And in case you are in doubt (which you have a right to be) - I got my driver's license last Wednesday!!
I take a bus to work, which is not that horrible, except that I get to work a half hour earlier than I actually start. And when someone asks and I say that I take the bus, they look at me and ask how old I am... because since I look older than 16 (praise God!) I should be driving already. So there goes my happy Russian story...
Now the next step is to get a car. Easier said than done, but being able to navigate around by myself gives endless opportunities to random ministries, hanging out with friends - and just saving time and sanity.
Other than that, another update I guess would be Will's second job. He has been working full time for Idler's, a home appliance company, and now is also part time at Round Table Pizza in SLO. He likes it, as it gives lots of opportunities to share the Gospel. And pizza.
Oh yeah, he's also going to Europe next week! (Punk!)
One of his close friends from Bible College is getting married in Germany, and since he was going there, he thought he might as well go to Ukraine... He will be in Nezhyn from the 28th to the 1st of November, and then in Komsomolsk from the 1st to the 5th. Vova from our church in Nezhyn is also getting married, as we found out later, so it is a happy coincidence that Will is going to attend that event as well.
Our church at Morro Bay recently announced that the pastor and some of the people from the church are going to London in 6 months to plant a Calvary Chapel there. It is a big news to a lot of people at church... but that's a whole new post in itself.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
What..... SNOW??
Worst nightmare and the most cherished dream of a californian combined in one.
And, while in some areas in Cali it does snow, we had to go up to Montana to get this shot ...
... as well as this one....
... and undoubtedly this one.
It was Will's grandfather's memorial service that brought us and Stan and Melissa, my brother and sister-in-law to Montana. Not the best occasion to get together, but hey, a good opportunity for bonding with family, which I assume William Harold McIntosh would have approved of.
Now, even though later on we realized that driving through 5+ states wasn't the best (or cheapest) idea, I'm still glad we did it. On the way back we got to see a bit of Zion National Park. Ate at one of the In n Outs in Vegas. Listened to a copious amount of music. Talked about just anything in the world.
So the trip was good. Hoping to go and hike some trails in Zion later in summer.
Friday, March 6, 2009
We are not dead
...just a little distracted - Will with his job (he got promoted and moved to the SLO store), I have been translating (which hasn't paid a dime yet! Ha!) and making wire jewelry in the meantime (it's in fashion now, and everyone is coming up with some new designs all the time...).
But our lives have been pretty boring lately. We finally sold our car (after 14 potential buyers and a bogus check) and got blessed with another one, a white beautiful 88 Honda Civic. Now, some of you might think that a 20 year old car can not be beautiful, well, I have something to compare it to. The car we have just sold runs in a way that you can't have coffee when driving, you will spill it everywhere trying to go with the shakes of the motor (also it's a stick, which doesn't help). You also could not have a conversation without yelling, so loud it was, and even if it had a stereo, you wouldn't hear a thing. We put $1800 into it and sold it for $400... and are glad it's off our hands. But it did get Will to and from work and everywhere he needed to go for almost 2 months.
We have been really blessed by our church in Shoreline. We met a couple that have been missionaries in Romania, and they got back almost on the same day we did! She is Romanian, and they also have been married for a year and a half! We are looking forward to hanging out with them next week.
We are also taking some biblical musicology classes (of course pastor Tonye is teaching =), and it amazes me more and more how powerful music can be. The Bible says that Satan used to be a worship leader before he rebelled against God, and it is very symbolic that worship leaders can easily fall into worshiping themselves on the stage. So taking this class for me as a worship leader (in recession) is very helpful and inspiring.
I haven't met a single Russian speaker yet (except Cara =)). I start missing Russian fellowship, even though I skype with people often. I hope God will give me some Russian speaking friends in the future.
Well, I guess that is all for now... Missing all of you people a lot...
