Day Four – History Lessons

The adoption news from our new Memphis-area friends was about the same as ours, unfortunately. They were not offered children which matched their needs. And, like us, they declined all of their referrals and chose to wait for a second appointment next week. We continue to wish the best for them.

Yesterday's disappointment contributed to our lethargy this morning – we didn't sleep well and could not get started. And, how appropriate, after a few days of brilliant sun and hot weather, it's cold, gray and raining here today. We're trying to figure out how to get some work done here, balanced against learning more about Ukrainian culture to prepare for eventual activities and discussions with the child we hope to adopt. So, we decided that a city tour would be an efficient way to gain some knowledge and have the opportunity to ask questions.

Olga, our guide, was great and we spent three hours walking around (yes, in the cold rain most of the time) and learning some history of Kyiv and Ukraine. Folklore or fact, there are some incredible (and ancient) achievements documented in Kyiv. On Volodimir's Hill, the place where the first settlements were established in 482 A.D., there is a stone with an inscription suggesting that this was the birthplace of Kyiv Rus and the Slavic culture. And there is no shortage of amazingly beautiful cathedrals, although many have been destroyed during the conflicts that have played out here. St. Michael's Monastery, built in 1108 was destroyed during Soviet occupancy in 1936. It was rebuilt in 2001 and was one of the few photos we took, during a break in the rain.
We had our first authentic Ukrainian dining experience tonight at a place that specializes in varenyky (a stuffed dumpling) and men drinking vodka from an iced bottle kept on the table. From what we saw, each diner is expected to drink at least a pint of vodka plus a few 'soft drinks' (known in the US as beer)! Shockingly, we saw no one who seemed worse for the experience. While there, we received a call from Viktoria – our second appointment is the last one of the day on Tuesday, at 4:00p. So, if you're in the US, think of us at breakfast on Tuesday!