Over the Rainbow-The deVitry's in Ukraine

Well, here we are!  It has been a very exhilerating trip so far.  So much to see and do, while waiting to get down to business.

We landed about 12 noon Saturday.  Very uneventful trip, pleasant airline staff.  We were met right away by our VIP airport escort, Alex.  After going through correct lines and filling out paperwork, we picked up ALL of our luggage!  Joy, joy, joy!  We were met at the entrance of the airport by our translator, Alla  and driver, Sacha.  They took uas right away to a market to exchange money and buy some groceries, and then took us to our flat.

First, let me try to describe Alla.  She reminds me alot of you Jacki :) Very helpful and pleasant, short and blond.  She talks with an accent to sound like Zsa Zsa.  Very elegant.  Sacha speaks very little Engilsh, but he is very pleasant and has a nice smile.  He looks like a body gaurd.

Our flat is very comfortable and accomodating.  With a living room, small kitchenette, bathroom with separate room for toilet, and a bedroom.  We enter in a foyer type room, with all other rooms accessed by foyer.  We have spent more time out and about Kiev then we have at our flat.  Jet lag wasn't too bad.  We did oversleep Sunday morning as the alarm clock is not working right.  Our first full day, Sunday, Alla and her son Dima toured us.  We went to WWII museums and War of Afghnastan museum.  We later went to Independence Square, right in the heart of Kiev.  Alla and Dima are very educated in the Ukraine and Soviet history, so this was a very special tour, especially for James.  Dima is 17 and is attending the University here in Kiev, studying 1st year law and history.  Very smart and patriotic young man.  We will have pictures to show when we get home.   Many, many pictures.  We are hoping in a couple of days to be able to upload a few pics to send back home for you all to view now.

We have had some very delicious Ukrainian food.  We ate Sunday night in Independence Square at a buffett type resturaunt.  yesterday, Monday, we toured the ancient part of Kiev, Old Kiev.  Beautiful old architecture.  There are many gilded, onion dome buildings and cathedrals.  We toured St. Sophias Cathedral.  It is 1000 years old.  We also went to the Golden Gates, which was fort type entrance into the old Kiev about 1000 years ago. We went to the post office and guess what we bought?  Stamps!  Very nice stamps for our collection, to show our child(ren).  Then Alla and I went into shop near our flat and bought milk and cakes and she went home, and James and I walked back to our flat all by ourselves. (oooohhh)  We didn't see the alley cat that was there the other day outside our flat.  He looks just like Mordred, only smaller.  We miss our animals!

Today was very eventful.  Much shuffling of files around and back and forth.  We feel good with the referral we got today.  We will be leaving for Kerson Region, down by the Black Sea, tomorrow night at 10:00 ish.  We are traveling by train and should arrive in Kerson Thursday at 10:00 am.We are not ready to divulge the information of our referral until we have met child(ren) and have more info and confidence about it.  We will let you know more when we get to internet cafe in Kerson, after going to the orphanage.  Pray for us and do not worry, everything is fine!

Running out of time here at internet cafe, so....

We Love you!!!  Send messages!!!Call us!!!

Wanda and James

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