Kiev Trek

Back Home

2007-06-11T05:28:00.000-07:00

After an exhausting trip, we touched down at Dulles on Friday afternoon and were greeted by record heat. But who's complaining? We're a family, and we're home.

On Sunday, Irina celebrated a belated third birthday. Her mommy and daddy are already wondering where they're going to store all of the gifts that she keeps getting. But she's having the time of her life.
She wasn't sure she would like Dakota when she first met him (perhaps the feeling was mutual!), but they have already become buddys. Dakota seems to be looking after her, in fact. He checks in on her if she cries at night.

Rounding for Home

2007-06-07T04:09:00.000-07:00

Our last day in Kiev ends where our first day began: at McDonald's, where Irina had her first taste of America today, in the form of its famous french fries. The extra value meal tasted extra special today.

The past few days have been a blur. Monday was all about hustling down to Donetsk, the provincial capital, to get Irina's paperwork completed, which included a new birth certificate and an Ukranian passport. For a while, we weren't sure how we'd get to Kiev, as the train was reportedly sold out, but our coordinators made a few calls, the tickets came through, and we hustled back to Kramatorsk to pick up Irina and board the train. We spent that night on the train and arrived at 8 a.m. in Kiev on Tuesday morning, where we promptly went to get a pro forma medical exam for Irina as part of the US visa application. From there, it was on to the US embassy here (in Kiev), where we waited quite a while to meet with a consular officer as part of the visa process. Irina was understandably becoming fidgety, and her daddy was grumbling about where all of the taxes go, but we finally met a consular officer and the visa was granted. Tuesday night's sleep was especially welcome.

Wednesday we spent some time at a park in Kiev that had a lot of playground equipment (and a lot of kids!). Today we intended to go to the zoo, but we wound up at a mini amusement park (my mistake), which, as it turned out, wasn't a bad alternative.

Irina is doing well, considering all that she has been through. She has anxious moments, but they're declining. I'm amazed at how easily she has adapted. She's a sponge, too: her vocabulary is growing daily (we need to be careful about what we say!).

Irina's mommy has been a trooper. I'm extremely proud of how patient and motherly Darlene has been. Three days on the job, and she's a natural!

We're having a final meal with American friends Rafa and Kim and their new family. And then it's packing up and some sleep (hopefully!) before an early flight on Friday.

To all of our thoughtful family and friends: thanks again for comments and emails. There will likely be a few more updates. Because, of course, the trek really isn't ending in Kiev.

It's official

2007-06-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

No returning Irina to her caregivers. It's just the three of us, on a train, headed for Kiev, after a long day of getting all of the paperwork processed.

We feel elated; our family is official! What's more, it's Irina's third birthday today. She's celebrating by watching the Ukranian countryside pass by, on her Momma's lap. It's a good birthday.

Sunday at the Monastery

2007-06-03T07:52:00.000-07:00

Oksana arrived this morning, and we decided to visit a monastery. We drove about an hour outside Kramatorsk. We visited a beautiful, centuries-old place nestled along a riverside; it's called the Sviatohirsk Lavra. It's considered one of Ukraine's holiest places.

We didn't make it for a service; that starts at sunrise (5 a.m.!) but we did spend quite a while on the grounds. Here, Darlene and Oksana are wearing scarves and wraps, as required for all female visitors. The history is pretty interesting. The Russian writer Anton Chekov spent some time on the grounds in the 19th century. During a good portion of the 20th century, it was used for decidedly non-religious purposes by the Bolsheviks or the Soviets; monks were literally living underground in tunnels at one point during the Soviet era. Since the early 1990s, however, it has been reclaimed by the Orthodox church for use as a monastery and cathedral. We really enjoyed the tour, getting out into the green countryside, and the wonderful meal we had with our driver at a little restaurant tucked away in the woods outside Kramatorsk.

Three Weeks

2007-06-02T04:12:00.000-07:00

Life does come at you fast. Three weeks ago, we arrived at Kramatorsk with hope and trepidation, not really sure what we were getting ourselves into when our eyes met the gaze of a brown-eyed girl.

