The Eye Opener

Sunday night the Ukrainians celebrate the "Late New Year" and I was invited to Vera's house along with 5 kids from the orphanage (including Kol). We feasted upon some local favorites, mashed potatoes of course, and a meat dish covered in a gel. It looked scary and sure enough she piled it on my plate. I kept thinking of the guy on TV that travels around the globe eating disgusting food and how he always loves what he eats. So, what the heck, I started gobbling it down and concentrated on every swallow to make sure it stayed down. Vera's like a typical mother so she spooned more on my plate 3 times!!!! YUM!!!
After dinner we dressed up to go caroling. Vera's husband was Santa, I was a nurse (a good looking one I must say) and Vera was a Babushka. The kids also were just adorable. After a long walk we arrived at someones' house where the kids each sang a song and were treated with food. The adults went into the kitchen and shot vodka.
The next house we walked to was a relative and the kids sang again along with a couple women that stopped by. Again, the kids got food while the adults went into the kitchen and shot vodka. This time was different though. We sat around the table with a spread of different foods. They insisted I eat because of the vodka so they gave me some different sausages that didn't look just right. I peeled a white gel-like casing off and bit into the most disgusting fermented meat. I could only think of the guy on TV again and then try to chase it with vodka. What was really nice though was our conversation.....interpreted through Vera's daughter. They wanted to know all about how much people make in the U.S. and what we pay for bills etc. They also wanted to know about me and why I was adopting. They were what we would think of as poor but they had so much more that what money could buy. We had many laughs and honestly I could have stayed there all night talking.
On the long walk back to the orphanage we walked along a rarely lit street amongst houses in a section of town that we would be afraid to drive through in the states. We were stopped by people walking and the kids would sing while the people gave them coins. Everyone loved the kids and I honestly hated the night had to end.
Kim and I didn't see this side of the people on our first visit and I hate that. Even though the people are poor, they are so proud and so honest. There is no crime and you see older people walking at night along dark streets in no fear. What a concept.