Kiev - a few more details

I'll try and make this amusing, yet brief.

Branko and I traveled together to Kiev on 22 April, eating little meals from different shaped trays (triangles, squares, rectangles all had their turns). We decided too that Ukrainian Airlines had better uniforms than Austrian. Our driver met us at airport, sign in hand, and I was incredibly thankful that Branko could pull out his elementary school Russian because it's a heck of a sight more than I have. We made it to conference center, checked in and were given one room key. Eh? Just after unpacking Cassie knocked on the door with the other training staff behind her and told us that since we'd met that afternoon we weren't expected to stay together and would in fact both be moving in with different people. I had the lovely Liliya, the TA mentor, as my new roommate - we found ourselves chatting a ton as the week went on, even having our neighbor come and knock on our door because being "too loud" in the evening (the walls were perhaps a bit thicker than paper but not by much).

The conference was by American Councils to train teachers to run orientations for high schoolers who've won a scholarship to go and live in the US for a year. Branko and I represented Serbia, there were others from Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and Armenia. Most of the teachers were Peace Corps volunteers; Sean (doing a Fulbright) and I were "Hard core" since were were the only non PCVs. Learned a bunch, got to tryout teaching with Branko and went well, there was silliness and a bunch of walks whenever I could find a free 15 or 20 minutes - having my day totally programmed was totally bizarre. As was 8 a.m. breakfast.

On the last day (Saturday) after photos and goodbyes, the Georgian and Serbian representatives went to a hotel in city center since we had later planes to catch. It took four people to get me checked into the hotel - my name doesn't transliterate into cyrillic easily and I still don't speak Russian or Ukrainian... Martha and I took a walk to the gorgeous churches, then down St. Andrew's street - Cassie had told us we could find eggs and other souvenirs there, lots of little stalls with almost anything you could think of. But no postcards (I looked all around never found any). We met up with the others staying at hotel and some Ukraine PCVs who had later trains to catch to get a little walking tour, go to dinner at a buffet restaurant with cheap traditional food (better than hotel catering for sure). We were thrown out a bit after 7 since they were closing early (Orthodox Easter was the next day), they just started turning off lights. Wandered a bit more, then had a few drinks in beer tent equidistant between the two churches I took tons of photos of. Some thought to go to midnight service, but I headed back for some sleep with idea of early rising and walking some more.

Sunday (Easter) had me meeting Martha at 7:15 a.m. (YIKES!!!) and going to explore some more. My favorite thing was this incredible building across from the president's house - it was covered in stone animals for apparently no reason. We couldn't find out what it was but on drive to airport driver said that the architect was just a creative guy, president now uses it for receptions. Got back for breakfast, goodbyes and then picked up to head to airport. I asked Branko before we got into the car if he had wallet, passport, foreigner card - all there, we're good to go.

But... almost to airport Cassie asks us if we've got plane tickets. I do, but Branko says, "tickets?" He thinks he might have thrown them away thinking that we had e-tix or something; the poor guy hasn't flown much and apparently misunderstood when I'd said on the day we left how we'd get new boarding passes for return voyage. He starts digging through bag, our driver (who was very droll) is incredulous. At airport Branko ransacks bags on the curb, can't find tickets. We go inside and after talking to three windows finally get the Austrian Air ladies who say that they can't do anything with the reservation because of how it's ticketed. Cassie asks how we can get him back that day - we can buy another ticket. Meanwhile Branko is digging through his bags one last time and shouts "I found them!" Whew. Everyone laughs, all is well.

We go to check-in desk next, passing odd waiting line of customs. Cassie checks in, I do the same. Branko is now looking for his foreigner card (Cassie had handed it to him with some other papers from his passport when talking to airline humans) and realizes it's in his wallet. Which he can't find. Repeat the last 15 minutes - digging through bags, the stress, the irritation of doing something so boneheaded. He goes back to where we were (ticket and passport in hand so can get back in), can't find any trace. There's no lost and found for things at the airport, only luggage, and the check-in lady tells us he should get up to the counter since a team of 25 will be coming through shortly. The poor guy gives wallet up for lost and we manage to catch our plane without further mishap, even seeing famous Serbian musicians and a filmmaker in Vienna airport (we all have the same flight). Lesson learned - when stressed, never put down important documents unless they're in something you're carrying.

Alright, I wasn't brief. But hope you were at least a little amused. And looked at the photos... gorgeous place.