Sunday, August 24
The last four weeks since we’ve returned have been a blur. We are sitting down during “nap time” to recollect on the trip. What better way to do it than some top ten lists:
Ukraine’s Top Ten Best
1. Bringing the kids home
2. Spending time with the kids
3. Meeting the kids
4. The way Ukraine’s culture has blossomed since Donna’s last visit in 1987
5. The food: Chocolate ice cream in the bag; bulk varenyky/perogies (esp cherry); picking up fresh bread at 6 a.m.; and good cheap beer anytime!
6. The markets (where “the Eagle” soared)
7. Ukrainian pop music on FM radio
8. Going to Chernivtsi and Western Ukraine (Kolomya, visiting relatives)
9. Ukrainian fashion—especially what the women wear (Note: This is a top ten item for Murray only)
10. Learning and reading Cyrillic language (Molodyez!!)
The Top Ten things we likely won’t miss about Ukraine
1. The freshly polluted air and heat of Mariupol
2. The traffic congestion in Kyiv, including dealing with parked cars as you walk on the sidewalks
3. Continually wearing a money belt at plus 30C temperatures with a big wad of cash.
4. . The sweet smells outside our apartments just before garbage day
5. Trying to speak Ukrainian to people in Eastern Ukraine who only insist on Russian
6. Doing business with Ukrainian taxi drivers, despite the meters in their cars
7. The bus ride from Kolomya to Vinnetsia on Ukraine’s bumpy and rolling roads
8. Dealing with Ukrainian officials who get off on power games (passport control; train stations; etc)
9. Kyiv Metro at rush hour (you feel like you need a rape kit after you get off the train); except when you have a 2 year old in your arms who parts the 'sea of masses' to get her own seat
10. 11 hour flight from Kyiv to Toronto with a two year old
The Top Ten things we looked forward to returning home:
1. Growing as a family
2. Getting to know the kids ourselves in our own home
3. The wonder and amazement of discovery for two new kids in Canada
4. Introducing our kids to family and friends
5. Sleeping in our own bed
6. The familiarity of home, including normal driving, clean and functioning bathroom facilities; fresh air (outside and in bathrooms too…), the English alphabet, and lettuce in salads
7. Watching the Riders win some more games (OK…so that hasn’t happened…I’m trying to convince myself that I’m not a jinx…it could be a 2 year old though ;-)…)
8. An early arrival back to Canada so that we could enjoy some Saskatchewan summer during August
9. All the toys that Murray gets to play with now
10. Just staying in one place and keeping a routine
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3 comments:
Donna and Murray.
Congratulations on returning successfully from Mariupol and a good beginning to your life together as a family.
You may remember us as the strange family from Colorado who overlapped you by a few days at the orphanage. We have been home for a week now with our Kolya.
We definitely could relate to the stories on your blog. Mariupol would not be first on our ballot for the world's top vacation destinations, but we would not trade our trip for anything.
Good luck and best wishes,
Joe, Wendy, Graham, Elizabeth, and Kolya Hickman
So good to finally hear about you guys - and glad things are going well. Can't wait to hear more about your new adventures in parenthood!
Congratulations and welcome home!
Hi Donna,
I really need to talk to you about CIC paperwork. If you went that route (the new one) would you please contact me? I tried your email, but it bounced back. Thanks so much. Could you email me? We are having an emergency and MISSED our submission because of this problem. Yes, we are devastated!
Megan
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