First couple of days

Well we have made it through the first couple of days here in Kyiv. From about 2 hours after we got here yesterday, up until about an hour or so ago - we had no power... which was awesome. However, we have power, steady internet, and air conditioning now... so we are doing great! ;)

The trip over to Kyiv was pretty good. We had to sit on the tarmac for about 1.5 hours at JFK, which wasn't too fun but Shane slept through, literally, the whole delay... and at one point somewhere over the Atlantic we hit some scream inducing turbulence (to be clear—we weren't screaming, but more than a handful of people around us were). Once we landed, we went to the apartment. From the street you open a seemingly random door that is between a couple of stores, and then walk up a really dark staircase. Then you ring a doorbell, walk through a foyer, and there is our apartment. It is really nice... and when we got here, it was cool, internet was flowing, lights worked. We were then taken to lunch, came back - and the power on pretty much the whole block was out.

And it was about 90 degrees inside. And no internet signal to be found.

We got out and walked the streets a bit, and also went in one of the more expensive shopping malls (because it was close and had air). I fell in love with a pair tangerine colored pair of Valentino heels through a window... so pretty.


This morning was our appointment. It went well, and we got our referral! Step one, check.

It is always nerve-racking to be in situations, especially formal ones, where you can't speak the language and have no clue what people are saying about you. The lady who held our appointment was very friendly, so that helped a lot. There were general questions, like "when did you meet them?" There was also a crazy moment, when they mentioned that one of the girls older siblings was only 17 (we thought he was well over 18) and would we want to adopt him as well, if the director deemed them to have a relationship. It was an ????!!!!!????!!!!??? moment. Before we could really respond, she stepped out of the room. A few minutes later she reappeared, and her and our facilitator called the orphanage director. We could hear the director almost shouting on the other end of the phone... apparently he is not the biggest fan of their brother. After speaking with him, and talking with the SDA official some more, our facilitator relayed that the girls apparently do not have a relationship with him, and his whereabouts are actually unknown at this time.

The interview sort of abruptly ended, and we were told we would receive the referral. We pick it up tomorrow afternoon, and will head out of Kyiv on the overnight train to Lugansk. We should hopefully have our first appointment there on Monday.

Right now we still have power, internet, and air conditioning. Woohoo! Also we were able to locate a decent hamburger, a really cool little coffee place, and some above-average pizza withing a block or so from the apartment. Shane is about to run over to the market across the street for a few things and then we're going to get some work done.

Tonight we will venture out again on our own... wish us luck! :)

Thanks for everything you guys have done.