When we returned from posting the previous blog, we found Vladimir at our apartment briefing each family on the latest developments in their adoption process. It was our turn. He had found the document he needed in Krolovets on Wednesday. We also learned that he had processed the paper a week ago to change Dasha and Toli to Ukrainain citizens, which had made the Ukrainian court process a lot smoother. He was planning on being in Russia to obtain birth certificates on May 2. If he did not need a Sumy municipal representative present (e.g., the Inspector), he would fly there; otherwise they two would have to drive to save expenses. Then on his return we would out-process the children from the school, travel to Kiev for the children’s medical exams and visas, and travel together to the US. We would not make our currently planned departure of May 5. But things could be wrapped up early in the week of May 7. As we get closer we’ll be able to zero in a firm date.

We departed Thursday morning at six for Kiev. It was nice to see the phantoms or silhouettes of the night trip to Sumy in the daylight. The open roads were lined with tall, mostly deciduous trees, a small few of which were beginning to let some of their yellow leaves out.

The row of perhaps about 100,000 trees closest to the highway still showed the white paint applied to the lower four feet of the trunks for the dual purpose of celebrating Easter and protecting the trees from bores. In Sumy, even many of the street curbs and garden borders were likewise whitewashed for Easter.

Bordering the highway between the towns sat numerous little villages, each with a small row of mostly brick houses trimmed with blue, green or beige around the windows and doors, many with beige brick star-patterns studded in the primarily orange field, giving each some personality.
Scarved, bundled-up women worked in their garden plots that lack furrows because of the ample rainfall here. Such labor is not a hobby here; it’s a means of survival. One or two horses drawing wagons were seen plodding along the roadside. Much of the land is used for agriculture. Susan remarked that with the open fields between these villages we could as well be driving through Missouri or Iowa with the moderate undulations in their farming landscape. On the other hand, the villages reminded Susan of “Fiddler on the Roof.” “On the other hand …”, I was certain that I saw off in the distance beyond the trees, out in the middle of nowhere, what appeared to be immense rocket manufacturing or assembly facilities, right out of Canaveral or Vandenberg. I thought back to what Viktor had said about Ukraine’s prominent involvement in rocket manufacture for the Soviet Union. Hmmmm. On the other hand, I must have been wrong about what I thought I saw.

In almost every village stood a monument consisting of a military tank, a statue or a marker of some kind as memorial to victory in the war. With the war in mind we were cast back in time as we caught sight of a drab, vintage motorcycle with a sidecar turning off the highway.

We arrived at the US Embassy before 11 am. With expectations of a warm, American welcome there after weeks of limited English we were put off by the curt directions, with no attempt at our mother-tongue, of the security detail as we were screened. Everyone with whom we had to work there was Ukrainian. We were ushered off to the American Citizens section anticipating a friendlier and more helpful reception. We were disappointed again, especially at the cashier where we waited for fifteen minutes for her to show up, only to have her appear put-out by our presence. There was no acknowledgment, let alone an apology, for our delay. “Ask not what the government worker can do for you, but what you can do for her,” or something like that. She was clearly annoyed that we did not have the exact amount for her. Giving change was probably not in her job description. In contrast and to our relief, however, the young man who helped us with our fingerprints was very pleasant. He had a good American accent, having been schooled in Wisconsin and DC. A short while after we were finished there, Vern emerged, clearly drawn-out, fatigued and disappointed – again. Nanette’s fingerprints had not yet arrived as expected because they had not been e-mailed to the required special address, which had never been provided to Vern or Nanette. Another senseless delay.

With Natalie as our guide we rode the subway across town to a restaurant for a Ukrainian lunch. Susan thinks the long, steep, speedy escalators to the underworld, along with the subway itself – all for only ten cents – are a bargain to match any ride at a theme park. You do have to make sure you’re in the right flow of the masses getting on or off the subway or you may never get on or off! These are far more busy and crowded that those we rode in NYC.

We caught a 16-seat Mercedes bus at 4 pm, watched a few Russian movies, and arrived at our apartment before 9 pm. One of the movies took place in Thailand. The Thai was about all I understood of the screenplay. Dodges arrived at the same moment from dinner and we visited until time to retire for the night.

We left home three weeks ago. We hope we have less than that remaining on this journey.