Almost There

[Robin]

Yes, Barb's grandmother (ha!) was in fine form this morning at the orphanage. We obeyed the rules dutifully by avoiding all playground equipment and just giving the kids sidewalk chalk and also blowing bubbles with the bubble horn. Everything was copacetic until I pulled out the cream-filled waffle cookies to give the kids as a treat. The caregiver pulled the offered treat from the hand of one of the kids and told Phil that it would make the kids sick (the dairy filling). I then had the very unpleasant task of trying to pry the cream-filled treat from Ana's grasp (did I tell you how strong she is?). The other kids started to cry when they realized they weren't going to get the treats that they had just seen with their own eyes. I about started to bawl myself. We left shortly after that incident and I comforted myself with a glass of beer at the Pizza place....I would have preferred to tell the caregiver her off, but this was NOT an option.

Colleen and I then went to the ticket booth at the hotel to try to switch her train ticket as she was sold another 4-person cabin when she wanted a deluxe with just two berths (unsuccessfully, as they were sold out) and then on to the market. We secured some toilet paper and paper towels at the market (not available in the grocery store) and then totally scored by finding a vendor selling measuring tapes (1 hrivnya---20 cents a piece!). We can now measure the girls and use this to compare to the clothes on the racks. On our way back, we then saw yet another pharmacy and I decided to try my luck with the saline solution request (hand-written in Russian by Phil). Turned out that, yes, they did have this.... out came a clear glass bottle with clear liquid inside and what looks like a beer bottle top. I took this and paid about 50 cents. When we returned to the apartment Phil confirmed that this was, indeed, saline solution. However, I might not have to use this, since Colleen is going back to Kiev tonight and she's going to look for something more like Renu, etc. when she arrives.

Since this issue with the quest for the saline solution, I've been thinking about giving people who are adopting a list of things to bring with them when they journey here. Most of the stuff has been covered in other blogs, but this would be my wish list if I could do it over again:

1) Bring a dvd player on your laptop. Bring funny movies with you so that you can have some sure laughs. I would have brought Anchorman and some old Woody Allen--Bananas!.

2) Bring a swiss army knife. You are going to apartments that may not have the following: a can opener, a knife, a wine bottle opener.

3) Bring a set of spoons/forks. I was reduced to eating yogurt with a plastic fork when no spoons could be found at the supermarket.

4) Bring lightweight jeans or pants that won't show dirt. Bring shirts, socks, etc. that can dry quickly. I brought woolite and a clothesline with clothespins and these have been very handy. No one has dryers here--everything is line dried.

5) Bring a small-sized russian dictionary. I have a "Russian in 10 minutes a day" workbook and this has been helpful, but for a quick translation or word (like at the restaurant), you really need something pocket-sized.

6) Bring two cloth/nylon bags with zippers or drawstring closures. One of these will be indispensible for carting stuff to and from the orphanage. The other will be needed to separate out your dirty laundry/giving your laundry to the hotel staff for cleaning.

7) Bring a sturdy digital camera and a flash drive.

8) People have said this in other blogs--but you really can't find books to read in English so you must lug them over here. Bring enough for six weeks (seriously).

9) Kleenex in small travel-sized individual holders and Wet Ones in the individual packs. You are going to want to stuff these in your pockets.

10) Flashlight. We've had two apartments now where you can't see the door locks at night without the aid of a light.

11) Crosswords or some other amusement (cards, etc.). You will have a lot of time on your hands at the notary offices, etc.

12) Comfortable walking shoes that are stylish and are black or brown. I covet Colleen's Dansko patent leather clogs. My flats are so disgusting right now they are going in the trash before we leave. My black Aerosole boots are okay, but the uneven pavement here has been a killer with even the slightest heel.

13) Some spices (other than dill). I brought red pepper, cumin and oregano.

[Phil]

I think all of those suggestions are great. I would add an ipod and ipod speakers. Being able to hear music from home is unquantifiable. It's kept me sane (so far).

So Kostya is coming tomorrow tobasically touch base with us before our big week next week. Tomorrow is day 9 of our 10-day waiting period in which the prosecutor or other concerned party can appeal our judge's decision. Thus, tomorrow at 5PM, Ana will esentially be our daughter. It won't really be official until Monday when we get her birth certificate, but for all intents and purposes, tomorrow is the last day of our wait.

