Hello friends! We were supposed to go to the beach with Katya today, but we had to cancel to do paper work at the court house. Next week we'll try again. It was a wonderfully cool day today. The bus rides were not so bad because of the cool breeze. After we went to the court house, we just took a nap until time to go to the camp. We spent a long time with Katya and Igor (pronounced "eager") today. We had a very good talk with the help of a translator. Katya was in a much better mood and she's looking forward to studying medicine. She understands, though, that we don't begin that kind of education until college. We talked much about education in America.
The gate keeper at the camp, (a very serious fellow. Very dedicated to doing his duty to keep foreigners from going too deep into the camp,) was even in a good mood. He let us right in, even though Hannah and I were alone. I think he is beginning to trust us. A very good step for us! I think I'll take him a chocolate treat tomorrow! Then we'll be friends!
I've been here long enough now to have received several differing views of the people. I am beginning to think they are not as nice as I originally thought. Perhaps I'm just tired of being away from home. I am feeling comfortable enough to argue with cashiers when they are fussy about the money. They can be so tacky about giving your change back correctly, then if you insist, they roll their eyes and sigh heavily like you're a stupid American. And the babushkas at the courthouse! They are very large and padded. They press against you if you're in their way and they use their weight to try to move you! It's like being in a movie about soviet times. They still act much like that. They behave like "herds." At least the older ones do. The younger people are becoming more westernized like much of the world. They are SO much like us and SO very different at the same time.
Doug, thank you for the flour tortilla recipe. You can bet I'm going to make tacos now! We are surviving well with cooking in the apartment. I bought a roast chicken that made four meals for us. Breakfast comes with the apartment and it's not just a continental style either. ( Have I already told you about this? It seems familiar!)
I took a few more pictures today I'd like to include in the blog. I hope you enjoy!
The City Gardens are beautiful. They have salvia and marigolds planted around the fountain shown here. The children love this fountain. Most of them end up wet, like this one.
They have massive rose gardens all over the parks.
An occasional cat will let us pet it.
This is an entrance to a neighborhood like I mentioned the other day. You can't really see the buildings on either side, but they have the shops below and apartments above.
Here's another one. This one is really pretty.
This is what I found inside the wall of a building! I wonder if all the walls are this well made?! Those look like sticks someone just lined up and stuck in their to give the wall some bulk, or something.)
The next two pictures or of a ??? Anybody want to venture a guess? When I guessed, I made two Ukrainians roll on the ground laughing! I'm still not sure what it is!
It hasn't been half our time here yet! Has someone stopped the clock? I want to go home!
See ya'll next blog!
Sarah
The gate keeper at the camp, (a very serious fellow. Very dedicated to doing his duty to keep foreigners from going too deep into the camp,) was even in a good mood. He let us right in, even though Hannah and I were alone. I think he is beginning to trust us. A very good step for us! I think I'll take him a chocolate treat tomorrow! Then we'll be friends!
I've been here long enough now to have received several differing views of the people. I am beginning to think they are not as nice as I originally thought. Perhaps I'm just tired of being away from home. I am feeling comfortable enough to argue with cashiers when they are fussy about the money. They can be so tacky about giving your change back correctly, then if you insist, they roll their eyes and sigh heavily like you're a stupid American. And the babushkas at the courthouse! They are very large and padded. They press against you if you're in their way and they use their weight to try to move you! It's like being in a movie about soviet times. They still act much like that. They behave like "herds." At least the older ones do. The younger people are becoming more westernized like much of the world. They are SO much like us and SO very different at the same time.
Doug, thank you for the flour tortilla recipe. You can bet I'm going to make tacos now! We are surviving well with cooking in the apartment. I bought a roast chicken that made four meals for us. Breakfast comes with the apartment and it's not just a continental style either. ( Have I already told you about this? It seems familiar!)
I took a few more pictures today I'd like to include in the blog. I hope you enjoy!
The City Gardens are beautiful. They have salvia and marigolds planted around the fountain shown here. The children love this fountain. Most of them end up wet, like this one.
They have massive rose gardens all over the parks.
An occasional cat will let us pet it.
This is an entrance to a neighborhood like I mentioned the other day. You can't really see the buildings on either side, but they have the shops below and apartments above.
Here's another one. This one is really pretty.
This is what I found inside the wall of a building! I wonder if all the walls are this well made?! Those look like sticks someone just lined up and stuck in their to give the wall some bulk, or something.)
The next two pictures or of a ??? Anybody want to venture a guess? When I guessed, I made two Ukrainians roll on the ground laughing! I'm still not sure what it is!
It hasn't been half our time here yet! Has someone stopped the clock? I want to go home!
See ya'll next blog!
Sarah
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteMaybe the cashiers at the grocery store expect a little tip if they get your change right? Just an idea. I don't know the local custom, but don't let them intimidate you & eventually they'll give up trying.
Make your own chicken like this: take a raw one, cut the backbone out with some shears, flatten the chicken out, skin side up, on a shallow flat pan, and bake at 375 F for about an hour. Season with salt & pepper before baking. Use garlic powder & celery salt if you have it. Some people wrap a brick in foil and put it on top of the chicken when they cook it.
Hang in there.
Doug