," but I had no idea who he was. He tried to take my suitcase from me and I told him...NO!!....then I saw him talking to our translator and carrying her suitcase...oops... It is still better to Trust No One!!
-------------TRAVEL TIP--------------
When you travel to Ukraine...
1. Hire a driver
2. Do not rent a car (see number 1)
3. BYOS (bring your own soap!)
(very few public restrooms have soap)
4. BYOTP (bring your own toilet paper!)
(not many public restrooms have TP and the ones that do have something that resembles an ACE Bandage....feels like one too)
-----------------------------------------
Both of our drivers have been wonderful. They know all the shortcuts, they can manuever around 93% of the pot holes, they stay with your luggage while you go eat before your train leaves and they even help carry your lugguage from the car to the train, from the train to the car and from the car up the 3 flighs of stairs to your apartment! They are well worth the money....
Lisa's thoughts on driving in Ukraine - April 6th - Well, after 2 and 1/2 weeks here I have a few additional tips on driving here.....
1 - just don't even try it....hire someone
2 - All the driver's here must have watched Speed Racer as kids because they are all truely "a demon on wheels"
3 - When riding in a car with a native driver just don't look. If you look out the fromt window you see how many cars, busses and babushkas you might hit.....and if you look out the side window, you might see either how many might hit you, or how close you some to losing your side mirror to the truck driving 6 inches away from you.
4 - Don't underestimate the number of cars you can fit across the width of a normal street here. They park on the sidwalks, then park on the streets, and still ahve foom for 2 lanes of cars.
5 - They also drive on the sidewalks....when we went to get our passport photos today I felt like I was in a scene from "The Blues Brothers" just weaving in and out among the pedestrians with store fronts going by about 3 feet away....except no one was running away and screaming.
6 - which leads me to my last realization. To fit in here as a pedestrian, you have to be fearless. You step out in front of traffic without flinching and see who stops first, the car or the walker.
Before we got to visit the child in Crimea we had some time to get something to eat. No food was sold on the train. Only kofye or chaj (coffee or tea) were offered....we had our own bottled water and a suitcase full of snacks from home to tide us over.
We went to a "pizza place" for breakfast/lunch.....
The pizza was tasty, not as good as Ifratelli, but it hit the spot. Lisa tried another version of Chicken Kiev that was pretty good, but not as good as the one we had in Kiev....duh....lol.....
After spending Wednesday night in an apartment, we went to Mc Donald's for lunch prior to our train ride back to Kiev.
The 15 hour train ride back was also "first class," but this time both our compartment and the restroom were built in 1948 or so.....if you would like to a get a visual of the restroom add 'The Mummy part two' to your Netflix rotation and fast forward to the train scene...when the little kid flushes the toilet and is able to see the tracks below, you will know what it is like to ride a train in Ukraine in 2009. As I mentioned before, the temperature on the train ride down was quite warm.....well on the way back it was boiling! Even our translator thought it was too hot and could not sleep. We guessed it was about 85 degrees in our "spacious" compartment. The 0nly way to cool it down is to leave your door open, but if you leave your door open and fall asleep.....your things could disappear. Instead we left our door closed and tried to sleep....
to be continued....
Monday, March 23, 2009
March 23rd SDA appointment
Our translator met us at our apartment at 10:15 am so the three of us could walk to the State Department of Adoption....it was about a 15 minute walk and of course it was snowing!
The "waiting area" was essentially the bottom floor of the office. The building was very big, but the area we were in was not. I nearly bumped my head coming through the door...I ducked at the last moment avoiding our first international incident.
After standing for about 30 minutes, the previous couple, most likely from the U.S., came downstairs and we were next. We were led up to a small office, which had an even smaller office in the back corner. This office had two desks and small couch and table. At least two State Psychologists shared this office, but at least 5 were in and out of it during our "interview," which wasn't really much of an interview. The electricity in the office went out twice during out appointment. No one seemed to think it was such a big deal. Our Psychologist had to use her cell phone to call one of the orphanages...