And now? And now, our preoccupations are probably not that different from many parents of toddlers: How to discipline firmly, but lovingly? How soon before we get her to understand the importance of looking both ways and never running into a street? Can we encourage creativity without relying upon batteries? Where will she be able to socialize with other children? And exactly how does one conduct potty training?!

I know it's just the beginning. But taking one day at a time and asking for help from family and friends--plus, a little faith, hope and love--have helped to transform us into Irina's fledgling parents in the course of three weeks. I'm sure it will all work out. Besides, potty training will be Darlene's job.

Malako

2007-06-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

We do our best to communicate with our new daughter. She clearly is more conversational with her caregivers, who speak Russian--after all, it's all she has known for nearly three years. We know a few Russian words, and encourage her when she uses an appropriate Russian word (e.g, majik for "ball").

We're using plenty of English with her, too (if for no other reason than our Russian vocabulary gets depleted pretty quickly!), and she's picking up words quickly. She's already using "juice," "bubbles," "banana," "boom," "woof" (when she sees a dog), and "big step" when she climbs a step. At her age, we don't anticipate many problems learning a new language.

It took us about two weeks, but we figured out another Russian word ... malako. Almost every day we would visit Irina, we would hear a lady outside the orphanage grounds yelling "MAH lah ko" in a very drawn-out way. We initially thought she was nuts. We then saw that she would stop to talk to other people, before she'd resume walking down the street yelling "MAH lah ko." So we figured maybe she was a mother, calling for her child. A couple days ago, it all came together: after she made the rounds around the block yelling "MAH lah ko," she returned to a spot where about ten people were lined up with jars ... the woman would take their money and give them a jar of milk. Malako means milk, as one enterprising Ukranian has taught us. The Ukranians seem to really prize fresh, raw milk.

So, anyway, we're trying to work malako into one of our conversations with Irina before it becomes "milk" when she gets to the States.

Happy Birthday, Grandpa V!

2007-06-01T04:50:00.000-07:00

Irina was in party mood today, in celebration of Grandpa V's birthday!

Actually, these decorations were all around the playground today. We found out today is a national holiday of sorts, "Children Protection Day." So, orphanage staff had decorated the whole playground with banners and balloons.

We do wish Grandpa V "Happy Birthday!" His new granddaughter looks forward to meeting him soon.

The Boys in Irina's Life

2007-05-31T03:46:00.000-07:00

Irina is surrounded by boys. In her Group Three, she is one of two girls in a group of twelve children. This is not uncommon ... there are usually many more boys in Ukranian orphanages than girls. Here are a few that she got to know over the past few days or past couple years.

Irina takes a juice break here with Lance, who left a few days ago with American momma and pappa Karen and John Michael.

The guy muscling in here is Vova, who was a member of Irina's Group Three. Vova has just left Antoshka, too, on his way to Israel. We used to enjoy waving to Vova in the Group Three room when we would pick up Irina.

Finally, there's Michelangelo, whose parents will be taking him to Italy. Michelangelo is still at the orphanage (they arrived a few days after we did). They're the only active adopting family that we see regularly.

Was it something Michelangelo said? Irina does not seem amused here, does she?! Maybe she was not in a picture-taking mood.

Tick, Tock

2007-05-30T08:06:00.000-07:00

We get to visit Irina twice a day, for a total of about three to four hours, but we can't leave the orphanage grounds. We try to mix up the activities in our visits (however, there’s always juice and usually a banana). Some days, other members of her "Group Three" (about ten other children) have been outside, and she might play with them (notice the number "3" stamped on her outfit in this picture!). At other times, we’ll just walk or push her in the stroller, or let her play in the sandbox, or blow bubbles.

She comes running to us when she first sees us, and gives big hugs, referring to us as “Poppa” and “Momma.” She stays pretty engaged over the course of our visit. But lately, she’s been getting anxious when we return her to her caregivers at the end of our visit ... not always crying, but clearly stirred up. We think she’s probably confused about what’s going on … why we keep visiting and leaving. That, of course, makes the visits--and saying goodbye each time--more difficult. We’ve been trying to make quick exits lately and not prolong it.

We’re doing our best to enjoy the moment, and not focus too much on the calendar (or the clock!). But we’re well aware that in less than a week, we should be on the road, in Kiev, and winding up our paperwork with the US embassy.

