This Monday we ventured out to the middle of nowhere,
Ukraine to go to a drug and rehab center started by our contacts. The day started with a bumpy hour and a half
public bus ride to the sticks of Ukraine.
We then walked about 15 minutes down these dirt and gravel roads to a
house that serves as the rehab center. It
was like stepping back into the ‘50s.
They used out houses, coal burning furnaces, and wells. They all laughed at us while we were all
fascinated with all the new things we were discovering.
We walked down the road to another house that was just
purchased to be another rehab center. It
still had stuff in it from its previous owner.
There were pictures, old post cards from the Soviet Union, an old
motorcycle with attached side car, records, and other really cool things. Over an archway there were grapes growing
that the men picked for us. They were so
delicious! Some of the best grapes I’ve
ever had. We ended up staying at the new
place to do some manual labor. We pulled
out big dead plants in this big field.
We spent a few hours pulling them out and putting them in big
piles. Then we set the piles on
fire. Yes this month we started the
fires instead of putting the fires out.
It was funny because we were having trouble keeping the fire going so
that everything would burn. Oh yeah and
we found lots of ladybugs in our dead plant removing, and we found out that the
Russian word for ladybug translates to God’s cow dung. I found that quite hilarious and fascinating
at the same time.
After working for a good 4 hours we walked back to the
original rehab center and warmed up in the kitchen while a big meal was
prepared for us. Shortly after we got to
partake in this huge, delicious meal. It
was just what we needed after working all day so hard. The best part came after dinner. The men at the rehab center came up with this
brilliant idea and made it happen. They
built a sauna on the property. Yes a
sauna in the middle of nowhere Ukraine where there isn’t even indoor
plumbing. Basically this sauna house
thing consisted of three rooms. The
first one was where you got undressed and ready to go into the sauna. The third room was the sauna. It was heated by a wood burning stove. The second room contained a big bathtub with
cold water that you mixed hot water from the sauna room with to make warm water
to wash off all your sweat and toxins that you sweated out. After eating, me and Jess spent some time in
the sauna. It was 72 degrees
Celsius. It was relaxing and
magnificent. Definitely a once and a
lifetime experience to get to go to a sauna in the middle of nowhere Ukraine.
After our wonderfully sauna time, we went back to the main
house where we had sweets and tea. We
then just hung out for a long time. It
really felt like Thanksgiving with family.
Lots of food and just relaxing enjoying each other’s company. Andrew met a buddy that played guitar also
and they had a jam session. Seriously
one of the most epic jam sessions ever.
It was like two music prodigies found each other and it was beautiful to
all of us. We ended up back at home
around 10 pm so it made for a long day.
But a day I will never forget and one of my favorites on the Race so
far.