Once again this was a day that I spent most of my time in the apartment working on a translation, but I did accompany Robin and Colleen to the evening orphanage visit. I'm glad I did, because one of our favorite caregivers (Lydia Alexandrovna) was there, and I also got to play a good hour of soccer with a potential great futbalist named Nikita. We had a great time, and it reminded me of playing catch or shooting hoops with my dad in the backyard until it got too dark to see. It made me rethink my adamantly pro-girl stance. Meanwhile, Lydia Alexandrovna came over and said, "I think Papa should adopt a boy and Mama can have the girl." I laughed and said that we're not ready for 2 kids yet, but now I can finally see the appeal of a son. I could tell that just spending time kicking the ball with Nikita was just so anaomolous to his daily life (and mine too!), so I think both of us got a lot out of it. If any of you want to adopt a athletic but sensitive 4 year-old soccer player from Southeastern Ukraine, let us know. We'll fast-track you, if we can.

[Robin]

The boys love Phil. They were so thrilled to get attention from him. When he juggled the ball from one foot to the other and then kicked it with his knee back to them, they squealed with delight. Ana was very content to sit on my lap and make things out of playdoh while all this went on in the background. She's a gymnast (the next Olga Korbut), not a soccer player :) Seriously, none of these kids should be lacking a home. They are so sweet--they like hugs, being chased and are so amazed at just the most regular things. When a plane was crossing the sky leaving a vapor trail they all pointed up excitedly and were jumping up and down.

I spoke to Carmen tonight and it is getting really exciting to talk about "when we get back". I am so looking forward to the Day of the Dead fundraiser for Kidzu. Tina's museum for kids needs its own space. Then I want to get them to be the "sister" property for the kids at the orphange here in Kramatorsk. I can just see kids from Chapel Hill, Carrboro bundling up toys and clothes for the orphans here (or maybe just fundraisers, they might need some new playground equipment soon since it gets so much use!).

[Phil]

Thanks to eveyone for the comments and emails. We especially enjoy the emails about daily life back home, neighborhood gossip, nights out, etc., i.e., all the things we're missing here, so please feel free to email us about such minutiae.

-P.

No salsa, peanut butter, popcorn, or saline....

1. Track outfit.

2. Ducky underwears.

3. Hard at work on a translation.

4. Relegated to the rocker.

5. P&R at Celetano with latte

[Robin]

These are the mysteriously missing items in the grocery stores here. Today Colleen and I went to four pharmacies to try to buy some saline solution. I even had a note written in Russian from Phil to hand to the sales staff. No dice. I might have to resort to using something akin to Visine to store my contacts for the last week.

The day was fairly uneventful. Phil, Colleen, and I went to the orphange in the morning and played with the kids. It was a pretty day and warmer than the past couple of days, which made being outside more enjoyable. We went to the pizza place for lunch. Then Phil went home to work on a translation (thank you Universe!) and Colleen and I shopped for a stroller for Ana (several fairly lightweight, collapsable models were found), then went on the search for saline solution and then went to the internet cafe for some online time (since Phil was occupying our link in the apartment). On our way back from the internet cafe, we spied a children's clothing store. We went in and I bought a couple of things that I think will fit her (clothing sizes are not uniform). We need a few outfits just to get us through the last couple of days here.

We are going to post some pics of these clothing finds, but I warn you, the selection was limited and there is nothing like GapKids in Kramatorsk!

This afternoon just Colleen and I braved the playground (Phil kept working). Ana was in a great mood and was really happy to see me. Unfortunately the new caregiver didn't share her excitement. She proceeded to dress me down (finger wagging in my face) for the coins that Phil had given Ana. She handed them back to me with great disdain. Then when Colleen and I tried to play with Lily and Ana on different types of playground equipment, she would tell us no ....everything (slides, swings, etc.) was too dangerous for the kids. She finally pointed to the two-seated rocker and told us to play with them on that. The bad news was that this is not really very interesting to the kids. It just doesn't do much other than rock back and forth. We tried to be gracious about these restrictions, but it was hard.... We finally just colored and played with some other toys that we had brought.

