Saturday June 2, 2007

 

Well, by now you know that we could not post today. The library Internet café (the one funded by the US Embassy) was closed for "cleaning" today. The other one (where all the pre-teen and teenage boys play graphically violent computer games that feature really foul language) had no Internet service and did not expect it to be back up before 3pm today. So—no post—sorry.

 

We got to the orphanage right at 10 today and took bananas to the kids. Daniil was ready to greet us when we arrived (the kids in his groupa have been spending a lot of time outdoors while the "worker-men" redo their living room with new flooring and wall covering. We took treats for Stimpy the Sobaka. "Day old" cheese and sausage. She is the ugliest dog I have ever seen and has a horrible under-bite--   She is so freakish that she is adorable. At first we thought she was snarling at us—then we realized that her mouth just does not close right. Not mad, just in need of a little doggie dental work. She finally let me pet her and, after some encouragement, Daniil was able to pet her too. He LOVES Sobakas (poor Queenie will not be left alone at home).

 

We played some ball, swept the floor of the playhouse and spent some time talking to the orphanage director, Luba, who came in with her husband and grandson. The grandson is in 6 ^th grade and has been learning English for 2 years. We spent some time talking with him in English so he could practice. He also translated a bit for us and Luba. (we are still trying to soften her up a bit) She is not going to get in the way of the adoption, but we really want her to see that this is a good thing and perhaps be more willing to get the kids registered faster so they are eligible to be adopted internationally.

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Noon came much too soon. We said goodbye to Daniil and that we would see him zaftra (tomorrow).

 

Not too much of a wait for the bus and we made it home pretty quickly. (side note on the bus—this morning's ride was the most crowded we have ever seen. It was a bendable bus with 4 doors and easily held 90 people---except that this is Ukraine and there were at LEAST twice that many on board. I did not think I was going to get on which was a problem since Mary had already shoved her way in. I finally pushed as hard as I could and got the mass of humanity to more forward a foot or so-- and just in time as the doors closed and squished me into the rump of a very large woman in front of me—welcome to Ukraine!)

 

We called our new Peace Corps friend and she agreed to meet us at the statue of Papa Lenin to head to the salt lake. Slay'vansk (I think I got the spelling right there) is a spa town. In fact; it has the "best curative mud in Europe" as voted by Spa World Magazine (probably not the real name of the publication). We toured the grounds---very pretty featuring gardens and sculptures. (Still very much "Soviet" and everything is kinda run down—a little like if the Masonette was in trailer in Cleves. (Cincinnati people will get that- sorry for the rest of you)

 

We then walked to the salt lake. I would say it's 4-5 acres of "saltier than sea water" water. Seems very clean. LOTS of people. Lots of very LARGE old Ukrainian women in bikinis (not a pretty sight). The water felt great and the sun was glorious. Mary covered my back with mud (it's supposed to work)   She covered her leg which was pulling a Charlie-horse. Her pain got better, mine did not. (I had a "horrible" teeter-totter accident and threw out my back—the doc prescribed steroids before we left home and I'm getting around okay between them and the advil.)

 

A bus ride back to our hotel for showers to wash the salt water off, and we are on our way to dine with our Peace Corps friend at a Chinese restaurant.  

 

We are back from dinner...interesting. It is a Chinese restaurant without anyone of Asian background anywhere. We had sweet and sour chicken and beef (kind of a catsup based sauce) and a really yummy chicken peanut spicy dish. "fried rice" and Dim Sum. The bill for the 3 of us was just under $20.The food was really good! We had a nice chat about life in Ukraine from the perspective of someone who comes from our culture but has lived here for 2 years. It was a very nice evening!

 

Hopefully, we will find an open Internet café tomorrow to post, and share some of the pictures of "Stimpy the sobaka" and mud-encrusted healing Ukrainians!

 

Until then…….

 

PEACE!

 

 

Jim and Mary