Posted on Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 09:43 am:

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What items did you bring with you to Ukraine that you were glad you brought or what items did you forget to bring that you wish you had?


recent traveler
Unregistered guest
Posted on Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 10:33 am:

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Movies, video games, music, books, magazines!! Very glad we brought these. What we REALLY needed and did not bring Tylenol and hand sanitizer!!You CANNOT buy these in Ukraine, please don't forget them if they are something you really use and need!!!! However, they do sell ibuprofen Also, we wish we would have brought our umbrellas! We were there in April and May and it rained quite a bit.


recent traveler
Unregistered guest
Posted on Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 10:43 am:

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Oh, and also a couple decks of playing cards and CROSSWORD PUZZLES!! I must have done about 100 of the circle words in one week while in the region, just "hurrying up to wait" Can anyone else relate to that ??


my2cents
Unregistered guest
Posted on Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 10:45 am:

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We were there in April and May too,,,In Kiev it hardly rained...We were there for almost two months...I think it lightly rained in our area two times. However umbrellas are very expensive there. In Kiev there are alot of underground sidewalks..very safe...especially avoiding the traffic...(that is a risk in itself)...Drivers drive on the sidewalks..We brought way too much clothing...and we packed light. Bring two pants with two or three shirts. Dark colors...oh and one dressy outfit for court. I used the same dressy outfit to go to NAC, Orphanage, Court. Black pants with black skirt outfit/black jacket.
If I go again...that is what Ill do..you have to wash by hand/unless you are lucky to have a washer. (pack light you will be walking up and down stairs/in and out of vehicles/trains...buy plenty of snacks before going onto the overnight train...BRING PLENTY OF SMALL PACKET TISSUE_PLACE INSIDE YOUR POCKET for the restrooms. Toliets on on the floor and you have to squat (the only way to say it).


going2adopt
Unregistered guest
Posted on Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 03:34 pm:

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Hmmm... since my2cents says umbrellas are expensive there, maybe bringing those small purse umbrellas as gifts would be a good idea. Men and women both might appreciate these!


Ukrainemama
Unregistered guest
Posted on Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 06:11 pm:

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Hand sanitizer is a must, as well as lots of books and movies. I read a LOT while there, but didn't bring movies. Should have, both apartments I stayed in had VHS players.

Bring jeans. I didn't and it was ridiculous dressing up every day.

And, most importantly, bring *comfortable* shoes. Our connecting flight in Amsterdam we almost missed, and we had to RUN as fast as we could through the largest airport I imagined possible. Of course our connecting flight was on the polar opposite side of this massive airport. My feet, in my most comfy sandles I owned, were literally bloody by the time we barely made it. This is a culture where you walk everywhere. My so-called comfy sandles are good for small walks in the US. But not for the major walking you will do in Ukraine. Actually, I loved that aspect of their culture, the walking.

Also, I came down with a major sinus infection while there, and had nothing to blow my nose with. Bring tons of toilet paper and kleenex.

OH, and *antacids*! Lots of fried food over there!

Enjoy your trip. Just go with the flow and try to take in the culture. We loved our month in Ukraine. Would love to go back some day, when our son is older to show him his heritage.


mommajeane
Unregistered guest
Posted on Saturday, October 16, 2004 - 07:02 pm:

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We just got back and have gone 4 other times to Russia. One thing they don't have are wash cloths and if you use them or want to wash your child you need to bring your own. Hand sanitizers and those little packs of Kleenex--- don't use the bathroom unless you walk in with them, many don't have tolite paper or soap to wash with. We also brought an extra sheet and lite blanket-- we ended up using it in one of our apts. and some said they did on the train--- we took the overnite train and paid for bedding and it was clean and comfortable. We were able to buy very cheap puzzles and some dvds in Russian and english that we were able to watch on our portable player. Our 11 yr. old new daughter enjoyed it as well.