After the orphanage, we went to the grocery store and it was packed....everyone getting items for their dinners. We got in line at the deli counter and stood behind this guy who ordered practically everything in the case. The large line of people behind us was really getting impatient and I started sweating just thinking that they might think it was us holding them up (remember we don't "blend"). One woman broke in line, and I thought this might break the seal of civility and we might never get served. Luckily I think we positioned ourselves well because we did finally manage to get the worker's attention and get to order our takeout items. We bought chicken filets, potatoes with mushrooms and onions, and meat-stuffed cabbage rolls. We came home and warmed them up (and added some spices). Turned out to be yummy. We watched Spinal Tap on DVD and had some laughs over dinner.

[Phil]

Yes, I basically worked all day and really have nothing of substance to add, except that every time I watch Spinal Tap I discover something that I missed before. This time it was when they were unable to find the stage from the bowels of the stadium, so when they ran across the maintenance man, they asked for directions:

David: We're in the group. We're in the group that's playing tonight.

Janitor: You go right straight through this door here, down the hall....

David: Yeah.

Janitor: ...turn right...

David: Yeah.

Janitor: ...and then there's a little jog there, about thirty feet.

Derek: A jog?

Janitor: ...jog to the left...

David: A jog?

Derek: We don't have time for that.

Har har. I got a serious case of the giggles after that. Now we need to go to the market and find all the Mel Brooks movies on DVD, and our last few days here should be very enjoyable.

That's all for now. It was a busy day for basically doing nothing.

"Serenity Now!"

1. Ana hiding in the closet in the outdoor playroom.
2. Ana with cookie on swing.

[Robin]
Many of you Seinfeild fans may remember George's father yelling this... This title reflects my statement upon coming home from the travel agent and hearing her say that 1) There were no flights out of Kiev on Saturday; 2) Business class tickets could cost $6,000; and therefore, 3) We would have to go back to trying to buy a ticket online (which would mean that we would also have to figure out a way to pick up paper tickets in Kiev). I stated this and Colleen laughed. Phil then set to work online and later, after the system "timed out" mid-purchase, and then talking on the phone with two different Aerosvit agents, we got our tickets. Aargh. Nothing, absolutely nothing, has been especially easy about this process.

Still, today was actually a good day. Ana was really fun this morning, playing on the piano, using the flashlight to blind mama, etc. We had lunch at the apartment and I spent the afternoon joyfully looking through all the magazines that Colleen had gotten from Lynn. Lynn and her husband are adopting an 8 year old, and she was returning from spending her 10 day wait in the US. She shared a train cabin last night with Colleen. There is nothing like reading US, People, and inStyle and catching up on the celebrity gossip to put one in a good mood.

[Phil]
Meanwhile, I sat on my corner of the couch and worked on a translation. Now that we have a permanent internet connection, I can finally do some work. I can't say that real excited about this, but it's an unfortunate necessity.

[Robin]
We also got train tickets from the stand in our old hotel. The vendor asked Phil a bunch of questions and then Phil turned to me and said "she says the only cabin available is next to the bathroom, do we want that?" You can imagine the sinking feeling. Turned out, after Phil asking a number of other questions, that we were able to get a deluxe cabin for an overnight trip on the 22nd. Yay.

Tonight we went with Colleen to the Ukrainan place. Yet another party was under way--a going away party from what Phil could gather. The karaoke singers were in full force and couples were dancing.

We are now watching "Best in Show" and laughing. A good end to a good day.

[Phil]
Yeah, and we had a lot of fun with Ana tonight. I was totally exhausted by the end of the play period. We chased her all over the place, picked her up, spun her around, pushed her on the swing, tickled her, caught her jumping off the jungle gym, etc. Meanwhile the caregivers, God bless them, decided to go inside for a good half-hour or so, leaving us with Ana and 5 rowdy little boys. I think I'll be hearing "Papa, swing me!"in my sleep tonight.

