Visitors from the West

After seven months of only being able to talk to my family and friends online or over the phone, I received four important visitors; my mom, my sister, my best friend and my boyfriend. The anticipation of their visit was overwhelming, not to mention the fact that I was ill at the time of their arrival and the two and a half weeks before.

On Saturday October 25, 2008 I arrived at the Borispol International Airport to meet my family. My first reaction was undoubtedly shock. It was hard to believe I was standing with them and that they were here in Ukraine. It was like a dream.
We wasted no time. The driver who picked us up, dropped us off down town and took the luggage to the church. We ate lunch at Poozata Hata, which means Fat House in Ukrainian. It is a local fast food chain, offering the best of Ukrainian food in a cafeteria style dining experience. Whether it was because it was the first thing they ate after being awake for 30 hours and had ridden on a plane for 11 hours or because they weren’t sure exactly what they were eating, I’m not sure, but they didn’t really like it. While this quick emersion into the culture was an interesting experience, they discovered something shocking after eating. The girls ventured into the restaurant restrooms… and immediately came back out, wanting to know if it was a joke. If you have traveled outside of North America you have probably noticed that in most areas of the world it isn’t the throne toilet that dominates but the “Squatty Potty”, a porcelain hole in the ground rather than a chair.



Or next venture was the subway, which we rode to our next destination. This experience consisted of lessons like, stick together, keep purses and wallets in the front, and squeeze tight because you can always fit one more person.

Sightseeing- The Golden Gate, the original entrance to Kiev, Independence Square with its fountains, next to a closed Krashatik Street where the weekend festivities were in full swing. To the unknowing spectator, like my friend Beth, the characters seem both unusual and harmless. But as Beth can now tell you from experience, look out for the man dressed as a squirrel. When he asks if you want to take a picture with him, he really means “I’ll take a picture with you for a small fee.” An extra precaution: He may try to pick you up.



My families arrival was a joyous occasion. And as you have probably seen in the photos, an exhausting one. But if you think they were tired from the plane, you should have seen them after their first train ride.