Video Summations of the trip to Ukraine

The last few days of Mom, Dad, and Zach's visit, Alicia went around and polled each of them as to how they enjoyed their trip: good things, bad things, first impressions, good memories.

Here are Mama and Daddy's impressions.

And Zach's--

Mom and Dad and Zach's trip to Ukraine

Family Portrait

June 15- Monday when they arrived, we took them home from the airport and went to the WW2 musuem. There are many reasons for this-- when you are trying to get over jet lag, you want to stay active. It worked for Mom, she crashed when we got home. This started an ongoing trilogue between Dad, the rest of the Valdosta team and the Ukraine team whether Dad had been training for the walking they would do here in Ukraine. Just this day there were lots of hills and stairs. The actual museum itself was closed, which was a bummer, but we at least got to see all the outside statues and the iron lady.

Mom and Dad in at the war museum-- pretty tanks

Since the museum was closed, we went over to the Pechersk-Lavra, a sort of "Mecca" for the the Orthodox tradition. Here there were many buried "saints" where they can be viewed and mourned and prayed through. Mom had to cover her head up with my bandana that I had in my pouch. I bought the family some candles to pass through the tombs. The first time Alicia and I went here I didn't do so because I thought it was an Orthodox thing. But this time I did buy them because I knew it was a light to guide you through the darkness! Perhaps certain traditions are born from practicality?

View of Kyiv, Troeshna region

We stayed at Carol Pinczuk's apartment in Trieshna (region of Kyiv). Yuriy Aniper, minister of the Shevchenko congregation in Kyiv was kind enough to transport us there. This was their first taste of big city living-- this high rise, we were staying on the 22nd floor, the very top. Another introduction to Ukraine living was that the hot water was turned off, so straight from America-- no hot showers!

Dad and the Pinczuk's bird

Fun on the funicular (hillside railcar)
June 16- Tuesday, we made a tour to the Funicular (uphill tram) and then walked through the gardens overlooking Kyiv. We passed by the Volodimir monument, the guy who is credited with bringing Christianity to the slavic people. That was over 1000 years ago. We then walked down St. Andrew's Descent-- it's a cobblestoned hill where souvenier sellers line the street and speak enough english to barter with tourists for the pysanky (traditional Ukrainian eggs), traditional embroidered cloth, key chains, Soviet military gear, handmade items and some random junk.

Souvenier shopping on Andreuski Spoosk


We put Alicia and Bella in cab to go back to Carol's, then we finished the descent down the hill... and it's always longer than it seems... and went to Puzatta Hata for something close to genuine Ukrainian cuisine. We had vereniki and borsch and chicken Kiev. Zach and I went to the coffee bar and got some Euro-coffee, more concentrated than wimpy watered down Americano.

Tatar warrior statue


Sure, we could have taken a taxi, but part of this trip was "experience." So next, Charles, Yvonne, and Zach EXPERIENCED the world of public transportation. We took the metro, we took marshrutkas, and also took a big bus. They were squarely worn out with it by the time we got back.

Bathroom experience


Alicia and I were surprised how much work it was to have three more mouths to feed! We had a good rythym going for the two of us, but it's a lot of work to cook most meals and then there's the lovely cleanup. Mom was always good to help with dishes and cooking. Zach helped a few times, too.

Mom and Brett made a pie together

Me and Mom by our finished product


One of the big Zach experiences that I'm proud of him for was going to a kiosk all by himself in a city of seven million people to get a bottle of cooking oil, equipped only with a 30 second Russian lesson and a script that as it turns out I spelled wrong anyway! But he came back with the bottle, way to go, Zach!

June 17- Wednesday: train. Riding on the train reminded the parents of their growing up days. The stopping in every little town. The train is the way to go.

