5 lessons I've learned in Ukraine

Ok, so our last few posts have been down in the dumps and needless to say we are still quite heartbroken. I thought I might lighten things up a bit with some humorous lessons I've learned so far during my trip to the Ukraine ... mixed between some more photos from our trip. All the photos can be seen on my facebook alum http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=99131&id=1276629484.

Daddy is really good at noogies!

1) Don't wear your slippers out onto the balcony when it's 14 degrees outside and has been snowing lightly all day ... you will most likely fall!

I had my first slip and fall this evening - being the klutz that I am, I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner! We heard some booming sounds outside and since it's a holiday, we thought maybe it was fireworks. Brian suggested that I step out onto the balcony and look further away since we didn't see anything from the window (no, I'm not blaming this on him!).

There was no snow on the step, but apparently I didn't see the thin layer of slush, so my right foot went out from under me and I landed on my bum. I sat there for a moment to assess the damage and try to figure out how to get back up without slipping again in the slush on the balcony. Both slippers had flown off my feet, so now my bum was soaked, both pant legs up to the knees, both socks, and I would have to move in order to reach my slippers. I don't know what I banged my chin on, but it still smarts. My big toe on my right foot is bruised at the hinge, but I don't think any permanent damage has been done. It's gonna hurt tomorrow, though.

Denis is such a great kid -
he and Daddy entertained themselves for hours with just this
Spider Man truck and a rubics cube!

2) Five minutes of warm water in the shower will teach you what's important to get clean!

Well, actually after we figured it out, there was more than 5 minutes of hot water, but the first time I took a shower at the apartment in Lugans'k, I had hot was for about 5 minutes. Then it went cold. I turned the shower head away from me, but it was still cold for the next minute. So, I shut off the water. I was now standing there with shampoo in my hair and I had just lathered up, but hadn't rinsed off. I was considering how to towel off and then maybe rinse my hair in the sink, but alas, the sink was way too small for that. So ... I braced myself for the cold water and turned it on again ... warm, warmer, hot! HUH?

Five minutes later I had cold water again, but fortunately I was already done, thinking I could run out again at any minute. So it seems that a tankless water heater ceases to work when another facet is in use or the toilet is flushed! Brian had used the luve and then washed his hands, thus zapping my hot water for several minutes while the toilet flushed and then again as he washed his hands ... grrrr ... or should I say BRRRR!



3) The only phrase you need to learn how to say in Russian is, "Nyet panemyu."

Roughly translated this means I don't understand. Based upon my Russian lessons, I think it actually translates to "no understand," (correct me if I'm wrong, Yana) which helps to emphasis the point that you don't speak their language. Also, simply saying "pongleski" usually works for my husband. It takes the person a couple of seconds for his American accent to register the correct pronunciation of the word, but he is usually able to get his point across. I on the other hand try to use the small amount of Russian I actually know and usually manage to mess it up enough that I just revert to "pa-angelski?"

In Kyiv most menus come with some English on them, or at least photos we can try to figure out what is on them. Many people there also have at least a few words they can say in English, especially if they work at a restaurant, even McD's we are able to order cheeseburger, nuggets, coffee, and water no gas. Someone can usually tell us fish, or chicken, or pork ... which is usually the most we can get at the buffet we frequent. At most service restaurants, when we get past the "zdtrasvistyea" and "minu pa-angelski" they ask smoking or non-smoking and we can order water with no gas without much difficulty.

In Lungas'k though, I don't think we'd have survived the restaurants without "S." The only meal he wasn't with us for was breakfast one day. We thought we could walk to a street vendor selling fruit or meat stuffed pancakes and point to the picture, but the pictures were on the outside and she on the inside. No English menu, no speaking English ... we started to pull our our Russian guide book, but finally someone said "chicken?" and I nodded happily! "Mushrooms" "Cheese" "Sauceey" DAH, DAH, DAH! She spoke more English than I spoke Russian ... so what if we don't normally eat chicken stuffed pancakes for breakfast? At least it was food and at least it was hot!



4) A romantic anniversary celebration is over-rated!

So is having shaved legs on your 14th wedding anniversary! Tuesday, Dec 14th was our 14th wedding anniversary. With me not figuring out the hot water in the shower situation, I wasn't about to waste a second of my 5 minutes shower on shaving of legs! (Yes, dear I know I am totally embarrassing you right now.)

Being with your husband and the traslator while they pick out and buy flowers and chocolates with you in the same room, just isn't the same. However, I will say that 3 roses in Ukraine are "worth" far more than 12 in America (even though they cost a lot less).

As much as we love "S", I'm sorry, but a table for 3, even in a dimly light and mostly empty American-style steak house, just isn't romantic. However, this will definitely be one of our more memorable anniversary celebrations!

We don't have to be in Vegas for Melissa to find a biker bar -
Just kidding - this is in the Texas-style steak house in Lugans'k

5) Many things are lost in translation!

The menu at the Texas-style steakhouse was our entertainment for the evening. The word meatballs is not something one would normally use to describe a steak, in fact I'm not sure I'd want it to. The phrase "Part of pig neck" should never be used to describe a pork loin. American's have a funny way of spelling the word "style," but when spelled "stile" means something quite different! Green pepperonis are not the same thing as peperoni. I think they meant green pepercorns, as that is what we got instead of pepperoni on our pizza! It was still edible!

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