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Za prazdinkom everyone!
International Women's Day is a big holiday in Ukraine and all of Europe.
Wish it was in US. Yesterday was a holiday for state workers and today
most everything else is closed or working on partial staff so women
could have either day off. I have had so far a Black Russian, 2 glasses
of Champagne, 2 shots of vodka and a lemon cello (Italian vodka
drink)--cake and candy; a wonderful brunch at the Druhalchuks; received
a beautiful scarf from Lena and a gorgeous cross stitch Greek design
from Natasha. A good day. My heat was off from yesterday until
this evening. No phone line since last night until about 4 today. It has
not stopped snowing since last Friday night. We have at least a foot and
a half of new snow.
Went into Kyiv on Thursday to mail another box and to spend weekend
helping Wini get ready for Alice's birthday party on Saturday. The post
office story is not much different from what happened here in
Korostyshiv. I went to a branch next to PC headquarters. I have mailed
things to states from there before--but new rules. Now all international
mail (packages, registered documents, large mailing envelopes) must go
through the central post office in Maidan Square. After waiting in line
for about 40 minutes behind two guys from Poland on Thursday, I gave up
when I saw them pull up about 200 small packages that the clerk had to
process. Think about this. Kyiv is a city of 2.7 million people and all
international mail must go through ONE clerk. First, she must check the
contents; then she gives you the customs forms to fill out. After you
fill them out, you get back in line and she hand writes a record of
numbers on any seals; posts the information on the computer. Seals the
package( or envelope) with tape; seals the custom form on the parcel;
takes the parcel to the back room then takes your money. She is very
efficient and patient even if the system is inefficient!
I went back with Wini on Friday afternoon. After waiting in line for
about 20 minutes, the clerk checked the contents of my box; asked me a
few questions and gave me the forms--4 of them. I thought, " Piece
of cake" I had filled them out so many times in Korostyshiv. Got
back in line for about 10 minutes; gave her forms and she says,
"Nyet" You can't use an office address and the information
must be in Russian! What else could I do. I sat back down and filled out
the four forms again in Russian and prayed that I spelled everything
correctly--which I didn't but she corrected them for me. Then I took the
box to another clerk who sealed the box; brought it back to the first
clerk and she completed the process as above--1 and a half hours!
I will mail nothing else. If I can't get it in a my suitcases, I will
pay for extra luggage! Should be just as cheap and a hell of a lot
easier.
On Saturday, the snow really blew and came down. It was definitely
chilli weather and that is what Wini and I made Saturday morning; we
also had tacos and bean dip. About 6 people showed up for the party and
we had a great time. Everyone had written poems for Alice--even people
who couldn't come. We talked politics, cross cultural issues--a lot of
stuff and laughed so much. Alice's host mom came as did her LCF(
language teacher from training).
The next morning (Sunday) I headed out for Korostyshiv, but no
marshrutkas nor buses were going because of the roads. 3 hours later I
showed back up at Wini's. The 3 of us spent the day reading, playing
cards and eating leftover chilli which was a perfect way to spend a cold
wintery day. Got home yesterday, Monday, about noon. Therese had me over
for curry soup for lunch and then i just lit my oven; turned on my
little heater and curled up to finish Angels and Demons, Great book.
Still snowing, but getting late so will send this on and wish you again
a Happy Women's Day.
Good morning to you; good
night for me,
Sorry I am late getting to this, but it has been a rather busy weekend
for me. Yesterday, I was in Kyiv for a meeting of the PC HIV/AIDS Group.
I am the communications director (secretary). This was my last meeting
with the group. Got home fairly late as I neglected to tell the
marshrutka driver I wanted to go to Korostyshiv. Ended up in Zhytomyr as
did 3 Ukrainians and all of us had to ride bus back. Spent the evening
with Natasha and family. Her brother and sister-in-law had come for a
visit. Asya as usual fed me and we spent a lot of time talking.
