4/28/04 2:50 Paris Time

We made it on the plane--- I can’t believe it! What an adventure to get here.

We were up and ready to roll by about 8:30am. Yuri and Max arrived at 9:15 and we were off to the American Embassy. Consulate, actually. We arrived a little early. The 2 prior appointments had to cancel because they could not obtain their passports in time (poor guys are stuck there thru the long holiday weekend—Score one for Max!). Mary went in to the small room to complete the paperwork---everyone is behind glass—there will be no passing of germs (or anything else) at the American Consulate. The place had a huge line of folks wanting US Visas—Some leisure, some work, a bunch of old, bald, fat guys (sorry if that applies to you—it does to me too) with their Ukrainian “wanna be wives”, then there was us. Max did an awesome job with the packet for the embassy—all the papers in proper order with proper translations and the proper stamps and authentications. We were in and out of there in 45 minutes (and if we had filled out our paperwork ahead of time (I’d recommend that) it would have been a 15 minute process.

Then the bad news. Tanya is the first adopted child that they’ve processed that needed to be fingerprinted—(everyone over 14 needs to have biometrics on their visa as of April 15th). They said come back at 3 to pick up the visas—we begged—pleaded—even tried to shed a tear (but we do really like it in Ukraine). They agreed to process the paperwork as soon the fingerprints came back—could be 10 minutes could be till 3--- we waited--- hung out-- made ourselves known (and gave the very nice ladies the last of our Las Vegas gifts.

We decided to grab our last Ukrainian meal (hopefully) and come back at about 12:30. (Hoping that the American Embassy does not work on “Ukrainian Time” (where everything is at least 30 minutes late))

It’s 12:50 and Mary comes running out with the packets—they are done—Okay Yuri—will we make it? It’s up to you.

In Kyiv, lunchtime is rush hour.. So here we are in Yuri’s Lada (he sold the Honda for a nice profit—yay Yuri!) trying to speed (Ladas do not speed well) through the street of Kyiv—We get stuck in a couple of traffic jams—the road to the airport has construction. are we ever going to get there??

We arrive at the airport at 1:55—We have just over an hour to get through customs, passport control, ticket line and 2 sets of security. Max and Yuri do their thing, pushing us through the lines (I do mean pushing and shoving and acting like the French-- we never would have made it otherwise—Thanks guys)

We bid an all too quick farewell to our new friends and assure Max and Yuri that we will return for salo and rye bread (Ukrainian snickers) and vodka shots very soon (we still have our other tickets on Northwest to use or lose within the year—so a long weekend in Kyiv is in order)

Ticket counter was fine—then passport control—all the documents are in place but they want to see the adoption decree (10 minutes seems like an hour as the plane is boarding). It is 2:55 and we are through passport control and more security. We make it to the plane at 3:00 for our 3:05 departure. Tanya and Dima are glowing. Our frazzled rush through the airport did not faze them at all—they are going to America (be sure to trill your “r”). Semolot (sp?) and machina are everywhere—Dima is in a dream world!


We are on an AirBus A-320—seats are 3 and 3. We have the middle and isle in row 18—both sides. A nice Ukrainian fellow offers Dima his window seat. Tanya is stuck on the aisle.. We switch them after our lunch (Pork, salad, roll, torte and coke.). Tanya likes looking out the window—Dima is furious – it is HIS window—(we have some de-spoiling to do). Tanya gives into young Dima and after 30 minutes they are back in original places.

We are surrounded by adopting families- A couple in front of Mary could not get the 30 days waived. They will have to come back for their new family member. Same for a lady next to Mary. In front of me, is a new father. His wife and new little girl are a few rows back. Another couple with a little one behind Mary (and those are just the people in our immediate area). The folks in front of us did not know they needed a transit visa to spend the night in a hotel. Looks like we have airport sleeping buddies.


A bit on Maxim. What a guy. Maxim is an English teacher by training, but is continuing his education with hopes to work in international relations—perhaps one day at the UN. His English is impeccable. Actually Mary and I are embarrassed to say that Max speaks better English that do we—complete with a wonderful British accent that he picked up by listening to English audio tapes. He has worked on many adoptions over the past 3 years as a part of an agency. We were his first “start to finish” adoption. He did an incredible job. Had we not run into the Inspector problems in Ivankiv we would have completed the process in just over 2 weeks door to door. He is married to a Pediatric Cardiologist named Larissa (who makes the best borshch on the planet). Larissa works in a hospital several hours by train away from Kyiv, so they only get to spend time together on the weekends for now. In short—we’ve heard the horror stories and we check out references the best that you can from 10,000km away…but there is always leap of faith with the selection of a facilitator…Will they be there with you the whole time? Can they actually do what they promise? ON time and Legally? And Legally was a big deal for us. There are other facilitators who are well known to get things done quickly by offer bribes. Ukraine is trying to go legit. We want to do our part to help this fledgling democracy break away from the cycle of petty (and some not so petty) bribes. Max proved that the system DOES work without Buying your way through. Did we pay “expediting fees”? Sure. If a notary stayed late to turn a document around for us we gave them a little something for the extra effort. The state stops paying them at 5—If you ask them to stay until 8 and process paperwork we are simply paying them “overtime”. BEWARE of facilitators tat promise the world (and demand a large price to deliver it) Odds are they are dirty and they make the process harder for Ukraine and for all Americans who come after. (case in point—the previous adoption in Ivankiv caused some concern with the “auditors”. The entire system was inspected and it made everyone very uncomfortable to make it look like things were going “too fast” (even though things are supposed to be fast with older kids. I don’t blame the parents before us—I do think their facilitator need to be taken to the Diner of death and fed raw chicken upon her return to Ivankiv. (lots of raw chicken)




About 30 minutes left in the flight—I’ll write more after we get settled in at CDG!

