A Voice in the Wilderness
Olga called. The SDA rejected a paper and we would need to do it over again. When the girls signed their release forms, the social worker, not the orphanage director was to sign it too. We would go to the social worker and have Sasha and Nastia write a new one. The social worker would sign it, stamp it. And then we would give it to Tanya who would take it to the train station. The papers would take the evening train to Kiev and all would be well.
Full blown head cold. Taking drastic defensive action.
Other than that, I’m kind of enjoying this whole Ukrainian experience.
It’s like camping. Only we have a working bathroom and satellite internet. Okay, no stove (that would be awesome) and the natives don’t speak our language. But NOW . . .ta da! We asked clerk Svetlana this eve how to use the satellite TV. She came in and did some button pushing. We now have BBC! The first news of America we’ve had in almost three weeks is the Steelers win the Super Bowl. I could have lived without that knowledge but, hey I’ll take it.
We hope to buy new coats for the girls tomorrow. Tanya can wait till we get stateside but we will have to buy coats for Sasha and Nastia before we leave anyway. We can’t take the orphanage coats. Nastia has been wearing nothing more than oversized, lined raincoats. The child has zero body fat so every time we go out, she freezes. Because she’s so small, she’s at the lowest end of the sizes for her orphanage. All the very little kids are at another orphanage. It’s been around freezing here the entire time. My down has been perfect. Hope we can find something good and warm.
Little self discoveries: “There is always room to grow.”
• One discovers how long one can really wear a shirt before it needs washing.
• When you’re wearing long johns, you can’t feel yesterday’s sock that got stuck in your pant leg and is now creating a lump by your calf, apparent to everyone but you.
• You become snippier than usual when the bus takes you past your stop for the third time that evening.
• You will go to amazing lengths to get said bus to stop. Knocking on the window, yelling “Stop pajolsta!”
• A little girl who has just returned from the beauty parlor with a head full of curls draws a great deal of attention!
• Miming a chicken is funny no matter what country you’re in.
• Pringles taste good when you are snack deprived.
• When you have to purchase all your drinking water, it goes fast.
Us
2 comments:
Love the self discoveries. There are many over there. I discovered that most of the time, I really don't need TP. I think we should print up T-shirts that say, "I survived Ukraine" to give people when they come home from the airport. We are truly blessed here in America.
I agree. I don't eat pringles here, but in Ukraine pringles were a tasty treat. I survived on chocolate and potato chips and still lost 8 lb.
Try this cold (stuffy head) remedy from my sister's homeopath: Soak your feet in really hot water for about 10 minutes until your feet are hot all the way through. Meanwhile, soak a pair of cotton socks in ice water (maybe hard to find in Ukraine). After the hot foot soak, put on the ice socks, then put on wool socks on top and go directly to bed for the night. Does something to your lymph nodes. Wake up and breath. My sister swears by it. And your socks are dry in the morning.
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