Today, I walked to bazaar to pick up my carrier for the cat. It is a
really nice one and so far Rah is jumping in and out of it. Later I
cleaned kitchen stove, cabinets and walls and then had an hour
conversation in Russian with Natasha. We are meeting every day for at
least half an hour to prepare me for the Language Proficiency Test. I am
going to take it next week when I am in Kyiv for my closing medical
exams. Would really like to move up a level. We shall see.
We have had snow every day for two weeks now, but it is warming up ever
so slightly every day. Today is was 5 (41F) and there was a lot of
melting as well as more snow. According to the long range forecast the
snow will continue until Friday and then rain and 50s. I am sure it will
be a real mess.
Another PO story. Took a box of clothes in on Monday since they are
supposed to be easier to mail! Hah! This time the clerk wouldn't accept
the customs declarations because I had dated them mm/dd/yy. Here in
Ukraine, the general practice is to put day then month. Everyone is
Ukraine has accepted the way I date except this woman. Can't decide if
she is stupid or mean or what. Anyway, I have redone all the forms and
will try again tomorrow.
Forgot to tell you all an exciting event in Korostyshiv. We now have a
stop light on the boulevard at the corner leading into the bazaar. It
has a pedestrian light which is a real god send. Ukrainians don't slow
down for pedestrians and I know this is one babushka that appreciates
having a light so that I can get across the street without dying a
thousand deaths every time a car turns the corner and speeds up.
It's 20:30 here now and I need to wash dishes so will close this off.
Love you,
Prevyet!
Yes winter returned yesterday with a vengeance. All last week the
temperature had stayed between 41-45 and the snow was melting, the river
thawed. Thursday and Friday it rained and melting was even faster. It
rained most of the night on Friday. Yesterday morning, Saturday, we woke
up to -5 (about 21F), sun, a bitter wind and bursts of snow. Of course
everywhere there was snow left, it was covered with a thick layer of
ice.
Therese and I went to Zhytomyr with Lena, a friend of ours. She wanted
to buy a new outfit for a school reunion; Therese and I wanted to see if
a shop there could fix our printers. (We both have Canons which printed
beautifully at first. Now no color on mine and very bad color on hers.)
Lena searched through the bazaar in the wind, snow, cold while we went
to repair shop. We joined her later at the department store and she
looked there for a while. We had not eaten lunch and we hurried to bus
station to get home and get some lunch at 4. A ride that should have
taken less than 30 minutes lasted almost 3 hours in a bus with no heat
and wind chill at least -20 (0F) There had been a terrible chain
reaction accident involving several semis, a car carrier and a few cars
on the highway due to black ice. One person was killed. Of course we
didn't know what was going on until one of the men got off our waiting
bus and walked up to the accident scene and back to report to us. At
first I thought the police were being their usual inefficient selves,
but when we finally reached and passed the scene I could see they had
done the best they could. Just getting emergency vehicles in and then
getting the road sanded so traffic could move safely had been near
impossible. Of course when you are absolutely freezing you don't think
about much else. That is truly the coldest I have ever been.
This cold is supposed to last until Thursday and then warm up a little.
I am wearing out literally my winter clothes so hope spring is pretty
damn close! I hand sewed my pjs which had ripped from top to bottom
because I have worn them and washed them so much.
On Thursday I went to Kyiv to pick up my airline tickets which I had
reserved on line (no e-tickets in Ukraine). I can't give you my schedule
yet as I am still waiting for OK for flying Rah Rah on my flight out. I
go to Kyiv tomorrow, Monday. I will be there until Wednesday afternoon
for my closing medical exam. I should be able to get my tickets tomorrow
and then I will send it to you.
