Hour 1: It all started one blustery winter morning at 4:45am. Thinking that we going to take longer to pack all our stuff than it actually took, we ended up chilling on my bed, watching the wall for 15 minutes, not really taking into account that it would take 45 minutes to walk across the 3 inches of ice and a pack of wild, rabid dogs to the nearest taxi. After haggling the taxi price (a first for Jessie), we were off to the bus station to get our bus to Kiev!
Hour 2-5: Ah, the bus to Kiev. Always an experience. Rachel fell asleep about an hour in, and I kept awake, wondering when exactly the bus would skid on the packed ice (Ukrainians, apparently would rather spend their money on vodka and cigarettes than on snow plows and salt) into a tree. Luckily, we made it to Kiev without a scratch! Not so for Rachel’s “delicate parts”. As we were getting off the bus, the driver (who might have been a bit drunk. .. but who knows) grabbed her and started asking her questions. But, instead of grabbing her arm, he grabbed her boob and wouldn’t let go. It was a bit uncomfortable, to say the least.
Hour 8: Fast forward to our arrival at the airport in Kiev an hour and a half later. We had anticipated being there 2 hours early (which we were). But lo and behold, nothing works as it should in this blessed country, and the one day that we wanted to leave and would have done nearly anything to do so just happened to be the day after a huge snowstorm that, of course, the airport wasn’t ready for. So, only one of the two runways was open, and every single flight was delayed. Or so we thought.
Hours 8-10: When we got to the airport, amidst the chaos, we found the British Airways desk to ask about the status of both our flights (to London, and then on to Amsterdam). The lady at the desk told us that our flight had been delayed by 2 hours. That being said, we had time to kill and had made a new friend out of one of the other passengers stranded in the airport until she could get to London too, and so we decided, as always, to drink and relax. An hour later, I go back to the desk to check on the status of the delayed flight, only to be told that our flight had, in fact, been only 10 minutes delayed and we were given wrong information. So we missed our flight. Great. At this point, Rachel is willing to sell herself into slavery to get out of Ukraine. Literally, her exact words to the person at the desk (she reminded me very much of my mom) were, “what is the next flight out of Ukraine. To anywhere in Western Europe. Give us that.” So, we ended up paying an extra 200 dollars to go to Luton Airport in London, instead of Heathrow, because apparently there was a flight and it didn’t occur to the lady behind the desk that we would still need to get to LONDON! Sheesh. We sucked it up and forked over the money (in hryvna, because heaven forbid that they take credit cards). And this was all just to get into the check-in area!! Once there, the lady who was checking us in didn’t have our reservation (that we literally had booked an hour before), and we had to have some nice Ukrainian attest to our being not having hallucinated the entire thing.
Hour 13, still in Kiev: We finally got to the boarding area, and patiently waited for our flight. Thank god I’m a good Ukrainian and brought snacks and cards. Otherwise we would’ve gone nuts! But, again, flight delayed another 2 hours.
Hour 14, STILL in Kiev!: We finally line up to board the plane, which takes forever. After 45 minutes in line we made it to the bus which took us to the plane!
Hour 15. . . still in Kiev. . . and in good spirits (yet delirious): The doors close to the plane and, in true Ukrainian fashion, something malfunctions. The stairs couldn’t pull away from the main door.
Hour 16: WE LEAVE!!! YIPPEEE!!!!
Hour 20: Arrival in London: We get hit with a reality check when everything is on the pound, and the cost of a coffee (albeit a real coffee) costs the same amount as my entire trip to Kiev from Berdychiv in hryvna.
We said goodbye to our friend, Suzy, who, by the way, went to Whitman, is a year younger than Mikey, and also studies in Dublin (where Mikey went to study abroad). Coincidence? Anyways, she was super cool and was with us through the whole adventure, and I might take her up on her invite to visit her in Dublin. . . sometime. . . when I’m rich.
So now we’re in an English speaking country waiting to go to Amsterdam! AMAZING! I can actually understand what’s going on in life! Although I am going on hour 23 with no sleep, and can’t stop sneezing. Apparently I’m allergic to Western Europe. That’s sad.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Winter wonderland, albeit a bit chilly.
So here I am, sitting in my apartment on a very, VERY wintry morning and drinking my instant coffee. Could anything be more perfect? Well, let considering that it’s about 30 degrees in my apartment and the temperature outside has just hit -5 (this is all in Fahrenheit for you kids), yes. . . a little heat would be nice.
But that’s just how we roll here in Ukraine. My apartment has centralized heat, meaning that it only has one setting and that’s whatever the government wants it to be. And that decision is controlled by how much gas is available and how much money the city has to pay for that gas. Which essentially is another way of saying that I don’t have any heat. This includes at the office, which doesn’t even have a radiator, so we’ve been all huddling around the space heater with our jackets on. Who says that doing Peace Corps Africa is rough?!! I challenge all of those people to come here for a winter!
