Few days ago Igor got sick. He started to cough on Friday morning. By Friday evening he really looked bad. He coughed very hard. He was gagging. I called Sandra and Maria for an advice. Many thanks to Sandra for calming me down and giving me some pointers what Igor could have. Following the phone call with Sandra I took poor sick Igor to the vet clinic. My usual vet Alexey Nikolaevich had a day off. The vet on duty was a young lady - Elena Mihailovna. Elena Mihailovna joined the clinic about a year ago. She is blond. With purple roots. Seems someone told her it is not elegant to do things quickly. So Elena Mihailovna puts efforts to be very sl.o.o.o.w.
I placed Igor on the examination table. While holding him I explained Elena Mihailovna his symptoms.
Elena Mihailovna attentively listened. Even more attentively she looked at him. This gave me some comfort.
After a while I exhausted my explanations and stopped talking. Igor continued wheezing.
Elena kept her deep gaze on Igor. Than she looked at me and very slowly and evenly asked:
"D o e s h e b i t e?"
Hearing the question I was at loss. Is she a vet? If she is afraid of dog biting how come she became a vet?
Igor's wheezing continued. I decided to leave questions about Elena's career choice aside and respond to her as truthfully as I can:
"Igor usually bites men. But as you do not look like a man you might be safe".
Elena Mihailovna gave me a penetrating look.
I was afraid she will see my serious doubts about Igor biting habits. Finally Elena Mihailovna said:
"I n d e e d I d o n o t l o o k l i k e a m a n."
Seems this affirmation of being a woman gave Elena Mihailovna confidence. She got busy. She measured Igor's temperature (39.4). Took blood sample. Gave him injections. Prescribed medicine. Igor did not even growl. Might be he liked her purple hair roots.
To Elena Mihailovna's credit - following her perscriptions - two days later Igor fully recovered.
He is already chasing joggers in the park.
But what an unexpected question from the vet.
Today the lab analysis confirmed Igor had a bronchitis.
Once again - many, many thanks to Sandra for her advice.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Kiev-Sumy Road Photos
Fields. Trucks. Tractors. Road police. Geese. Gas pipes. Cows. Deer. http://picasaweb.google.com/gordie26/RoadToSumy?authkey=Gv1sRgCJGV8ImMk6qZ3gE&feat=directlink
Saint Sophia Cathedral
Saint Sophia Cathedral is one of my favourite spots in Kiev. The cathedral has mosaics from 11 century. UNESCO put it on the heritage list. 
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Afghan vet discount
On Thursday I had to visit a client in Sumy – a regional city about 340 km from Kiev. The fastest train takes 7 hours from Kiev to Sumy. We decided to go by the office car. Our driver was Volodya.
Volodya is the first person to welcome me on the airport when I arrived to Ukraine in 2008. He is very friendly but not talkative. When Volodya is nervous or something is not to his liking - he starts humming some melody.
He is married. His wife is a teacher at the elementary school. They have two kids - a daughter who is at the University and a 10 year old son. His family has a lovely Yorkshire terrier.
About two years ago - while my friends were visiting me in Kiev - I had a problem with a car. It was a cold Saturday evening in the late December and my car would not start. Volodya came to help me. I later found out the same evening he celebrated his birthday. I will never forget to congratulate him for his birthday.
Upon my arrival to Kiev during our brief conversations we came to the subject of travelling. I asked Volodya if he had travelled abroad. His answer was yes. Volodya never volunteers information but I continued to be curious. My next question was where he was abroad. “Afghanistan, Greece and Turkey” – was Volodya’s response. I could not stop myself asking questions. I found out Volodya was in Afghanistan at the end of the soviet war - from 1987 to 1988. He was deployed with some logistic unit as a driver. No wonder he is an excellent driver. On Thursday driving from Kiev to Sumy Volodya was averaging about 130 km/h. My top speed on the same road would be 70 km/h - if I would be very brave. About 50 km before Sumy - at the place called Sula - the road police stopped us. Volodya mumbled something about bed luck. Took his papers. Stepped out of the car. Following a short conversation with the policeman, Volodya headed with the police guy towards a police car. They set in the car.
When exceeding the speed limit a fee depends how fast the car drove. The fee range is usually between UAH 200-400. We were way over the speed limit and my estimate was Volodya would have to pay about UAH 400. Which for Ukraine circumstance is a significant amount. The office does not cover police “fees” for drivers.
* 50 UAH is about 5 EUR
Volodya is the first person to welcome me on the airport when I arrived to Ukraine in 2008. He is very friendly but not talkative. When Volodya is nervous or something is not to his liking - he starts humming some melody.
He is married. His wife is a teacher at the elementary school. They have two kids - a daughter who is at the University and a 10 year old son. His family has a lovely Yorkshire terrier.
About two years ago - while my friends were visiting me in Kiev - I had a problem with a car. It was a cold Saturday evening in the late December and my car would not start. Volodya came to help me. I later found out the same evening he celebrated his birthday. I will never forget to congratulate him for his birthday.
