Day 40 -Hurray for Internet - Thursday October 27

So another Groundhog Day wake up. Same old same old. Not much to do, just Sergei and I being lazy. I did wake up again and type quite a few more entries. After I had caught up to Monday, I woke Sergei. He had a few more gifts he wanted to get for his friends that we would have to buy in a regular store. I had also promised two families that I would get phones for kids at the orphanage so they could keep in touch. I was just about out of grivnas so I knew we would have to go to the bank. There was a bank in the strip mall by our apartment and a phone store a few doors away from that. I figured we would check those out first and then try to find a sport store to get the goalkeeper gloves that he wanted for one of his friends. Before we left the apartment Ksenya called to tell us that the landlord was planning to come and clean in about half an hour and the internet guy was going to be there in about an hour. It was better that we weren't around while they cleaned, but I would have to be there for the internet hook up. I figured it would work well to do the money exchange and phones and still be close enough to meet the internet guy. We went down to the bank, it was a different branch of the one I normally went to downtown, so I hoped it would work just as easy. There were 3 other women at the cashier window, so Sergei and I waited for quite a while. Sergei was restless and wanted to wait for me outside. I said okay and after a while longer it was finally my turn. I handed her the passport and money and she looked a little perplexed. She took the passport and did some sort of search on the computer. She asked me something in Russian and I conveyed that I spoke English. She asked if I had exchanged money at this bank before and I tried to explain that I had changed some downtown. I am not sure that she understood, but the answer did not help. She still was perplexed and went to confer with some other employees. Evidently the one she needed to talk to was helping another customer, so I waited some more. Just as she began talking to the other employee, Ksenya called to say that the internet guy was at the apartment entrance waiting for me to let them in. I thanked the girl and said I had to go and would come back later. Not sure if she was actually ready to help me by then, but I did not want to wait any longer.
Outside I had Sergei walk back to the apartment with me and we let the guys in and they followed us up to the apartment. I had thought that the landlord would be there cleaning, but he still had not arrived. The guys plugged in the ethernet cord that was already there and made some calls, logged into the computer and adjusted some settings and got online. He tried out 2 different YouTube videos to test the quality and then ran some speed tests. In the meantime the landlord and cleaning lady showed up and started cleaning. The internet guy was asking me some questions and I was not sure what he needed. Fortunately, the landlord translated a bit for me and they wanted to know if the speed was going to be okay. I said I just wanted to be able to Skype to America and figured I would test it out. Of course, no one was awake or logged in, so I tried to call my house to tell them to get on. No one answered! I tried a few neighbors, but could not get anyone. I tried my house again and finally got an answer. They were busy trying to get Bekka out the door, but Darren woke Ellie so we could test the video chat.
It worked fine and the landlord was anxious for us to leave so he could clean without us around. I promised to call back later in the day and Sergei and I decided to go downtown to exchange money where I normally went and would not have so much trouble. As I figured, I went right in and there was no line. I got the money changed fast and we went to the phone store. We got the two phones. We were getting hungry so we went into the EcoMarket and got some snacks. We also found some gift bags to use for his gifts. We got those and I kind of wanted to have us eat something healthy before our candy bars, so we went to a little gyro stand outside the supermarket. Darren and I had seen it before and had wanted to try it out, but never did. Just before we ordered, Yarik called to say that he was on his way. Sergei and I got two gyro type sandwiches. Just as we got our order, Anika called to let us know where there were two sport stores that we could try to find the soccer gloves.. We ate our sandwiches, very yummy, and just as we were finishing we found Yarik. He wanted one, too, so we went back and he ordered one for himself.
After he got his order, we went to the first sports store that Anika recommended that was on the 4th floor above the EcoMarket.  Vitalli met us there. They did not have what he wanted so we went back to the EcoMarket, because Yarik wanted to buy a birthday cake for one of his friends. He got a cake, some juice and some gift bags as well. Then Yarik and Vitalii left us to go back to celebrate the birthday. Sergei and I went to the other sport store that was only a block away. This time we were in luck as they had many gloves to choose from. Sergei found a pair he liked and we bought them and headed home.


At home we took advantage of having internet and called home again. We talked to Bekka a bit and wanted to talk to Darren, but he had a business call. So I saw that Sam Dye was online and thought his boys who were from the same orphanage, but had been adopted this summer, might want to talk to Sergei. They were happy to talk to him and the three of them had a very lively conversation! The boys had to log off, and Darren was finally available, so I got to talk to him as well. Ellie got on later and we talked to her and Bekka and TJ. It was so good to see them all. But I think talking to them so much is making me more homesick. Yarik had finished with his friends and came back to the apartment. He was allowed to sleep with us again. He was also hungry for apples. Sergei and I had snacked earlier in the evening and our gyros were enough of a meal, so we didn't really make dinner. Sergei had eaten all of the apples, so Yarik and I went over to the store to get some more. We bought a huge bag this time. Maybe they will last more than a day!

Sergei posing in the kitchen-although he was not cooking here, he has been working on his cooking skills!

Stretching in the living room

Sergei spread out on my bed

Ellie asked us to take photos of our apartment, so Sergei posed in each room as I took the photos. Then the boys ate some more apples and Sergei and I started watching Mr. Bean episodes. Yarik wanted a bath, so he started filling the tub with water. I poured in some of my body wash and suds it up. He was pleased with that idea. After his bath he wanted to sleep, so Sergei and I gave him the couch for his bed and we took the computer to my room to watch more Mr. Bean. I finally convinced Sergei to get to bed and I had the computer to myself. I finally could upload the blogs and photos that I had ready. I caught up on some email and hoped that Darren would be back online to talk. No luck...it was really late, so I finally gave up and went to sleep.