Life Only Gets Better, Though Not Without Difficulties

We have officially been back in Ukraine for 17 days today, and things keep looking up!

The view from our kitchen window looking out into the barrio. It is a busy place and everyone wears fur and black.

POINT 1:

I have received work teaching English and have done well enough that they have offered me to take on more work, which effectively means I will be working 15 hours a week, mostly on Saturday. With this barely half-time job, I will proudly earn enough so that half of all my earnings can go toward paying debt and the other half of money will pay for both Rick’s and my expenses here --- effectively freeing up his income to help pay down my loans. Financially, I am beginning to see that Ukraine was a VERY good choice. I could not imagine how cheaply we would be able to live here, neither could I imagine the amount of money I would be making as a teacher. I am not only happy with my work, but the income gives me hope that I will relatively soon be debt-free. Avoiding an American Tragedy, day by day. :D

POINT 2:

I am making friends! I can’t speak Russian well-enough yet (more on that later), but Rick has been supportive in trying to provide me with appropriate social interaction. Last Sunday and today (Sunday 31 Jan), we are going to a Spanish Language practice club. Most of the people are Ukrainians who are learning in order to travel or to build careers from it, but all are young and interesting people! It was such a relief, after my first week here, to be able to share myself with others. I realised how important this kind of interaction is for me, especially in a new environment. I am glad to be returning this evening.

Also, Rick’s contacts here have been wonderful and interesting. Yesterday evening we were invited to dine with an older couple, but some old students and friends of Rick’s. They spoke sufficient English that we spoke English during the whole visit. Again, it was nice to have interaction with intelligent interesting people with whom I could communicate.

POINT 3:

Without doing ANYTHING except eating in the Mediterranean way (which is delicious and includes plenty of fat and carbs) and walking a bit to the metro and to meetings, I have lost 3.5 kilos since leaving the US. (We, for the first time, were able to weigh ourselves last night). Hello! Fantastic! I have wanted to get back to a lower weight as I gained quite a bit in university (20 lbs). I have certain fitness goals and I think this time in Europe will really help achieve them. This sort of inspires me to consider seriously the blog Rick had mentioned. . .

POINT 4 (It’s not always easy.)

Although things get better every day, there are still stresses which can bring me to tears. One is realising that I would be a lot more at peace personally and emotionally if I could speak more Russian. At the current level, I am almost completely dependent on Rick (outside of the routes I have memorised to get to the grocery store and certain markets). The result is that if I want to go out, I need Rick to go with me most of the time. Sometimes our schedules or desires conflict. In these moments, I feel helpless and sincerely regret not having spent more time learning the language. Rick brings me home chocolate or flowers on these days --- and that helps a lot. But, I feel guilty for not prioritising the language more. Some days, I feel so limited.

Naturally, you can imagine the sort of stress this must put on Rick. He is, because I am unable to communicate, fully responsible for building much of our life here --- the apartment, the jobs, the social life. A lot of these things, he does naturally and he does them adroitly, but I know that my dependency wears on him sometimes. When I feel poopy and he remains so supportive despite his own stress, I am reminded how lucky I am to have met him and how lucky I am that he agreed to be with me. I love my husband; everyday I am thankful for him and everything he does to make my life easier and our life together fulfilled.

CONCLUSION and PICTURES:

Despite the stress of being a dependent in a new culture, each day is easier and more rewarding than the last (even the days when I feel the only way I will get through is if Rick gives me an IV drip of extra dark chocolate). I am very pleased with the way things are developing here and, if I can knuckle down and seriously learn Russian, life will improve exponentionally --- I may even fall in love with my life here.

Loving and missing you all.

Some cooking pictures! We have been experiementing with pierog (ukrainian pies that actually are just bread). . .no added sugar, rough milled flour, two eggs, wheat berries, a little salt and baking powder, plus whatever you can dream up!)

Our Pinapple-Upside Down Pierog (we also make a mean Banana Nut Pierog and Apricot Pierog)

Our Pizza Pierog. . . .my crowning achievement thus far :D

Sauce and toppings are underneath the bread, cheese and spices baked into the bread. . .simply delicious and utterly guilt-free! (Sorry for the bad lighting. . .)

