Day 22

Today was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day! Where do I even begin? I woke up this morning feeling quite homesick, just wanting this to be over with and to finally be able to go home. I miss everyone!! I miss home!! I even put my most favorite shoes on today, hoping they would help, no such luck.



I had a quiet morning and then it was time to get ready for my daily visit with the boys. My bus trips to the Left Bank are now becoming moments of absolute anxiety. The bus drivers are awful. Every single time I board their buses they get so frustrated and angry with me. And no matter how s...l...o...w or how LOUD they talk to me, I STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAND!! Once again, today was no different. After I gave the driver my 2 grivna he turned to me and tried to engage in converstation with me. I told him, "American, no Ukraine," and then I started to go to the back of the bus, but this time the driver grabbed my arm and then pointed to a sign. It looked something like this:

Ukridnne

20-10-2010

2.50

Rifhsibwzy

Ahhh, ooops. Apparently the bus fare went up .50. No wonder I have been yelled and cursed at since last week. How was I to know? Do I know how to READ Ukraine, ummm no. Oh, if I had only known this back on the 20th, my bus rides would have been so much more enjoyable. Well, I was still pretty upset, it took me forever to find .50, I haven't got the coins down yet, so I was fumbling in my pockets, my change purse, while the passengers were staring away at the tall, awkward American before them and while I was trying to figure out which coin was .50 the bus driver was tapping his fingers and huffing and puffing in my general direction. Why wouldn't anyone come to my rescue? There had to be someone on that bus that knew enough English to help me, but no. I wasn't able to find the right coin, so I just grabbed 20 grivna and handed it to him, this frustrated the driver even more, he now how to find me the correct change. When he handed me the money I turned around to find a seat and to my horror the only one available was right by the door. For those of you who have been here, this bus was not one of the larger ones that look and smell like they've been around for 50 years, but one of the smaller passenger vans. I sat down and the then the driver turned around and yelled something at me again. DID HE NOT REMEMBER WHAT JUST HAPPENED? I DO NOT SPEAK UKRAINE!!! He said it to me again and then waited, I did nothing and then finally a gentleman from the back of the bus stood up and came and closed the door for me, ahhhh he wanted me to close the door. Well, by this time my eyes were starting to fill with tears, so I took out my Ipod, thanks Wendy for the suggestion, and simply stared out the window. At the next stop, each person that got on or off tripped over my long legs because I was sitting right in there way. I couldn't tuck my legs anywhere and the bus was full so I wasn't able to move to a different seat, this continued to happened at each and every stop for the next 45 $%#!!*@ minutes. (Sorry Mom for swearing). Finally just as we were rounding the corner to my stop I leaned my head up against the window, relieved to finally get off the bus. I know the driver did this on purpose...he drove right over a pothole, which made me bump my head good and hard against the window. I glared at him and he glared right back. Now I have the biggest goose egg on the side of my head. Ohhh, these Ukrainian bus drivers....

I made it to the sanatorium and my day only continued to go downhill. When I walked through the doors I found Bogdan waiting for me, he ran over and gave me a big hug. He went to get Ruslan, but at that moment my most favorite nurse, actually this one really is my most favorite, and she actually has a gold tooth right in the very front, but she is not only kind to me, but the children as well. She came over to where I was standing and you guessed it...she started talking to me. Again, I DO NOT SPEAK UKRAINE! She told me the same thing over and over and poor Ruslan was having a difficult time translating, and then I had a brilliant idea...I called translator Oksana in Kyiv. Apparently the sanatorium had to do a head count of all the children, they were having an inspection by the state done that day and the children needed to be present during the inspection. The inspection was to only take about 15 minutes and they asked me to wait downstairs and the boys would be able to join me in just a bit. Well, you know how I feel about the smell inside, so I decided to wait outside until they were done. It was a beautiful day and just as I sat down our little dog that we feed hot dogs to came and sat with me while I waited. I waited for a good hour or so and then Ruslan finally walked out the door. He had tears running down his cheeks and he wouldn't look at me. He came over to where I was sitting and said, "Mommy home, Bogdan, me sanatorium." I didn't quite know what he meant, so I continued to wait. The friendly nurse came out, we called Oksana again and she explained to me that the state inspector hadn't arrived yet and it would be best if I just went home for the day. I then handed the phone to Ruslan, Oksana wanted to explain everything to him. Bogdan leaned his little ear up to the phone also, when they heard I was going to go back home, they both just started to cry and cry. Ruslan couldn't even talk and Bogdan ran to the other side of the courtyard and continued to cry. The nurse was trying to console Ruslan while I ran over to Bogdan and held him. They were so upset...Ruslan handed me the phone back and then quickly ran into the sanatorium. Oksana then told me that Ruslan didn't think it was right that he had to stay, he now had a mom and dad and he should be with them, not in the sanatorium. He told her he was going to run away later, he just wanted to be with his mom...me. They all left me standing there. I returned back to the bus stop and for the first time in a week the bus driver didn't yell at me, I had given him the correct fare this time. It was a long ride home...

Tomorrow I'm going to spend the day with Elder and Sister Hardy. David and I met them our first Sunday here. I am torn, I feel like I should go and see the boys, but the Hardys received special permission from their mission president to spend the day with me. Also, they found a translator for us who can only do the museum tour tomorrow. The boys know I will not be there, but I still feel awful.

After the sanatorium I returned home, skyped my family and now I've been crying ever since. To those of you who have done this before, hats off to you. I know I'll make it...but today was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. One bright spot, I did find out about the bus fare increase...

Loves and kisses.

(I only took one picture today, maybe tomorrow)