I am finally here!

After months and months and months of anticipation and counting down the days, I am finally here in Ukraine. I still can’t believe that I am here. The only things that makes me believe that I am in Ukraine is that I can’t understand anything that I read or what anyone is saying.

There is so much to write that I don’t know where to begin. First off, let me just complain. United Airlines made me pay $100 for two checked baggage. That is ridiculous and then they don’t even give me a snack on the plane ride. What is up with that?!? Ok....I am done complaining for the most part.

I met up with half the girls I am teaching with on the first flight, which is nice because I don’t know how I would have felt if I had to travel alone. I have grown to love these girls already and maybe it is because I feel the need to latch myself onto them or maybe because I spent time with them on three different planes and I feel connected to them, who knows…

The plane rides were very long. I flew from Salt Lake City to Washington D.C. Then I flew from D.C. to Frankfurt, Germany and from Germany to Kiev, Ukraine. I started out with United Airlines and then switched to a German airline called Lufthansa. We were on a double decker plane! I can’t believe that a plane can have two levels. The economy section was jammed packed and the fellow in front of me felt the need to recline his chair back a fourth of the way into the flight leaving me with no leg room and the TV. screen about five inches away from my face. Let’s just say, I wasn’t very comfortable. But I got to watch movies, which was fun! The service was a lot better. We got a full dinner and a breakfast. And the meals were pretty good. I even got a second breakfast on the last plane even through it was only a couple few hours long. Yet United couldn’t even provide peanuts.

I was really worried that my luggage wasn’t going to make it. Fortunately, I have all my things. Though, I lost my I l <3 M.E. pin that I keep on my backpack somewhere along the way. I am really bummed about that because I love that pin. One of the girls lost a suitcase that had her shoes and her mission journals. I am bummed about that for her but at least it was only one suitcase.

I met my host family. It is an older couple about in their 60’s and their daughter who might be in her 30’s. She is married but I think her husband is away right now. I am not quite sure because I couldn’t understand a word. My host mom’s name is Galina. She is a sweet lady. I have a roommate, another girl in the program. Her name is Taia. She is a very nice girl and I see us getting along very well. It is a tender mercy from the Lord that he paired us two together. Both of us wouldn’t know what to do if we were alone in a house with people we couldn’t talk to. She and I have started roommate scripture study and I think that it will go well. It will help bond us and help us during our stay here. Our room is very small and there is no room to really unpack but I think Taia and I can make it work.

The drive from the airport to our host family was one of the scariest things I have ever experienced. I think I witnessed about 100 American traffic violations, at least. I ended up closing my eyes because I was having anxiety from just watching the roads. I wish I could write more about what the city looks like but I was too afraid of getting into an accident that I didn’t see much of the city. But from what I did see, everything is very old and rundown. The streets don’t make much sense but that is because the city was built before cars were created so they had to build the roads around existing buildings. And once I become more familiar with the city, my anxiety should go away. I am just very, very thankful that I don’t have to drive anywhere!

I am excited for work to begin. School doesn’t start until next Monday. This is nice because we can continue on with training and get ourselves acclimated to the culture and the people before we jump into things.

There is so much that I want to do and see while I am here. I hope that I can do and see everything. I am truly grateful for this opportunity. I am extremely blessed and things are working out alright so far. I can feel Heavenly Father’s love here in Ukraine.