But our lives have been pretty boring lately. We finally sold our car (after 14 potential buyers and a bogus check) and got blessed with another one, a white beautiful 88 Honda Civic. Now, some of you might think that a 20 year old car can not be beautiful, well, I have something to compare it to. The car we have just sold runs in a way that you can't have coffee when driving, you will spill it everywhere trying to go with the shakes of the motor (also it's a stick, which doesn't help). You also could not have a conversation without yelling, so loud it was, and even if it had a stereo, you wouldn't hear a thing. We put $1800 into it and sold it for $400... and are glad it's off our hands. But it did get Will to and from work and everywhere he needed to go for almost 2 months.
We have been really blessed by our church in Shoreline. We met a couple that have been missionaries in Romania, and they got back almost on the same day we did! She is Romanian, and they also have been married for a year and a half! We are looking forward to hanging out with them next week.
We are also taking some biblical musicology classes (of course pastor Tonye is teaching =), and it amazes me more and more how powerful music can be. The Bible says that Satan used to be a worship leader before he rebelled against God, and it is very symbolic that worship leaders can easily fall into worshiping themselves on the stage. So taking this class for me as a worship leader (in recession) is very helpful and inspiring.
I haven't met a single Russian speaker yet (except Cara =)). I start missing Russian fellowship, even though I skype with people often. I hope God will give me some Russian speaking friends in the future.
Well, I guess that is all for now... Missing all of you people a lot...
Thursday, January 29, 2009
On the road again
So we are moving up to Templeton tomorrow... With Will working in Atascadero and our church in Morro Bay it makes much more sense to live here than in Nipomo. I had to quit my job at Little Jocko's (sorry Jake... But on my last day at work I had a cheeseburger for you... =). So now I will be seeking a job again.... I'm still not giving up on becoming a freelance translator, but just like everywhere else, clients like to deal with professionals with experience, not sometimes realizing that experience must START somewhere! God willing, this will work out.
Meanwhile, these are some pictures of Will trying to mount a door handle on our 88 toyota...
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Some joys of America...
Even though I am not a big fan of America, some things do make my life a little more enjoyable..
#1. Peanut butter!!!
Now, I know now you can get some in Ukraine, too (if you're lucky). But it's usually imported = expensive, or if it's not, it just doesn't taste the same. I think it's the biggest paradox - peanuts are so readily available in Ukraine, but nobody makes peanut butter!!
#2. Cream cheese.
As of right now, I'm finishing my first tub of american cream cheese. (Yes, I mostly ate it myself... when my in laws gave me strange looks, I just said I'm ukrainian.. ) Now I'm not sure of the process of making this creamy goodness, but somehow it's utterly expensive in Ukraine, although there are some desserts called Sirok and Chudo that resemble the texture. I'm still wanting to make my own cheesecake - or even my own cream cheese!
#3. Coffee Shops and Bread stores.
Now, I'm slightly against (if there is such a thing) Starbucks, because the more you go there, the more it lures you back. People can easily spend thousands of dollars every year on Starbucks without even noticing it. So I'm not a Starbucks junkie, but every once in a while it's very relaxing to come to a cafe where noone will turn you out 20 min later. Most of them also provide Wireless Internet, which makes the experience still more enjoyable. Plus of course excellent coffee (and tea!).
The same thing with bakeries. I'm obsessed with baking and all kinds of textures bread can possess, and it's amazing what they sometimes can come up with. And of course it's all fresh and warm, and most places let you try their bread with some butter on it...MMmmmmmm....
I think that's it for now...
#1. Peanut butter!!!
Now, I know now you can get some in Ukraine, too (if you're lucky). But it's usually imported = expensive, or if it's not, it just doesn't taste the same. I think it's the biggest paradox - peanuts are so readily available in Ukraine, but nobody makes peanut butter!!
#2. Cream cheese.
As of right now, I'm finishing my first tub of american cream cheese. (Yes, I mostly ate it myself... when my in laws gave me strange looks, I just said I'm ukrainian.. ) Now I'm not sure of the process of making this creamy goodness, but somehow it's utterly expensive in Ukraine, although there are some desserts called Sirok and Chudo that resemble the texture. I'm still wanting to make my own cheesecake - or even my own cream cheese!
#3. Coffee Shops and Bread stores.
