Ukrainian culture and the SDA

But first, a couple more apartment shots.  I want to show you the tiny washer and the cute kitchen.  Really, it is pretty charming.  I think the kitchen is my favorite room.  But it is small.  Bedroom/ living room, bathroom and kitchen.  That's all.  Fine for Jeremy and I but consider that Ukrainians live in places this small, with their whole families.  This isn't a hotel the way we envision hotels.  Lots of tenants buy or rent these and live here year round.  Some, like ours, are rented out on an individual bases.  Whoever lives in them are responsible for upkeep and improvements, so even though the halls and elevators are pretty old, the apartments themselves can be very nice.  It depends on who live in them and how they decorate and care for it. 

So here's the bathroom, with the washer.  Imagine doing the laundry I usually have to do at home.... 

And the kitchen.  The stove scares me.  It's gas.  The first night, I was going to be ambitious and cook.  Jeremy grabbed the lighter and turned on the gas and I envisioned the whole place going up in flames.  I quickly decided that maybe sandwiches would be a better dinner option.  Oiy! 

Ukraine has many beautiful cathedrals.  Here is one of them.  It may be famous.  I have no idea.  :)

Quaint cobblestone roads line much of the town, especially the downtown area:

Ukrainians are CrAzY drivers.  They drive on sidewalks too, and park anywhere.  They double park, park on sidewalks, will stop in the middle of the road.  It's a little insane!  This is a typical parking area:

Properally dubbed "Russ-bucks" by another adopting family, this little cafe is quite the happening spot:

Steet musicians in traditional Ukrainian garb:

Lots and lots of street vendors in the downtown area.  I'll have to spend more time looking when I don't have a facilitator needing us to hurry back.  :)

A sweet little group of babuskas allowed me to take their picture.  Once again, in more traditional Ukrainian clothing. 

Another pretty (and probably famous) cathedral:

Judging from the amount of security surrounding this building, Jeremy and I assumed it was fairly important.  Turns out it's the Department of Foreign Ministry. 

More crazy Ukrainian parking.  Now I know why our facilitators have us use drivers...

Street vendors line the street where the SDA building is.  Probably because foreigners (i.e. tourists) line the SDA building:

Sign at the SDA building.  I find it somewhat humorous (and a little sad) that orphans are lumped in with sports:

Side gate you go through to get to the office:

Through this door:

Up those stairs:

We had a pic of us with our facilitator, Serge, but it's not on the camera.  Friends of ours took one of us too, as a back up.  Thank goodness they did.  I'll add that later.  Until then, here's a pic of our dinner....  fine, traditional Ukrainian cuisine.  :)

Later today, we pick up our referral and make a very long drive to his region.  Today is the last day our little boy will not know that we love him.  That someone loves him.  From tomorrow forward, he'll never be lonely again.