Day 3 and sig thought I had given kola a haircut (already) but you can see from the pic of them outside if it posts!! I’m just doing a little styling. Today we went on a shopping trip to get him clothes for the trip home. That won’t be for a while but the benefit of having our translator (roman) with us is immeasurable. He’ll be leaving us within a day and will be back in time for the court date next week. Until then, we have a driver scheduled to pick us up from the apt. and take us to the orphanage, wait and take us back to the apt. (:15 min. each way) which is $10 a trip incl. the 1-1/2 hour wait while we’re there. But during our visit with the car waiting there, it’s hard to get kola to focus on much else!
Today, without the translator, a doctor, or caretaker at our side was quite a bit tricker. He’s a good listener and native speakers who do and don’t know him have been able to get him to follow their direction, but without the benefit of language, it was hard for sig and i to get him back out of the parking lot during our visit today. Thank goodness he likes to be carried. We can see he’s full of curiosity, but also saw stubbornness and a little confusion when we couldn’t express ourselves to him. He is already picking up a few words from us tho (and we are from him) – he’s learned ball and your turn, mama’s (purse) dada’s (camera). I’m glad we have this time to figure out how to communicate with each other during the next couple weeks he’s still at the orphanage. sig got him to laugh and smile today and that was a great relief to us all as we struggle to understand each other!
Feet here are usually covered – not many open-toed shoes, heels worn with hose, sandals with socks, and two of the last three visits kola had had on ribbed tights (which sig calls his "tube socks") with shorts and sandals. It’s in the 70’s here and he’s usually wearing a flannel shirt or sweater. He was getting shpritzy outside on the playground! Roman said they dress the kids warmly so they don’t catch cold but once he leaves the orphanage, we’ll introduce him to the wonders of the t-shirt. A few new things we’ve learned along the way: in kiev especially there were lots of smokers (sig and my unofficial combined and averaged estimate: 38%) and Roman told us a pack of Marlboros here cost USD $0.80. well no wonder! Maybe that (instead of a mocha in their hands) and the lack of preservatives and the amount of walking people do and the lack of carry out/fast food helps people here stay so “right sized” even tho I don’t see gyms or slim fast around. BTW i'm at an internet cafe typing to "eye of the tiger" the only news i've heard from the us is that paris hilton is in jail for 23 days for breaking her parole? i've heard a few items of new about america, but i'll leave that for another day!
sorry if we don't really reply to the comments but we love them. hope all's well with you! xo b&S
Today, without the translator, a doctor, or caretaker at our side was quite a bit tricker. He’s a good listener and native speakers who do and don’t know him have been able to get him to follow their direction, but without the benefit of language, it was hard for sig and i to get him back out of the parking lot during our visit today. Thank goodness he likes to be carried. We can see he’s full of curiosity, but also saw stubbornness and a little confusion when we couldn’t express ourselves to him. He is already picking up a few words from us tho (and we are from him) – he’s learned ball and your turn, mama’s (purse) dada’s (camera). I’m glad we have this time to figure out how to communicate with each other during the next couple weeks he’s still at the orphanage. sig got him to laugh and smile today and that was a great relief to us all as we struggle to understand each other!
Feet here are usually covered – not many open-toed shoes, heels worn with hose, sandals with socks, and two of the last three visits kola had had on ribbed tights (which sig calls his "tube socks") with shorts and sandals. It’s in the 70’s here and he’s usually wearing a flannel shirt or sweater. He was getting shpritzy outside on the playground! Roman said they dress the kids warmly so they don’t catch cold but once he leaves the orphanage, we’ll introduce him to the wonders of the t-shirt. A few new things we’ve learned along the way: in kiev especially there were lots of smokers (sig and my unofficial combined and averaged estimate: 38%) and Roman told us a pack of Marlboros here cost USD $0.80. well no wonder! Maybe that (instead of a mocha in their hands) and the lack of preservatives and the amount of walking people do and the lack of carry out/fast food helps people here stay so “right sized” even tho I don’t see gyms or slim fast around. BTW i'm at an internet cafe typing to "eye of the tiger" the only news i've heard from the us is that paris hilton is in jail for 23 days for breaking her parole? i've heard a few items of new about america, but i'll leave that for another day!
sorry if we don't really reply to the comments but we love them. hope all's well with you! xo b&S
1 comment:
Things sound as if they're going well. Kola's reluctance, I am told, is a good sign. It means he's made attachments to significant people and is somewhat wary of strangers. That is normal development. I suspect, however, he will find the two of you irresistible. It sounds like his curiosity will be a good match for Ethan's. They'll be a team in no time and run you ragged. Love your posts. Feel as if I'm right along with you.
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