Leaving Chernivtsi

The journey home has begun.

After two weeks of packing, I am on the train. It took 6 people carrying stuff out of the flat and 4 people putting it on the train. I have a lot of stuff... too much stuff, even after giving much of what I brought with me away.

Today was a good day. I had my favorite yogurt Activia muesli this morning. Anna came over around 11 to pick up some magazines and clothes. She brought me 2 Chernivtsi magnets. Then I wrote some emails and went to Ace to workout.

I enjoyed my last workout at Ace and took the time on the treadmill just to think about the past 4 and one- half months here. That gym became an integral, and I would argue, essential aspect of my life here. It gave me something to do everyday, it kept my endorphins up, and in the midst of winter when every step I took had to be done with the greatest care, it provided a place where I could run freely and without worry. It made me feel good and provided a sense of accomplishment every day. Working out prompted me to set goals, work towards them, and achieve them. It became a little game I played here and provided an additional sense of purpose. Looking back on my time here, having Ace was a real blessing. I even became a little sad saying bye to Sasha at Ace. I didn’t think I would, but when I was leaving I said, “Avia USA…dopobochenya” and used my arms to mimic the wings of an airplane to let him know I was leaving.  Sasha, who doesn’t know much English at all, smiled kindly and, in my language, responded with “bye-bye.”

That is my treadmill on the left!

I walked home in the rain, drank some coffee, lit the fire, waited for the water to heat, showered and continued packing. After I felt I had sufficiently done everything I could until some of the clothes dried some more, I went to Potato Hut for a late lunch. On the walk back I took one last picture in front of City Hall.

I walked back and Lilliana was in the flat waiting. She gave me a small pillow with the university on it. Boy, am I glad that I had gifts for all the people prepared. I took care of all the notes and gifts several days ago. I am Linda T’s daughter, you know. Lilliana left to run an errand and returned about one hour after. I took some quick notes on Fast Food Nation bc I needed to give it back to Mykola. Andriy and Veronica came upstairs, also bearing gifts and a sweet card. Thankfully, they took a ton of my stuff (including my zebra blanket and hairdryer, below), and whatever they won’t be able to use they will give either to the Red Cross or to some villagers they know.

I also had to say goodbye to my Nike's. They have been used well beyond the point of what is healthy for my feet!

Mykola arrived a few minutes before 6 and it was nice having people in the apartment. I had never had so many people in this place at one time.
Andriy, bless him, and Mykola began carrying bags downstairs while I had a next to last run though of the flat. Then Veronica and Lilliana and I also carried some things down.  I went upstairs for a final walk through of the flat. It was nice to have my final moments in there alone. Unbeknownst to me, Lilliana started crying outside bc she was sad to see me leave. I think she is probably more sad to see the end of rent paid by an American!

Andriy and Veronica had planned to go to the train station with me and thank goodness they did. They had to all get a cab bc they couldn’t fit in Mykola’s car bc of all the bags. I started to get a bit concerned about the time, but it turned out it was just 6:10. We got to the train station at 6:24.

Then there was a bit of confusion about which train was going to Kyiv. Mykola had a meeting a 7 and so he went ahead and said be on the train tracks. His gift was 3 600th anniversary (of Chernivtsi) bottles of horilka and a bottle of Ukrainian champagne. Very sweet.
Andriy and Veronica helped load all the bags on the train, which was quite a feat. Thanks goodness today was a bit chilly and overcast bc dong this in any kind of heat would have been yucky. I actually had my leather jacket on doing all this. We had a few minutes to sit in the compartment together and then the conductor said the train was about to leave.

They went outside the window and I took some pics of them. They danced to the train music (which sounds like a WWII patriotic song) and when the train began to move, they started running alongside my train car! Those two are adorable. Andriy got to a point where he ran out of pavement and was booking it on gravel. Precious, and my eyes swelled with a few tears although I was also laughing and waving goodbye.

They have been very good friends and went way above and beyond by coming to the station and helping. I have learned much about hospitality and warmth from the Ukrainian people. So kind.

I became sad saying bye to them and to Chernivtsi as the train starting chugging along the tracks. What an experience this has been.
My last shots of Chernivtsi.

Bye, Chernivtsi!

Fast forward several hours later…It is 10:17 PM. I have been working on my presentations for the Crimea conference but am about to pack the laptop for the night. This is a pretty smooth train so hopefully I will get a decent night’s sleep. I am tired.