Touchdown! The Ritzman family segment and the Boehrs family segment traveled the number 18 trolley bus from Maidan Nezalezhnosti the mandatory 6 stops and walked the half block in time for our 2:00pm appointment today. This time there were no crowds, so no need for rock-star treatment. We pass through security again almost effortlessly. A note to the future adopters, however – don’t bring your electronic things except your Ukraine-issued cell phone because you can’t take it back with you anyway. I have been using a backpack everywhere I go here in Kyiv except the US Consulate. Don’t bother – just bring the documents. A brisk walk back through the maze to find the adoption windows, submit the documents, and wait. Then, we were called back for an interview. No real questions asked of us, and nothing unusual was noted. We received a canned speech about the visa printer taking some time to print the visa, and the shocking news that it could take up to a day worst-case. However, at 2:40pm this afternoon, we had the visa. The funny thing is that it interrupted a hot Uno game. Yes, the game completed after receiving the documents. A quick chocolate celebration at a corner coffee bar and that’s it. It was a bit anti-climatic in hindsight.
Now for the extra point. Tomorrow, we will travel back to the orphanage one last time. The plan is to swing back through Magellan and grab a couple of cakes for a mini-celebration and then head back to Maidan one last time at 5 for arrival at 6. I need to get a couple of last-minute gifts, then supper, pack, and bed, hopefully by 9. Our flight leaves at 5:30am Saturday morning, and we need to be at the airport 2 hours early. Tack on a half hour to get up and grab our gear, and another half hour travel time, and that’s a 2:30am wake up call. I’m sure I’ll be wide awake, at least until I get through passport control.
Room in Our Mitten 