Week One: Settling In (in a Rushed Way)

We left the USA at 13:30, Tuesday, 12 January 2010. We were en route for approximately 1.5 days, landing in Kiev-Borispol International Airport on Thursday, 14 January, at 3:00. We then waited in the airport lobby until 5:30, when the cheaper buses to the city center began running. We got to a friend’s apartment at about 7:00. Our trip, though long and stressful, went off without a hitch.

Upon arrival we stayed with Sasha, one of Rick’s friends in A’Bologne (sp?), Kiev. It was, physically, comfortable enough for us. However, for both, it ended up being a mentally draining experience. Let me explain -- staying with Sasha ( a nice and otherwise pleasant man) also demanded that we stay with Sasha’s mother, a woman with an overbearing, territorial, and neurotic personality. I was often corrected and criticized for the ways that I dressed, cooked, organized our room, and -- essentially -- existed. She easily became frustrated when I could not understand her for fault of understanding Russian. My helpless: Ya ni’panimayu (I don’t understand) was often met with an exasperated huff and shooing of the hands. It should then be obvious as to why we rushed to find an apartment.

The view from our room at Sasha’s. A view that fits perfectly the stereotype of the Soviet Union (except that this is not the USSR): cold, snowy, run-down, and bland. NOTE: Should be compared with later pictures of a newer neighborhood.

After four days of searching, we received an offer to live in an apartment with another young couple in Minskaya, a developing neighborhood in A’Bologne, Kiev. For a whopping $200 each month we have a large furnished room, a balcony, a large shared kitchen, and clean, bright shared bathroom, complete with hot water, lights and heat --- and another young couple with whom to practice Russian (Olga and Ivan). AND it is only two minutes walk from the Metro! AND. . .:P (Oh yes, and it is primely located in relation to various markets, the second-hand shop, the book market, numerous bakeries, meat vendors and gyms). I am quickly coming to love this flat and neighborhood.

Our entryway.

Our home. After everything was organized and sorted. NOTE: Our down comforter is actually the combination of our two down sleeping quilts tucked in a Ukrainian sheet set (a big pocket that acts as the top sheet and comforter in one) The sleeping bags are stored safely and we have a great blanket!

This space is very comfortable for us and all of our stuff. Although at first I wasn’t sure it would be (Rick had a lot more stuff than I thought he did!).

Our room after unpacking everything. Or I should say, after all the boxes and suitcases exploded.

The shared bathroom. I love the bright color and design.

The shared kitchen. This kitchen is quite large by Ukrainian standards and two cooks can move comfortably in the space.

And, finally, so that you all may see the difference between the view from Sasha’s apartment and the new Minskaya apartment, here is the view from our kitchen window, directly across the street. It is a new apartment complex (not ours, ours is much older, but the neighborhood is better).

To the left (not in the picture and that of which I haven’t had a chance to snap pictures) is the plaza with an enormous decorated tree (the holidays here are a little later than in the US) and lots of little shops (and, as with any “modern” neighborhood) a McDonald’s (no, I have not yet eaten there, nor have I plans to do so. See below).

There are two other matters that have been at the front of our minds over the last week --- my employment and a healthy diet. Yesterday, I accepted an offer to lead a series of English conversation clubs every Saturday. This work will allow me to work with children and adults from 18 to 40 years. Amazingly, I will be making enough each Saturday, that I need only work this one job, and I will have enough to cover my Ukraine costs each month (food, rent, and transport). A dream come true? Yes! (if I didn’t have any debt). For now, however, I am still waiting to hear from a couple other schools about more work. I may not get to teach conversational English until a little later when I will have some English language teaching experience. Ideally, I will get at least one more full day of work, which will allow me to cover Rick’s costs then put most or all of his money to paying loans. (Fun, fun. . . But, could I do all this, pay down my debt and only work two days a week in the US? In two words: HELL NO!)