A Special Picture for Grandma & Grandpa B

2007-05-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

This is one of the toys that Irina was playing with today, which Momma brought along from home.

Yes, that’s correct. We wouldn’t think of getting any other brand of harvester for our daughter.

Somethin' about Strollers

2007-05-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

Irina has a thing for strollers. She is always very happy to simply be pushed around in one. She'll also spend quite a bit of time simply sitting in one.

Sometimes, she'd just as soon help Momma push an empty stroller instead of being pushed in the stroller herself.

So, of course, we had to get her a stroller of her own (we're not sure it'll make it all the way back to the States, though!). Here's Irina pushing a stroller with a new friend that Grandma V sent with us.

And, when day is done, Irina--big girl that she is--dutifully parks her stroller next to all of the others.

Pomp and Circumstance

2007-05-27T05:23:00.000-07:00

Bubbles for the Graduates! Congratulations to Jenna and Ben, who graduated from Minnesota State University.

Congratulations to Tegan, who gets her diploma today from Watertown High School! We're sorry we could not be with you, but we hope to see you soon!

Dog Days

2007-05-25T12:45:00.000-07:00

After we visited Irina this morning, we went to one of our favorite lunch spots. While we were eating on the patio, a pack of dogs approached the entrance, looking at the waitress as though they wanted a table, which brought out a lot of laughs from other diners. Nobody seemed bothered by them--dogs running free are not uncommon here--and a waitress brought them water. They rested for about half an hour and then moved on. After all, dining with dogs is quite trendy, right?!

Every Hundred Years

2007-05-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

We were informed by one of the locals today that the heat wave Ukraine is experiencing is the kind that happens once every hundred years. Whether that's true or not, it is hot, and we're doing our best to keep the family cool, but with no air conditioning in our eighth-floor apartment, we've lately been finding ourselves thinking more of home! We really appreciate all of the comments and emails everyone has sent. It makes the heat--and our waiting period--much more bearable.

On another note, we're very happy for the Americans we have met in Ukraine. Kim and Rafa, who are a few hours away from us now, also had a successful court appearance on the same day we did; they're adopting two brothers, ages 8 and 6, named Val and Max. And John Michael and Karen have left Kramatorsk with their new son Lance, heading back to the US on Friday. Congratulations to both families!

Kim and Rafa, we hope we can meet your boys back in Kiev!

Shrek

2007-05-23T05:30:00.000-07:00

We brought some toys with us for Irina. But the one that's capturing her imagination currently is an abandoned toy she found in the playground--a dirty, plastic Shrek that once operated on batteries and now is both lifeless and missing an ear.

Irina has lots of kisses for Shrek (after Darlene cleaned it up!). We have no idea whether Irina's seen the movie, but it's likely that we'll be getting it when we get back. On that note: given that things went smoothly yesterday, we're on track to come back sooner than we expected. We're hoping to leave Kramatorsk on Monday June 4th and to leave Kiev to head back to the US on Friday, June 8th.

Irina Rose

2007-05-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

Irina Rose was declared our adopted child today by an Ukranian court! Her middle name is in honor of Darlene's dear great aunt, who passed away this year, well into her nineties. The decree by the court today includes her name change.

The proceeding itself was rather short, and took place in the judge's office. We were asked a few questions by the judge and two witnesses. We were accompanied by Oksana, who translated for us. Also at the proceeding was the director of child welfare for this region, and the attorney for the orphanage, each of whom spoke briefly. We were dismissed for about five minutes, and when we returned, the judge announced the decision.

It takes legal effect in Ukraine after a ten-day period to allow for appeals. Irina wasn't any the wiser when we came to see her later in the afternoon, but certainly happy to see the juicebox we brought her (it's been very hot here!). We hope this will be a cherished day in the years to come by our family, whose newest member is Irina Rose.

Passport Photo

2007-05-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

Today we left the grounds, for the first time, with Irina (and Oksana, who is back in town for our court date tomorrow). We took Irina to a local photographer to get her passport photo. We took a taxi to get there.

Irina doesn't like riding in cars, although she calmed down toward the end of our return trip. There may be a negative association with cars, in that, until this point, all of her car trips have been for doctor visits, which aren't fun. We decided, though, that we'll probably be taking a train for our trip back to Kiev!

