Back from Ukraine/Czech

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I wonder what the ugly weather is doing to Ukraine now. Has anybody been there recently to comment? Vika says that the weather doesn't stop school or anything typically (although extreme cold does - I imagine all that cold air causes the kids in school to drop like flies ). Kind of like the Brits and rain, just get a brelly and go.

They closed the schools in Donetsk at -30 C and they were usually closed for at least one week during the winter because of the flu.

We had a cold snap this week and Alla now says Pasha will be sick because they did not close his school at -24 F (about -32C)

I was driving Alla to school all week and picking her up in the warm car. I pull up to the door of her building and she RUNS the 30 feet or so to the van and dives in. Mumbling things in Russina like "Gospity, Mamishka" Today was a little warmer, it finally came up above -0-. made it all the way to the low 20s! And sunny!

PLEASE send Global warming!

Edited January 28, 2011 by Gary and Alla

[Brad and Vika 129]

They closed the schools in Donetsk at -30 C and they were usually closed for at least one week during the winter because of the flu.

We had a cold snap this week and Alla now says Pasha will be sick because they did not close his school at -24 F (about -32C)

I was driving Alla to school all week and picking her up in the warm car. I pull up to the door of her building and she RUNS the 30 feet or so to the van and dives in. Mumbling things in Russina like "Gospity, Mamishka" Today was a little warmer, it finally came up above -0-. made it all the way to the low 20s! And sunny!

PLEASE send Global warming!

Vika is much better with cold now than two years ago. She likes fans and air conditioning, and doesn't object to cold air on her (much). She still prefers the door-to-door drop off service though. In my experience that isn't cultural though

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Vika is much better with cold now than two years ago. She likes fans and air conditioning, and doesn't object to cold air on her (much). She still prefers the door-to-door drop off service though. In my experience that isn't cultural though

The door to door service? Definitely an acquired custom! I was doing that last week whne it is OMG below zero. No problem that she had to stay at school longer, she waited in the library until her heated carriage arrived!

[Brad and Vika 129]

The door to door service? Definitely an acquired custom! I was doing that last week whne it is OMG below zero. No problem that she had to stay at school longer, she waited in the library until her heated carriage arrived!

I just did the same today Dropped Vika at the door, and picked her up after (so she wouldn't be so cold). Definitely weird, as everybody knows she could walk easily through a foot of snow in the motherland without a problem.

[slim 1,514]

Yeah, strange how all the sudden the weather here is so horrible. So cold and nasty.

When I ask how she ever survived back home, "well, at least the sun shines in Russia."

[baron555 934]

Yeah, strange how all the sudden the weather here is so horrible. So cold and nasty.

When I ask how she ever survived back home, "well, at least the sun shines in Russia."

My wife complains that during the winter, Chicago weather is like "Siberia" (that's pronounced Seberia not Sieberia) and then during the summer the weather is like Egypt.

I offer her a ticket back home and she refuses. My life has certainly changed!!!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I just did the same today Dropped Vika at the door, and picked her up after (so she wouldn't be so cold). Definitely weird, as everybody knows she could walk easily through a foot of snow in the motherland without a problem.

Once, ONCE mind you, I complained that it seemed we were waiting a long time for a bus in Donetsk (I think it was when we were carrying her boxes of books to the shipper across town) and I got the "short story of the Soviet Union" (short?) and how they USED to wait for HOURS for a bus. And of course it was always -20 and snowing, snow up to her knees...this girl had it tougher than my father and he walked to school uphill both ways!

Now I call bullsh*t! there is no way this woman ever waited outside for hours in -20 and knee deep snow!

I must say that today she wanted to go for a walk in the snow, even while it was snowing! But it was not very cold (about 30 degrees) and no wind. She was saying how beautiful it was and didn't want to go home. But that is not the same as -20. It is snowing tonight and she has already asked me to drive her to school tomorrow, so that only goes so far.

Edited February 6, 2011 by Gary and Alla

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Yeah, strange how all the sudden the weather here is so horrible. So cold and nasty.

When I ask how she ever survived back home, "well, at least the sun shines in Russia."

We went to Volgograd once. Volgograd looks like it did in Soviet times. I am not so sure it can be improved as it is heavily indutrialized and just not conducive to looking good. But the man Alla was doing business with there said it looked like that because "The sun does not shine on Volgograd"

(for the drive-bys cruising the RUB forum, Volgograd used to be called "Stalingrad")

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

My wife complains that during the winter, Chicago weather is like "Siberia" (that's pronounced Seberia not Sieberia) and then during the summer the weather is like Egypt.

I offer her a ticket back home and she refuses. My life has certainly changed!!!

Alla says the winter here is "like Moscow" and the summer and Autumn are the best of any place in the world. But she forgets about that in the winter. She is now to the point of making me lay in bed first so she can lay on top of me and cover herself completely until she is warm. From under the covers I hear "Mamishka! Bozhia moy! Oy Bozhia! When will it be warm?"

[slim 1,514]

We went to Volgograd once. Volgograd looks like it did in Soviet times. I am not so sure it can be improved as it is heavily indutrialized and just not conducive to looking good. But the man Alla was doing business with there said it looked like that because "The sun does not shine on Volgograd"

(for the drive-bys cruising the RUB forum, Volgograd used to be called "Stalingrad")

I've heard that about Volgograd. Apparently the sun shines everywhere else though. Also, the birch trees and meters of snow reflect the light making everything bright and pleasant. Here, it's just muddy, slushy, and dirty dark. Sad, really. Depressing. Horrible life in America.

"NO I NOT WILL BE GO BACK! YOU SO STUPID, DURAK!"

[Brad and Vika 129]

"NO I NOT WILL BE GO BACK! YOU SO STUPID, DURAK!"

You should have that put on a T-shirt

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I've heard that about Volgograd. Apparently the sun shines everywhere else though. Also, the birch trees and meters of snow reflect the light making everything bright and pleasant. Here, it's just muddy, slushy, and dirty dark. Sad, really. Depressing. Horrible life in America.

"NO I NOT WILL BE GO BACK! YOU SO STUPID, DURAK!"

Those are the lyrics to the Soviet national anthem!

[slim 1,514]

You should have that put on a T-shirt

An excellent idea!

Those are the lyrics to the Soviet national anthem!

So that's what that stuff means!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

An excellent idea!

So that's what that stuff means!

Just don't let some blonde bimbo sing it at the Super Bowl, she would mess up the words. I saw clips of that sh*t, I thought I was watching "Borat" or something.

[slim 1,514]

Just don't let some blonde bimbo sing it at the Super Bowl, she would mess up the words. I saw clips of that sh*t, I thought I was watching "Borat" or something.

I did a double take. "Did that just happen? I'm pretty sure she messed that up."

As she said in her statement, she just hopes the true spirit of the song came through. Yes, she messed it up, but boy was she singinging her tail off when she did!