Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Last day
I have my exit interview with Roman in 1/2 hour then I go to the bank with Yuri for a tour. Tomorrow I leave for the airport around 4:00 a.m.(can't wait). I should be home by 9:30 tomorrow night. That means I will be traveling approx 24 hours as the time difference is 7 hours. I'm sure I'll be in GREAT shape. If anybody calls me on Thursday morning I doubt I'll be answering.
It's been a great trip and I've learned quite a bit. Someone told me that it's very hard to know if you made a difference when you look back on this experience. I agree, I think I've helped with a greater understanding of how crop insurance works in the States but really didn't do much with the marketing side of things.
I think the trip they are thinking of doing in June to the U.S. might help quite a bit.
So, this is the last post on the blog unless I get stuck in Amsterdam and have to smoke pot in order to get internet time(joking). I only have a 2 hour layover there, not enough time to get into trouble.
It's been fun blogging and I will have a nice log of the trip when I get home. Keep the Doughnuts hot and the puzzle unsolved at the Daylight and I'll be there Thursday or Friday.
RoxAnn
It's been a great trip and I've learned quite a bit. Someone told me that it's very hard to know if you made a difference when you look back on this experience. I agree, I think I've helped with a greater understanding of how crop insurance works in the States but really didn't do much with the marketing side of things.
I think the trip they are thinking of doing in June to the U.S. might help quite a bit.
So, this is the last post on the blog unless I get stuck in Amsterdam and have to smoke pot in order to get internet time(joking). I only have a 2 hour layover there, not enough time to get into trouble.
It's been fun blogging and I will have a nice log of the trip when I get home. Keep the Doughnuts hot and the puzzle unsolved at the Daylight and I'll be there Thursday or Friday.
RoxAnn
Monday, March 10, 2008
Winding Down
Today, Monday, still a National Holiday for Women's Day. These gals got a whole three days of pampering. I'm surprised Hallmark or the flower industry hasn't picked up on this. The flowers are still going like hotcakes.
I'm winding down my assignment. I'll have my exit interview possibly today and then I'll tour the bank with Yuri tomorrow. I'm ready to come home but will miss my new friends and this great city. I think I won't miss the bed. You can look back for the picture of it.
I hope to see some of these people(YES, including Yuri) in June as they are visiting the U.S.). We'll see what happens. It will depend on where they go.
It rained all day yesterday and today. I am getting really in to the Hallmark Channel(it's the only english channel except for CNN and BBC). I have watched every Mystery Women ever made and Sea Patrol sometimes twice. Also, I watched Larry King live with Janet Jackson three times. That's the breaks. I had very nice weather up to this point so I won't complain too much.
The people in Ukraine are very hardworking, honest people. They work very hard to understand you and don't try to swindle you because you don't understand. Keiv is a very nice city. When I went to the internet yesterday I could have gone to any designer store you could name. No Chicos or Coldwater Creek but Gucci, Yves St. Larent, Guess and my favorite shoes Ecco. Wichita doesn't have anything on Keiv.
One thing that I haven't mentioned that I find really neat is the underground street crossings. To cross the street you go under the street. There are stores, flower markets and fruit vendors there. One time a guy was carrying a bunch of pluck chickens and people were gathered around him. I passed on that. I'm posting a picture of the only public toilet that I graced. No sitting, only standing. Yulia tried to convince me that is was much more hygenic that way. I think I'll stick with my own apartment or the office.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Crimea was a no go
We did the math and Crimea did not work out. It was supposed to be rainy the whole time and Yuri wants to give me a tour of the Bank and Insurance Company Tuesday and we wouldn't have been back in time.
We did, however, check out Keiv on Women's Day and that was well worth it. Street Fairs everywhere and even a car race with Women Drivers Down the main street of Keiv. We also hit the market where I got all kinds of things to remember my trip with(watch out Bob, I spent some money).
I have to tell one thing that happened Friday that I didn't have time to write about. The men in our office hosted a party for the women. While we(about 10 of us) were visiting they told me about the Orange Revolution(2004). This is when the Ukraine decided that they had had enough of everyone taking them over and they had a peaceful demonstration about it.
The people in my office got very animated and told how the main street of Keiv was blocked. It would be like blocking Kellogg in Wichita. There were people camping on it and they had come all over the Ukraine to peacefully support the Orange Revolution. It was winter so it was really cold but people that lived in apartments along the way ran extention cords out to the tents so the people could have some electricity. They said it was a very fun but scary time. At first they were really happy because they thought winning would solve all their problems but now they just think of it as a time of a change that didn't solve much as they hoped. They are really proud and peaceful people. They are tired of being ruled by other people so they accept what's happening now as a better life.
I am in an internet cafe right now which I paid $2.00 for an hour of internet. I think they saw me coming and doubled it. Oh well, it's still very cheap.
We did, however, check out Keiv on Women's Day and that was well worth it. Street Fairs everywhere and even a car race with Women Drivers Down the main street of Keiv. We also hit the market where I got all kinds of things to remember my trip with(watch out Bob, I spent some money).
I have to tell one thing that happened Friday that I didn't have time to write about. The men in our office hosted a party for the women. While we(about 10 of us) were visiting they told me about the Orange Revolution(2004). This is when the Ukraine decided that they had had enough of everyone taking them over and they had a peaceful demonstration about it.
The people in my office got very animated and told how the main street of Keiv was blocked. It would be like blocking Kellogg in Wichita. There were people camping on it and they had come all over the Ukraine to peacefully support the Orange Revolution. It was winter so it was really cold but people that lived in apartments along the way ran extention cords out to the tents so the people could have some electricity. They said it was a very fun but scary time. At first they were really happy because they thought winning would solve all their problems but now they just think of it as a time of a change that didn't solve much as they hoped. They are really proud and peaceful people. They are tired of being ruled by other people so they accept what's happening now as a better life.
I am in an internet cafe right now which I paid $2.00 for an hour of internet. I think they saw me coming and doubled it. Oh well, it's still very cheap.
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