Kramatorsk II

2007-05-21T04:36:00.000-07:00

We've spent a full week in Kramatorsk, and will be here at least two more weeks. The population is over 200 thousand, but it's densely packed into a smaller land area than a city of comparable size in the US. And unlike the US, there is no suburban transition area: a nine-story apartment building stands next to open fields. I don't think I've seen a single family home in this city. Most residents live in big apartment buildings, or at least garden-style apartments. Ours is comprised of nine floors, and was constructed in the early '70s.

If you check out this map of Ukraine, it's southeast of Kiev/Kyiv and north/northwest of Donetsk, in the eastern portion of the country. We haven't had too close of a look at the industrial area, but we understand that this is a city that makes machinery. If you look closely, you can see at least four smokestacks in this picture. The main building to the right is a library.

There are about four or five restaurants in Kramatorsk, plus a few fast-food stands or cafes. There is one hotel (pictured left). The Ukranians like to get out of town: we understand that many have tiny cottages out in the countryside, where they go on weekends to relax and tend to vegetable gardens.

This is the view from our apartment, looking into a courtyard below; the red building in the background is a supermarket. We walk over there almost daily. The supermarkets here are modern. They're clean and well-lit (and air-conditioned!). The produce is on the right as you enter, they have prepared foods (such as Chicken Kiev, of course!), and a full aisle of toiletries including many of the items we dutifully packed. When we're on our own (no translator), we make a lot of grocery decisions based on visual presentation; our Russian is almost nonexistent, and most people do not know English. Thus, there's almost always a surprise when we get home from each day's grocery trip!

A Special Picture for Mrs. V

2007-05-20T06:31:00.000-07:00

We've received a few comments that Irina looks like our child. And in fact a local Kramatorsk grandfather saw us together within the orphanage playground, and was surprised to find out that Irina was not our natural-born child. There are a number of similarities. Mrs. V, do you recognize this look?!

Our Two-Year Old

2007-05-19T03:36:00.000-07:00

Irina is close to turning three years old. We're starting to see evidence of her two-year-old-ness, though. She spent about half of our time this morning, playing contently by herself in a sandbox at the playground.

The weather is getting warmer and the sun is strong. So Momma got her a new hat. Plus, Irina's getting juice boxes. It didn't take too long to figure out how the straw worked, and now she loves them.

The rest of the time found Irina testing her limits with us. One of the newest additions to her English vocabulary is "no." She must be feeling better ... she was very energetic today, and wanted to help us make up for some morning jogs we've missed (but it's very understandable: she has not had much opportunity to run outside, and she's clearly taking advantage of the opportunity). She had a full-fledged, fall-to-the-ground-screaming tantrum today, too (stop laughing, parents!). She was denied access to another child's toys, and that did not go over well with her. On the other hand, it's good to know she can express emotions, which is par for the course for most two-year-olds (although, it's a little difficult going through the terrible twos when your child's language is Russian!). But, for the first time, she cried, just a little bit, when we gave her back to the caregivers tonight ... we want to believe it's because she didn't want us to leave.

Court Date Set

2007-05-18T12:17:00.000-07:00

We received confirmation today that our adoption hearing will be next Tuesday morning, here in Kramatorsk. Our ten-day waiting period begins after the court session. But this may mean that we'd be able to come back a few days sooner than we expected, which would be great. We've got a diligent team of facilitators who are moving fast.

In the meantime, life isn't so bad in Kramatorsk. Darlene and I just returned from a restaurant along a quiet, tree-lined street. The prices are great, and the food can be quite good. We spent the evening at a table on the sidewalk, with the other American couple we have met here--John Michael & Karen. We know that carefree evenings may be soon difficult to come by, so we'll take advantage of them while we can!

We bought some medicine for Irina and her group at Antoshka. She seemed to be feeling a little better today, although I think she's a little groggy from medicine. She thoroughly enjoyed her time outside, though. Also, one more word was added today to her limited English vocabulary: "kitty" (or something close to it).

More pix tomorrow.

Antoshka

2007-05-17T12:30:00.000-07:00

Irina is being cared for at an orphanage called Antoshka. It was built in the 1950's, initially as a boy's home. Currently, it serves boys and girls for the entire region, and it only cares for babies through 3-year olds.

