The Amazing Race - Raabe Style

Where do I start?

When we left to get our SDA papers, we met up with the Shawley's and Michele DelGrosso.  We also had another opportunity to talk with the couple we met from Kanas the day before.  We left the SDA and needed to stop to have some copies made.  That stop took a little longer than expected so we had to go very quickly(which is not hard for our faciliatator - he is teaching us speed walking!)  back to the apartment, finish packing and get out the door.  The taxi came to pick us up and it was - throw your stuff in, hop in and let's go!  I whispered to the kids that it felt like we were in the Amazing Race.  Off to the train station.  I can say that I will even appreciate Kyle's driving and be even more thankful for the use of seatbelts in America when we return!  The ride was crazy, fast and at times, I thought extremely dangerous!  We flew threw the city, swerving in and out of non exisitant lanes, squeezing through spots that I just closed my eyes until we made it through.  We were watching the clock the entire time hoping that we made it to the train.  With the crazy driving, we actually made it in time to grab, you guessed it, McDonalds, to take on the train.  Then through the train station - up and down stairs, lugging our bags, trying to keep up with Kostya and trying to help the kids keep up.  We were tired and sweaty by the time we made it to the train.  Because we had a big group, we were in two seperate cars for the night.  We ate our meals, sweated some more and tried to get some sleep.  All four kids slept but the three adults were up most of the night.  It was loud and bumpy and not very good for sleeping. 

We stopped in Dontesk and took another very interesting van ride to Mariupol.  I just closed my eyes!

Mariupol finally!   We were so exahusted by the time we arrived that I barely even took in my surroundings. The Amazing Race was still on. We left our bags in lockers at the station and headed to the social workers office.  Did some work there, headed to the notary, and finally got a chance to eat something.  We had some pizza at a local restaurant downtown.  Then the waiting starts, the director did not want us to come until 1 then after that an hour later.  I don't think we finally got to the orphanage  until around 3.  She was very nervous that the social worker would find out that Ana stayed with us last summer but our facilitator said he would not lie about it and whatever problems they had between themselves, needed to be worked out between them.  It was an interesting relationship. 

We finally got to see Ana.  She was so happy to see us.  We looked at pictures, and remembered her stay with us.  The kids visited with her while we went to the director's office to meet with all of the "officials". The director asked Ana if such a big family would suit her and she laughed and said YES!

Another taxi ride to our new apartment.  Like everyone else that has been here has realized- the outside of the buildings are awful but our apartment is very nice - three bedrooms, lots of room for us to live for 3 weeks.  By this time we were starved.  Jim went to get our bags from the station, then a trip to the market and finally bed..  No one woke up until aftet 10 am!

We have spent the past two days visiting the orphange and exploring the area we are staying in.  We have been to some open markets, found some playgrounds and are getting better at finding our way around.  I will write another post about our visits with Ana.

I think that sums up the past few days of the Raabe adventure. WARNING:  I am feeling very passionate about the next subject right now - read at your own risk!

 Everything is still going relatively smoothly besides the fact that is doesn't matter what your situation is or what country you live in, using children for your own personal gain is wrong.  The bribes, the promises are all wrong.  People can defend it by saying that the country is poor, etc.  However, using the children to get something you want is never right. And holding their future hostage until you get your personal needs met is even worse. It does not earn our respect.  I am not doubting the love of the kids but the using the children is unacceptable. And it doesn't look to me like any of the officials we have met with are starving or lacking much of anything.  And the cost of living is so dramatically cheaper here - everything from eating out to food at the markets is dirt cheap.  We spent $15 dollars at the market yesterday and got 2 packages of ice cream, fudge topping, cones, 3 bags of frozen perogis, pepsi, juice, sprite, 2 loaves of bread, 3 cans of corn and a package of napkins.  That is bascially less than $1 per item.  Stopped at a stand on the way back and spent $1 on a huge watermelon!  With that said, the director and her friends just made a lot more than that off of us today (enough to do that for more 100 days)  and if she asks for that with every family - how much extra is she making off of the kids?  Add that to the renting of her apartment to families visiting the orphanage and I would have to say she has a very lucrative on the side business off of the children.  (Sorry, didn't sleep last night thinking about the meeting we had to attend this morning which went well, I guess, by the standards of those lining their pockets with our money!)