Ukraine

I've been reminiscing tonight about Ukraine.... I'm writing my "expert" speech for a class on the culture of Ukraine, and it has me thinking about the short 2.5 weeks that I spent in Kiev. I remember not wanting to come home - I loved it there...such a beautiful country and beautiful people. I found the people and their language fascinating and came home wanting to take Russian classes to learn to speak it fluently. I still wish I had the time to take Russian classes! Instead, I struggle to remember the phrases I used to know....

a little boy and his grandmother (that told me, in her broken english, that she lives close to Kiev, Ukraine and is visiting for 6 months) were walking by my house the other night when I was outside with Adriana...the little boy wanted to play with the cat and his grandmother stayed by the roadside. I could tell right away that she was either Russian or Romanian (I was waiting to hear her speak so I could discern from her accent). The little boy mentioned he spoke Russian, so I told him "privyet" (hi) and he looked a little surprised and said "you say that very well".... it made me wish I knew enough to hold a conversation with him! He didn't know a lot of english and the grandmother knew even less. It was very random and it reminded me of how much I loved Ukraine.

I wish I didn't have any constraints here keeping me from traveling back to Ukraine - before I left, a missionary there wanted me to come live there and teach english. How exciting.... not that I would change where I'm at for anything... but I do hope one day to go back to Kiev.

I love all the superstitions they have:
*It's bad luck to shake hands across a doorway
*It's bad luck to give an even number of flowers for someone except for at a funeral
*They think if you whistle inside you'll lose your money
*They believe that if women sit on concrete they won't be able to have children, as their ovaries will freeze....hahaha (my favorite)
and the list goes on and on....

I'll be pulling out my pictures in the next day or so (to prepare a powerpoint for my speech)...so I'm sure I'll post a couple pictures once I get them scanned... who would think Kiev, Ukraine is such a beautiful place - but it is! more to come soon... das vidania!