Monday Morning Music Exercises

1. Mama Lyuda and Ana's group.

2. Musical Exercises.

3. The vodka aisle at the supermarket. Seriously. That's all just vodka.

4. Dasha's last evening at the orphanage.

5. Ana changing into her Outside Clothes.

[Robin]

It was really cold out this morning (41 degrees) and so it was hard to get out of bed, but we eventually bundled up and hurried down to the orphanage. When we got there they were not outside so we went up to their playroom. When we got into their room, Ana saw us and started crying. Not exactly the warm welcome we had hoped for... but not completely surprising based on her past morning moods. It turned out that the kids were dressing to go down to do "musical exercises." Phil asked if we could join them and watch, and the caregiver said she would ask. We trudged downstairs following the row of little kids holding hands. When we got to the room, a music teacher was seated at a piano. The caregiver spread some colored paper leaves on the floor and then, upon a musical signal, the kids all raced to pick up one leaf from the floor. They then proceeded to do what looked like a set of games/song sets that they all seemed to recognize. Phil was able to film part of it on our camera. The cutest part was when the caregiver held up a paper sun and held a folded umbrella in the other hand. She gave one of the kids a paper thunder cloud. The other kids would prance around to the music until the "thunder cloud" ran toward them and scared them under her umbrella. It was so cute it almost hurt to watch.

[Phil]

Yes, it was very cute and very old-fashioned. I could see the same scene happening in a Soviet kindergarten 40 years ago. We felt very privileged to be allowed to watch it, and we thanked the music teacher profusely.

After that, we decided to go home and have some spaghetti (!) for lunch. We're loving apartment living. We had our home-made spaghetti and watched "Hot Fuzz" (very funny British movie) on DVD as people walked past our window bundled up in their winter clothes. It was bliss.

Later, we headed back to the orphanage to see Ana again and Dasha for the last time. She's being adopted tomorrow, so I wanted to get some video of her last night there. When we got to the playroom, Dasha was all dressed up in a red velvet dress with knee-high white vinyl platform boots. I put the camera on her and asked her what she had to say to all her friends in America. She said, "What friends?" I told her that she had a lot of friends in America, including Seryozha's parents. She seemed caught off-guard by this and just laughed. Meanwhile, the caregiver told Ana to get dressed because Mama and Papa were here.

[Robin]

Ana was in a very good mood this time and promptly got dressed to go out. We got some really cute pictures of her going into her locker and getting her clothes out and dressing herself. She only had to be helped with the shirt snaps at her neck. When we went outside we played on the usual assortment--carousel, slide, rocket. Then we worked on the puzzle we had given her the day before. The hour went by quickly and when it was time to go there weren't any tears just blown kisses and "poka" (see you later).

We went to dinner at Da Vinci since it is fairly close to the orphanage. We watched other people drinking wine and started daydreaming about having a good bottle of wine with a steak when we get back. Oh, my stomach is rumbling just thinking about it!

When we got back, we finally took advantage of the whirlpool bathtub in the apartment. The hot. soapy water was soaking heaven! We really felt like this was one of our best days here.

Oh, before I forget, we also talked to the people at the US embassy today and got the information to help us plan for our trip back to Kiev. We feel confident (dare I say this) that we can get all of our paperwork done within three days, so we are planning to pick our tickets up tomorrow. OMG! we think we will be home on the evening of the 28th.

[Phil]

Yes, that's the date to pencil in, but many things can still go haywire in the next 2 weeks.

There's not much else to tell. Now that we have a 24-hour internet connection, I'm actually taking on some work for the next couple of days, but I still hope to have time to do some shopping with Robin at the Big Market. We basically have to buy Ana an entire new wardrobe. Speaking of that, people have been emailing us and asking if there's anything they can do to help us with Ana. There is, actually, but I'll let Robin explain since she's the expert on this.

[Robin]

Expert--ha! Not hardly. However, after watching the kids at the orphange I have realized that everything in our house is too large for a little girl. For those of you who have asked what we need, I think I can safely say that the following are needed: step-stool/stairs to reach the bathroom sink (and toilet?); playtable and chair set; set of full-size sheets in kid-friendly fabric; toy chest; booster seat to reach the dining room table; kid-sized silverware, plates and cups; kid-sized clothes hamper; rod and hooks for her closet; and a hand-held shower device that we can put into the bathtub. That's probably not all we need, but it's really all I have the sense to think of now. Thanks in advance for any help on these items, we really appreciate the offers!