Orphanages do not have great reputations in the popular imagination. We're impressed with a few things about Antoshka, however. The director, who we met on the first day, has a good reputation, and seemed to sincerely care about the welfare of the children. In addition, while there are medical staff, it is obvious from the way the caregivers interact with the children that they care deeply about the children, and try to address more than just physical needs; Irina is very responsive to them. This has been her family to date, and we are very grateful for the attention and care provided by Antoshka.

The Global Playroom

2007-05-16T11:16:00.000-07:00

We have met another couple from the US who are adopting a little boy from the same orphanage as Irina. John Michael and Karen are adopting Lance, an adorable boy who crawls very fast and has a fascination with doors. Lance is a month younger than Irina. They, too, are keeping a blog. We've been out to dinner a couple nites with them. They are further along in the process, and they've been very helpful to us in finding our way around Kramatorsk and the orphanage, especially since this is Karen's second trip here (she met Lance a year ago, when she was here conducting physical therapy training for young children; she fell in love with him and decided to return and make him part of their family).

Currently, there is an Israeli couple who we see every day, too; they're adopting a little boy. Today, we met an Italian couple, who are also adopting a little boy. So, during the play period, you can hear Italian, Hebrew, Russian, and of course English.

I tried to get Irina to say Ciao today when the Italians left, but she's sticking with da svidaniya (Russian) and "bye bye." For her part, Irina was a little under-the-weather today (sniffles); the orphanage was in quarantine mode and all of the caretakers were wearing medical masks, and we had to stay inside. Apparently, a number of children were under-the-weather (I don't think it is anything serious). Irina seemed to be in better shape when we saw her in late afternoon. She loves to hold a toy, while swinging to a song that only she knows (something like "ee-ah ku-koo", which means "Irina peekaboo").

Process

2007-05-14T22:15:00.000-07:00

We initiated the paperwork yesterday to adopt Irina (she's keeping her first name, although we expect it's going to sound a little different back in the States!). We spent some time in the notary's office yesterday. A notary here is more akin to a paralegal or attorney in the US. They draw up the official requests, that we sign, describing Irina's background information and the particulars for us. The request-to-adopt is on special blue paper with many official seals.

Approvals start at the orphanage and regional level, and then the paperwork is forwarded to the SDA in Kiev (the government office where we had our first meeting last Tuesday). They only deal with these petitions certain days a week; we're hoping our paperwork will be ready next Wednesday in order to have the required court hearing back in Kramatorsk next Thursday (nine days from now). Once we obtain a court decree that Irina is our child under Ukranian law, it takes another ten days for it to become effective. Then, once all of the Ukranian details are taken care of, the three of us head back to Kiev where we will obtain a US visa at the US embassy. Under US law, Irina becomes a US citizen when we touch down at Dulles.

This process, all told, ends up taking over a month (we're not anticipating coming back any sooner than planned). In some respects, it would be nice if it were quicker; we understand that it used to be a matter of just three or four days, but that enabled child exploitation, too, since the process was so easy. So the process has been lengthened. However, we think this time is valuable, too, as a transition: Irina is getting used to us, while still within the only environment she's known and one that's comfortable for her. And we're getting used to being parents.

Our Routine

2007-05-14T12:35:00.000-07:00

Our days are already developing a certain routine. We visit Irina twice a day, around 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Today, we stayed inside (at least this morning), since her caretakers put her in a dress.

The playroom has a swing, which she got on for the first time today. Once she started swinging, however, it was hard to get her interested in anything else.

Today was hair bow day (maybe Irina didn't wash her hair, either!).

Mother's Day, 2007

2007-05-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

Darlene celebrated her first Mother's Day with a walk with Irina through the playground.

Irina is quite enamored with the dandelions around the playground. Notice the shortened version of her jumpsuit. The weather was nice again today ... her caregivers are getting a little more lenient in how they dress her for outdoor activities.

Munching on a cookie that Momma brought (still clinging to the dandelion!).

Other pictures from the Playground

2007-05-12T10:04:00.000-07:00

Irina is quite aware of the camera; she likes to check out the picture just taken in the camera's monitor.