I spend a lot of my extra free time thinking and working on perfecting our diet (another thing that would be cost prohibitive in the US). I have recently finished reading The Mediterranean Diet, which has helped me to work out a lot of the problems Rick and I had in eating healthy food consistently back in the States. I learned a lot about how to substitute monounsaturated fat (olive oil and canola oil) for all fats used in cooking as well as why carbs are OK (and still DELICIOUS) when you emphasize veggies and fruits. The insight gained from this book coupled with being in a country where veggies, whole grains, lowfat dairy and omega-3 -rich fish, as well as natural sweetners are significantly cheaper than processed starches, fatty dairy, red meat, and refined sugar, makes eating healthfully not only easier on the pocket, but has made healthy, satisfying meals the norm for us.

However, I shouldn’t pretend that I haven’t had to invest time into making this diet so convenient. After reading the book and meticulously planning a general, weekly meal calendar; counting up all the servings of each recommended nutrient source for Rick and myself, then approximating the number of vegetables and fruits, bread loaves, cups of buckwheat, pasta, rice, whole wheat, and nuts, grams of yogurt and cheese, AND grams of fish needed to equal the equivalent of our combined dietetic needs for the week; followed by compiling a general shopping list to be used each week for groceries, I can now live on automatic mode. I don’t think about what I need to make XYZ recipe. I look at what we have and create, knowing that at the end of the week it will all even out and we’ll be healthier than the week before.

Rick mentioned that, having done so much work, I should post the information and our weekly shopping list/recipes on a blog that would be potentially helpful to a lot of people in the US. I think I might do it. Though, there is one obstacle to address: we eat like kings here and pay pennies because the food is priced the way it should be. In the US, the “healthy food” that in Ukraine exists as poorman’s dinner, is expensive. To this, I guess, I would make one point: paying more for healthy, quality food is an investment in yourself and in years of quality experiences and memories that come from living a longer, healthier life. If you pay more now, you can receive years of higher-quality living. If you pay later ( in health bills), you will still be buying time, but it will be lower-quality time, limited by an ailing body. Maybe I will do it, the blog. . .

Overall, I am settling in well. I am happily living well with my supportive and loving husband at a price that can’t be beat! Tell the family that I already think I will miss this life (after only one hectic, but rewarding week).

From this point forward I doubt that I will write such long posts, but one can never tell --- I didn’t know that this would run on so. :D I wish you all the best.

Gastronomical Delights!

. . . I turn on the gas burner --- medium-high --- and begin to butter the bread, unwrap the Kraft American cheese and build my grilled cheese sandwich. No one else is home, and I cannot wait until Mom arrives and feeds me. What the heck?! I've seen Mom do this a thousand times, I'll just make a cheesy sandwich. I drop the sandwich in the fry pan; it sizzles ferociously. So far so good, I think. I constantly lift the sandwich off the pan to look at how the underside is browning. Hmmmm, perfect. Time to flip. Well, that went well. I'll leave it and check my email. . . .what is that smell? Shoot! I run to the kitchen and look at my sandwich --- a charcoal and cheese sandwich. I'll try again -- we have a full loaf of bread and lots of cheese. So try again --- fail. Try again --- fail. Try again --- fail. Try again --- fail. Try again ---fail. Try again? There are only four pieces of bread left. Don't try again. . .

My mother and sister do not hesitate to share this humiliating story, and others, with family and friends -- in particular when they sit down to a meal to which I have contributed. Because of epic failures like this, I was considered the daughter that couldn't cook, hated cooking, and deferred such arts to my younger sister (who at the same time was going through a cake-decorating passion --- none of her cakes fell, EVER).

It is amazing, however, what moving out of my parents house did for my inner-Chef. I was able to experiment without being teased for mistakes or simple questions. I found, slowly, that I enjoy preparing delicious, healthful (sometimes not) food, and that I love doing so for others: my friends and boyfriends in college, my family during the holidays, and --- now --- my husband, everyday. I take great pride in a healthy meal made well, how it pleases the senses and sustains the body. I am also proud of how, when I cook, it brings people together --- I am most glad for that.

