Monday - October 29, 2007

Calvin - Waiting In Vienna Airport

Our Apartment in Kiev

Our Elevator

Cheryl in our Kiev Apartment

It’s now 8:45 pm and I thought I’d tap out a few lines before I go to bed. I’m exhausted! I did not go to bed on Saturday night. I was up all night preparing for this trip to Ukraine, which included trying to finish off our living room (taping off and “cutting” around with paint, our crown molding and base boards in our living room). I was able to sleep for probably ½ to 1 ½ hours on each of the four legs of our journey (SLC – Chicago – Washington DC – Vienna Austria – Kiev Ukraine).
We have our appointment tomorrow at 12:00 noon at the SDA (State Adoption Agency) here in Kiev. It will take us about ½ hour to travel from our apartment. Vladimir (our facilitator) is going to meet us at 11:00 a.m. with our driver, Vasili, to take us (along with Natalie, our translator) to the SDA. Natalie is staying in our apartment with us.

Speaking of our apartment, it is a two bedroom apartment with a kitchen/kitchenette and bathroom. It must occupy a total of about 500 square feet, if that much. When entering from the outside, I was frankly quite worried. The outside looked absolutely disheveled in what one would picture as explained by those not kindly to the USSR in the pre-perestroika days of Russia. Once you entered in, the somewhat rank but noticeable odor, confirmed my fears and completed the picture. There was an elevator, which probably would be condemned by US standards, for a number of violations. It took us up to the fourth floor where our apartment was waiting for us. It seems in these apartments, the way neighbors differentiate their status one from another is by their entry door – similar to how we in the US use the size of our homes to differentiate ourselves one from another. Some apartments were appointed with very plane metal doors. Many of these were covered with graffiti. Some doors were covered with a naguhide/leather look. Our apartment was a solid polished oak door.

Upon entering the apartment I was not at all disappointed. Hardwood floors through the apartment were complimented with clean European appointments and a tiled floor in the kitchen and bath. The bathroom was appointed with a heated towel rack. The windows in the bedroom were the most unique and one of the most sensible designs I have ever seen. You could open the window like opening a door with the window swinging on its right hinge - much like a door. However, with the window closed, you can turn the window latch in a different position which would change the direction of how the window opened – hinged at the bottom with the top opening into the apartment to allow for cool air to circulate – reminiscent of the old fashioned doors one might see in homes with 10 - 12 foot ceilings, which have windows above the doors which opened up to allow for air to circulate into the room.

After Natalie took me out and exchanged $300 into 1512 Ukrainian Grevnia ($1.00 = 5 UGR), we went across the street to a hotel which has an internet ‘café’ or business center. It cost me about 2 – 3 Ugr ($.40 - $.60) to use the computer for about 20 minutes. I was able to email my family and let them know we had arrived. We then went a purchased a bit of food – a loaf of bread (like French bread for 1.2 Ugr) a hunk of cheese and several pieces of fruit for about 28 Ugr ($5.60).

Natalie (our translator) had to leave to go get her bags from a friend’s house across town. I had forgotten to purchase some bottled water. It was my quest to go out and about on my own to make the purchase. Natalie said during the day it was safe, but suggested I leave my wallet in the apartment and only take about 20 Ugr with me.

The area we are staying is surrounded by a town square about 2 blocks away from our apartment, which appears to be a stop for the public train system. Surrounding the square are many markets with street vendors selling anything from cheap coffee mugs to fruit and smoked fish. Little shops dot the streets along with the occasional bigger department store selling electronics. Up a couple blocks was the sign of ultimate Westernization – Micky Dees. The golden arches were the only thing that seemed to give me a sense of my bearings. Walking around in the cool late afternoon air with the press of the people going on their commute seemed to invigorate me. The smell of the markets along with the vivid Cyrillic shop signs captured my attention. I thought how much Cheryl was missing out on things asleep back in the apartment, but then realized she was doing exactly what she wanted to do. I felt somewhat victorious after my journey as I managed to purchase on my own, an apple from a street vendor and a 2 liter bottle of water from a small grocery market.
Well I had better get to bed. After our meeting with the SDA (State Adoption Agency) tomorrow, we need to leave at 3:30 am on Thursday so we can meet with people in Sumy at 8:00 am to continue our process of why we are in Ukraine in the first place – to adopt two wonderful children.