I am a procrastinator. When I pack for a trip, I usually do it the day of or the night before, and I just envision each day of our vacation, and what we will need, and I pack as I think about it. If we can't do without, or buy it at Walmart later, then we didn't need it very badly. The trouble is, I'm not sure there are Walmarts in Ukraine.
I am not a big "list" person, per se. However, being that I will be leaving my children for 3 weeks, going to foreign territory with frigid temperatures and unknown customs, I am realizing I need some lists, and I am panicking a bit. Am I panicking about the idea that I'm going to be the mother of 5 children, or that we are about to become the parents of a disabled child?
No..... I am panicking that I'm going to be in a foreign country, a very COLD foreign country, in February at that, away from my children, for 3 entire weeks.
If any of my faithful blog readers happen to be list people, or if you have traveled to Ukraine, or any other foreign country for that matter, with a small child who has been understimulated her whole life....PLEASE leave me some packing tips under comments. Specifically I want to know:
1. How do we keep warm?
2. How do we keep our child entertained on a long, long, very long flight back?
3. What must we know about Ukrainian culture? Anything we should never say or never do?
4. Anyone have some DVD's we can borrow? :)
5. How can we help make life easier for our children's caretakers while we are gone for 3 weeks?
6. What gifts can we take to give to people we meet along the way?
7. Any other thing I am forgetting....
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Lists
Posted by liesel at 2:11 PM
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5 comments:
Don't panic!! I am going to sit down tomorrow and write you a very, very long e-mail. . .lists included!!
Charissa- will you share your ideas generated with me?? I am SO LOST!!! And I'm from FL so cold means NOTHING to me.
((HUGS GF!))
I am looking forward to meeting you overseas!!
Just some answers for now, I'll think about other things later:
1. You should wear a down-filled jacket, coat is even better. Put on a couple of layers (i.e., turtleneck and fleece) and you'll be all set. Warm tights under jeans are a must. Same goes for a hat, scarf, gloves and warm boots (the boots must be lined inside).
2. I guess crayons, coloring books, stickers would be a good start.
3. Here is my blog entry where I posted about Ukrainian customs:
http://bringingraisahome.blogspot.com/2007/10/
russian-customs-and-superstitions.html
6. In my opinion the best gift in Ukraine is money. A nice cards with money inside (50 - 100 hrivna, which is $10 - $20) should be good enough.
Email my friend Rachel re: the plane trip/entertainment ideas. As an O.T., and frequent traveler to Australia w/ small children, she is PLUM full of ideas.
Take "what to do to entertain Ava on the plane" off of your list. Do not spend a second worrying about that. She will be amazed at all the people and things going on around her. She wil still be amazed with you...that someone is giving her their undivided attention. She won't need entertaining on the plane. Take a bottle, a small bowl and a spoon so that you can feed her and you'll be good to go. Xander loved the plane, loved the people and sat(or laid) with eyes wide open in his seat the entire time. He traveled better than most adults do!
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