[Phil]

I guess that's all the news for today. We had better get to sleep soon, as Colleen will be ringing the doorbell early in the AM.

Market Sunday

1. The large market with its stall selling babushka bags and plastic shopping bags.

2. Wall with Soviet-era mosaic tiles near our apartment.

3. Phil swinging Ana around and around. She loves to feel dizzy.

4. Phil and Ana playing a game of "Where's Ana" on the slide.

5. Ana reaching into Phil's laptop bag for a toy.

[Phil]

So today we really wanted to sleep in since actual East European fall has hit here in all its gray and chilly glory. We somehow roused ourselves and trudged over to the orphanage, sneezing and blowing our noses the whole time. Once there, we found all of Ana's group out for a walk and bundled up in ski jackets and toboggans. We got to spend about half an hour with her playing the "Where's Nastya?" game before the caregivers called them in for lunch.

[Robin]

I practically begged Phil to trudge up (the opposite direction from the orphange) to the coffee cafe this morning before going the orphanage. I just couldn't make it without a latte in hand. I should note here that a "large" at the cafe is a "short' at Starbucks, etc. It will make you want to pretend that you are getting another one for someone else just so you can have two.

We walked to the pizza place and then to the large market after the orphanage. There were lots of people out, all carrying their plastic bags. This is an interesting situation. If you want to look like a Ukrainian you must carry a labeled plastic shopping bag filled with your personal belongings. This goes for both men and women. They even sell plastic shopping bags at the marketplace. I took a picture (see above) to illustrate this point. I guess this is a type of status symbol--i.e. that you have the means to buy something in a store.

[Phil]

I think it's more just a utilitarian thing, but it's definitely true that most Ukrainians carry their stuff in plastic bags. And those that don't are very protective of their leather or canvas bags. The way to even partially fit in here is to get one of those "Scotch Whisky" bags from the local gastronom and put all your stuff in it. The Ukrainians will still spot you as a foreigner, because they have a sixth sense for that, but you'll blend in better.

[Robin]

Colleen was laughing about how she/we assume we are like the My Cousin Vinny movie where Marissa Tormei's character says, "I blend". I think this comes after she and Joe Pesci are in a diner and order a "grit".

At the markplace, we successfully tracked down the stall/staff where we had purchased some pants for Ana. They were way too big, probably three inches in length. Phil talked to the ladies and they remembered us and allowed us to exchange them for some smaller pants, without as much as a receipt and having the tags off. There are some great things about Ukrainian and their people-to-people customer/client relationships are definitely one of them.

[Phil]

Yes, I have never seen anyone so happy to take a return. It was pretty great. Then we went to a stall that had all these awesome Puma shoes, but unfortunately none of the cool (i.e., pink) ones fit Robin. Then I searched around for a "Ukraine"warm-up jacket or something like that but had no luck. Maybe in Kyiv... Anyway, after the market, we went to inspect a possible apartment to move into. It really wasn't what we were looking for, so we called Colleen in Kyiv and all agreed to share her Apartment Palace. It will save us all money, and plus we'll get to hang out with a fellow countryman. We all three could not be happier. All we need now is a coffee shop next door.

[Robin]

I don't want to whitewash this--I could not see sleeping in that apartment. Phil had the unpleasant task of having to call the owner of the apartment we had viewed and tell her that we had a change of heart. This was hard to do, especially in another language.

[Phil]

Yes, it was pretty awful. Let us never speak of it again.

In other news, we got some Russian mp3 CD's at the market today, so be prepared for horrible techno-pop emanating from our house when we return. As soon as possible, we're going to turn Ana on to The Pernice Brothers, Otis Redding, Van Morrison, Spoon, etc.

[Robin]

When we went to the orphanage this afternoon a new caregiver was giving the children in Ana's group a walk through the park. We interrupted their walk and this incited some tears from Ana. Suffice to say we tried a number of approaches and we got varying results from her. We think it is very confusing to her to want to be going somewhere with us and also want to be with the comfort of her group. Regardless of this trauma, Dasha can't wait for us to be around and give her attention. We gave her a Tarheel key chain that plays the UNC fight song. She loved it.

