Hello out there, your on the air....opps - wrong season....

Okay. Back to seriousness. The last few days have been very good for us. We are getting into the routine of things and have been able to enjoy some more time exploring.

This morning was our second visit to the children's shelter. There are about 15 children living there currently, but the children change frequently. The shelter is just a temporary home for them as they await a place in the orphanage. Some of the children there have only experianced life being tied to the legs of a kitchen table. There are some very sad situations. It is good though that the Salvation Army here goes in once a week to volunteer - they play games with the children and help them have some fun. Today Peter taught them how to play 'What time is it Mr. Wolf'. They really enjoyed playing this game and caught on very fast. We also brought some frisbees with us and we have been teaching them how to throw and catch with it. Today I brought along some markers and paper and taught them how to trace their hand - for some reason that caught on as well and they all enjoyed doing it!

Another highlight from today was our second walking tour. This time it was with two of the girls from the Corps. They only know a little bit of English so it was exciting trying to figure out what we were all trying to say to each other. They brought along a Russian-English Dictionary so that helped! They brought us to a very beautiful park - there are parks and fountains all over this city!

We heard rumors that there are reports on the news in Canada of flooding in the Ukraine - if you see these reports and start to worry about us - worry no longer. No flooding here. It is very dry and still very HOT in this part of the Ukraine. Apparently the city that we are in is the hottest in the country. The flooding may be in other parts of the country, but not here!

Anyhoo....now for the moment you've all been waiting for....Peter's list of lessons.....here they are and remember: they are all very true statements!!

1. Cobblestone looks nice but after riding a Ukrainian bus across it you understand why asphalt was invented.
2. Traffic lights and statues in Denprepotrovsk serve the same purpose. They make the city look nice but no one has a clue what they mean.
3. If you say anglyski enough times people will eventually just walk away from you muttering under their breath.
4. To pay your fare on the infamous buses you dive into the bus as it comes to a near stop, hold on with a death grip as you make your way to the seats in the back, take out your money and pass it to the person in front of you like a note in class, watch carefully as it goes all the way to the front, then between lighting a cigarette driving listening to the radio dodging pedestrians and inventing new lanes the driver makes change and you watch your money come all the way back.
5. There is a bus theme to the list today. The brakes on the bus match the sound of the whistle on the Heritage Park trolley. Real assuring.
6. Bluejeans for men and dresses with high heels for women regardless of the scorching 36 degree heat.
7. Cell phones must be on full volume at all times make no exceptions. It does not matter if you are on the bus, in class, or in church. All phones all the way up!
8. While grocery shopping, if someone is in your way you simply grab their cart and toss it to the side of the aisle, ensure that you make no verbal apology for this gesture.
9. When exchanging currency go to the standard bank if you want an OK rate. Go to the hole in the brick wall with a sliding window down the sketchy alley if you want to get a better rate of up to $3-4 cdn more.
10. If you are taking out your garbage do not be surprised if the landlady runs up to you and begins speaking frantically in Russian trying to tell you that you are throwing away a treasure that she desperately needs. Be more than willing to share your good fortune with her. Recycling Ukrainian style.