We love the jumpsuit! Oksana, our translator and in-region facilitator, has been a tremendous help. She's great with children (especially children who know a little Russian!)

She enjoyed the ride atop my shoulders for a while. She got scared, though, after she noticed my bald spot.

Today's visit could not have a much more fitting end than a hug for momma.

Best Wishes to our New Friends

2007-05-12T09:50:00.000-07:00

Kim and Rafa, we wish you the best on your visit to southern Ukraine this weekend.

Also, Ukraine is 7 hours ahead of East Coast time. The time stamp used by blogger is local time on West coast. So East coast readers should add 10 hours to the post time for local Ukranian post time (Central 9, etc.).

A Little Girl Named Irina

2007-05-12T09:08:00.000-07:00

We met a little girl named Irina (ee REN ah). At our first meeting on Friday, she was scared. Frankly, we were, too. But by the end of the day, she was laughing and playing well with a toy we brought. She is interactive, and self-aware; she loves to look at herself in the mirror and say a shortened form of her name (ee ah) although, like her, we have a hard time with the rolling Rs. Her caretakers say she is a leader of her group and is energetic.

We were able to take her outside today. She was probably overdressed for a beautiful day, but her caretakers did not have anything lighter than the jumpsuit she was dressed in.

Today's weather was perfect, and Irina seemed content to simply soak in the sunshine and inspect some of the plants around the playground.

It was a good day to stop and smell the dandelions.

Mysterious Ways

2007-05-12T08:57:00.000-07:00

Until a few days ago, I had never heard of Kramatorsk, Ukraine. And while we like to travel, the odds of us otherwise ending up here are low: it is a smokestack city that retains much of the Soviet motif, with its wide streets, minimalist design, and nondescript high-rise apartment buildings to house the city’s labor and families. One of the benefits of travel, though, is how it can open your eyes to seeing the world from a different perspective, even in the shadow of Lenin’s statue.

It can also open your heart, too.

The road here was not easy. But we thank God for helping us find our way to Kramatorsk, where, in the city’s home for orphaned infants, we met a little brown-eyed girl who touched our hearts, and who we hope will join our family.

Kramatorsk

2007-05-11T12:56:00.000-07:00

We are in Kramatorsk, a larger-than-expected city in eastern Ukraine. We left Kiev in the middle of the night to come here. Another surprise: dawn breaks around 5 a.m. at this part of the Ukranian horizon.

Tonight we had a great Ukranian meal at a restaurant in town with a larger group of Americans and Ukranians. We had our first encounter with borsch, a popular beet-based soup. Borsch was very tasty (it has many other vegetables besides beets). I doubt it's our last encounter with borsch.

BTW, we appreciate the comments and support (and for the question regarding our driver: I guess he is, but he's, uh, hitched).

Additional details to follow.

On the Road Again

2007-05-10T12:25:00.000-07:00

Planes, trains, or automobiles? We decided to go with automobiles. We're off in a few hours for an eight-hour drive to Kramatorsk, a town deep in Ukraine's industrial east (if you're trying to find it on a map, it's near Donetsk, not too far from the Russian border). Our guidebook says that this area of Ukraine does not get a lot of tourists, but we're looking forward to our visit to this small town.

I've not really picked up the Cyrillic alphabet, so no, we're not renting a car! We chose automobiles because we were pleased with Leonid, who picked us up from the airport in his new van. Also joining us will be our translator, Oksana.

Other Sites around Kiev

2007-05-10T10:39:00.000-07:00

Some more sighseeing today. Pictures below: a restaurant (O'Panas) in a beautiful park called Shevchenka (reminds us of NYC's Tavern on the Green in Central Park); American tourists enjoying Kiev's greenery; and St. Michael's Golden Domed Monastery (by the way, the white building to the right of St. Michael's is the State Department of Adoptions, the government office we visited on Tuesday).

A produce and meat market in a very airy building.

The World's Getting Smaller

2007-05-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

Some familiar brands outside our doorway ... sure reminds me of home!

Haven't found Starbucks, though, so I've been taking espresso in the morning, sold from sidewalk stands.

