A day of fun and exhaustion!

The day started with phone alarms and windup clocks ringing at 6:30. We were expecting our cab at 7:00. We moved a little sluggishly, and Jennifer was dying for an extra 10 minutes. I was also, but I had a few Tylenol PMs and slept much sounder so I was able to get dressed and ready quicker. We got a call that the driver was on the way, so counted money, thought about what we needed, etc and out the door we went. Down stairs, we thought Vlad was going to take us to the orphanage, but instead, Ekatarina was already in the cab with her son Mark. So we jumped in and off to the town square were busses were dropping off kids. We parked and spent some time trying to figure out what was up at the park. It seems that the kids take the cross town buss to the square and charter busses pick them up from there to get to the water park.

Once all the kids were on the bus, we loaded into the taxi and attempted to warp space and time. I was used to not wearing a seat belt, etc in Ukraine. After all, here, you may actually be safer to be thrown clear. But this time Vlad pointed and ensured that I buckled up. That should have been a clue!

We went off into to country side as if we were trying to get to a hospital. I loved it… Jennifer… Nyet. Along the way, we got to know Mark and talk with Ekatarina and Vlad. We had lots of fun with translations and teaching us Russian. My favorite was my lesion on Kleb (жлеб) Because she tilted her head WAY back so I could see where her tongue was when she said Kleb, macking the ‘X’ and the ‘L’ sound at the same time. We discussed the Ukraine country side, Vlads driving excitement, and much more. Mark was an impressive 11 year old. He speaks Russian, but has basic Italian and English down real well. Don’t be afraid to talk to this guy. Ekatarina was very sweat… she said “Terry, you are a good man. Most people come hear and never learn of Ukraine, or speak with us. But you chatiyet (read), and ask Shto-eta ee Ruski (what is it in Russian) always. Most of it was in English, but it made me feel good knowing that she sees that I care about her, Alina, and the people. She’s awesome!

We stopped for (of all things) pizza about 2/3 the way there. It was real good! Made Pow-Wow look real bad. They also made crepes there (didn’t have any, but what an unexpected thing). We read signs and did some translating on Vlads hand held translator. He needs it because he works exclusively for Victor when he is in town and Victor brings him all these foreigners.

We got there and seen this huge Water Park, then we drove past and was challenged for tolls at a road. I didn’t know what was up and we paid the toll, drove down, got turned around and lost. Ekatarina got out and walk through a bunch of beach houses. Vlad said it was Africa and parked in the shade. Ekatarina came back and took us to a beach house to change. It was funny, she kept talling me to take off my pants, the blushed and covered her face. Then I realized… I am wearing and American swim suit. The ones in Ukraine are basic thongs… so I tugged at my suit and said, Nyet Ekatarina… American Plavi-oot suit. Made the little dive gestured and she got it. She did the same for Jennifer’s modest 1-piece, and Jennifer did the same. This would come back again later.

We then left in the cab, fought the toll guys again and got to the park. The kids were off the bus. We sped to be sure we could eat and check Ekatarina in to the beach house before the kids got there. We all went in, we were the only English speaking folks there, and got lost a few times in the crowd. There was all kinds of fanfair and commotion. This was one of those events Ukraine does for the orphans. They danced for them, told jokes, etc. They filmed EVERYTHING and made the kids day.

We watched Alina and her friends eat since we had already and we went swimming as soon as they were done. We felt the icy water and waited. I said I have to jump, or I cannot get in so I jumped in. When I came up, cold was a bit of a shock, but then I realized why the water was greenish… it was salty… it was fresh sea water pumped right from the sea next door. COOL! Splash splash…. Play play… hey, who would of thought all the kids would want to see me make cannon balls.

