Wednesday May 23rd

Slept in.  I am using the pillow over the head technique but for those families traveling here I would recommend an eye mask.  This temp apartment is a two bedroom so there is plenty of room.

I started the afternoon with a quick walk across the street to the supermarket and then to the orphanage with the daily bag of goodies.  I left the computer at home today to give Sergei a well-deserved break from having to play video games for the whole visit.  Maksym came right in and we started our time outside at the newly painted soccer court but we soon moved to the back of the outside court where the tire and sand jumping area is next to the basketball court.  I spent some extra time on the passing game with Maksym today since I didn’t see much of him yesterday.  This gave Sergei a chance to have to watch Max a little less and talk and play with his older friends.

A group of boys just older then Maksym came out and joined us in a game of kick the ball around.  They also showed off their English skills and asked me some questions – some of which I was even able to answer.  There was a point where they parroted some learned English slang.  I don’t know if they knew what it was they were saying but they are getting exposed to the swearing side of the English language.  Even if these little kids heard it from older kids the ultimate source is American pop culture.  I think I got across that the phrase was not good and should not be said.  Boys - I'll take two.

Some older boys came over the fence and did some flips with the oldest orphans but that did not last long as the guard from the front parking lot came around back and asked them to leave.  Again I am unsure of the full context but I am guessing they the boys meet others at school and that with a neighborhood full of twelve story apartment buildings there are some school friends nearby.

I tried to get away with staying a little longer – being in the back with the boys but it looks like 5:30PM is the longest I can go as the guard came  back again to remind me of the time using the universal language of pantomime.  Maksym cried but I think it was more related to his having to go as well no so much missing the heck out of me.

Two steps back to the temporary apartment and then back out again for dinner at Pasta Project.  I was going to test out Sergei’s assessment of the dessert as tooth breaking (Ukraine for one star).  I was also wishing to spend some time with some WiFi of greater then maybe tomorrow speed as I had some huge work videos that I wanted to download.  So I walk over and get the corner no smoking both, unload my electronic pile and order up dinner.  Becky has heard what comes next before – I then realized that my wallet was the one thing that I didn’t bring with me from the apartment.  Duu.  Waitress seems cool with the idea that I may or may not come back and I head out the door for some hryvnia.  It takes some time but I get half of the needed videos.   There is also some time to Skype with the girls back home.  If you haven’t met my daughters just know that they are super cute.  Oh my goodness they are super cute!

Back at the apartment I am locked out of the main door not having found out the entrance code from Natalia the other day.  Sasha is working the phone for the code when along comes a family of four to open the door.  The papa is not interested in having me join them but I manage to keep the door open and give a quick spaseeba as they pack into the elevator (max capacity 1.33 Americans) and I run up the stairs.  So it turns out we share the same outer door on the sixth floor.  They are kind and welcoming now that we’ve had to meet twice and I have a key to our door.  It was fun to have meat my neighbors in such a manner.

Picture context will be a little off again as I let Sergei keep the camera overnight.

Rulsan made the game the other night

Me trying to look cool

Max with Oksana who testified at our court hearing
(she was also at the game and is a friend of Alice)

After court