Trying to take it with us

We officially left Kiev…….reluctantly, excitedly, with heavy hearts and even heavier bags.

What an amazing ~3 year adventure we have had.   Our time in Kiev far exceeded our expectations – making the departure far more difficult than we could have guessed.

On paper, it might seem a tumultuous, semi-backwards place lacking order & many modern conveniences, but it’s far more complicated than that.  I reflect on some top things I will miss…

Camaraderie via ‘hardship’

Ukraine is categorized by many companies & the US State Department as a ‘hardship post’.  With recent political turmoil, the reasons for that are more obvious.   

But for our first 2 years, the hardship I felt was mostly to lack of efficiency & conveniences.  Many products I took for granted at home became treasured goods we’d hand carry in our luggage from the States.

• ·      Peanut butter
• ·      Food coloring
• ·      Cake mix & canned frosting
• ·      Black beans

(time to go when this is the last of my USA cellar)

The list could go on & on.   But the unexpected positive from this is the ‘we’re in it together-ness’ of scarcity.  

Several friends hooked me up with brownie mix in my times of need.  Another brought me a box of rock salt from Vienna as a gift. 

I proudly passed on my box of half used cake sprinkles and tube frosting to a friend who accepted them with genuine enthusiasm.   Another took applesauce & canned black beans with the glee that usually only comes from far bigger occasions.

Whether due to shared imported supplies, tips about pediatricians who won’t over-medicate or red alerts when there are fresh cranberries in the store, navigating these together helped foster friendships we will forever treasure

Easy cheap thrills

While my Russian skills plateaued at fairly basic conversation, I found myself constantly rewarded with the gratification of being able to ask questions, order things & chat with fruit vendors.  

Just being able to read signs, I felt a small sense of accomplishment

And successfully executing even the quite simple – mailing a package, paying a bill – provides a high disproportionate to the task

I’ve always enjoyed the random & novel – feeding that thrill in Kiev required nothing more than walking out the door

(I HATE pigeons - successfully avoided these guys until our last weekend in town)

(already miss the fun & often furry outfit spotting)

Lawlessness Flexibility

I’ve often said, how much I LOVE being able to park wherever your car fits.  A liberating way to add convenience (ignoring the times it contributes to grid lock of course)

In general, this ‘rule flexibility’ has benefitted us many times.   On our way home was no exception.  The van booked to take us to the airport failed to show….after a ‘death of a thousand cuts’ (promising to be there very soon), he showed……75 minutes late.   

With the request to drive fast taken quite seriously (30-40 minutes down to 20), we frantically rolled up to the counter to be told the flight was closed.  While I didn’t understand her completely, she must have said “zakrita” (closed) about 6 times.  

I’m not sure if it was our desperate faces, crying kids or unruly appearance she wanted to be rid of the most, but she re-opened the flight & got us on.

So yes – sometimes Kiev was messy…

But sometimes messy works...

So while we’ve crossed to the other side, part of my heart remains in Ukraine

Here’s to the friends we will always treasure & seeking random on this side of the pond.