"Toto, we're home. Home!"

After my disastrous first week here, I did not believe a word ILP said about getting to a point where Ukraine would feel like home. But it turns out that with their twenty years of experience compared to my one week, they were right. Hence, the title of this post. (I'm not sure why I've adopted a "Wizard of Oz" theme for a couple of these, but I have. So.)  I admit, I love it here. I love everything about it. I love walking everywhere, I love taking the metro and the trolleys, I love the language barrier (it's hilarious), I love the kids I teach, I love every experience I'm having and all the ways I'm learning and growing.  Well, I've been awful about writing about some of the small things here, as opposed to only big vacations and such. So, this post may be a little scattered, but I want to share some of these stories. Little pieces of Kiev that make me feel at home, or make it feel like home here. Or that are just funny.

1. The stars. It is completely rare to see the stars in Kiev. The first time I saw them here I was so happy. In Utah, I was pretty used to there only being about ten stars in the sky. I still had a special love and wonder for the stars, but I found myself frequently wishing for there to be more stars in the sky. Here, there were the same amount of stars as there always are in good ole Riverton, and I was in tears I was so happy. It was the first time I felt a little piece of home here, and one of the possibly very few times I didn't find myself wishing for more stars. Those ten stars were the perfect amount. They were my stars from home that I love so much.

2. Bell towers, cathedrals, and sunsets. I can't say that Ukraine has got Santorini beat at sunsets, but the views from their bell towers certainly do not disappoint. On Saturday, Emery, Caroline, Rozzie, and I went to visit St. Sophia's cathedral in Andriyivsky, about 20 minutes from the station we always meet at. This has become one of our favorite little towns here. St. Sophia's was built in the 11th century, and has hardly been touched since. It was amazing! The detail in this cathedral is impeccable, and the glass cases that protected the parts of the ground that were left completely untouched was surreal. It reminded me of the historical feel in Athens. After that, we went to the bell tower. This challenged a couple of us who have fears of heights, small spaces, and get dizzy easily while going up spiral stairs, but that certainly kept us laughing hysterically. The sun was setting as we climbed up, and the view from the top was something to marvel at.

3. Maidan. Near Andriyivsky, this is where the 2014 riots took place. I watched a documentary on the events a couple weeks ago, and I felt more love for the people of Ukraine than ever before. I started to look at them differently on the streets, it just changed my whole perspective. The documentary is called "Winter On Fire". If you're interested in knowing more about what sparked the outbreaks of violence in Ukraine, or you like history and documentaries, or you're bored, or if you care about humanity at all...WATCH IT. But the reason I write about it here is because there is a part in the film that talks about a religious leader getting special permission to ring all the bells at once when the riots got really bad. The last time they had rung all the bells at once, before two years ago, was in the 11th century. And they were the bells in that picture, in this bell tower. That might not be so interesting to anyone else, but I thought it was neat!

4. Luda. Oi, there will be a post all about my cute host grandma when I have more time and I can write sufficiently, but I just love her so much. She has made me feel more at home than anything else here. She reminds me of my grandma Carol, the way she insists on treating me like a princess, compliments me even when I'm a downright wreck, and gives the soundest life advice. She reminds me of my parents with her magnet collection on the fridge, and her insane care for my well-being. She is my family here. And she definitely keeps me happy and laughing! Every morning she gives me a pep-talk of sorts. One time she told me my fate through an intense game of MASH. And the way she figures to say things in English sometimes I just can't help but laugh about, like when she called a playground a "children garden." Or when she told me to go get my "floor coat," meaning my slippers. She's the cutest lady. 

5. This one has nothing to do with feeling at home here, but it was funny. I'll spare you the boring details I just tried to make a story of, and sum it up instead. A 30-year-old Ukrainian man told me I had ice on my butt and offered to buy me tea. In Russian. Figuring out what he was saying is the boring part of the story, so I'll just leave it at that!

I'm loving it here. I'll always remember the stories we have, the memories we're making, and the ways we are all learning and growing. We've all been so grateful to have found an English-speaking LDS ward close enough to travel to that happens to be right next door to the temple. That is where we feel most at home of all. I'm learning to appreciate the little things, like short waits at the bus stops, and running into missionaries. There are tender mercies all over the place in Kiev. I'm sure they were everywhere in Riverton, too, I probably just wasn't looking for them so much. I think there are just buckets of 'em being poured all over the world! 

I've found great joy in looking for these small miracles and the things that make me feel at home, and I've found great humor in all the things that make me feel helplessly out of place. I guess "elsewhere" has that effect, and I'm slightly obsessed with it. So that's where I'll be. You can find me elsewhere.