THE INTERVIEW
We were first asked to present our passports and verify our request for a child. She then opened a notebook and began taking out plastic sleaves with pictures and a few pages of information. We just sat and listened to our translator who was both translating what the psychologist was saying as well as the important items in their file.
Although we knew what to expect, it was still tough seeing their picture and hearing about their conditions...more on that later...
We have selected a child to go and visit. She is nearly three years of age and we have been told has some issues but it is impossible to know their severity until we actually meet the child. We will be traveling to the Crimea region located to the South and her village is on the coast of the Black Sea. We will most likely be traveling by train, about 15 hours, leaving tomorrow evening. Once we arrive we will be able to meet the child and speak with some of the Doctor's who have been helping with her care.
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers during the next few days, since we will be given a small amount of time to make a decision that will last a lifetime.
We know there is a plan for our family, we just have trust in Him to get us through this journey.
Since we are unsure of internet access until we arrive, this may be our last post for a little bit...
Love to you all,
Richard and Lisa
The "waiting area" was essentially the bottom floor of the office. The building was very big, but the area we were in was not. I nearly bumped my head coming through the door...I ducked at the last moment avoiding our first international incident.
After standing for about 30 minutes, the previous couple, most likely from the U.S., came downstairs and we were next. We were led up to a small office, which had an even smaller office in the back corner. This office had two desks and small couch and table. At least two State Psychologists shared this office, but at least 5 were in and out of it during our "interview," which wasn't really much of an interview. The electricity in the office went out twice during out appointment. No one seemed to think it was such a big deal. Our Psychologist had to use her cell phone to call one of the orphanages...
THE INTERVIEW
We were first asked to present our passports and verify our request for a child. She then opened a notebook and began taking out plastic sleaves with pictures and a few pages of information. We just sat and listened to our translator who was both translating what the psychologist was saying as well as the important items in their file.
Although we knew what to expect, it was still tough seeing their picture and hearing about their conditions...more on that later...
We have selected a child to go and visit. She is nearly three years of age and we have been told has some issues but it is impossible to know their severity until we actually meet the child. We will be traveling to the Crimea region located to the South and her village is on the coast of the Black Sea. We will most likely be traveling by train, about 15 hours, leaving tomorrow evening. Once we arrive we will be able to meet the child and speak with some of the Doctor's who have been helping with her care.
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers during the next few days, since we will be given a small amount of time to make a decision that will last a lifetime.
We know there is a plan for our family, we just have trust in Him to get us through this journey.
Since we are unsure of internet access until we arrive, this may be our last post for a little bit...
Love to you all,
Richard and Lisa
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Sunday March 22nd
This afternoon we met with our translator, our facilitator and our other contact. They discussed with us what we should expect tomorrow at our appointment at the Department of Adoption.
A few minutes after our meeting began in our apartment I noticed that it was snowing! We were A LOT more excited about it then our adoption team.
We felt a lot better once we were told this team had been working on international adoptions together for ten years and all of the children they have helped place have grown up healthy!!
Once we select a child we will know where we will have to travel...
More details later....
After the meeting we out with our translater for a little shopping and lunch.
We had already used up our international phone minutes on our cell phone, so we had to buy some more for 50 Hryvnias...about $5...
We also discovered that the electric converter we brought to charge our laptop is ONLY for appliances that generate heat like hair dryers and curling irons...the directions said, "DO NOT USE FOR TELEVISIONS OR COMPUTERS"
Our translator was easily able to help us find an adaptor for the low low price of 20 Hryvnias!
We then went to lunch where we were able to have Borscht and Chicken Kiev....both were delicious. The cafe we went to had the menus printed in Ukrainian and English....
Our facilitator ordered for us and then right after the Borsht arrived she told us she had to go.....she double checked with us that we knew how to get back to our apartment and then she left. Since I was not aware we were going to be on our own, I did not bring our Russian dictionary!! We did okay with the POINT and Hand Gesture method of communication. We were able to say thank you and that our meal was very good...
We then walked back to our apartment as it continued to snow...we took some pictures too!!
We also have some pictures of our apartment...
We shall up load pix when we can...
Da svidaniya
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