The weather outside is pretty awesome though. As all of you who know me are already aware, I LOVE the snow!! And it’s been snowing here for 3 days straight! I feel like I’m in Colorado. . . except without the mountains. . . and the pot. . . . and the ski lodges. But I get to see some fun fur here like out West! I apologize for wanting any of my vegetarian friends to come and visit me. My advice to you (if you were considering) is wait until the summer, when all the leather jackets and boots lined with real fur are stored away and you don’t have to see them.
The days here have gotten really short. The shortest day of the year is next week. And apparently the lack of sun has really done a number on most of the volunteers that I know (including myself). We have all become extremely irritable. Or, in Rachel’s case, a crying mess. I’ve just been cranky all the time. This trip to Amsterdam couldn’t come at a better time! At least in the cafés there, there will be heat (I hope) and sun (let’s pray).
And yet the only thing I keep reminding myself of is, “at least I’m not in Grishkivtsi anymore and don’t have to use an outhouse or deal with a frozen well”. That in and of itself is enough to get me out of whatever little funks I get into. And my brilliant purchase of Sorrel boots (thank you for the suggestion Kat), down jacket, and never-ending steals from the “free box” in the Peace Corps office doesn’t hurt either.
I just wanted to give a shout out to everyone who’s been sending me stuff. Thank you sooooo much!! Given the weather and how it’s affecting the attitudes of everyone here, everything couldn’t have come at a better time! I love you all!!!
Stay warm everybody, and happy holidays!
But that’s just how we roll here in Ukraine. My apartment has centralized heat, meaning that it only has one setting and that’s whatever the government wants it to be. And that decision is controlled by how much gas is available and how much money the city has to pay for that gas. Which essentially is another way of saying that I don’t have any heat. This includes at the office, which doesn’t even have a radiator, so we’ve been all huddling around the space heater with our jackets on. Who says that doing Peace Corps Africa is rough?!! I challenge all of those people to come here for a winter!
The weather outside is pretty awesome though. As all of you who know me are already aware, I LOVE the snow!! And it’s been snowing here for 3 days straight! I feel like I’m in Colorado. . . except without the mountains. . . and the pot. . . . and the ski lodges. But I get to see some fun fur here like out West! I apologize for wanting any of my vegetarian friends to come and visit me. My advice to you (if you were considering) is wait until the summer, when all the leather jackets and boots lined with real fur are stored away and you don’t have to see them.
The days here have gotten really short. The shortest day of the year is next week. And apparently the lack of sun has really done a number on most of the volunteers that I know (including myself). We have all become extremely irritable. Or, in Rachel’s case, a crying mess. I’ve just been cranky all the time. This trip to Amsterdam couldn’t come at a better time! At least in the cafés there, there will be heat (I hope) and sun (let’s pray).
And yet the only thing I keep reminding myself of is, “at least I’m not in Grishkivtsi anymore and don’t have to use an outhouse or deal with a frozen well”. That in and of itself is enough to get me out of whatever little funks I get into. And my brilliant purchase of Sorrel boots (thank you for the suggestion Kat), down jacket, and never-ending steals from the “free box” in the Peace Corps office doesn’t hurt either.
I just wanted to give a shout out to everyone who’s been sending me stuff. Thank you sooooo much!! Given the weather and how it’s affecting the attitudes of everyone here, everything couldn’t have come at a better time! I love you all!!!
Stay warm everybody, and happy holidays!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Short update
Okay, I know. . . I've been really bad about blogging.
But I swear, I have reasons!
1) My internet stinks and I can't upload pictures from it
2) I moved (3 months ago, but still. .. I moved)
3) Apparently I now have work to do
4) I've been travelling a bit
Yes, I realize these are not reasons but excuses, but really, I feel like I should be given the benefit of the doubt, because honestly, any day that I don't have the time or am too tired to blog is, in my opinion, a good day.
So, I'll make this blog a short one and promise will update it again tomorrow (when I'm using free wireless at the synagogue- bless the Jews). But for now, here, finally, are long awaited pictures of my new(ish) apartment! It's right next to the bazaar in the center of town (great location), and is super warm. Thank God, because it's friggin' cold here!!! Note the indoor plumbing and bathtub!!!!
The hallway (yes, that's my fridge)
My bed/living room
View of my living room/bedroom from the other direction
The Kitchen
THE BATHROOM!!!
The view from my terrace (that's the bazaar)
Another view of the bazaar
But I swear, I have reasons!
1) My internet stinks and I can't upload pictures from it
2) I moved (3 months ago, but still. .. I moved)
3) Apparently I now have work to do
4) I've been travelling a bit
Yes, I realize these are not reasons but excuses, but really, I feel like I should be given the benefit of the doubt, because honestly, any day that I don't have the time or am too tired to blog is, in my opinion, a good day.
So, I'll make this blog a short one and promise will update it again tomorrow (when I'm using free wireless at the synagogue- bless the Jews). But for now, here, finally, are long awaited pictures of my new(ish) apartment! It's right next to the bazaar in the center of town (great location), and is super warm. Thank God, because it's friggin' cold here!!! Note the indoor plumbing and bathtub!!!!
The hallway (yes, that's my fridge)
My bed/living room
View of my living room/bedroom from the other direction
The Kitchen
THE BATHROOM!!!
The view from my terrace (that's the bazaar)
Another view of the bazaar
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