What's New?! Also, more food. . .

It is difficult to believe that we have been here 2 months now. I'm starting to get comfortable and now we really have to get busy with getting my work permit processed. Even if all goes as smoothly as possible, it is likely that Rick and I will have to make a trip to Poland due to requirements by law. But, at least, we will be able to stay and I have wanted to visit Krakaow for years! :D

Another major comfort is changing as well. Our home. Apparently, I wasn't aware of this before, but we have only agreed to live here for the three months. And, so, if we want to live in this apartment longer, the flatmates have to agree to let us. There are a few problems with this as they already have plans to have long term visitors during the summer and will likely need our room. What this all means is that we are probably going to move. This is only difficult as far as moving is tedious for me -- I don't enjoy it. The truth is a good friend of Rick's and a new friend for me is getting married at the end of April. We have been invited to move wiith him and his new wife to a barrio near to the forest. The commute would be less than ideal, but the location is better -- cleaner air, recreation, nature, etc. We would even have a lake nearby to enjoy. The commute for me is 30-35 min in marshrutka (not so bad by typical American standards), but it means I would lose 1.5 hours more each day. Each week that is about 6-10 hours of free time for projects and personal enjoyment (the calculations have to do with how often I would return home in a day and when I would have to stay at the school because returning home makes no sense). I could make it work and learn to appreciate it, I think. But, meh, I am not too excited about commuting so far.

Aside from these minor things, the important things in life are improving. Our diet is getting better everyday as I get more comfortable with adding variety. Rick and I have both had colds and gotten over them so we have been able to begin taking walks together again. I have started exercising again, but I am trying to do it without paying for a costly trip to the gym. Part of what instigated the exercise is that I feel great! We don't have a scale, but since coming here and making minor changes in my lifestyle, I have lost two inches off my waist. Rick has calculated something that is meant to estimate how much weight I have lost in the last 60 days, he says I probably have lost 10-15 lbs. We are both really curious and are pricing scales. If it does turn out that I have lost all that weight without big changes in lifestyle, I will be writing an article about the little changes I DID make. :D

Also, as with all my recent posts, I have to include pictures of the food I have been making. In honour of St. Patty's Day, I tried making Soda Bread for the first time about 10 days ago. It was glorious! (and ridiculously simple). Since then, I have been experimenting with additions to the soda bread. But, it has sort of become a habit now to bake fresh bread every other day with breakfast. We are both enjoying the tradition --- and knowing exactly what is being put into our bread (how much sugar, if any, how much fat, how much protein, etc.). Aside from normal Whole-Wheat flour Soda Bread, I have made Citrus Poppyseed Bread, Homemade Kasha Loaf, and Multi-Grain Oat Bread.

Irish Soda Bread, made with unrefined flour (basic recipe from Epicurious.com)

Our new favourite breakfast, the Orange Breakfast. Fresh Mango-Carrot juice, Citrus Poppyseed Bread, Lemony Ginger-Thyme Infusion (for the colds), with fresh fruit on the side.

A close-up of my Citrus Poppyseed Bread creation, this bread at almost 200 cal per thick slice, is loaded with protein, fiber and very little sugar.

And, to make your mouth water, some other recent concoctions (The first two are of Mint-Berry Cucumber Salad from Whole Living and in the background, Lighter Sesame Chicken from Whole Living. The third dish is my pierog invention for Pi Day, Raspberry-Lemon Marble Pierog with accompanying Homemade Raspberry Soda.

I hope this post finds you all happy, healthy, and at peace. . .

Love,

Kimmee

New Projects!

After talking it over with my husband, and then reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Children that the Poor and Middle Class Don't, I have decided to put some extra effort into independent forms of income (i.e. working for myself). I have not quit my job teaching and have no plans to do so in the near future, but I am attempting to develop more "passive" income (i.e. money I earn without having to work for it in a conventional sense).

I currently have two projects underway, but this one is ready for public viewing:

Makeover Me

Basically, I am going through all the trouble of learning how to grow healthy hair, I might as well try to help others and make some money doing it!

Let me know what you think :D

Love from Kiev.

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.

Training underway and wedding dress making!

Dear family and friends,

Sorry for not updating sooner. I have been lazy and busy with other stuff (namely training for work, signing up for fall classes, and wedding projects. . . .and watching the first season of Merlin).

Panera Bread is fun and, unlike other jobs that I have had, it keeps me busy. Today, for example I made sandwiches for 2 hours straight, no break in sandwich-making. Lunch is by far the busiest time for the cafe that I work at, mostly because we are right downtown. In addition to all the business people that we normally serve, there was the weekly farmers market. We were swamped. The people I work with are very supportive, however, and friendly so it was fun. Tomorrow (Friday) I start hands-on training as cashier. I think I am going to enjoy cashiering more than sandwich making.

Also, Angie and I have officially started on the modifications for my wedding dress. We added the length to the slip portion last night and have yet to hem it and add the lace around the edge. After we get the right length we'll be making a skirt to fit over the dress (I bought a vintage dress that we are refashioning, for those of you who weren't aware.) I'm getting quite excited and would really like to post pictures, but I want the design and look of the dress to be a complete surprise for Rick on the day of the ceremony. If you are interested in pictures, I will post more when we have it done and you can just let me know where you would like me to email the pictures. In the spirit of wedding-ness, however, I will post some other pictures of how things are coming.


The wedding colors

The paper roses I am making for the bouquets and boutineers

The reception hall at Lake Wabasis

How I want to wear my hair (if it grows enough).

