Bat Cave Questions

Hi Mrs. Borrel and Third Grade.

Hey Sydney....

I am so glad to hear that you are all reading the blog while I am working here in Ukraine.  It is a very beautiful city and the people have been very helpful, their ability to speak English is so much better then my ability to speak Ukrainian but each day I try harder and harder to speak the words properly and to learn a new word.

While I am working here there is a lady who helps us to make sure we have what we need to do our jobs and to make sure everything is OK with our hotel.  Her name is Oksana and she has two boys, one, whose name is Oleksii (but he likes to be called Alex) is about a year older then you all.  I was able to spend some time with them on Saturday so I asked them your question about school uniforms.

When Oksana was a girl, her country of Ukraine was under the rule of another country, Russia, and it was required to wear a uniform to school from Kindergarten all the way through High-School.  She said her uniform was a long black dress and she wore an apron from the waist down.  She said she has fond memories of her uniform.

Today, Ukraine is independent, they make their own laws and rules so there are some schools where a uniform is required and some schools where students, like you at Carpenter Hill, can wear what you want.  Alex goes to a school where a uniform is required.  Oksana has mixed feelings about the uniform, on the one hand she really likes it because your child knows what to wear each day, there are no discussions or questions (or arguments) about what one is going to wear each day, it's easy.  But on the other hand, the uniform her son is required to wear is made of wool, it is very good in the winter because it keeps him warm but it is very hot and uncomfortable in the summer.  This uniform is also very expensive so if there was a lighter and more affordable uniform that Alex could wear then Oksana would be very happy.

The team that went to Lviv were able to get some pictures for you guys outside of the city while they were on the train.  Thank you Darren (Malaysia), Aline (Brazil - Blond Hair), and Flavia (Brazil - Black Hair).









As you can see, the countryside is very green and seems very lush, sadly, Texas is not that fortunate to get as much rain as Ukraine does, plus it is not as hot here as back home.

I did bring my Carpenter Hill Colt t-shirt with me so I wore it out to dinner today and had Cheryl take a picture of me in it for you.  I am having a turkey pot pie and a cherry pie for dessert along with a Coca-Cola which is served in a glass bottle but then poured into a glass to drink.  I have noticed that all the drinks come in bottles here - either glass or plastic and I asked Oksana if Kyiv has a large recycling program with all the recyclable glass and plastic bottles.  Sadly, she said, "No, not yet, but hopefully it will come here."  So keep recycling and composting over the summer, I know Mrs. Borrel will be happy if you do, so will I.