two big things today

i know i haven't actually said much about ukraine and kiev yet. i'm getting there.
two things i can say about my experience in kiev today; one great, one a bit ominous.

first the great thing- i have found a mothers group! they are ex-pats and all speak english! i went to my first meeting today at a lovely lady's apartment nearer the city centre. what a nice apartment too! makes our little hole-in-the-wall feel even more like that.
it was quite a mix of backgrounds present; czech, french, american, spanish, ukrainian and good ol' aussie me. there may have been more but i didn't drill everyone on their histories! the babies ages ranged from percy the youngest at 3 months (exactly today) to 4 1/2 months to a few around the 6-9 month range and one celebrating his 1st birthday tomorrow.
mums and bubs were very welcoming and i felt comfortable to sit on the floor with percy propped between my legs and play with the toys there. so much so that one little girl crawled over to me and clambered up to standing using my leg within seconds of me getting in the door. she'll be a heart-breaker in years to come, i've never seen such long eyelashes on a baby, a drag queen yes, but not a baby.
often i'll sit in the background in new scenarios and groups and make up some excuse to leave early. today was different. perhaps i've just come to the conclusion that if i don't make an effort here and do things for myself (and percy) i will have a very bad six months of it. so i'm proud i figured out how to get to the apartment- with the help of a map paul printed out for me, that i persevered in figuring out which apartment it was- believe me this is no small feat in kiev, i'll explain the street addresses system, or apparent lack thereof, later, that i spoke to everyone there and was proactive rather than shrinking on the sidelines. it appeared many friendships in the group go back many months or even years but no-one was exclusory (word?) and i didn't adopt an air of unapproachability. so, yay me!

the second thing...
not so nice. i encountered my first group of neo-nazi skin heads. there is a racism problem in ukraine and russia. so much so that a big demonstration was held in the main square, independance square, yesterday to highlight the problem and urge politicians to make legislation that will make racist attacks crimes. however this is not likely to happen until after the september elections and legislation doesn't stop this sort of crime and the hurt and injury it causes. it just gives the victims and their loved ones something to concentrate on after the fact. the people who violently attack others because of language or colour or ethnicity or any other determining factor are not exactly sane and sensible- these same people murdered a 10 year old girl in moscow a couple of years ago.
my encounter was very mild, i might even have made it up. before heading to my mother's group meeting i went across to paul's office to pick up the map he printed for me. the office is only a ten minute walk from the apartment. i then retraced my steps to get to the metro (train) station. walking down the steps to the metro i was passed by a group of five young men with the standard shaven heads and evil slogans on their t-shirts. they were talking amongst themselves but i thought they may have addressed some sentences to me. not speaking ukrainian or russian i couldn't be sure. however another lady walking with her young daughter (6 or 7 years?) near me jerked abruptly, looked up, looked at me and started walking quite slowly, putting space between herself and the youths. being ignorant and trusting i didn't really notice this until looking at it in hindsight. i just fell into step behind the guys. it only takes a couple of minutes to walk from the entrance to the metro, past a bunch of shops and a food court (like wynyard or town hall- except very different too!) in this time it did work its way into my brain that the youths continued to look over their shoulders at me and possibly say things to me. i too slowed down and let them get well ahead of me. before the doors to the metro they stopped at a shop and i had to pass them. nothing happened and they did not come into the metro station.
besides all this, there were tens of people around all the time. i don't think i was at any real risk. if i feel anything else at any other time in the future tho, rest assured i'll act faster, smarter and we'll be on our way home pronto. absolutely nothing comes before percy's well being.

so a mixed day... on the whole a very good one.
i can't look like that much of a foreigner, twice since arriving while walking on the streets around the apartment i've been asked for directions! sadly i've had to shake my head and say i only speak english, that i'm no use to them.
plus people can be very nice too you know. as i explained in an earlier post the walk to the supermarket is a bloody painful long way. i made the trip this morning or we'd be drinking the tap water for dinner (don't drink the water in ukraine) and needing to wear percy's nappies in lieu of loo paper. ha ha, was that one of the worst puns you've heard? anyways i was halfway up the ratty hill on the way back with percy in the sling on my front, a backpack full of heavy tins and stuff on my back and two big bags of groceries in my hands. a very plush 4wd pulled up alongside and the window slid down. a very plush and pretty girl in the drivers seat i'm sure offered me a lift (isn't this language thing a shit? i should try to learn more.) isn't that nice? i politely refused. at least i hope it was polite. stupidly the main reason i refused was because i can't remember the name of our street. that is my task for tomorrow- REMEMBER STREET NAME. i therefore couldn't have told her where to take me. i would have loved a lift!! plus falling in with the rich crowd in this city can't be too bad a thing. why do i assume she was rich? there is a huge divide in ukraine between the rich and the poor. and the rich are obviously rich- big houses and flash cars. apparently there are more luxury cars in kiev than any other city in the world, except moscow. i'm not sure i believe that but hey, let them keep their urban myths. the reason for the luxury cars is the corruption and the ill gotten gains that have marked this country for decades. the lucky ones stole and cheated their way to millions and everyone else lives on an average salary of $500 a month. you can't afford a brand new 4wd on $500 a month.
so despite her wealth most likely being derived by her father being a bastard i would have liked a lift and perhaps forming a friendship with someone on the happy side of life. let's not get into the debate on whether money makes you happy. if you get it the right way and spend it the right way of course it does. bugger off.

this is far longer than i intended. i've got little miss off to sleep and i'm going to shower and join her in the land of nod. it's a public holiday here tomorrow- we might go do more touristy stuff!