After the orphanage, we went to the Ukranian restaurant across the street. There was a large engagement party there and the various members of the party took turns having a professional photographer take pictures of them with what looked like a potted flowering plant. We had a good dinner but were unhappily surprised by the charge. Including the "entertainment fee" the singer it ended up being more than we had in our pockets. We had the option of dining and dashing, but figured we might want our coats which were being held hostage by the doorwoman. Phil had to run up the street to the ATM while I sat at the table trying to look inconspicous.

[Phil]

So tromorrow is Dasha's last day at "Gaidok" and the first day of our week remaining to take Ana to America. Think good thoughts for us and for Dasha, Ana, etc.

If you think coach class is cramped, don't take a bus to Donetsk

1. The Solitary Cyclist. On the road to Donetsk.

2. The bus station in Donetsk.

3. In front of the van that transported us from Kramatorsk.

4. Olga, Nikita, and Kostya in front of the cafe in Donetsk.

5. Olga and Kostya waiting outside of bus to see us off.

6. Mash-up of people in the front of the bus.

[Robin]

This morning we woke up and I made breakfast (real scrambled eggs vs. the version that the hotel makes that was just eggs over hard). We had already gone through the laborious process of closing the apartment's front door (two doors, both with two sets of deadbolts to engage), when we noticed it was cold and gray out. We decided to go back in and pack an umbrella at the last minute and then had to race up the street to take money out of the ATM in anticipation of our trip to Donetsk.

When we arrived at the bus station to my great dismay our bus was actually a minivan. There was also a large line of people outside it and I immediately started dreading the idea of traveling for an hour and a 1/2 in the back of a swaying van. As my family can attest, I have been known to get a bad case of motion sickness in the backseats of cars that have no access to air. We almost bailed on the idea of going to the city in the anticipation of this unfortunate situation.

Fortunately, our sense of adventure prevailed and we managed to load into the van such that we ended up with two seats together and I was in a window seat. Phil got the bad end of this deal because there was no room for his legs and he had to sit sideways. Plus he had a man leaning over him who was carrying sticks of some sort in a plastic bag. Once the seats were filled that didn't seem to dissuade anyone from getting on...no, as long as there was room to stand sideways in the aisle, that was plenty of space.

[Phil]

Yes, when we first got to the bus station, it seemed like everyone in the parking lot turned to look at us. We then sort of uncomfortably stood around and tried to figure out if the small, dirty van was actually our bus to Donetsk. As the minutes passed, it appeared that it was. Meanwhile there were a bunch of vaguely unhappy-looking guys standing around smoking, drinking beer (it was before 11AM), and spitting. I sensed that Robin was out of her comfort zone. I, too, felt like this was a really bad idea. But then we both agreed that it was an adventure, and in the spirit of The Amazing Race, we decided to board the dirty van. Like Robin said, once we got actual seats, everything was pretty much okay, that is if you don't mind Russian electro-pop blaring from the speaker right above your seat. Robin later said that she didn't even notice. I couldn't help but notice, however, especially the song that was about being a dentist in the hospital.

[Robin]

I spent my time looking out the window, we passed a few towns, but mostly fields and fields of black soil or crops. Outside of the cities, it becomes a rural landscape very quickly. I actually saw a guy pulling a bucket up from a well and later a small boy herding a group of cows down a path.

When we arrived at Donetsk, Kostya, his wife, and son were waiting for us. We then took yet another minivan into the main part of the city. This time we were the ones standing and when we first got in, I said "I don't think there is enough room for all of us". But with Kostya's prompting we stepped up and on and some people moved over enough for us to find a handhold. Afterwards, I stood in amazement as the van stopped an additional five times, each time with more people getting on. We were REALLY packed in there like sardines; there was no room in between one person to the next. The idea of leaving some personal space apparently is not a worry here.

[Phil]

Yes, I was pushed closer and closer to a seated young woman who looked annoyed or alarmed each time my coat or messenger bag made contact with her person. Meanwhile, it was really getting hot and crowded in there and I could feel a bead of sweat on my forehead that was sure to fall in the lap of this sensitive girl. I spent the next several minutes simultaneously trying not to bump against her or, god forbid, sweating on her. When we were finally at our stop, I vowed that we would take a cab back to the station, no matter how expensive it was (not much [$4], as it turned out).

