How to Succeed in Ukraine Without Really Trying

Rachel found the very best way to spend the cramped 12 hour flight to Munich;

Things we talked to local folks about:

Because of the natural gas debt, the government controls the temperatures and hot water supply to all the residences. We have pretty warm water while the temperature in the apartment is "brisk."

Most folks we run into have some basic English (thank goodness for us)

they want to know why all Americans want to be "rock stars." Answer: good question; we don't know.

Why do Americans love this sport of baseball? That we took a stab at: pastoral, relaxing, slower paced than other sports, no clock so the game can theoretically last forever and a beautiful green field. Don't know if that helped explain it or caused more confusion.

Ukrainian driver said their TV is the same as American TV, just Ukrainian actors and language (same plot, same jokes, etc).

Cold blustery day today with snow flurries but probably no colder than New England this time of year. Sunday was spent trying to catch up on lost sleep and getting to know our immediate area, learn how to exhange currency in the at the exhange in the ground floor of our building, found the local coffee shop (critical). purchasing a few groceries and odds and ends at the local market. We sort of figured out how to use the shower, a real plus for everyone!

Kiev, a city of 3 to 4 million folks reminds us all increasingly of New York City, fast paced, there always seem to be people walking around on the streets at all hours, lots of hustle, Christmas shopping, malls, etc. Sunday night, thanks to our adoption agency host, we had the opportunity to attend the Kiev Opera, "Prince Igor." A spectaular opera hall, classic eastern European architecture, could have been right out of a sound stage for Phantom of the Opera. This was a wonderful night to be surrounded by the people of Kiev in a place that did not feel like a tourist destination.

Tomorrow is the big day: first appointment with the State Department of Adoptions and then hopefully approval for the next steps, which will take place in the local region of the orphanage, a 12 hour train ride away. Need to find some playing cards and yarn for needlework. We hope to connect with the other families that are ahead of us in this process once we get to the region; hope to compare notes and share some meals together!


This is the view out of our apartment. It's the National Circus.
















Our family being cold.
















Getting coffee in the mall

A short video of our apartment:

Blessings to you all.