Not much happening at work. I did teach and ecology lesson to Natasha's
8th graders and worked with her 9th graders on US geography. Ordinarily
their spring break would begin tomorrow, but they will have to go to
school 3 days to make up for some of the days of the 2-week flu
quarantine. They have already gone on some Saturdays. On Thursday I will
show and discuss the movie Hildago with the 9th graders. On next
Saturday, Natasha, Masha and I will travel to Kyiv to spend the day with
Wini and her tutor, Svetlana and her children. We are all looking
forward to that. By the way the Orthodox Easter is not until May 1 so a
long way off for them.
Enjoy spring. I will certainly enjoy it when it comes to Ukraine.
Good morning everyone!
Happy Easter!
We went on daylight savings time this morning and that made no
difference to Rah Rah. Come sunlight he wants me up and out of bed. It
has been light by 5:15 for well over a week now. The Ukrainian Catholics
are celebrating Paskha today with the same rituals that the Orthodox
will on May 1st. They got up early 3 am to stand in line at the church
and have the priest bless their baskets of Paskha cake and food. It was
about 41 this morning so quite a bit warmer. As a matter of fact the
temperature has stayed above freezing at night and has warmed by two to
three degrees higher each day. The snow melt has been gradual and the
roads and sidewalks cleared enough to make walking safe. The sun has
shone everyday and the stroller parade has begun! I also saw what for me
is a sure sign of spring here--a girl with a mini skirt barely covering
her butt wearing white boots with spike heels! Yes spring has come
to Ukraine.
Spent Monday through Thursday morning in Kyiv. Got my COS medical done;
visited leisurely with quite a few members of our group who were in
town; got lots of papers signed;Alice and Wini and a newbie and I had a
wonderful dinner as guests of the chief medical officers (Linda
and Fran) at Furzhet. Furzhet is one of the restaurants in the middle of
an upscale grocery store in downtown Kyiv. Women drinking, laughing like
fools at all our misadventures turned a lot of heads and made the chief
hostess very nervous. But we were crazy Americans. So what if we went to
the shelves and bought a wine we wanted since it wasn't on the menu! We
were in a grocery store!
I also finally got my tickets after a 3-day ordeal. The agents at KLM
were wonderful. I had originally reserved tickets to go through Seattle
to avoid a long layover in Amsterdam (because of the cat). But KLM could
never get hold of Alaska airlines to approve the cat from Seattle to
Boise. I finally settled for the layover in Amsterdam and will come
through customs at Minneapolis. Here is my info. I will send it again
later if you need.
April 30 Depart KLM 3097
from Kyiv 7:05
Depart KLM 6045 from Amsterdam 14:00
Depart NW 4905 from Minneapolis
17:12
Arrive Boise 19:11
(7:11 pm)
I bought a carrier for Rah from our local vet, but it was too big and he
couldn't find a smaller one, but I was lucky enough to learn that
another group mate had a smaller one and she is giving it to me. Natasha
has made all the arrangements for getting his rabies shot. The state vet
did not want to give him local rabies injection because he said it was
so hard on cats. So I am paying to have European vaccine imported. Then
I will have to pay again 3 days before I leave to have the state vet
certify he is vaccinated and healthy; 24 hours before I leave country, I
have to take those papers to the customs veterinary office at airport
and get his passport. At check in I then pay for HIS ticket. I took cash
in lieu of ticket from PC and am glad I did because it covers his and my
ticket!
Not much else going on here except the coming of spring. I am reading a
lot. Going to make a couple of more day trips to Kyiv to get rest of
paperwork signed. Have washed up quite a few things for distributing.
Therese and Kirsten have a friendly rivalry over who gets what when I
leave.
Natasha and I didn't go into Kyiv this weekend because she had a
terribly infected molar. They ended up taking her to emergency dentist
at hospital Friday night and having it pulled. I had to do a lot of
convincing that it was OK to take the Ibuprofen I gave her for the pain.
More on medical (mythical) beliefs some other time.
No post office stories this week, but one of the packages is already
home which really amazed me because as I told Janet, I didn't think any
of them went airmail and they were supposed to take 2 months. Who knows
what I really ended up signing for after all that.
Love you--Happy Egg Hunting
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