exactly eight weeks in Ukraine today! The first 5 weeks have passed in Kiev in waiting to find our children and the 3 following Lugansk with children. It seems that these are first 5 weeks so far and that these three weeks here have been so satisfied that they seem much longer. I know my children since 8 / / 9 / 10 and it looks like it a lot much longer! Strange.
My last "Post" a few days ago because the little routine continues and I did not so much to tell ... but some questions received in emails me want to respond in my blog this morning.
How I organize myself since Tom left ?
If you are up to date on my blog, you know that last Saturday, following the decision of the Court, Tom went back to Montreal. He's been there Saturday night and started his new job yesterday. ; As I am in Europe Eastern, in one of the poorest countries in Europe, I must be very careful and not to "tempt fate" and risk my life or my wallet.
My days are busy. When I woke up with my Earl Grey tea in the morning, I answer my emails and / or have my blog and / or put my picture taken yesterday. My driver takes me at 10:45 and took me to the orphanage which is located 6 minutes drive. I'm going straight into the section of Lisa and we spent two hours together, usually only every second but sometimes with other children in his group. Around 12:50 I leave for lunch (it is sad and cries a lot but she likes to eat ... she understands that we will be after lunch). I then fight Andrei kiss just back from school at this time the guys are changing and when I arrive, they are all small in underwear putting away their costumes at school. They are too cute and my son is the best and most beautiful body ... ok ok, I'll come back.
Subsequently, I returned home, a little lunch and back outside to go shopping for clothes for children or for a few groceries or to pick up in the ATM.
The driver resumed at 16:45 am and I spend another 2 hours but this time with 2. They are very nice both as if he knew that Dad was gone and they must be reasonable. Especially Andrei who understands and that takes its role seriously take care of his sister and his mom.
At 19:00, I go directly to the apartment and I Skype with my mother, my in-laws, sisters, etc.. And then sleep.
I do not go just after 19:00 more cautious ... would do little store to go to the bottom of my building to buy milk or bread or to fill my jug of water (water is not drinkable, so there is a pump down and fill my 5-liter jug costs 2 grivnas (25 cents).
The cost of living in Lugansk
Here is a lot cheaper than Kiev (we are 15 hours by train south-east), which was already much cheaper than in Montreal.
U.S. $ 1 equals about 8 grivnas. Since everything here is compared to the U.S. is often divided by 8 for the price. Here are some sample prices:
- A big loaf of bread : 2.5 UAH or 31 cents a
- bottle of Georgian wine (very drinkable Chantal and Ludo ... I'll give you the name), a sack of rice 500 grams, 200 grams of cheese, 25 packets of green tea: 57 UAH or $ 7.12.
- driver for my 2 trips back to the orphanage: 100 UAH or $ 12.50
- Cellular phone since I got here (I use it regularly to talk with my friends in Kiev and in regions where j ' were in Kiev and my interpreter): 200 UAH or $ 25.00 max.
- Lunch in a restaurant typical Ukrainian ... Soup, salad cucumbers, onions and tomatoes, a dish of rice and chicken: 37 UAH or $ 4.60.
- My 2 bedroom apartment in downtown, the 13th of a 15-story building, large lounge, large bathroom with large glass shower, kitchenette and large "sun room" vitreous or balcony: 350 UAH per day or $ 44/day.
- A liter of orange juice 100% Pure: 16 UAH or $ 2.00
- One kilogram of biscuits in the shape of animals for children: 18 UAH or $ 2.25
- 5 liters of bottled water : 6.5 UAH or 80 cents.
- Train tickets in first class (two berths per cabin) Kiev-Lugansk (15 hours): 730 UAH ... just under $ 100.
the grocery store, there are few famous brands and labels are almost exclusively Russian. It is often difficult to navigate. J ' I bought yogurt liquid (people drink it a lot here) instead of milk. There are still following brands: Danone, Colgate, Tide (Proctor & Gamble several actually), Dove soap products, Nivea, L'Oreal, Garnier, etc..
Features in Lugansk and / or Ukraine
- The son electric linking high-rise buildings are at the top of buildings and not buried in the ground. It's like the son in the house in NDG!
- Even water pipes (and perhaps even sewage) are above ground in many places.
- Dogs roam everywhere. They belong to nobody and live in the street alone or in packs. Cats also live in the street. There is no SPA and nobody 's in concern. They eat as they can and are fed by some people like me who care. They are not made naturally and breed Who better to best. Very sad.
- People always remove their shoes when they enter a house (same thing when we arrive in a section of the orphanage).
- In my building, one cup of water from midnight to 5:00 am for the save. We must plan and use the bottles if you brush your teeth after that time. I often get caught.
- There is no dryer. I wash my clothes in a tiny machine and dryer on étand metal. This is often dry the next day because my dryer is in the " sun room "and it gets very hot as it is "L" facing south and later in the day, to the west.
- As in Kiev, it is very common to have to use to change the underground side of the street. In the underground there are plenty of shops and snack bars.
- Almost everyone here is bilingual: Russian and Ukrainian! Very few speak English (only one person in three weeks and this is the lady who runs my apartment)
After the Court, it must wait 10 days for it to come into force and that person otherwise (it is the Law!). So I have my decree of the Court on 5 October. With this piece of paper, one can complete the process so that children get their passports Ukrainian modify registers of births, etc.. We could then go to Kiev (I'm thinking seriously to leave an airplane that will cost not much more expensive but the trip will last 90 minutes instead of 15 hours!). There- bottom is obtained from the Embassy of Canada visas for children and wait for our plane to leave Montreal. We should be back to October 12 (Nat, I should be OK for our first theater play on 14! ).
Children:
Lisa is too small but Andrei understands everything and is quite confident but certainly very worried anyway. I leave it to the orphanage until the departure to Kiev for not the mess up for anything. I could take them for a few days with me here in the apartment. Lugansk but it will be very couraillage final paperwork to do, it's better to leave them there and take them just before leaving.
As is customary, we will organize a Farewell party for children at the orphanage and to celebrate the start Andrei and Lisa. It is I who take care of everything: juice, cakes, cookies and fruit. We may have a clown (idea from Dad) or a magician's Day . I'll take more photos.
So here are some questions to ask yourself ... if I have forgotten, I will be back in an upcoming "Post" because now I must prepare to leave for the orphanage. With you it is 3 o'clock in the morning but by 10:00.
Good day!
Lucie xxx
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