I’ve been in Ukraine two weeks now, and it has already been quite an adventure! Karaoke, getting yelled at by a babushka (an old woman), and giving a persistent street kid a piggy back ride have all been part of my experience here. I realized the other day that this country has actually already given me some of my funniest and most random stories of the World Race, so here they are. My top 3 favorite Ukrainian stories.
1. The immigration officer played a prank on me. Let me set the scene for you. We had just gotten off the plane ride into Kiev, Ukraine. Like whenever we enter a new country, we had to go through customs and immigration. Ukraine has what is probably the most unorganized entrance system I’ve seen on the Race, and remember I’ve been in Africa. There were no lines; apparently, in this country they don’t use lines. Added to this was that at every new plane arrival there was a huge rush and a planeful of grown people budging in front of me! Oh and did I mention all the Hasidic Jews in town? Yeah, there were dozens and dozens of them surrounding us, which really just added to the weirdness and surreality. Finally, I get up to the front of the line so I hand the officer my passport. And he asks me where I’m going, specifically he wants to know the name of the hostel we’re staying at. Well, I don’t know that, Sir. And then he gives it to me and says, “No address, no Ukraine.” I’m a little panicked now because he seems pretty serious. I ask my squad leader who was behind me, but she couldn’t remember. So I give an awkward nervous smile and yell across this official room to one of our logisiticians, “Tyler! Where’s our hostel?” He didn’t know either. Huh…uh oh. At this point, I’m so tired I really don’t even care, so I just say, “Well I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t know the name, but you already let half my group in. So are you gonna let me into your country or not?” We awkwardly stare at each other for 10 seconds. Then he laughs and starts mimicking me, yelling “Tyler, Tyler.” I don’t smile back. Another awkward couple seconds staring at each other. Finally, I hear the stamp on my passport. Welcome to Ukraine.
2. I was accosted by a tiger mascot. The first week here in Ukraine, I got to spend with all the other team leaders on our Leadership Retreat in Kiev. On one particular day, a group of us were walking around town when I spotted a man dressed in a tiger mascot costume. Well as many of you know, I am a Clemson University tiger through and through. And all I could really think about was how much I missed South Carolina and how awesome this facebook profile pic was gonna be, so I run up to him. The tiger gives me a big hug, and we start talking. Surprise! He speaks English! This was getting better and better! He said he was the “animal of the year.” Well, this sounds pretty legit and official, right? In my head, he worked for the department of tourism or something; I mean why else would a grown man be wearing a tiger costume? Apparently, I was the only one in our group to think this dude was legit. My squad leader, Austin, had already turned to a fellow leader and said, “He’s a creepy kitty.” Turns out Austin was right. We start snapping photos, and he’s loving it posing us in various ways. The last shot was a bit…awkward and dare I say risque. So I kinda awkwardly laugh and start to move away which makes the tiger sad. So then he’s trying to get everyone in our group to take photos with him as we walk away, and then somehow and for some reason he’s taken his mascot head off and following us. Saying, “I am just a pussy pussy cat” repeatedly, he proceeded to follow us for several blocks. About a block in, he starts asking me for money (I was not aware that this photo op cost money). I tell him we don’t have any, but he doesn’t believe me so he keeps following us until finally we promise to delete the photos. Gah! But it was all worth it for my love of the tigers! (Go Clemson!)