Now, I'm slightly against (if there is such a thing) Starbucks, because the more you go there, the more it lures you back. People can easily spend thousands of dollars every year on Starbucks without even noticing it. So I'm not a Starbucks junkie, but every once in a while it's very relaxing to come to a cafe where noone will turn you out 20 min later. Most of them also provide Wireless Internet, which makes the experience still more enjoyable. Plus of course excellent coffee (and tea!).
The same thing with bakeries. I'm obsessed with baking and all kinds of textures bread can possess, and it's amazing what they sometimes can come up with. And of course it's all fresh and warm, and most places let you try their bread with some butter on it...MMmmmmmm....
I think that's it for now...
Monday, January 12, 2009
The tag is dangling...
Anya has tagged me, and I'm glad I read the rules first =)
1. I like apple seeds and peanut butter and don't like ice cream (unless it's absolutely HOT).
2. I have never dyed my hair.
3. I love smart and kind people (but only if they possess both of these qualities.. otherwise it's a terror). I would hang out with people that the rest of the world might consider weirdos... I guess I'm one of them =)
4. I'm a tom-boy in some areas (I don't have a favorite colour or lots of clothes, I don't wear make-up and am not obsessed about high heels =). My parents never "girlified" me (whatever that might mean), that's why I'm inspired by those mothers who can give their daughters that feeling of femininity.
5. My math is HORRIBLE. You can tell I'm a linguist. I have hard time counting change. =D
6. I like movies where the main character accomplishes something and the movie has a happy ending. If the movie is too intense or vivid, it gets into my head, and I like to rather watch and forget. Unless it carries an important message that can be pondered upon. But that's different.
7. I think extreme sports are stupid and are just trying God. It's not worth it to risk your life that's so precious to God for a handful of andrenalin and praise of men.
OK, so here are the victims:
Greg Silva
Little Viky
My husband =)
Cara Denney
Tim Emerson
Christina Emerson
Thanks Anya! It's good to do this every once in a while. Get to know yourself better =)
1. I like apple seeds and peanut butter and don't like ice cream (unless it's absolutely HOT).
2. I have never dyed my hair.
3. I love smart and kind people (but only if they possess both of these qualities.. otherwise it's a terror). I would hang out with people that the rest of the world might consider weirdos... I guess I'm one of them =)
4. I'm a tom-boy in some areas (I don't have a favorite colour or lots of clothes, I don't wear make-up and am not obsessed about high heels =). My parents never "girlified" me (whatever that might mean), that's why I'm inspired by those mothers who can give their daughters that feeling of femininity.
5. My math is HORRIBLE. You can tell I'm a linguist. I have hard time counting change. =D
6. I like movies where the main character accomplishes something and the movie has a happy ending. If the movie is too intense or vivid, it gets into my head, and I like to rather watch and forget. Unless it carries an important message that can be pondered upon. But that's different.
7. I think extreme sports are stupid and are just trying God. It's not worth it to risk your life that's so precious to God for a handful of andrenalin and praise of men.
OK, so here are the victims:
Greg Silva
Little Viky
My husband =)
Cara Denney
Tim Emerson
Christina Emerson
Thanks Anya! It's good to do this every once in a while. Get to know yourself better =)
Saturday, January 10, 2009
So how we got here....(Or a complete guide for dummies on How to Get Out of Ukraine with Your New Wife)
Due to one of my friend's curiousity I will try to write about the immigration process we went through before we came to the US. I wish there was somebody to tell me what to do before we started.. Oh well.
So in the beginning... We got married!! And although we really enjoyed our ceremony in the backyard of our church, the legal part of that wasn't nearly as pleasant. In Ukraine you are supposed to file for the legal ceremony 30 days in advance... Well in the time frame that we were in, we just couldn't make it in time with our wedding ceremony, so we got married (legally) after we came back from our honeymoon. (I know, heathen... =)
So after the paper with our names on them has been handed to us and a lady with a harsh voice made us kiss in her office, the REAL craze begins. (Unless you want to change your name to your husband's, then you need to change your Ukrainian passport, THEN make a new international (zagran) passport in your new name... Takes around 1,5-2 months...Unless you have tons of money =D )
Even though you get married legally, back in America your husband is still viewed as a bachelor. Since you don't want that, you have to go to the American Embassy (your husband can go there anytime and this time you can come in with him without an appointment) and fill out a bunch of fun papers, then rush (with the papers) to a nearest bus (or taxi) to get to the Ministry of Foreign affairs. There put your husband in the line (be sure the line will be loooong) and start filling out all the other papers they have for you - because they can't wait for you to do that at the window directly. If you are lucky enough (we were simply blessed by God that day) and manage to get to the window before 12 AM, (that means that you have to get to the Embassy before 10, or you won't make it) then they will process your case and give back the papers after 4 PM with a lovely stamp on the back. Your hubby is not single anymore!