I am at most a mediocre cook. But, I am learning. Sometimes I still make mistakes, other times I have stellar success. Recently, while staying with my sisters in Salt Lake City, I tried a meatloaf. I wanted something lighter than traditional loaves baked with BBQ sauce, ketchup and brown sugar for flavour. I found this fantastic American Bison Loaf, and it did the trick. Bison meat is naturally sweeter than beef and leaner, too. This recipe adds bulk and flavour with mushrooms, onions, fresh sage and fresh thyme. Rather than being sweet and sugar-laden, this loaf is, instead, a bit spicy due to a red-pepper (or cayenne) seasoned tomato sauce. It was refreshing, delicious, quick and --- best of all --- surprisingly simple!

Me, with the food. This recipe calls for roasted potatoes and spinach (we ate carrots instead of spinach).

Beautiful apron courtesy of Mom.

I substituted a pinch of cayenne pepper for the red pepper. Be careful not to over-pepper!

Everyone sitting down for the meal, minus Rick. The drink is a tasty treat handed down from Oma (Rick's German great-grandma), Italian Plum Juice and soda.

Slowly, these successes are helping me to overcome the trauma of incinerating an entire loaf of bread for a single grilled cheese sandwich. . .

I hope to post about a bread loaf soon. . .

Recent Reads and Recommendations

¡Hola amigos! Perhaps it will be obvious, because I am writing again so soon, but I am happy my computer is back online. As promised in my previous post, I am publishing a list of books I have recently read and am going to elaborate on those which I recommend. This is the first post of this kind for my blog. I will adopt a rating system similar to my husband's (0-5 astericks, more is better). In general, I will only be recommending 3 or higher. Let's get started!

Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies - Jared Diamond

Rating: **** (4)

In what is, essentially, a whirlwind history of the world, Jared Diamond analyses history to deduce the necessary conditions to

development of a conquest society. His thesis is that certain environmental conditions favoured the development of guns, germs, and steel which gave the colonial advantage to Eurasians rather than Americans, Africans, or Australians. Diamond focuses primarily on questions of timing and diversity of agriculture as well as timing and diversity of husbandry as the catalysts for marked population growth, which -- consequently -- spurred innovation and disease.

Diamond uses some of the most recent discoveries in geography, anthropology, and environmental history to build his argument. This book is a must for a contemporary understanding of our world history, economics, and politics.

Coming Home to the Pleistocene - Paul Shepard

Rating: ****1/2 (4.5)

A brief book chock-full of information on humanity's roots in the Pleistocene --- and the implications of this fact on humans in industrialised society. Shepard argues, based on studies from evolutionary biology, that we are creatures of the Pleistocene --- we are hunter gatherers at heart, more or less. The thesis is that many of the psychological, physiological, and physical problems we have in modern society are closely related to the denial of our roots. Plainly, our development is stunted by industrial society.

Recognising that we cannot return to the life of pure hunter gatherers, Shepard closes the book by making recommendations of how we can re-incorporate the Pleistocene lifestyle into the Modern one, ultimately improving life for individuals and society.

The Kite Runner -- Khaled Hosseini

Rating : *** 1/2 (3.5)

A contemporary fiction book set in Afghanistan, The Kite Runner touches on many relevant issues related to current events. Through the eyes a middle-aged man reflecting on his life, we experience the last 40 years of Afghan history. It is an intensely personal story of regret, friendship, courage, loss and redemption.

I hesitate to describe in detail what happens as it will all be irrelevant without spoiling one of the most important scenes in the book. I will say, however, that the story centers on the asymmetric friendship of the narrator and a childhood companion and the narrator tries, throughout the book, to regain balance in the relationship.

It is an easy, quick read. There is some graphic imagery (sexual and violent) which may not be appropriate for children under 15 and may disturb readers. However, the lesson from the book and the powerful themes inspire an appreciation of Afghani culture that is worthwhile.

NOTE: The Kite Runner, to me, is a parallel story to A Thousand Splendid Suns. I recommend reading this, then A Thousand Splendid Suns in succession.

