Note To Those Coming

For those of you who come here after us: most importantly trust Sasha, Syvette and the people who work with them to guide you each step of the process. They know what they are doing and you can have conifidence in them to steer you cortrectly. Before coming learn a few Russian words it will make things easier (forget electronic translators the accent is different and cannot be understood by the people here), bring pictures of home and your family, bring your laptop it is yoour connection to the world (you have internet access, if you set up Skype at home before coming you can call home to your families landline, cell phone or computer), also bring some DVDs to watch the days get long as you wait to visit the orphanage (forget Neyflix it does not works outside USA), bring a nook book (Barnes & Noble) if you like to read it stores 1500 books, magazines, newspapers etc., bring playing cards if you like to play card games. Once documents are completed their are mandatory waiting periods before the next step in the process during these days you have much down time to fill be creative about what you can bring that will be compact but entertaining. Also, we had verizon give us a global phone (free of charge they switch your current phone number to the global phone for 30 days) your regular cell phone will not work here (we use the cell only for text messaging home and important calls we use the computer for all other communication, because the cell phone can get costly). Clothing you will need is minimal (dress clothes for court, few changes of clothes for orphange visits, comfy clothes for at apartment. also EVERYONE here dresses warmer than at home. They are always asking if I am cold, so I have kept to long sleeved sweaters and no sandals so I don't offend anyone. They always have dark coats on and warm clothing. Men wear dark colors. Russ' tan dress pants and coat stand out in this culture like a man wearing hot pink at home would. LOL) You can buy most food you will need here (I miss spices from home when cooking however). The Ukrainian food in the restaurants Syvette has taken us to has been good and the atmosphere was very good. There are also pizza shops and McDonalds if you like. Russ loves the coffee and butter better than home. I prefer the hot tea.