Waiting Period OVER~ Time to be Productive ~ Day 26

Last night Luba called me and told me to be ready for a day of running around and getting paperwork done. She arrived on the night train early this morning and started going with our papers by 7:00 am. She is one determined woman. The objectives today were to obtain a tax ID number, the new birth certificate, have the Ukrainian passport made, and start the new passport. Phew. If you were here or have followed any of the other blogs you would have been reading things along the lines of ‘tax ID numbers take 10 days to process.’ Or ‘the new passports are taking 5 – 10 days to process.’ These were things I have been mentally preparing myself for. One of the families we know who went home for the waiting period came back expecting to have the tax ID number ready and waiting only to be here (in a different region) waiting for that piece for almost 3 weeks. This little gem of insight frightened all of us families here in Zaporizhya to the point of being sure we leave our kids in the Internat until we have all the necessary paperwork. I felt slightly guilty about the fact that our 10 day waiting period is up and I am choosing to leave Vika where she is until we have a better idea of our departure date for Kyiv. I just know that 3 weeks alone with me in Zaporizhya with me may be much worse than staying in school with her friends a little longer with me just visiting in the afternoons!


Vika and Luba started off running and began the new birth certificate before picking me up. They started together around 9:00 am. I was picked up around 11:00 am. I only mention this because we were going like the energizer bunny until after 7:00 pm. Luba is a machine I tell you!  My pictures are just of a few of the places we frequented today.  This office had to do with Passports.  We were here twice.  I didn't think to take pictures at our stops until the second time at each place so a few places we only visited once are not represented.

We went back and forth from city to city. We were in Zaporizhya, Matveevka, and Volanska several times. The drive from Zaporizhya to Volanska (with Matveevka in the middle) is about 45 minutes to an hour. Needless to say today I learned my lesson for ever thinking our roads in America needed repair. No more complaints from me about the winter pothole problem after experiencing the theme park ride I had today! Holy moly. No wonder Victoria hates being in cars. Oh yea… Victoria HATES being in cars. She gets sick and really just can’t stand the smell and the carsickness that follows. Amen.
This building is the court house.  I wish I would have had the mind to take a picture with all 3 of us the day of court, but a picture of the building from the back seat of the car will have to do.

I really was just a passenger/wallet/signature on the adventure. I did get up the nerve to ask every once in a while questions like, “so.. What did we do there?” or “so.. Where are we going now?” or “so.. What’s next?” If you’ve ever watched the movie, ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ the only comparison to asking these questions of Luba would be to ask Miranda Preisley the same questions. It’s just not something you do.  This was one of the tax offices we visited while on the pursuit of a new tax ID number.

When I mentioned that I was just a passenger I meant just that. Victoria, the driver (who would later make a killing off of me), and I sat in awkward language barrier-ed silence while waiting for Luba to work her magic. At one point driving on the bumpy roads swerving through lanes of traffic seemed so appealing. I ended up paying for 320 km of driving and 7 hours of waiting. That is equivalent to approximately 200 miles of driving. The way the drivers charge us is calculated by multiplying the km by 3 gryvnias, and the waiting time is 40 gryvnias an hour. I desperately would rather have spent my 1310, gryvnias on shoes. The conversion for that is equal to $165.00 USD.

Keep in mind I really honestly would have been fine with the entire day had Vika been OK. At one point we had to stop at the Internat around 3:00 pm. She was under the impression that we were back. Nope, not even close. When Luba told her that she needed to come with us to sign the new Ukrainian passport applications she tried her best to hide her tears. I found out later that Artoym had told her he would come this afternoon and now she wouldn’t be here.
This is the Child Services Inspector's office.  This building is the first building we visited upon our arrival to Zaporizhya.

Luba is a superstar facilitator for any of those following us here. I love her. Today after several attempts with several offices closed, but somehow opened for Luba, (at one point we honestly met a woman behind a dumpster in a random part of town to sign some applications because today was a holiday for her office and she wasn’t at work, but she was just helping Luba to get things in today) we walked away with the dreaded tax ID number, and new birth certificate, an application for a Ukrainian passport completed, and an application for a US passport applied for. Tomorrow we find out whether or not they will approve us for a ‘red’ passport or a ‘blue’ passport. The difference is about $200 USD and 3-5 business days. Meaning if we are approved for the red passport we could leave for Kyiv as early as tomorrow, and if we are approved for the blue passport we could leave for Kyiv 3-5 days from today. Are you kidding me?! I was floored. It was strange even to me that my initial reaction of her saying I could be leaving here tomorrow night (a very slight chance) actually made me think, “but I’m not ready to leave!” I was very concerned for Vika’s response to that news but she was fine with it all.
Luba was in this building for a very long time.  I think it had something to do with passport applications.

To clarify my thoughts on missing it here I had to come home and think about it. What in the world would I miss here other than the delicious chocolate?! I couldn’t put my finger on anything specific other than the fact that I have become attached to the kids at the orphanage more than I expected, the people here that I get to actually associate with are amazing, and this is the birth place and home of my new daughter that once we leave we may never return to. The thought of never seeing Artoym again is heart-breaking. There is no tourist draw to the city I am currently living in, yet it feels sad to think of never coming back.

After a rejuvenating dinner with Luba and Vika we returned to the Internat to find sweet Masha waiting at the gates for Vika. Vika lit right up at the site of her and the thought of leaving that red Dawoo for the night! We had to have a visit with Larissa, the director, to prove that Vika was alive and well after leaving with us. Tonight after arriving back at the Internat was the first time Vika had really comfortably shown real affection with me. She was playing with my hair as we walked up the stairs and I (being the emotional wreck I am) had to hold back my tears. It was so sweet and simple, but so natural and wonderful.

Kim and I set out on a shopping adventure to find gifts for Vika to give her best friends before she leaves. We ended up with perfume, lipgloss, a bling-filled barrette, and candies. Hopefully they go over well. I feel clueless when it comes to teenage girls! For tonight I am exhausted again, but feel like we got so much done and that is a wonderful change!