Alicia visiting with some kids on the train

Ukrainian Countryside


June 18- Thursday: back at our apartment in Sumy wasn't exactly a "soviet" experience, because our flat has some nice Euro remont (renovations). But it's an uncommon-American experience having five adults and a child living in a three room (here what they call a two bedroom plus a living room). Dad slept in the kitchen on a bed. Zach slept on a rollaway in the living room and Mimi on the couch. Another typical Ukraine experience that's just life... is not having hot water. I don't remember how long it lasted, but there were several "spit baths" as Charles calls them. Plus, Dad likes cologne a lot. :)


June 19- Friday- the girls went to shopping center Kiev so Mom could get that shopping experience. I don't remember exactly which days, but all of us also experienced the market (rinok). It's an open market where people gather to sell their goods-- a complete European experience. Most people buy what it takes to eat for a day or two-- or whatever they can carry in a bag or two. They saw the open meat market-- no packaging, no refrigeration, no meat-part identifications. Unless you understand Russkie.

Shopping at the Bazaar

The meat market

Roadside fruit stands


Dad and Zach and I went for a trek across town to an ATM that can give me enough at one time in order to pay rent. This place is on the end of town where the church building is, so we stopped by and visited with Anatoli and Lucy.

June 20- Sunday- Dad preached one of the sermons. Larissa translated. When we were coming in the door, there was a line of ladies greeting and meeting us. They were introducing themselves to the three Americans and when we came by, they said "Vee nasha", which is "you're ours." That was a special sentiment.

Dad Preaching


Oh! We ate roast on Sunday. This is only made possible by the crock pot enabled by the voltage regulator which took up a little bit of space and ten pounds of weight in the suitcases coming from America.

June 21- Monday we pretty much just hung out and enjoyed each other's company. There were some things we planned but never executed. But it was all good.

June 22- Tuesday. Back on the train to Kyiv. We get there during mid-day. We stayed with Steve and Danelle Nelson, who are from Georgia and our good friends. We have lunch at the apartment and then head to downtown to Maidon Nezaleznosti, independance sqare. It's the main part of the downtown area on Kreshcatik street. We saw the center of Kyiv, thus completeing our journey.

Riding the train

Volodomir

June 23-Wednesday, Maxim and I dropped off the weary travelers at the airport. According to Mom.... (Mama always writes emails in all cap)

I GOT PULLED OVER FOR HAVING A PAIR OF SCISSORS IN MY COSMETIC BAG (DON'T KNOW HOW THEY MADE IT THROUGH THE OTHER TIMES) IT'S KINDA SCARRY WHEN SOMEONE IS TALKING WITH YOU AND YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND A WORK THEY ARE SAYING - WE FINALLY COMMUNICATED WITH SIGNS - WHICH I UNDERSTOOD - I THREW THE SCISSORS IN THE TRASH AND SHE WAS HAPPY AND LET ME MOVE ON. THEN THEY TOLD US DASHER DID NOT HAVE A SEAT ON THIS PLANE - WE ALMOST PANICED THEN - BUT WHEN WE GOT TO THE BOARDING GATE THEY TORE UP THE SLIP THEY HAD GIVEN HIM FOR STANDBY AND ASSIGNED HIM A SEAT. DADDY SAID IF THEY DON'T GET HIM ON I WILL STAY HERE AND I TOLD HIM WE WERE ALL TOGETHER AND WE WOULD ALL GET ON THE PLANE OR WE WOULD ALL STAY WHICHEVER - THANKFULLY, IT DIDN'T COME TO THAT - I'M STILL NOT SURE HOW WE WOULD HAVE CONTACTED YOU. AND THEN FINALLY WHEN WE GOT ON THE PLANE - THERE WERE SOME STUDENTS AND THE ONE SITTING BEHIND ME AND ZACH WAS DRINKING - THE STEWARTDESS TOLD HIM HE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE THAT ON THE PLANE - HE JUST KEPT DRINKING AND FINALLY SHE JUST TOOK THE BOTTLE FROM HIM AND IT WAS NOT VERY LONG AFTER THAT THAT SOME SECURITY PEOPLE FROM THE AIRPORT CAME AND ESCOURTED HIM FROM THE PLANE. THEN WE HAD TO WAIT WHILE THEY TOOK HIS LUGGAGE FROM THE PLANE AND SO WE WERE ABOUT AN HOUR LATE TAKING OFF - BUT THE PILOT ASSURED US HE WOULD MAKE UP THE TIME AND GET US TO NEW YORK ON TIME AND IN FACT HE GOT US THERE EARLY.

Oh, by the way, one of the prime motivators for this trip:

Our pretty girl

Eating Peas