So we exited the minibus and headed into an enormous market. I thought the "Big Market" in Kramatorsk was big, but it was dwarfed by Donetsk's. There were hundreds of stalls, tables, and small shops selling mainly CD's, DVD's, books, office supplies, and software. Mainly we looked at books, since Kostya's son was on a quest for some Spiderman comics or books about pirates. Robin and I ended up buying a little puzzle that spells out "Nastya" and a few well-illustrated recipe booklets ("Borsch", "Russian Salads", etc.). Each one was about a dollar. After an hour or so at the market, we went in search of the Arizona steakhouse, but as usual, the guidebook was out of date. Instead, we stopped and had some dessert and drinks at a little cafe near a park. By this time, it was time to return for our 4:30 bus back to Kramatorsk. I was silently praying that it would not be another dirty van.

[Robin]

I ordered apple strudel and hot tea with honey at the cafe. A perfect accompaniment to a rainy day. We had fun getting to know Kostya's family. They are really nice people and their son, who is seven, was very cute--saying thank you, etc. in English to us.

Our minivan back was slightly larger and Phil and I got the first row of seats in the van. Once secured our seats, I went back out and talked to Kostya, Olga, and Nikita until it was time to depart. Nikita made a paper airplane for us and gave it to us as a parting gift (very sweet). They stayed and waved good-bye until our bus pulled out. We remarked to one another that this was another cultural difference--once Americans drop someone off, we are gone... we don't wait for the bus to pull out.

[Phil]

Yeah, I told Robin that I sort of remember from one of my Russian literature classes that the entire family will go out and wait with the departing guests until they have embarked. Only then will they leave the train station, bus stop, etc. It could have also been because Kostya and Olga are exceedingly polite and decent people, which they are. In any case, it really touched us.

The ride back was more comfortable because of the larger size of the vehicle, but they still packed in as many people as possible. The little median/island between the driver's seat and the passenger's seat eventually acommodated 5 or 6 young Ukrainians, who seemed nonplussed about being packed together. There was like an unspoken understanding not to mention how close they were to one another. Robin tried to get a photo, but all that came out was the heads (see above). Another interesting thing about the bus trips is how casual and helpful everyone is, in a very understated way. Someone will say from the back of the bus that he wants to be let off at the next crossroads, and someone will relay that message to the driver, who will then pull over. And people get on and off at all sorts of places that do not appear to be actual stops. They'll just squeeze in, yell out their destination, and pass their money through the passengers to the driver. I never heard anyone say, "Do I look like I work here?!" or anything like that, which I would definitely expect in America.

When we arrived back in Kramatorsk at 6PM there was a steady rain. We stopped in at the apartment briefly and then went to Premier for some soup to warm our bones. We hope that one day we can make Kharcho Soup and Borsch that at least holds a candle to the soups we've had here.

[Robin]

We are looking forward to seeing Ana tomorrow morning and delivering her new puzzle gift. We also got some encouraging news from Kostya that we might be able to accomplish Ana's passport, visa and id, etc., in one business week. I'm almost scared to even say this, as everything here seems to hit a roadblock the minute you think it's smooth sailing. Anyway, if it happens, we will be the happiest people on the plane on the way back.

[Phil]

Yes, if all goes well, we should be back on around Oct. 27th. Cross fingers.

Movin' on Up!

[Robin]

Those of you who grew up in the 70s (fans of George and Weezy) will understand this reference. We moved today from the hotel to Colleen's apartment. Our level of happiness at this event is pretty funny. We call this place the "palace" since it has a real couch, big TV, queen-sized bed, and wonder of wonders, a hot plate! Moving was kind of a pain, as it took two trips back and forth across bumpy pavement with our luggage, leftover fridge items and my flowering plant.

We made spaghetti in the apartment tonight. My only mistake was getting the tomato sauce. They put some funky spice in it and it ended up being kind of sweet. I tried to camoflauge it with some red pepper, but it didn't quite mask it. Needless to say, we ate it and enjoyed not having to go to a restaurant to eat for the first time in almost a month.

