Top Ten List

The picture is of Jess and Becca during their initial meeting with Mr. A.

OK, some of the "10 things your mother never taught you about Ukraine"

1. Be careful pointing out the pretty bus colors while in a crowd! “Yellow Blue Bus” sounds a lot like “I love you” in Ukrainian.
2. When car designers say that a car can hold 4 passengers, they are referring to the 1st level of seats only. In Ukraine, every car has at least 2 levels (especially in the back seat). The motto here is: “Stack ‘em deep and move ‘em cheap.”
3. The Cabbie Motto: “We don’t need no stinkin’ lanes!” or, more simply, “Lanes are for cowards!”
4. Sidewalks are simply parking garages with no fees.
5. Everything smells like smoke.
6. Ice is the preferred surface for all streets and walkways. Hey, everyone wears spiked boots, so, why not have ice? (Ask Ellen and Becca about ice.)
7. Wanna know how the locals felt before 1991? Be an American in 2010. All eyes are upon you. As you walk thru the mall, the McDonalds, the street, the cafes, etc, all eyes follow you. Do we look that different?
8. Never judge a book by its cover. That was first applied to apartment living in Ukraine. It was later generalized to all other things.
9. Where else can you get beautiful glass and wood doors, floor to ceiling draperies, contemporary bookshelves, generous beds, laminated floors, gold plated silverware, mood lighting in the ceilings, and 1500 satellite channels along with 4 towels, 1 bowl, 4 glasses, and a small wastepaper basket to share among 6 people.
10. Cars don’t stop for you; you stop for cars.
11. Children become catatonic when separated from the Facebook lifeline for more than 24 hours. The only antidote appears to be a massive infusion of TV or French Fries.