Comfortable shoes is another good idea-- we walked lots all the time and on this trip I had bought new shoes and that caused a huge blister I had to deal with.

It rained for a few days and an umbrella was useful-- you can buy the small ones and they don't take up much room.

A go with the flow spirit with not to many expectations helps when you travel as well. Remeber it is an experience of a life time and so worth enjoying every bit of it. Good luck.


Becca
Unregistered guest
Posted on Sunday, October 17, 2004 - 03:16 am:

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I'm back in Ukraine, picking up my two boys after waiting out our 30 days. For the first trip, we were here for 5 weeks. Bring plenty to do - books, cards, games (we bought a magnetic combo game while here, with backgammon, chess, etc). Our personal DVD player and DVDs were great to have. My only other must is the lexan water bottles I brought. In this small town finding bottled water without gas is nearly impossible - you can boil water and pour it right into the lexan bottles to cool. Perfect.

I second the umbrella. During our first trip it rained several times, we broke down and bought an umbrella. I can't remember how much it cost - around 25 gryva I think....that's about 5USD. Not too bad - and its attractive!


To Becca
Unregistered guest
Posted on Sunday, October 17, 2004 - 09:32 am:

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Becca,
Where did you adopt. Im' curious because my husband and I had opted not to take two boys
We just wanted one child- There were no children available that day -only the two boys. We have photos of one. I was hoping maybe you had adopted the same boys I could email photos to you.


packerpatriot
Unregistered guest
Posted on Monday, October 18, 2004 - 02:38 am:

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our must haves were motion sickness pills (stop and start driving takes its toll), cold medicine, tylenol pm, comfy cooler clothes for hanging around apartments and things to entertain (books, dvds, puzzle books whatever works for you)
Also jeans and comfortable walking shoes. We too ended up running at times.
Cristin


Rich Stew
Unregistered guest
Posted on Monday, October 18, 2004 - 12:45 pm:

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Hi, after our recent adoption trip, I'd like to underscore comfortable hanging around clothes and also a small sewing kit. Jennie


crafty
Unregistered guest
Posted on Monday, October 18, 2004 - 02:23 pm:

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Knitting, cross stitching and journal writing is great for long periods of nothing-to-do.


going2adopt
Unregistered guest
Posted on Monday, October 18, 2004 - 09:12 pm:

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Ooooh, I thought of something else that I have heard. You can buy diapers there, but bring plenty of wipes, as they were nowhere to be found!


Soon to be 6
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 07:28 am:

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Are tennie shoes acceptable for "comfortable shoes?" Or does that scream "I'm American?"


yes
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 07:42 am:

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Yes...white tennis shoes "scream" American. But if you buy black ones you should be fine.

DH wore the slip in mocs (http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/sto...tegoryId=4815& cat4=1011&storeId=1&catalogId=1&langId=-1&feat=ssdpa1011) and wore those the whole time. That way he only had to pack one pair of shoes.

Remember if you will be travelling in winter to make sure whatever shoes you take are waterproof and warm. I took several magazine I hadn't had a chance to read and just left them as we went. Our translator loved them, too. We couldn't have lived without our travel size games of scrabble, uno, and skipbo.


Goingon6
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 09:22 am:

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Ziploc bags!!! I never knew why people said to bring them, but they were so helpful. I used them for everything! They were also great to put my clothes in to make them more compact when packing.

Snacks, peanut butter, trail mix/breakfast bars. I adopted two older children and brought disposable cameras for both of them so they could take pictures of what they wanted. I also brought them little journals, one so they could write their experience and one to give their friends so they could write something to them.

I never needed the toilet paper that everyone suggested we bring...we were fine with what they had.

Hand sanitizer was a must as well as handy wipes.


2cents
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 10:08 am:

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Goingon6,
You must not had to use the public restroom at the train station...lol...or on the train....
terrible mess...