A Thousand Splendid Suns --- Khaled Hosseini

Rating: *** (3)

Rated a half-star less than The Kite Runner, this book is not as thematically powerful, in my opinion, as The Kite Runner. It does, however, tell an important story from the female perspective of the last 40 years of Afghani history, the Taliban, and Shar'ia Law in Islam.

A Thousand Splendid Suns tells the story about how two Afghani women are brought together and have to learn to depend on each other to survive. Its salient themes are love, sacrifice, forgiveness, and friendship.

Beautifully written, particuarly in the final chapters. Some violence, but not as graphic as The Kite Runner.

NOTE: Recommended to be read with/after The Kite Runner.

Sex, Economy, Freedom and Community --- Wendell Berry

Rating: **** 1/2 (4.5)

A collection of essays by Wendell Berry, this books discusses important economic and social issues in the Industrialised world

--- environmental degradation, corporatism, consumerism and globalism. Berry argues strongly for localisation of economy in order to preserve the planet and it's resources. Written in the early 1990s, Berry seems to have been one of the first scholars to speak out against globalism and corporatism. Now, twenty years later more and more groups in society are recognising the negativity of non-localised economics.

This is a great book for a budding localist.

I have not finished this book, but feel that it is, already, worthy of being recommended.

Other books I have read recently:

Risk and Reason: Safety, Law and The Environment --- Cass Sunstein, **1/2 (2.5)

Pathways to Bliss --- Joseph Campbell, *** (3)

Luna Nueva (New Moon, Spanish) --- Stefenie Meyer, ** (2)

Back on-line and the holidays!

I am currently in Salt Lake City, Utah visiting my in-laws. Rick and I arrived here after spending Christmas with my family near Grand Rapids, Michigan. We will be staying here until we leave for Kiev on the 12th of January.

Christmas with my family was bittersweet. We arrived 5 days before Christmas and left 5 days afterward. I would have liked more time with them as this was my last Christmas with all the family (especially my grandfather) for a few years. Unfortunately, the earliest we could arrive was the 2oth of December. Anyway, I had a lot of fun preparing for the holiday and celebrating it. Thanks to Martha Stewart (a sort of hero of mine), I was able to make some delicious treats for the parties -- Molasses Gingerbread Men, Gingerbread Cheesecake, Classic Eggnog, and my Grandma Diehl's Sugar cookies (fabulously decorated).

Sugar cookies and Gingerbread Men!

The Gingerbread House I made with Mom in Law

Gingerbread Cheesecake, very yummy, but accidently a bit undercooked. . .:(

Christmas, gift-wise, was very appropriate given that we are moving. Essentially what this means is that we got small gifts (rechargeable batteries), gift cards (iTunes, REI and the Grape Vine organic food restaurant in Salt Lake City) and money. Also, my parents did a very noble thing and got my computer repaired. By their generousity I am able to update you all on the goings on of these holidays! Although I still am sour about PCs, I am grateful to have my computer alive, well and with all files!

I During my time home I also spent some quality time with my sister. On Christmas Day we went to see Avatar 3D (I liked it and recommend it). We also spent a night in a hotel together with some other girlfriends, mostly to sit in the jacuzzi, which was depressingly cool. :( It felt nice to spend some good time with Stephie before leaving.

On the 30th we flew here, to SLC, to spend the New Year with my in-laws. On New Year's Eve we spent the day munching on goodies, playing games (Taboo and Apples to Apples), doing puzzles, and playing pranks on Uncle Dave. It was slow to get going, but once everyone was there and the activities commenced it was really fun. On New Year's Day we went bowling at Fat Cats activity center. All of the brothers and sisters were there and it was a really fun time. Alex and Julie (my sisters with whom we are staying) said they would like to go again before we leave. I hope we do.

On the 2nd we went to the blessing of my niece, the Lizard (nickname not real name). It was an intimate family ceremony. I had never been to a baby blessing and the LDS way of doing it was rather beautiful. Many were emotional -- including Grandma and Grandpa and Mom and Dad. It was a happy time.

Now we have about 9 days until we leave and until then I hope we have some fun adventures and reminisce about my childhood here.

Best,

Kim

Coming posts: recent books I recommend and recent cooking