Chillin in Kiev

We made it to Kiev yesterday after a boring 4.5 hour drive. Tough to keep a six year old entertained for that long. We wish she was like a normal kid who would fall asleep in the car!!!! She's just always so excited to see where we're going. I think she's waiting for the grand finale...our house. We keep telling her about the long plane ride. She doesn't know what we're saying until we stick out our arms and make engine sounds...then she smiles.

The first little while at home may be a little tough on Emma. We thought the culture shock here was hard on us....she's only six. Soon, everyone will be speaking a language she does not understand. She'll be living with two old people instead of a building full of kids. Shé'll be learning that not everything is a toy (namely light swictches and remote controls!!) It will probably also take a little while for a new sleeping routine with the time change. We leave here on Saturday at 8 am (which is Friday night 11pm your time) We will be landing in Canada Saturday at 7:59pm your time, which will actually be Sunday at 5am to us...we could be a little whacked out for awhile!!!

Today we go to the Canadian embassy for Emma's visa. Things have changed since we got here...Emma's learning about holding hands. In Oxtnpka, we let her roam free because it was a small town. Kiev is so big and so busy (plus she doesn't watch where she's going...she gawks at everything) we could easily lose her. It was a bit of a battle yesterday. She cried the whole time as we walked holding hands. Today was better, though. She's learning!

Our apartment here is quite disappointing....and expensive. It is extremely dirty. Hot water seems to be intermittent. The furniture is so gross and dirty I have a hard time sitting on it. All of this for $130 US a night....what a deal! Thank God we're only here for a couple of days. Oh...and the kicker...no internet connection in our apartment. It's a fifteen minute walk to the internet cafe.

Gotta go...Emma's getting restless and is starting to punch all the computer keys!!