Good ideas..


mommajeane
Unregistered guest
Posted on Tuesday, October 19, 2004 - 09:15 pm:

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We were able to buy wipes everywhere--- many of the bathrooms did not have any toilet paper at all and hand sanitizer was a must because the towels or "soap" did not look very clean. Even at the NAC and our court house there was not paper. Zip bags are great even here. We were told we really can't hide the fact that we are Americans and never felt the need to---- when we adopted from Russia we did but not in Ukraine. That was one of the plus' about our adoptions in Ukraine-- the country and people were wonderful.


Penny
Unregistered guest
Posted on Wednesday, October 20, 2004 - 03:06 am:

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Books (or other entertainment) , buy a roll of toilet paper and carry it with you ALWAYS! (the toilets are relly bad, and let me tell you, and having toilet paper makes it more tolerable.) or at least kleenex packets in your pocket. It was a Godsend more than once!
A small flashlight. You never know if the apartment you are staying with will have the light working in the hall, etc. We didn't bring one and needed it.
A travel umbrella.


anon
Unregistered guest
Posted on Friday, November 12, 2004 - 12:41 pm:

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Our trip lasted all of October. Must haves for us were:
ground coffee, and a cup filter (all they drink is instant, tea was plentiful)

ziploc bags and a few plastic grocery bags (the markets charge for them)

portable dvd player with dvds and cds (we played both while we were there, one apartment we stayed in had BBC on cable, no other english channels)

power adapter/converter for your devices (we used it with every thing we brought and had no problems)

shortwave radio (we brought a sony icf-sw7600gr and were able to get the bbc and voice of america)

any vitamins and medicines you take regularly (especially immodium, you are guaranteed to have that kind of discomfort at least once no matter how well you avoid the water) and any medicines for your child

umbrella

flashlight (we did get caught in one power failure and forgot this)

small bottle of woolight (our apartments in kiev had washers, the hotel we stayed in kirovograd did not)

books,mags,crossword puzzles

hand sanitizer

toilet paper (most places had the industrial kind you used to get at school and the orphanage we went to had none in the public bathrooms)

an extra blanket (we had a few cold nights and the heat hadn't been turned on by the government yet)

comfortable shoes (not a lot of people wear sneakers so you will stick out, we found that no matter how we dressed people just knew we were foreign)

guide books (we used Bradt's Ukraine Travel Guide,also Language and Travel to UKRAINE both were helpful)

pocket russian language book (I used Russian at a Glance and found it to be indispensable).


Stephanie
Unregistered guest
Posted on Monday, November 29, 2004 - 01:37 am:

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We are here now. Stuff we wish we would've brought, more movies!! Of course we will be working on our 5th week, so more movies would've been great.
Stuff we are glad we brought, laptop, money (lol) books, large-med-and small tiplock bags, EAR PLUGS!!! One flat was off a major road, the one we're in now has trollys running behind it ALL night.
You can buy toilet paper here. It's too big to pack. I am bringing home ALOT of small packs of Klenex. Well, it'll make a nice stocking stuffer,lol.
A photo album for our daughter to look at while we are not there at the orphanage.
I guess that is it. If I think of more I'll come back and let you know.


DontLikeDark
Unregistered guest
Posted on Monday, November 29, 2004 - 07:39 pm:

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I second that small flashlight. One building we stayed in did not have a light in the elevator. VERY dark and scary, especially when it would stop and pick others up.
AND in the winter some areas have rolling blackouts to conserve on power (Ukraine).


guest
Unregistered guest
Posted on Thursday, December 02, 2004 - 04:11 pm:

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Woolite, clothesline and a notebook. We had no laundry for out first 2 of 4 weeks--no way to take enough underclothes for the duration. The journal was a great stress reliever plus there is so much you tend to forget.

Neve and Tristan born Feb 25, 2003
* EDD 3/19/05 Baby girl BRONWYN
* Adopting siblings in Ukraine 12-10-04
http://home.nc.rr.com/ourbabytristan