[Phil]

Yes, walking down the street carrying a suitcase and a potted plant could not help but make me think of that scene in "The Professional" when Leon and Mathilda were fleeing to a new hideout and she had to carry the beloved plant. Speaking of movies, tonight we finally get to see a DVD on a TV instead of a tiny laptop. Right now, however, we're listening to the ipod stereo while watching "Minute of Fame" on Russian TV. It's basically a more upscale Gong Show. Some of the outfits are fantastic, especially when it's a magic act.

Not much to report on the adoption front. Ana has been really good lately and seems to have shed some of her anxiety (but not all! -- she's a moody one, much like her parents). Yesterday I talked to Lillia, the orphanage psychologist, about Ana's fear about leaving the orphanage. She said that it was completely normal, and that of course we should expect her to miss her daily life and her friends. The caregiver Lydia Alexandrovna also suggested to us that we take Ana away from the orphanage in stages -- first to the gate, then a block away, then to the next street, etc. It makes sense.

[Robin]

After moving and then visiting the orphanage this morning (where we played inside with Ana in their ballroom), we went to the bus station to buy tickets to Donetsk. We are going to travel about and hour and a half south tomorrow morning to visit the largest city in this area. We will meet our translator and his family there. He suggested this as a way to break the monotony of our wait. I'm really grateful for this diversion. Even the orphanage caretaker asked us today if we were getting tired of it. Don't get me wrong, playing with Ana is fun. It's just that it's in the same little playyard and there is only so much that we can do there. We do have a little routine for the slide that illicits some good giggles from Ana. I'll help her climb up (actually she really doesn't want help, but I'll be damned if she falls and breaks her chin/tooth on my watch) and then when she gets to the top she sits and waits before going down the slide. Phil, meanwhile, will stand with his back to her toward the top of the slide and says stuff like "Where's Ana. Is she in the tree? etc." Then while his back is turned, she will try to scoot down the slide as fast as she can. But he always catches her before she hits the bottom and scoops her up and whirls her around. She giggles delightedly the minute Phil grabs her. It does a heart good to see this in action....

[Phil]

Yeah, she loves anything that seems like a game, especially if involves being grabbed and snuggled at the end. That's one reason she loves the "catch me if you can" game with Robin. She'll usually flee to a bench and lie face-down, after which Robin will pounce on her and tickle her while nuzzling the back of her neck and making funny noises. I think she's going to love playing with Lola once she overcomes her fear of animals. Which reminds me -- today in the midst of swinging she stopped and pointed at the ground, shouting. I looked down and saw a hornet on the ground under the swing. I stomped on it repeatedly, until it finally went to insect heaven.

What else to tell... Have we mentioned that we eat at the pizza restaurant (http://www.pizza-celentano.com/) pretty much every day? The waitresses all know us by now and tease us for ordering the same thing every day. Cultural observation: Ukrainians take a LONG time to order. Seriously. The guy in front of me took at least 5 minutes to order for him and his girlfriend. Ukrainians will typically hem and haw and ask numerous questions about the dishes and ask if they can make substitutions. Then the waitress will suggest another item, like maybe a blintz. They'll ask her what kind of blintz, does it come with jam, etc. Then, when the customer finally says "that's all", she'll then repeat the order back to him in great detail, after which he invariably wants to add or remove something. Then she'll repeat it all again. It makes my friend Glenn "No Onions" Boothe's picky-eatingness to shame.

[Robin]

I tried to take a picture of the pizza place staff making a blintz. The average customer seems to order these and desserts more than pizza. These pancakes are filled with fruit or mushrooms and cheese. I like them, but they are no match for pizza slice.

We are shocked and dismayed to find out tonight that the Flying Burritto is closed! How could this happen? We were planning to take Ana there when we got back. Aargh, how I will miss their lime-cilantro salad dressing and chicken enchiladas.

[Phil]

And Margarita Monday! Oh well, if the Flying Burrito is indeed closed, then Ana's first restaurant meal in Chapel Hill will have to be at Pepper's Pizza. I bet she's never even had pizza before. When she took a sip of Fanta the other day, the look on her face was priceless. I don't think there's a lot of food variety at the orphanage, obviously.

Okay, I guess that's all for now. Hopefully we'll have some good photos from Donetsk tomorrow.