Independence Square

2007-05-10T10:27:00.000-07:00

The Maidan Nezalezhnosti, or Independence Square, is a major gathering spot in Kiev. It has a bit of Times Square feel to it ... lots of people, neon-at-night, and souvenirs. The tall statue was installed in 2001, to mark 10 years of Ukranian independence. It has been the site of protests, and was the campsite for the "Orange Revolution" of 2004. A counter protest of sorts--which we just missed--occurred at this site in the past few weeks.

Kiev Apartment II

2007-05-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

We're leaving Kiev soon. We've enjoyed our apartment.

The building is entered from an off-street courtyard; here, as well, are the bathroom and bedroom.

Victory Day

2007-05-09T09:48:00.000-07:00

Today, we slept in, and woke to the sound of what I take to be patriotic songs coming over loudspeakers in the streets. We went down to Independence Square, and saw a number of veterans, sporting their medals. Today is a major holiday, and commemorates Ukraine's sacrifices in World War II.

We met up with some new American friends, Kim and Rafael, who are also planning to expand their family. We spent the day with them, playing tourist. We had a great time; this country is as challenging as any we have been in, as far as culture and language, so it was great to spend time chatting with friends from home.

Of course, there was shopping. Here's Darlene, who bought a handmade wool scarf, posing with its creator, who explained it as "her work."

Darlene and Kim in front of St. Sophia's cathederal, which is nearly 1000 years old (built in 1037).

Kim and Rafael, near St. Sophia's in the background.

Apartment

2007-05-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

Here's a look inside our Kiev apartment. It's very clean and neat. The building is older (Soviet era), but the apartment has been renovated. It is just a short walk to the main street of Kiev and Independence Square. One of the more curious features of the apartment is its exterior door, which is padded both inside and out. Maybe it's supposed to muffle noise from the hallway? It's a common feature on other apartment doors, although the color varies. Also, our building has no elevators. In New York, this would be called a walk-up. Here, we walk up five floors (this is consistent with our goal of losing some weight on this trip!). Anyway, here's the kitchen ...

... and the living room.

We may post some more pictures later (e.g., exterior of the building).

Visit to Agency

2007-05-08T10:48:00.000-07:00

Today, we visited the State Department of Adoption in Kiev. We received a referral to visit a girl, almost 3 years old, east of Kiev. We're cautiously optimistic, and planning a visit on Friday. It's about eight hours away by car, so we may be flying there.

Our attempts to upload pictures of Kiev have not worked well ... our only Internet access is through a dial-up provider. We'll try to visit an Internet cafe soon to upload photos of our apartment and some sights around Kiev.

On the ground

2007-05-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

We made it to Kiev! We have an apartment in central Kiev, and have been out for a walk by Independence Square tonite. We're tired, but happy with how smoothly things are going so far.

Tomorrow is a big day--we meet with the central adoption agency, just a few blocks from where we're staying.

Room is Ready!

2007-05-05T18:10:00.000-07:00

On the eve of our big trip! Here's the new bed that has Dakota worrying. Yes, it's pink and green. We have requested a girl, although if the child has a biological brother or sister, we are approved for two ... so you never know!

Accord in Political Crisis?

2007-05-04T06:14:00.000-07:00

This just in from BBC: "Ukraine rivals agree to snap poll." Seems like good news; let's hope it sticks.

Ukraine, 2007

2007-05-04T06:10:00.000-07:00

Ukraine has undergone tremendous change in the last 15 years or so. There is currently a struggle between the president, Viktor Yushchenko, and the prime minister Viktor Yanukovych, who leads a block of Parliament members. We're hoping that the current political crisis is simply an example of a young democracy experiencing growing pains.

The BBC has a good profile of our destination and related articles.

Dakota Wonders What's Going On

2007-04-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

Dogs know things; ours senses change afoot (apaw, if you like), and he's not sure he likes it.

He has been kicked out of his room. He slept there nearly every night. And during the day, it offered a magnificent perch and window to watch, and comment upon, the neighborhood below.

Not only has he been kicked out, but the room's been freshly painted in a color scheme unbefitting a tough Westie, and a new bed has been set up that will be very difficult to climb into because it has high bars along the side. Something's going on.

Six Days and Counting

2007-04-30T11:58:00.000-07:00

We are very excited about our trip to Ukraine.