Backstage Pass

I'm a little behind on my posts so this one consists of Tuesday through Thursday!

Tuesday:

 Good news this morning: no black eye for Ann! We were a little worried after the picture frame punched her last night. Ann prepared a filling breakfast with homemade omelets (green onions from the dacha and cheese for toppings), sliced bananas, sliced cucumbers, and toast with homemade apricot jam. Ann and I headed to the local museum of national history. It walked through as far back as the Stone Age up until present day. It might be a bit uninteresting to talk about the exhibits, so pictures should do the trick (just as I mentioned they would in my first blog!).

Wooden wheel

Comb

Headpiece

Boat

Idol

Jewelry

Traditional Ukrainian style clothes

Shoes

We got back to the flat in time to eat lunch and then Ann had to go up to her work for a few hours. Nadya and I passed the time with her favorite hobby, polymeric clay modeling. You could tell how excited she was to be showing me how to do something that she loves so much. We would get to a certain step where you had to use something that she had left in her room so she would say "One moment please" in her accent which is just precious. We made a set of earrings for each of us and I am happy to bring back another souvenir, but one that is more special. 

Final product!

Tonight we had a dinner invite from Ann's cousin, Zlata. Ann, Nadya, Zoya, and myself went to her newly remodeled flat and had dinner with Zlata and her mom, Lucia. Lucia had worked with deaf children for many years, and I know a small amount of sign language from having friends in junior high who were deaf, so we compared the differences between American Sign Language and Russian. They asked me about my good and bad impressions of Ukraine and we showed them pictures from our trip to Kiev on my iPad. It was an enjoyable evening and I was happy to meet some more family.

Ann's cousin, Zlata, and I in her traditional Ukrainian style kitchen

Also, my grandfather had surgery today. We skyped with some of the family while they were in the waiting room. My cousin who is around Nadya's age saw some of Nadya's clay figures and has now started having interest in it as a hobby too. My mom snuck her iPad into the consultation with the doctor after the surgery, so it was as if we were there hearing and seeing what they were. Truly amazing that we could be so far and still get the news as it was being given about the surgery. The doctor sounded very optimistic that the surgery went according to the plan and explained how he saw everything that he expected to see.

Wednesday:

After sleeping in and having breakfast, we headed to Eugenia's workplace, the local theater. He is an actor there and has been for seven years. Previously he worked in a youth theater and also as a stage director. He brought us through the back entrance to the theater and showed us where he spends so many hours working every day. As we were walking in there was a group of people outside and he shook each of their hands and joked with them (although I don't know what he said). You can see that he is well known and liked by all of his coworkers. We went backstage where all of the props are stored and then were able to be on the stage with the lights dimmed and only a couple of other people in the theater. It was a beautiful theater with ornate details. It was cool to imagine being on that stage with a full audience. I have a lot of respect for people who are brave enough to perform in front of so many people. It is hard enough for me to write something like this that people can read!

Eugenia continued to show us around the building from the dressing rooms to the rehearsal room. All the while most lights were turned off and you could hear a violinist practicing. There was a person who was singing as they walked down the hall and I felt such a good energy being in a place with such creativity and artistry. I can understand how Eugenia is such an animated and enjoyable person to be around after visiting the theater.

Rehearsal room

Dressing Room

Eugenia in a past play

Costume

We returned home and began getting ready for a graduation ceremony at the university where Ann teaches. She wanted me to go and see where she spends each day working and I was lucky to go on such a special occasion. There were about twenty five students that were graduating from the Department of Foreign Languages. At the ceremony, they had different students and professors speak, a singer, and ballroom dancers. Ann translated as one of her bosses told a story. This was the just of it:

A young boy thought he could get the better of a wise man. The boy approached the wise man with a butterfly cupped between his hands. He planned to ask the wise man if the butterfly is alive or dead. If the wise man answered 'alive' he would clap his hands together, squashing the insect. If the wise man answered 'dead' he would open his hands, releasing the butterfly.

"I have heard you are a wise man. Tell me - is this butterfly between my hands alive or dead?"

The wise man answered: "The answer, my child, is in your hands."

The professor went on to say to the graduates that the world is in their hands. I didn't realize I would get something out of a graduation ceremony in a different language, but this was such an inspiring parable. After the ceremony, we went to a room where many professors have desks and had some cake. Ann's boss told stories and toasted. At first it was to a graduate who was joining us, then to the professors, and finally to me! It was an honor to have them recognize me in front of everyone and it made me feel even more welcomed.

Ann's office

Ann and some of her students

We returned home for dinner, which Ann's mother prepared for us while we were gone. She comes to their flat almost every day to help around the house or help with Nadya. I've noticed how close families are here because Ann and Zoya speak at least ten times a day.

Delicious "honey cake" Zoya made for us

Thursday:

Today we had a quick breakfast after waking up a little bit late. We originally had planned on going to the dacha, but the weather forecast showed there would be rain at the times we would be walking to and from the train station so we decided it best to wait until Sunday when it shows no rain. We discussed what we would do instead of go to the dacha and decided to go bowling since Ann has never been and Nadya has only been for a short time at a birthday party. This was a real treat for them and it was a fun time together! The bowling alley was very high class with a lounge atmosphere and a bar in the middle. I was surprised at our total only being 3 Hrivnyas per shoe rental and 70 per lane for an hour, which totaled out to be just under $10. We played two full games and I am proud to say that I broke 100 in my second game.

 

Misprinted sign!

The bowling alley was located on the third floor of an expensive mall, so we had a look around at the stores not really expecting to buy anything until we stumbled across a store that was having a closeout sale... everything 70% off! We shopped there for a while and I got lots of good bargains. Most things here are already cheaper than what they would be in America, so to have more off of that price made it hard to say no to the things I was trying on. After getting a good amount of clothes and jewelry we went back to the flat for a nap.

I was unable to fall asleep with different things running through my head. I find myself doing this more and more often. I had to remind myself of the verse I read in my quiet time this morning:

"Be still and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world." -Psalm 47:10

Although I may have negative thoughts and worries rushing through my head, I can find peace in knowing that God WILL provide and take care of me even when things seem hard. I trust in the Lord's plan and what His will is for my life, although it may not even be what I want for myself. Thankful for my Savior who can satisfy me when the world can't.

I was happy to get out of the house once Ann and Nadya woke up. There was a cool breeze and the walk took my mind off of everything. We went to a different shopping center where we purchased some more bargains and then stopped to get pizza. We ended our night trying on our new clothes and figuring out what we will be wearing to the play we are attending tomorrow evening. Eugenia will have a lead role and I'm very excited for this. Enjoying every moment of my time here and I feel so blessed to have such a unique connection with them. I now consider them my Ukrainian family!