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My Present

Ukraine’s Political Paralysis Gives Black Eyes to Orange Revolution Heroes


Our Future

Monkey urinates on Zambian president

Everything takes longer with frequent smoke breaks

Packout -- Day 2.

Everything is wrapped, boxed, whatnot, and the process of moving our things to a truck has begun -- and so has the rain.

It seems to be just a short cloudburst...we hope.

Two guys are currently struggling down five flights of stairs with our piano while their co-workers take a cigarette break.

Poor guys.

Jack is on board with the whole packing thing. Also, note his tough-guy outfit, and his need for a bathroom break just after I took this video.




Yesterday morning when Nina was trying to get him to go to the park, he got a scared look on his face and said "please don't go to Africa without me."

We told him we'd think about it.

A (housing) promotion for Phil

Next week Jack and I will depart Kyiv. Phil will also move out of our apartment so that the embassy can get a jump start on some maintainance stuff before the new Embassy family moves into the place in July. Phil's only caveat in agreeing to moving out early was that he needed a place with internet access so he could video Skype with Jack and me when we are in Rensselaerville.

He suggested that the nice, unoccupied, Embassy place in Podil would work just fine for him. And they agreed. So....Phil will be staying in the Ambassador's residense for his last two weeks in Kyiv. Pretty nice way to leave Ukraine!

Here is he testing out his Ambassadorial potential. Ambassador Nervig -- I like how that sounds.

Our life right now

Packout




...has begun.

Last Days in Kyiv

10 Days until Jack and I (Katherine) head back to the U.S. Hard to believe it is already time to leave Kyiv. We've been very busy getting ready for the movers (they arrive on Thursday), partying and picnicing.

Two weeks ago my dear friends organized a surprise baby shower for my friend Cecile and me Very fun, silly and delicious too. I was picked up on Friday morning by Nathalie and Odile and then blind-folded as we drove off to an undisclosed location.

Cecile and I guessing where we are....






The "how big is your belly" game. My belly now measures 8 1/2 pieces of Ukrainian toilet paper.


Last Sunday we had to say goodbye to our dear friends Claire, Gundo, Rose and Gaspar after a fun picnic outside of Kyiv. It was a tough goodbye since we've been good friends with them since we arrived. Jack keeps asking about Rose since he saw her almost daily.




Last week Jack had his very first sleep over party. Cece and Addie spent two nights with us. Jack had a hard time falling asleep each night knowing his friends were in the next room.






Last night we got all dressed up and headed out for a fun night at the Hyatt for a charity fundraiser for the Children of Chernobyl Relief and Development Fund.