After this you can finally start the immigration junk! Yeeyy...
The way the American Embassy works is through appointments that you have to schedule WAAAAY beforehand. To schedule the appointment, go to a nearest AVAL bank and ask for a pin code for the Am embassy. I usually paid around 60 Hr, and that was enough for appx 8 min... (yeah it's like calling America... except in Ukraine). So you get the little slip of paper with a pin code on it, and the next day you can call the embassy (the phone # is on the slip, too). The first appointment is for the American citizen to present a petition about his/her immediate relative's immigration, so you don't even have to show up at the embassy. Your time will come later, he he...
After your hubby comes back from this exciting trip, he will have the list of documents for your case. Most of them are not so hard to obtain, it will be a bunch of papers to translate, but also there's a medical exam and a form about your sponsorship... That one gave us lots of unpleasant moments. I don't remember what it's called now, but it basically states that you won't be a bum once you enter the country. Therefore, your husband or someone from the States has to sign that paper saying they will be your sponsors if you hit the bottom. But for them to do that, they have to prove that they actually have the means of sponsoring you. That's why my husband, being a poor missionary, had to ask his dad to do that. And his dad had to get some papers stating his and his wive's annual income, fill out some forms (of course) and FedEx it to Ukraine.
WE made one mistake that I believe, originated from the Embassy staff, as they told us that we needed to get this sponsorship form BEFORE the first appointment. As it took about 2-2,5 months to just get it done and shipped, and the appointment scheduling takes not less than a month.. that's 3,5 months of just sitting on our hands.
But once you get the papers and don't tear them trying to open the envelope (I still remind Will of that =) you can go ahead and schedule the 2nd appointment. It's your turn now! There will be the medical exam left, and you can come any day, no appointment, but get prepared to spend literally the whole day at the clinic, as they first take all the blood samples and Xrays, and then process them. Also take some dollars along, as they accept only foreign currency. They charged me an extra $20 for an additional X-ray, which I never found out why exactly, but oh well. Also, on the Embassy website they say that you need evidence of all the vaccinations you have had, well I lost my medical records when I was a kid and it wasn't a problem, they ended up giving me 2 shots that protected me from 6 illnesses, handy huh? Although the nurse told me that one of the shots was very strong, so I couldn't get pregnant 3 months after I had it. Oh well, we weren't planning on it anyway =)
The day of the appointment was EXTREMELY stressful. I fell asleep in the train having nightmares about forgetting some papers.... Horrible. But we made it on time, rushed to the office, submitted the papers and.... waited for 3 hours without daring to go out.(that's one of those cases when you rush to wait...) So get prepared for that and eat at least SOMETHING. During that 3 hour period they called me out once to take my fingerprints. Then finally they called out our name, and a friendly balding guy asked: " Is all the information correct? So Will is a missionary and that's how you met? Can you raise your hand and swear you are saying nothing but the truth?"... Well all my knowledge of English could have been founded on a single word "Yes" and I would have been good =) He slipped a pink piece of paper under the window and our immigration story has ended. We got my passport with the visa in it couple days later via the same FedEx.
Now, that was the long way (which took us a year and a half and a little more than one grand). Of course you can get out of the country with a temporary visa for around $300, but you will still have to go through the process in the US, which will probably be even more expensive. The advantages of the long way are that within a couple of weeks since we came I got my SSN and my permanent resident's card, which gave me an opportunity to start working right away. So I prefer the long way, but of course situations are different.
