Chapter 10 - Trains, Trains,Trains!

We arrived in Kiev around 8:30am.  We went to our flat to unload and then straight to the SDA.  We followed Serge straight upstairs got the referrel for Dennis and swapped out all of the other photos as well with the ones the SDA had.  Much, MUCH more quiet and only around 10 minuetes!  We talked with Serge for only a little while because he had to catch a plane.  Serge talked to ken about the dog bite and said he didnt need to go to London they have that stuff here to take care of.  We really didnt want to tell Serge what Russia and London were saying about Ukraine medicine.  Also what the young man who drove Ken to the clinic, who spoke english, said.  In fact this young man spent a few years in the US.  Serge told us that everyone in Ukraine knows about Ken.  Now I'm not sure if thats because of the dog bite or because Ken travels allot for work and always needs to know where the money is going, so he questions why they always need more money from us after paying 1/2 of what we owe for all four kids?  The other 1/2 is being paid after each court date.   A little thing came up right before we boarded the train from Odessa to Kiev where they wanted 650 more griva which is about 80 US dollars.  Not for the train ticket and not for the driver we understand all of that.  It was for the running they did one day to get a paper we needed!?  So Ken was just confused why this wasn't included in the fee we payed Serge.  No one could really explaine it but we had to catch our train so we just paid it.  We told them that they have to tell us before we only have 10 minuets to leave and they also have to tell families this right away if they owe money and what it is for not days later!
The same thing happend with our flat in Odessa, right when we are ready to leave they want more money!  It was only a couple of bucks but when you are living on peanut butter sandwhiches and walking and taking the trolley, that couple of bucks IS SO much more than you would think!  Don't be afraid to ASK the whats and whys!
The SDA was going to give us the referral for Dennis the same day so we came back at 4 to pick it up.  By 5 we were told that the head lady was in a meeting at no one was sure if she would be back in time to sign the papers.  It was us and 3 other families.  Six came around and we were all told to go home it wasnt going to happen.  So now we are waiting to get a call to go get the referral and then to the train for the 15 hour ride to meet Dennis!  We did ask about renting a car because we have so much traveling to do between the two regions.  We have to go down to Dennis then back to Odessa for court on Monday, then Dennis, then pick up kids, then Dennis, then Kiev.  They thought we were Crazy!!!  We had different facilitators and drivers all gathered around us saying No, No, No.  Okay, we were just trying to save a buck but if everyone is so against it I guess the train it will be!  We can't wait to meet Dennis and see what he is like!  Hope he is happy with who was picked to be his family!!!!