Our countdown clock today says 21 days to go - 3 weeks! Now we're down to the nitty gritty, but we've had more than enough time to prepare. I've never done this for any major trip/vacation before, but we actually purchased travel medical & evacuation insurance for this trip. It really wasn't that expensive, but most of all it provides peace of mind.
Scott's insurance is fairly good about what they'll cover for him when he's out of the country. Mine, on the other hand, would treat any medical visit overseas as "out of network" with a $2500 deductible and only 65% coverage beyond that. Of course, if something major were to happen and we'd need to get a higher quality of medical care than can be provided in Ukraine, we'd rack up a ton of expenses trying to get out. I think since we'll be gone so long, it's better for us to play it safe.
We also registered with the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv today - check another box off. We're working on getting some meds to take with us - again, just in case - and need to pull together all of the documentation that we need to take with us. Our agency will send our dossiers over, but there are still a few things that we need to take (tax returns, employment verification letters, etc). Seriously, the list of documents is neverending. I understand the need for some of it, but the process (in any country) is just so complicated. I hope that someday it becomes much easier - and cheaper - to give kids in orphanages a good home.
I haven't seen anyone else discuss this, but I wonder if any of the adoptive parents try to stick to their workout schedule while they're overseas? You know how I am about that... My trainer is giving me some exercises I can do indoors without needing much equipment, and I am taking bands with me. If it was warm, it would be alot easier, but I don't want to pack all of the clothes that I'd need to run outside, and I have a feeling that the streets won't be plowed very well anyway outside of Kyiv. I don't imagine that we'll have a lot of downtime, but I gotta believe that with the stress of the situation, it will be helpful to be able to burn off some energy, as I'm known for my patience :)
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8 comments:
Welcome to Ukraine! :)
Advice: here it is impossible to drink water from the crane. Buy water in bottles, or boil it. Success!
When we were in Kyiv, one area we stayed had LOTS of joggers (it was December too).
You will do plenty of walking, less eating, and have plenty of time to burn some energy.
You will lose weight!!
Working out in Ukraine? I wish you the best! I never saw a gym in all of our travels there, so don't count on that. And with the very cold weather, I think I saw only one jogger the entire trip. We did A LOT of walking and tended to eat 4-5 times a day but smaller meals. All of that helped me lost 13 pounds in a month!
You'll probably have a good bit of downtime too, so if you can find creative ways to exercise in the apartment, go for it. You'll be looking for ways to pass the time on some days!
Yay for getting stuff checked off the list! I totally agree with you about the peace of mind that comes with the extra insurance. I've also thought about working out while over there, but I am really not hard-core enough to do it... soo, I think we'll just stick with walking around a ton in order to get our exercise. :)
It's getting closer! How exciting. It always feels good to check things off your to do list.
My husband checked into the running thing. He read something that said "Don't." Apparently running outside isn't something they do in Ukraine. You stick out like a sore thumb, which is an invitation to get hassled by the police. My husband is planning on running a bunch of stairs in the apartment. And you'll get to do lots of walking, which I know isn't the same but is better than nothing.
Another thing, and I bet you already know this, but it's important to flex your legs and walk around as much as possible while you're on the airplane. Blodcots are a possibility when sitting for long periods of time, especially for people who are really fit. Again, that may be nothing new to you.
Happy exercising!
Gina
There was a gym right by where we stayed...right around the corner from the TGI Fridays. It looked pretty ritzy though. Lots of expensive cars coming in and out. I bet your facilitator would have some insight as to what you could do.
I'm hoping when we go back for our 2nd appointment that it's much warmer and I'm able to find some way to run while in region instead of Kiev. Maybe I'll have a taxi drop me off outside of town and I'll run on some backwoods road...we'll see! Like my wife said, I read that apparently not to run in Kiev b/c you would draw attention to yourself...especially the "coppers!"
17 more days per your blog!!! Very excited for you guys. I can tell you from personal experience as well that you will lose weight, even without intention. There is a lot of walking and probably stress during the whole process - so don't worry about exercising; you can catch up when you come back.
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