1. Passion and love of life are important here - being honest with oneself and others is also very important.
2. Family is important as is church.
3. Ukraine is somewhat divided still in terms of the west (Pro-Ukraine and many followers of Стефана Бандеры (Stefan Bandera)) and east (still pro-Russia), so mentalities and expectations of how the economy should operate and what the role of government is differs across the nation.
4. plastic protector under the dishrack is a good idea. A set of 4 dishes is a lot of dishes for the typical family here. People have maybe 5% on a good day of the amount of stuff Americans have. Being here reminds us how over stuff-i-cized we are.
5. pot that boils water instantly - nice. (Here they operate on 220, not on 110 like in the States)
6. Clothes drying rack.
7. Hot Water pipe in bathroom used as a towel rack so towels are warm when you shower (use hot water).
These are common in Germany and in other eastern European countries.
8. Washing machine with extractor. Takes up about 2 feet by 2.5 feet of space and is about 3 feet tall.
A full load fits in and it is practically dry when it comes out. Very efficient. Ask for instructions on how to use these. We looked up instructions online (http://www.indesit.co.uk/_pdf/booklets/02/40/19507883500_UK.pdf) but the issue was that the water needed to be turned on! They are not intuitive, or lets say, they do not have the same buttons and knobs as US machines.
9. Magnetic knife holder in the kitchen
11. Insides matter more than outsides many times. Do not judge by the exterior. For example, our apt. that we are not in doesn't look so impressive based on US standards from the outside, but the insides of where we are is quite impressive.
12. Philosophy and literature are important. Many faces printed on the currency (The hryvnia, sometimes hryvnya or grivna; sign: ₴, code: (UAH), has been the national currency of Ukraine since September 2, 1996) are not just national leaders (like the US Presidents on our bills) but people of great literary contributions. UAH even has a women on a bill. Most countries do, except the US (sad).
13. Roads are not like "glass" as they are in the US (so smooth). Thus, driving is much different here. Driving is similar to the way it is in China and Mexico. Actually, it is much calmer than it is in China because one does not dodge pigs and bicycles, etc. while driving here.
14. Pack a swiss army knife in your suitcase (for the knife and scissors).
15. Pack less, and stuff that dries quickly.
16. Pack like 6 small "hotel" bars of soap.
17. Dark clothing not jeans that can handle dirt. Wool is preferable to cotton. Hat and scarf have been very valuable. Also, bring slippers - people take their shoes off at the door of the apts.
18. Pack layers that you can wear again and again without concern.
19. Don't forget the power adaptor (shown in previous blog).
20. Baby wipes or hand sanitizer for train trips.
21. Sweetner for coffee, little camping salt and pepper shakers, plastic coffee press/tea bags, empty ziploc bags for just-in-case stuff.
23. 2 identical pairs of slacks can get you through the whole trip. Plus, one dress shirt, one sport coat, and casual shirts.
24. Mini umbrella and fold up rain poncho.
25. If you are allergic to feathers and/or wool, bring your own pillow and blanket or a work-around.
And, last but not least by far - patience and tolerance for your spouse! A curiosity to learn about others and a respect for various ways of life. A desire to learn to read Russian, if even rudimentary (like just learning the alphabet so you can sound out words), and a desire not to be in control. We try to leave places better than they were when we came (Girl Scout rule) or at least not worse off.
OK - on to our final leg of the trip! Time to gather the day's items together and smile big for our first family reunion! Yippie! We just got our call - it is 11:30AM here - time to go! Horray!
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