Adopting Natasha: Independent Adoption from Ukraine

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Journal of an Independent Adoption From Ukraine

04-Dec-2000

Sunday we went sight seeing. Kharkiv is a beautiful city with over 6 million people. We ate breakfast. They served cottage cheese with sour cream on top and as usual more cabbage salad. The cottage cheese was sweetened with lots of sugar. Very interesting taste. I am starting to love the hot sugar tea in the mornings. After breakfast I fed my favorite 3 dogs and we all met up with Slava our driver. As we were driving from Zeleyi Guy to Kharkiv, Slava stopped by one of the apple sellers. There are many people selling apples in buckets by the road. The sellers have fires of leaves and dry grass to keep them warm but this is a very warm day... 5 C. Slava suggests that the children at the hospital would love apples so I buy a dozen for about $2.50 USD. I cannot spell the Ukrainian currency so I will be translating the money into USD.

The countryside around Kharkiv is full of orchards. I am not sure what kind of trees because all the leaves are gone, but the trees are lined up in straight lines. I have not seen many evergreen type of trees around here but there are some.

Slava then took us to a church that was built in the 18 century by a Jew. The Jewish man wanted to thank god for his success so he built a Eastern Orthodox church. Very smart man... Sunday mass was being said when we arrived. We had to pass through a line of old woman and children begging for money. We went into the church and passed 2 old woman holding silver trays for the offering. And the church was also selling candles to burn for the dead and sick. Everyone was standing because there is no place to sit. People were talking and walking around while the service was sung. It was glorious. There was a holy relic in the center of the room that people were passing by and touching. And sometimes everyone would cross themselves and bow in response to the service.

I cannot do justice to the church. Gold was everywhere. Pictures, icons, paintings, candles.. smell and press of many swaying bodies and the beautiful singing. I am sorry, but I just cannot describe it but it was moving. We only stayed for 10 minutes and as we left I gave away all my coins to the old woman and children begging.

Then Slava took us to the largest Eastern Orthodox church. It was built in 1652 and burned down. It was not rebuilt until 1901. Again we walked through the old woman and children at the front of the church with the hands held out. Again we walked past the 2 old woman holding silver trays for the offering. We walked passed 2 tables set up for communion. The church service was in full swing and a choir was singing. In the other church it was the priest who was singing part of the service. When the choir stopped a priest started. Again there were the crossing and bowing. One man kneeled. People were standing and walking around. There was another holy relic that was being touched by a line of people. Again gold, paintings, candles. It was very moving. I started using my camcorder and got part of the service on tape before I was told that camcorders were not allowed.

Slava then AGAIN found a great place for lunch. We ate borscht soup and these meatballs dumplings. It was very yummy. When I started this trip I told my mother that she would not like the food and would lose weight. I was very wrong.

More of this Feature
• 22-Oct: Home
• 08-Nov: Home
• 26-Nov: Kiev
• 27-Nov: Kiev
• 29-Nov: Kharkiv
• 30-Nov: Kharkiv
• 01-Dec: Kharkiv
• 02-Dec: Kharkiv
• 03-Dec: Kharkiv
> 04-Dec: Kharkiv
• 05-Dec: Kharkiv
• 10-Dec: Warsaw
• 13-Dec: Home

Related Resources
• Adopting from Ukraine
• International Adoption - Index
• Meet Natasha (photo)
• Natasha at Home
• Single Parent Adoption

Then my translator picked up some sweet bread for the girls at the hospital. All of us then dragged our stuffed bodies to the hospital. The girls were excited to see us again.. Slevta, Luba, Aelaine, Natasha... etc.. Natasha spotted the apples and wanted to pass them out which she did. Then my translator passed out the sweet bread.

My friend Jannie brought her CD player and the new Ricky Martin CD. Both the older girls, Luba and Slevta wanted to hear his new CD. By the way most of the music that we heard was American. We have tried to buy pop/rock Ukrainian music with little success. Jannie also brought spare batteries which she gave to Luba. The older girls took turns listening to Ricky Martin.

My friend Jannie brought a book about North Carolina which she showed all the girls. Everyone in the room looked at my pictures again. Natasha loves pulling them out of my purse and passing them around. I filmed the girls with the camcorder and a new tape then played it back. Everyone in the room gets very excited at seeing the tape played back.

Natasha started getting too excited again. When she is very excited she has she breaths very quickly and squeals like a pig. She also dances around and runs. We left before she started screaming and running down the hallway again. I don't think the nurses have forgiven me for that episode yet. We had an early evening and went to bed early. Monday I was going to pick up Natasha from the hospital and move her to the orphanage as a favor to the orphanage doctor.

I did discover a few interesting items I forgot to mention. During our Friday visit we were yelled at for bringing oranges. It turns out that oranges are bad for people with breathing problems and colds. But apples are good because they have plenty of vitamins. Go figure....

Also, I took a closer look at Natasha's eyes. They are an interesting blue/gray color.

Angela W.
Kharkiv, Ukraine

2000 (c) Angela W.

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