Hope it helps at least somebody... or just makes up for an entertaining reading =)
So in the beginning... We got married!! And although we really enjoyed our ceremony in the backyard of our church, the legal part of that wasn't nearly as pleasant. In Ukraine you are supposed to file for the legal ceremony 30 days in advance... Well in the time frame that we were in, we just couldn't make it in time with our wedding ceremony, so we got married (legally) after we came back from our honeymoon. (I know, heathen... =)
So after the paper with our names on them has been handed to us and a lady with a harsh voice made us kiss in her office, the REAL craze begins. (Unless you want to change your name to your husband's, then you need to change your Ukrainian passport, THEN make a new international (zagran) passport in your new name... Takes around 1,5-2 months...Unless you have tons of money =D )
Even though you get married legally, back in America your husband is still viewed as a bachelor. Since you don't want that, you have to go to the American Embassy (your husband can go there anytime and this time you can come in with him without an appointment) and fill out a bunch of fun papers, then rush (with the papers) to a nearest bus (or taxi) to get to the Ministry of Foreign affairs. There put your husband in the line (be sure the line will be loooong) and start filling out all the other papers they have for you - because they can't wait for you to do that at the window directly. If you are lucky enough (we were simply blessed by God that day) and manage to get to the window before 12 AM, (that means that you have to get to the Embassy before 10, or you won't make it) then they will process your case and give back the papers after 4 PM with a lovely stamp on the back. Your hubby is not single anymore!
After this you can finally start the immigration junk! Yeeyy...
The way the American Embassy works is through appointments that you have to schedule WAAAAY beforehand. To schedule the appointment, go to a nearest AVAL bank and ask for a pin code for the Am embassy. I usually paid around 60 Hr, and that was enough for appx 8 min... (yeah it's like calling America... except in Ukraine). So you get the little slip of paper with a pin code on it, and the next day you can call the embassy (the phone # is on the slip, too). The first appointment is for the American citizen to present a petition about his/her immediate relative's immigration, so you don't even have to show up at the embassy. Your time will come later, he he...
After your hubby comes back from this exciting trip, he will have the list of documents for your case. Most of them are not so hard to obtain, it will be a bunch of papers to translate, but also there's a medical exam and a form about your sponsorship... That one gave us lots of unpleasant moments. I don't remember what it's called now, but it basically states that you won't be a bum once you enter the country. Therefore, your husband or someone from the States has to sign that paper saying they will be your sponsors if you hit the bottom. But for them to do that, they have to prove that they actually have the means of sponsoring you. That's why my husband, being a poor missionary, had to ask his dad to do that. And his dad had to get some papers stating his and his wive's annual income, fill out some forms (of course) and FedEx it to Ukraine.
WE made one mistake that I believe, originated from the Embassy staff, as they told us that we needed to get this sponsorship form BEFORE the first appointment. As it took about 2-2,5 months to just get it done and shipped, and the appointment scheduling takes not less than a month.. that's 3,5 months of just sitting on our hands.
But once you get the papers and don't tear them trying to open the envelope (I still remind Will of that =) you can go ahead and schedule the 2nd appointment. It's your turn now! There will be the medical exam left, and you can come any day, no appointment, but get prepared to spend literally the whole day at the clinic, as they first take all the blood samples and Xrays, and then process them. Also take some dollars along, as they accept only foreign currency. They charged me an extra $20 for an additional X-ray, which I never found out why exactly, but oh well. Also, on the Embassy website they say that you need evidence of all the vaccinations you have had, well I lost my medical records when I was a kid and it wasn't a problem, they ended up giving me 2 shots that protected me from 6 illnesses, handy huh? Although the nurse told me that one of the shots was very strong, so I couldn't get pregnant 3 months after I had it. Oh well, we weren't planning on it anyway =)
The day of the appointment was EXTREMELY stressful. I fell asleep in the train having nightmares about forgetting some papers.... Horrible. But we made it on time, rushed to the office, submitted the papers and.... waited for 3 hours without daring to go out.(that's one of those cases when you rush to wait...) So get prepared for that and eat at least SOMETHING. During that 3 hour period they called me out once to take my fingerprints. Then finally they called out our name, and a friendly balding guy asked: " Is all the information correct? So Will is a missionary and that's how you met? Can you raise your hand and swear you are saying nothing but the truth?"... Well all my knowledge of English could have been founded on a single word "Yes" and I would have been good =) He slipped a pink piece of paper under the window and our immigration story has ended. We got my passport with the visa in it couple days later via the same FedEx.
