Coloring Yalta

 

I thought of Tara’s words often this month while in Ukraine.  It really is colorless here at times.  When I stood in the airport waiting to enter the country, I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it here.  There were no lines to get to the customs counter, just a jam packed room and everyone shoving forward to be at the next available window. I got pushed and shoved and even yelled at (in Ukrainian) by the guard when I got pushed over the sacred yellow line. At this point I hadn’t slept in a bed in over 36 hours and was in my third country within that same time frame. I really wasn’t in the best mood.

 

The city of Yalta was a part of Russia until 30 years ago when Crimea was given to Ukraine,  There is a lot of history here and a lot of underlying hostility. No, the people here may not smile at you when you smile at them. In fact, they will look at you like you are up to no good. That’s a scar of the past. When you live in a world where smiling gets you sent to the front lines because you stick out as a trouble maker, your stone face becomes your saving grace. However, when you get talking to people, you will find the most helpful and warm people who have so much to offer. For example: an adorable older woman at the post office who gave us money for stamps one day.