On top of all this other stuff I have wasted a lot of time watching the first season of BBC's new Merlin series. I watched all the episodes online in the span of 3 days. I am glad it is done because it was taking up a lot of time. Though it was kind of addicting. I have always been sort of drawn to the Medieval/ Renaissance type stuff. I love the show; it is so fun -- although corny as all get out. Not to mention the gentleman cast as Prince Arthur is a total hunk (blondes aren't really my type but with the accent and manly-man-ness, I can't resist. :D)



Also, I have been entertaining the idea of visiting the Renaissance festival. :) I think it might make a fun date for Rick and I in September. What do you guys think about such things? Do you like these sort of shows, fashion, and fantastic themes? I think they'd be fun -- magic (the good kind of course) and chivalry, feasts, knights and ladies. Well, at least I think its fun to pretend! If you want to watch some episodes NBC has been showing it and you can watch episodes 5-10 on hulu.com.

I wish you all the best and I will try to post more often.

Love <3

A job, Free food. And the best deal of my life.

Hey everyone!

Last week, as I was finishing my classes, I started training for my new job at Panera Bread. Many of you may not be familiar with Panera Bread. It is a franchised bakery-café. The food is great, fresh, and healthy, maybe except for some of the pastries, which--by nature--are sinfully delicious and fattening. :D The people seem quite friendly and I am, so far, very impressed with the company, how it treats customers, and how it treats employees. When I went for my training sessions last week, the manager was very accommodating to my schedule and sent me home with a BIG bag full of free samples and a sincere "welcome!"

Imagine this, times 2 and plus 4 items more. That is what I got in free samples!

So, yesterday I went to the Goodwill nearby to buy some work clothes. (This is where the best deal of my life comes in. . .). I wanted to get something sorta nice so that I could wear these clothes for more than just work at the café. So, I looked for button down shirts rather than polos. I have wanted a red blouse, so I looked there first. "hmmm, what´s this iridescent one here?" It was a 100% silk Ann Taylor bouse, my size. $4.99. I could not pass it up. I wondered if they might have anything like it in blue. Well, what did I find? A blue 100% silk Ann Taylor blouse, $4.99. Wow, what luck! But it was not too uncommon to find, so I wondered about a bouse in purple. Holy moley. A 100% silk Ann Taylor bouse in rose purple, $4.99. I got them all. So, I am demoting my other bouses to work blouses and these are my new daywear and officewear bouses. Aren´t they beautiful? (Sorry the picture isn't better, but I had to use my webcam).

In all, I am well. Happier everyday as my life begins to settle here in Minnesota. Last night, I went with Pete and Angie to see Les Miserables in concert, a production by local high school students. It was extremely well done -- and I am not just being nice. Some of the performers seemed like they were, in fact, from Broadway. In particular the girl playing Fantina (I Dreamed A Dream), the young man playing Jean Valjean (Bring Him Home) and the couple playing the Thenardiers (Master of the House and Beggars at the Feast). Bravo!

Also, I have included this, for fun. . .
"Who Am I"

1. What time did you get up this morning? 12 pm (I was up late reading/finishing We the Living, Ayn Rand)

2. How do you like your steak? Well

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? The New Star Trek

4. What is your favorite TV show? I don't watch enough tv to make a fair judgement. Maybe Discovery, History documentaries?

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Right now, the Oregon-California border.

6. What did you have for breakfast? Left-over Chinese haystacks. It was lunch-time afterall.

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Mexican

8. What foods do you dislike? I sorta don't like olives, but they are growing on me.

9. Favorite Place to Eat? El Rancho

10. Favorite dressing? Italian

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? My bike. :D

12. What are your favorite clothes? My white pencil skirt a button-down shirt and my oxford flats.

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Antarctica or Tierra del Fuego

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Depends on the beverage really.

15. Where would you want to retire? Retire-what? Not for me.

16. Favorite time of day? Dawn

17. Where were you born? University of Utah Children's Hospital, Salt Lake City, UT.

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Football, soccer not American football

19. Who do you think will not tag you back? Irrelevant.

20. Person you expect to tag you back first? " "

21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? This is for me. . .out of boredom

22. Bird watcher? Not formally.

23. Are you a morning person or a night person? Morning if I have work, night if I am left to my own devices.

24. Do you have any pets? Yes. Sort of, but not really. They are at my parents' house, where I will not likely live again.

25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? I got the fabric for my wedding dress! ivory silk dupoini.

26. What did you want to be when you were little? A singer, an artist, President.

27. What is your best childhood memory? Playing with fluffy cattails on the railroad tracks with my Dad.

28. Are you a cat or dog person? Dogs. Always dogs. I sincerely dislike felines.

29. Are you married? Emotionally. Legally, not quite yet.

30. Always wear your seat belt? Yes.

31. Been in a car accident? Yes. . .Craig Lake roll-over

32. Any pet peeves? Fewer and fewer.

33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? broccoli and tomato with white sauce

34. Favorite Flower? Sunflower.

35. Favorite ice cream? Vanilla with Rick's cocoa sauce and strawberries.

36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Subway

37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? Not once.

38. From whom did you get your last email? Mom, I was pinked.

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Probably more likely to happen at REI or backcountry outlet, but I do like Victoria's Secret and Anthropologie a lot.

40. Do anything spontaneous lately? Gave some bread to the street musicians in Minneapolis.

41. Like your job? Yes.

42. Broccoli? Yum.

43. What was your favorite vacation? Hiawatha Music Fest./ Craig Lake or Continental Divide Trail

44. Last person you went out to dinner with? Mom and Dad.

45. What are you listening to right now? ClassicalMusicAmerica.com

46. What is your favorite color? Green

47. How many are you tagging for this quiz? No one prolly.

48. Coffee Drinker? sometimes

49. What time did you finish this quiz? 15.28