A visit to the docha!

Saturday we got up around 8:30 am and began to get ready for our trip to Vanya's Aunt Tanya's docha (summer home). We left and walked to the bus stop. The bus was very crowded and we rode it to Mekitivka then we were to get another bus but we missed it. We waited and waited then Vanya decided that we should get a taxi. The taxi took us out of Gorlvka and to the summer house. It was so nice out there in the country. The chemical plants and coal mines pollute the air in the city and so in the country the air is a little fresher. We walked down a rocky path surrounded by queen anne's lace and lots of other wildflowers. It was so beautiful. We passed other homes then we arrived at the docha!! There were gardens everywhere. They had potatoes, tomatoes, cucumber, dill, parsley, corn, lots of other things but my favorite was the cherry trees!! Aunt Tanya, Mama (Vanya's mom) and I walked over to a cherry tree that had cherries that were more ripe. I cannot even describe how sweet they tasted!! Very YUMMY!! I ate and ate and ate. Tanya climbed the tree to get the ripe ones near the top. After we were finished we walked to Vanya's cousin's house and they had just bought a new docha. It was very pretty too. They were doing some repairs and putting up curtains outside on the patio for decoration. Vanya helped with this. It was so funny to watch the women telling him how to do things. I ate fresh apricots that there son Vlad picked off the tree. They were really good. A few hours later we went to a lake. It was a manmade lake and was full of limestone. The bottom of the lake was really gross to step on at first but after a while I got used to it. The water was freezing but beautiful. It was the most stunning blue. Vanya said it was because the limestone is white and the sun reflex off it make it the beautiful light blue color. Tanya, Vanya, his cousin and his two kids and I went swimming. It was very refreshing although I was a little cold in the water. We stayed an hour or so and then went back to the his cousin's docha. We helped with the decorating some more. Vanya got one set of curtain up and then they were the wrong one so he had to take them down. It was so funny because he was not very happy about this. We went to have dinner at his aunt's house. It was fun visiting with his family. Later Vanya had to leave to get train tickets for a couple that is coming to adopt so he had to leave. His mom and aunt wanted me to stay so we could go on a walk in a field. I am so glad I stayed although I was very hestitant because Vanya interprets for me and I speak so little Russian and they speak very little English. Tanya, Mama and I went for a walk. It was so much fun!! We went by a pond that the water for the docha's came from. They said the water had dropped very low because they haven't had rain for 2 months. We walked further through fields of wildflowers. You could see lots of green fields in the distance and there was a big hill of dirt. They have been working with the dirt for 2 years. We saw a large field of sunflowers that were almost ready to bloom. Tany took us on top this huge mound of dirt. The view from the top was so breathtaking of the countryside. A very big truck came to the top of the hill. The men in the truck were talking to Tanya and Vanya's mom. I was looking to see what was going on. It seemed they were asking what we were doing there. A few minutes later they said to get in the truck. We did. Vanya's mom told them I was American. The guys were so funny that were in the truck. I wanted to video the view from the truck so I turned on my camera they were talking and waving at the camera. Everyone that we passed on our ride in the truck they told that I was American. It was so funny. They told me "American Machines" it was Catepillar equipment they were using to move dirt. We drove some more and passed a truck then back up. They told him I was an American too. Then he offered me a beer (this is a very common gift in Ukraine). I politely declined with my Russian words "Neht Spasiba" or no thanks. They talked and laughed some more. We met a few more people then he took us back to were we had left. There we were met by Vanya's uncle and cousin and a friend. We walked on back to docha and then over to his cousin's docha. We sat around at the table. Everyone was talking and drinking too. They were having some champange to celebrate buying their new docha. They asked if I wanted some beer or champange; I said I would just have some "sok" which is juice. Aunt Tanya and Mama went to pick more cherries for me to have. The guys went to play cards and Tanya and I talked. It was very much fun trying to learn or figure out what she was saying. We talked for two or three hours. Occasionally if we would get stuck on a word that I couldn't understand she would call Vanya. He would ask me what it was and if I was okay and then we would talk more. She said that I understood Russian very well if it was spoken slowly. I do understand but it is a very hard language to speak. She asked me why I didn't drink. I told her I didn't drink in the US either just water. She told me of her trip to Thailand and about not being able to understand that language. The others finished the card game and came back to the table to join us. I talked with Lena who spoke very good English although still very little. Mama helped me with some of the translating. We laughed and talked until very late. Ira called Vanya to ask if I was ready to go and I said yes. We loaded the car and Ira said "Come back to docha next year!!" She was so kind to spend so much time visiting and talking with me. We arrived back to Gorlvka and I took a shower. We had tea (at 11 or something) and then on to bed. Today I will be going to Dherzhinsk for the beginning for the camp. I will not have internet access very much but when I do I will update. I have lots of pictures but am charging my battery so I will load later.