It’s been almost 2 weeks since we left the village of Frunza in Crimea, Ukraine, and I’m still struggling to write this post. Maybe my team and I are still in denial that we had to leave such an amazing family behind.
The Biletskys & their cousins are a dream. I loved every minute I spent with them. I don’t have many individual shots of the kids; they move like a flock. Always together. But our group shots, as you can see, were fun and numerous.
Angelina worked so hard every day, doing her best to translate the rapid Russian all around us so we could know what was going on. She made bracelets for us as a going-away gift.
me, Tiff, Kelsie, Angelina, Sarah, Amber – with new bracelets!
Vanya is a character. Despite being confined to a wheelchair, he gets around easily… and hilariously. He never enters a room or picks something up from the table without making robot noises. And he beatboxes.
Ira is quiet and sweet. She introduced us to a few of her friends in town, and we had a few fun days playing Ultimate Frisbee with them. She was up for anything we wanted to do: running, volleyball, or just helping with the dishes.
Daniel loves taking pictures. He and his siblings & cousins have dozens of fun photoshoots. I grabbed this one from his Facebook. By the time we had to leave, Daniel’s english had improved so much. Even with the language barriers, I’m amazed at how much we were all able to laugh and have fun together.
Ira, Luda, Nadia, Tolya, Daniel, and Anya
Daniel & his camera
Pasha and his guitar were the background of most of our activities: serenading the old folks’ home, playing in the park, singing in church, hanging out in the kitchen… there was ALWAYS music. He also spoke really great English and helped translate for us.
Pasha at the church on the cliff
The whole “Sound of Music”-esque show is run by one incredible woman. Any baby anything revealed her soft heart. She rescued a hedgehog from the garden one day, as well as an injured bird and a cat or two. That shouldn’t have been a surprise from a woman who has fostered and adopted so many children. I wrote already about the time I spent with her, and how I admire her. We may have called her “Mama” but I truly consider her a friend.
Anya and me, always in the kitchen
I could go on about each family member, but the pictures say more than what my memories can. Ukraine is now at the top of my list of places to revisit one day. I have nothing but good memories from June!
-Katie
all of us at our goodbye party/beach bonfire
back: Pasha, Luda
middle: Angelina, Nadia, Sarah, Tiff, Kelsie, me, Amber, Little Anya, Anton
front: Andrean, Vanya, Mama Anya, Ira
Home Sweet Frunze from Katie Hines on Vimeo.