Now, that was the long way (which took us a year and a half and a little more than one grand). Of course you can get out of the country with a temporary visa for around $300, but you will still have to go through the process in the US, which will probably be even more expensive. The advantages of the long way are that within a couple of weeks since we came I got my SSN and my permanent resident's card, which gave me an opportunity to start working right away. So I prefer the long way, but of course situations are different.
Hope it helps at least somebody... or just makes up for an entertaining reading =)
Monday, January 5, 2009
...and go break your leg!
Couple days ago at work I asked one of my managers if I should go do something, and she said "Yeah, knock yourself out!". For a second I was wondering if she was serious...
Later on I realized that this means "Go have a good time"... Not a very literal translation. But it started me thinking about all the weird things people say in English (or should I clarify, in AMERICAN English)...
..."can I see this something" means you want to take the object and possibly walk away with it. There's a lot more than seeing involved.
..."can I help you?", just like "excuse me" and "how are you" are plain speech fillers.
...and of course, "stuff" and "like", the most ambiguous words in the language!
English is a very sensitive language. Unlike Russian, you can't get away with just saying "Please" and be polite. Also, if you use the wrong intonation/word order/address(Mrs instead of Miss), you are also more than likely will be viewed as a rude moron.
Yeah these are my impressions of the language I speak 40 hours a week...
Later on I realized that this means "Go have a good time"... Not a very literal translation. But it started me thinking about all the weird things people say in English (or should I clarify, in AMERICAN English)...
..."can I see this something" means you want to take the object and possibly walk away with it. There's a lot more than seeing involved.
..."can I help you?", just like "excuse me" and "how are you" are plain speech fillers.
...and of course, "stuff" and "like", the most ambiguous words in the language!
English is a very sensitive language. Unlike Russian, you can't get away with just saying "Please" and be polite. Also, if you use the wrong intonation/word order/address(Mrs instead of Miss), you are also more than likely will be viewed as a rude moron.
Yeah these are my impressions of the language I speak 40 hours a week...
Friday, December 26, 2008
U.S.A...
I now live in a country that consists of abbreviations.
Even its name can be abbreviated.
Just think...
I.O.U. (I owe you)
D.U.I (Driving under influence)
P.B.&J. (Peanut Butter and Jelly [sandwich](yes Marina!!))
A.K.A. (Also known as)
R.S.V.P. (Repondez S'il vous plait) (ok not really american but they use it!!)
C.E.O (Chief Executive Officer)
O.D. (overdose)
Not even mentioning the trivial CD, PC, LOL, ASAP and SOS.
(Ok I stole the pic from sb else's site. U can do ur search on abbr-s urself =)
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Routine
I have been working this past week, and meanwhile realizing more and more why America is hard to live in spiritually (now, I'm alright Vika, I'm just looking at facts =)).
The problem is - business.
People tend to have more stuff to do here as compared to Ukraine.
Probably due to the fact that there are so many places to go, so many stores, the beach, sales, farmers markets... Cute and fun things to do... things that take up your time with the Lord.
And I'm not saying it's bad to enjoy oneself. The point is balance of those things, and that's what's hard, especially if you have to plan your day yourself (that's when that self-discipline comes in).
I'm glad that in that sense Ukraine is not like that. There are not so many things over there that are tempting (although, one could always find some). Here I see a lot of people working two jobs and putting all their money to pay off a mortgage on a huge house they didn't NEED in the first place. (The problem is that those houses exist, and people have eyes too big to see they can't afford it.) And then they go off complaining that they don't have time to go to church - or just simply hang out with their kids or spouses! Ukraine has its own problems, but people are more likely just forced to have a hard life due to the unstable economy at all times (but they still can make decisions to spend time with God or in front of the TV).
Maybe I'm too judgemental, and my Ukrainian eye hasn't adapted to the sharp contrast of american reality...
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