Where in the world am I?

My sister asked questions about what it looks like here and since it takes a century to download and connections are cut off in the middle of things, I’ll give you a view of what I see in Cherkasy. First of all I am living in a 10 story cement brick apt building.ugly, plain, rundown and there are 4 such buildings that form a square with a formerly brightly painted playground in the center. Built by the communists, the building is at best functional. Sounds echo off the building and I can here voices clearly from the ground though in the evening it’s very quiet. The first night I heard all this banging and I thought oh my gosh, gun fire? Target practice? What is that sound? There is Dnipro River right across the street and I thought maybe someone was having target practice. The answer, really funny…jeez, Joyce….they take their rugs outside and hang them on a rod at the center of the playground and beat the shit out of them rapidly. My gunfire and imagination is actually rug beating echoing on all four buildings!. (no vacuum cleaners). You’d have to hear it to know that I’m not crazy….rapid fire rug beating echos really sound like gun fire (especially if you don’t’ really know what gun fire sounds like!)
Okay, so we’re past my ugly, run down complex. (My apt is lovely, oriental rugs hanging on the wall and floor, mostly brown tones, wallpaper on all the rooms, living room that doubles as a bedroom for Sasha and his wife Sveta is peachy red wallpaper, lots of light…just got the windows replaced with vinyl, 2 bedrooms 1 bath. An elevator that would just as soon crush you if you are too slow getting in hence the preferred walk down the stairs. I’ve had it squish me. We take off our shoes before coming inside. Toilet closet that you can’t flush the paper down takes some getting used to. Putting it in the bin, well, it takes some getting used to but everything is very tidy here. Shower works fine but I have to remember NOT to get any water in my mouth.
The main street through town has a middle pedestrian walkway lined with trees that are just beginning to come into bloom. It must be very dreary in the winter though as most of the architecture is drab, there is a lot of dirt covering the sidewalk from a lack of grass. You wouldn’t come here for a beauty tour. Throughout the town there are hundreds of these huge Soviet-built apartment buildings in various states of depression. Not sure how you would spruce up a big old ugly run down cement building. Reminds me of China. There is an occasional robin’s egg blue building or pink and the big Orthodox Church in town has gold domes. I think once the leaves come in, the town will cheer up from the drab buildings. McDonalds is at the center but I haven’t seen KFC or Starbucks!!
Playgrounds are everywhere and kids play all the time. We have a basketball court and soccer field near the house. Children are everywhere and babies are out in strollers and carriages. Now these carriages and strollers are like ultra deluxe. Absolutely gorgeous looking things that I would have died for. It’s safe enough for 10 yr olds to take the bus home alone. I don’t think there is that fear for children’s safety that we have at home.
My sister asked if everyone looks beaten down when they walk. No, just purposeful. Well, first of all, I need to accurately describe the women here. This is undoubtedly the country with the most beautiful women I’ve seen…maybe Rio was a match though the coloring there is all the same. Combinations of different conquerors have given most of the people blue eyes that match the sky and dark hair or blonde. The girls are tall, built like models, some Snow white and some Goldilocks but really all young girls from 18-35 are sensational looking as in really amazing. I don’t know if the young men…who have that bit of tough Robert DeNiro look but taller…really appreciate their scenery. The girls are meticulously groomed, gorgeous hair, skin tight very fashionable jeans with stilettos or mini skirts with boots. The jeans have lots of detail, zippers, or just very cool tailoring. A million different boots or shoes with matching purses. It’s a fashion show. Lots of leather jackets. A very sexy fashion show. Tyra should do her Next American Top Model from here! There is not just one look but most have a creamy white complexion. (There is a pretty active “Find a Ukrainian Wife” thing that goes on especially in Odessa. It can also involve some sex and that nasty sex trade thing. )
There’s a rather drastic switch at 40ish. I think at that point many women start expanding, relaxing and the 50+ women really look and dress like grandmas. The students at the three schools that I am at are pretty surprised that I am 61.
The young men are pretty styling in cool jeans, shirts and jackets and they are thin as well. The older men, well, think gangster movie. Hollywood must come here to study their faces. But definitely the private, impersonal looks out on the street are just an outward look. I think if I can judge from the people I have met, inside their homes they are warm and open. Maybe like Seattle which is not friendly on the street either. We are also very reserved in public. I’ve not seen any big warm public emotional greetings and hugs but I’ve seen lovers kissing, holding hands and couples walk their babies together in those magnificent strollers. I’m looking forward to tomorrow…Easter…figure lots of people will be out.
Beer is a hoot. You can drink it walking, sitting on a park bench or on a bus! People drink it like we carry around our water bottles. I got this new aluminum water bottle and I’m pretty sure the kids think I have vodka in it cuz they always ask what it is. You can buy beer pretty much whenever you have the money and can reach up to the cash register. One girl at the orphanage jumped out the second story window cuz she wanted opt go buy a beer…landed poorly and broke her leg though. I can’t get used to people walking around with beer. Saw a lady at the playground this morning drinking her beer. There is a big problem here with drugs and alcohol but I’ve only seen one wavering drunk trying to find his way home.
And given that this is a second world nation, we in the first world could learn from them on how to run an efficient bus system. I can get everywhere I want to go quickly. Buses come often and cost 15 cents to ride. Doesn’t it seem like Seattle could figure it out? Maybe smaller buses that run more often or on more streets? AT times riding a bus is just like being a sardine. We can be packed to the gills and the bus still stops and more people crush on in. Standing up holding on, can’t see outside to know where to get off, hot, stuffy buses are not my favorite thing.
I’ve spent $50/week on food so far. That’s eating lunch out and buying my own groceries for breakfast and dinner. Most people eat in reverse of us here. The saying is “Eat for yourself at breakfast, share your food with a friend at lunch and give your enemy dinner.” Took me a minute to understand that a late big meal would only be good for your enemy!! I do think I like the idea except the giant breakfast every day. Nataly was making Lee chicken, potatoes and cabbage for breakfast. Not quite ready for that!
I’m taking the weekend to head to a museum, see if I can find the baby orphanage that I want to work at and go check on the kids at the half-way house orphanage as I don’t think they will get to leave the grounds to visit family. Not sure. That’s all for now.