We played and went down a slide that she did, but stopped because the orphans were there and we didn’t want to get in the way. Alina laid on a cot, rolled over and squealed (yes, squealed) “Peat-zzzzzahhh!”. That I responded with dazed and confused reactions and then seen she was pointing at a pizza place on the other side of the lazy river. I said Nyet (she just ate!)… and she squealed louder…. So I said NYET Alina, no Pizza! Then she looked all pouty and said quietly “Pizza?” and I said “You want Pizza?” and she said “Dah, please… pizza?”. AWESOME! She can be tamed… so I said dah and we went over, but they were not serving and we looked other places and I bought some water for them, gave her a huge and said Spaseba PLEASE pizza, looked into her eyes and gave thumbs up to her. She smiled and hugged me. It was cool… Wish I could say there was no other such event, but, hey, Rome was not built in a day. I am looking forward to the journey ahead.

Later we ate with what was going to be Alina, but too many girls and I let her eat with her friends and Jennifer and I ate with Ekatarina and Mark. We had fun translating the food and passing off tomatoes that I don’t like and the meat that he didn’t like. COOL! This is fun. Mark is very smart. I am sure Ekatarina is quite proud of him.

We stood around hug’n and such while kids were photographed and they had a show. There was a boy that I noticed had scraped his elbow so I asked Jennifer if she still had the bandaids we brought in our fanny packs and we broke some out. I took out some hand sanitized… walked to the crowd where he was, knelt down, pointed to him and did the finger curl to call him to me. I checked his elbows and found the scrap. It was rough! So I put some sanitizer on my hands, looked at him and said OW! OW! OW! To let him know it was coming, then blew on it while he made faces, put the bandage on and gave him a bear hug. It was then that I realized I was central forum like I was doing a triple bypass with a q-tip, salad tongs, and a stapler… all these kids moved back and then rushed him like he had a golden bandage and they all had to see it. I realized, then, that they probably never get care for minor abrasions.

Later I seen him at the bus with one of the teachers looking at it with some kids. Ekatarina was there, I pointed and said “is that alright?”, she said it was, and seemed happy again. The kids were all standing for 10-15 minutes… and I seen they were trying to repair the engine on the bus… I mean, oil everywhere, and sledge hammering the thing to knock bad parts out. It was like real clear this thing was done. The kids had a few bottles of water and it’s a 3 hour ride for them, so I went across the street to a gas station to buy some banaqua and they didn’t sell anything to drink. It’s cool to go to a water park where they don’t have a gift shop or a retail store, but MAN we needed sun screen and bottled water.

So I came back and Ekatarina was looking for me so we could go. We drove to the beach house and I asked if I could get the kids water or soda and she said water, maybe soda… no juice, to much… uh…uh… “sucrose?”… DAH, sucrose. Okay, best things to give children, in order of value: water, soda, then juice. I may have flipped the last two but “in rome”.

So I got some of each. Jen and I took them to the teachers. Jen had the easy job of giving some to the teacher. I got to fight Alina off the bottle that she was claiming as my gift to her. I gave it to the teacher and gestured to Alina by pointing at her with both fingers, then open them up to point to everyone and she got it, nodded, and we hugged.

Okay, off to Zap again… long drive, bathroom fiasco, and we made it back in about 2-1/2 hours. What an adventure. We came in, spoke to Victor who had been working all day at the apartment and the orphanage. He seen Illiah, Dema, and some boys we were considering. Tomorrow we have some work to do and Sunday it’s off to Kiev! Does it ever stop? I hope not… that means were not getting anywhere.

I am beat, but, let me tell you about something. There is a girl from Maldovia that we met. We will be seeing her tomorrow. Our hearts are twisting… she’s an amazing 14 year old. We did not see her last year, but she’s been there for 2 years. We are seeking a boy right now, but if the winds change direction, she would be a real delight to have in any family. If anybody reading this blog would like to host her for the Christmas break, you would be so blessed. Her photo is on my FB page, but I will not give any more information unless you are serious, because she is precious, a real gem! Just dropping the line… it may not be there in a month if God takes us that direction though, because we are serious in considering her as Alina’s sister.

Okay, goodnight from Ukraine!
Терри Стеен