9:22pm Paris Time

I don’t know how she did it, but Mary convinced the passport control cops to give the kids transit visas. (YAY) We went to the Hilton but that hotel was tooooo expensive (600 Euros a night—are you KIDDING) We went to the Formula 1 but that hotel was too cheap--- 20 Euros per night but a couple of steps down from Motel 6 (bathroom down the hall)---- naw We want our own pottie—so we settle for the Motel 6 suites—90 euros including breakfast---done deal.. Juuust right! Tanya wants to take a bath in peace rather than eat—Mary Dima and I go for a good Parisian meal—Steak and Fries. 35 euros. Back to the hotel and into bed—WE WILL BE HOME TOMORROW!! In Cincy at 1:30 (should be out of customs by 3..We need to be back to the airport at 6 for the Vegas flight. How bout we meet at the new Larosas by Joe’s house? We’ll just rent a car and meet you there? (sure hope somebody can come).

Kids, we’ll be in Vegas as scheduled—Please bring flowers for Tanya (odd number) and a small truck or something for Dima. See ya there!

Hopefully the next time you hear from us we’ll be home sweet home!










4/27/04 8:pm


So, have we said we’re ready to go home lately?

Well, we are.

It’s The US Embassy tomorrow at 10am- they are doing us a favor by squeezing us in. Hopefully they will do us another favor by processing paperwork and getting it out a little early for us as well. Usually paperwork is ready for pickup by 3. Our flight is at 3:05. We can probably make it to the plane if we are at the airport by 1:45. (“…pretty please nice American Embassy person—we have an extra bedroom if you need a place to stay in Vegas—and a very nice Las Vegas T-Shirt (from the World’s Largest Gift Shop on the Strip) as a lovely parting gift.”).

My guess—one more night here. ( I don’t want to say that too loudly, Mary is not happy about it AT ALL).

And then there’s the dreaded “if anything is wrong with the paperwork the next appointment is May 4th” scenario. If that is the case, you will find us lounging for the weekend at a Black Sea Resort--- Yalta sounds nice--- good enough for Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin it’s good enough for us. And we can stay like kings (or dead former foreign leaders) for the price of a Motel 6. Hey that almost sounds like fun (except that my vacation time has run out and I am now officially on “family leave” so there are no paychecks coming to the Stolz family—hey did you happen to see that you can make a donation through pay-pal J)). So I shall capitalize (and bold) the “ALMOST”.

The upside is a one day delay will give us time to get the French transit visa. That is the only upside I can come up with, and after thinking about it—we’ll be in the airport in France from about 6pm until boarding time at 9am. Dinner, a movie, breakfast and that only leaves about 9 hours of time to fill (hopefully with sleep). If we DO get the transit visas… we have to clear customs and immigration. Get to a hotel (probably get to sleep by 10 or 11). Then up by 5 to get back to the airport, through security, passport control and to the gate. (a lot of hassles). Either way it works out, it will be a challenging time—Kinda wish we would have flown KLM/Northwest (though I’ll end up with a free international ticket and Mary with a domestic ticket after all the miles on Delta at the top fare class).

We are all in a funk today—especially Tanya. She is ready to go to her new American home--- Have I said lately that we are all ready to go home. We couldn’t imagine all the people who talked about the only thing that mattered at the end of their trip was getting out of here (Ukraine). It seems like such a nice place!! Now, we know EXACTLY what they were taking about. WAH! (Kelly, you were right!)

The kids are in bed—The hot water is running especially brown today, so we’re not sure a bath is in order. (hey did I mention that I think I have ring-worm--- Does spoiled chicken cause that? How do you say Lotramin in Ukrainian?). WAH

Hey here’s something fun. We were teaching the kids American Sign Language as a way to reinforce some English. Well, the sign for the letter “t” and the sign for “toilet” (a waving “t”) is a particularly bad gesture in Ukraine. (we knew that and have been very careful not to “sign” the need to go to the potty). Mom showed Dima the sign and he busted out in laughter--- He ran to get Tanya and show her what “mama had taught him”. We explained that that sign needed to be reserved until we reach American airspace. Max thought it was a “swell” thing to teach them and is hopeful that the kids will show off their new American gesture for the Director of the NAC when we go back to say “bye bye”—N—O---T !!


Heeheehee


BTW--- have we said that we are ready to go home lately?