Upon my arrival to Kiev during our brief conversations we came to the subject of travelling. I asked Volodya if he had travelled abroad. His answer was yes. Volodya never volunteers information but I continued to be curious. My next question was where he was abroad. “Afghanistan, Greece and Turkey” – was Volodya’s response. I could not stop myself asking questions. I found out Volodya was in Afghanistan at the end of the soviet war - from 1987 to 1988. He was deployed with some logistic unit as a driver. No wonder he is an excellent driver. On Thursday driving from Kiev to Sumy Volodya was averaging about 130 km/h. My top speed on the same road would be 70 km/h - if I would be very brave. About 50 km before Sumy - at the place called Sula - the road police stopped us. Volodya mumbled something about bed luck. Took his papers. Stepped out of the car. Following a short conversation with the policeman, Volodya headed with the police guy towards a police car. They set in the car.
When exceeding the speed limit a fee depends how fast the car drove. The fee range is usually between UAH 200-400. We were way over the speed limit and my estimate was Volodya would have to pay about UAH 400. Which for Ukraine circumstance is a significant amount. The office does not cover police “fees” for drivers.
From my back seat I took photos of a second policeman standing and a police car where Volodya was negotiating a fee. After 5 min Volodya was still in the car. I got concerned. But I knew stepping out of the car would not help. After about 10 min Volodya finally gets out of the police car. The policeman also gets out. They walk towards our car. They are both engaged in a conversation. They approach the car. Volodya opens the door. Before getting in the car he shakes hands with the policeman. The policeman says something which translates like “good luck”. Volodya thanks him. Watching all of this from the car I get confused.
When Volodya finally starts the car and move from the policeman I impatiently ask him: "How much have you paid? " "UAH 50". "50"? - I am in disbelief. "How come?" - "Well I showed the policeman my Afghan vet card. We had a chat about Afghanistan. He let me go with 50 UAH."
"Seems you have an Afghan vet discount card" I concluded. Volodya smiled and continued to average 130 km/h.
I found interesting how for usually ruthless - and only in money interested road policeman - an Afghan deployment still means something. It's more than 20 years since the soviets pulled out but (at least) this policman thinks that an Afghan soviet vet has to be charged only a symbolic fee of UAH 50.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Guards
Next to our office is a construction site. The building under construction was supposed to be an annex to the existing business centre. Although the workers continued to build during the crisis now for almost a year there is no activity. I will consider that the crisis in Ukraine is over when the construction on this site resumes.
The abandoned construction site is in the meantime in a custody of a stray dog. He not only guards the site. He watches the road too. If he does not like a car or a person he starts barking - and chasing. Seems he is the alpha dog of the area. I saw him roaming with the pack streets nearby. While he has his pack - on the building - it's only him. No other dog is allowed.
I often wanted to take his photo. So far he was camera shy. Today I was finally lucky and here are two photos of him. While his white coat is a bit dusty his markings are very pretty. Especially on his head. Unfortunately my photos do not reflect well his top dog attitude and how handsome he is.
In this photo the dog is carefully watching two of my colleagues. Elena - one who waves - returned to work last week after 12 months of maternity leave. Larysa (in pink shirt) currently works in my department.
Few days ago I took a photo of a different security guard. I find it typical for building security personnel in Kiev - in full security gear, smoking.
It should not be too hard to guess whom I consider a better guard.
The abandoned construction site is in the meantime in a custody of a stray dog. He not only guards the site. He watches the road too. If he does not like a car or a person he starts barking - and chasing. Seems he is the alpha dog of the area. I saw him roaming with the pack streets nearby. While he has his pack - on the building - it's only him. No other dog is allowed.
I often wanted to take his photo. So far he was camera shy. Today I was finally lucky and here are two photos of him. While his white coat is a bit dusty his markings are very pretty. Especially on his head. Unfortunately my photos do not reflect well his top dog attitude and how handsome he is. 
In this photo the dog is carefully watching two of my colleagues. Elena - one who waves - returned to work last week after 12 months of maternity leave. Larysa (in pink shirt) currently works in my department. Few days ago I took a photo of a different security guard. I find it typical for building security personnel in Kiev - in full security gear, smoking.
It should not be too hard to guess whom I consider a better guard.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Holiday sponsors
My weekend reading includes some local weeklies. Magazines I buy fight for democracy and freedom of speech. Write about corruption. Headlines this week are: "The officials ignore Yanukovich", "How Yanukovich pushes personality cult", "Will Yulia Tymoshenko be jailed?"
But I was intrigued by this headline in Korespondent: "For a vacation in Maldives or Crimea - thousands will pay with sex". The article describes tens of local websites on which thousands of Ukrainians - male and female - post classifieds for a sponsored vaction. The article also gives websites and links. One of the links is: http://tour.bigmir.net/traveler/
Here is a rough translation of few ads:
"Female - 18 years old with long blond hair looks for a sponsored vacation to UAE, Monaco, France or Spain. She prefers a company of a man up to 35 who will entirely take care of holiday arrangements. Requirements for sponsored vacation are: 5 star hotel, paid flights, paid visa support (i.e payment and all arrangements to get Schengen visa) and all other expenses such as shopping covered. The classified also adds "strictly no sex". This young Ukrainian female is available for sponsored vacation end of September. She is also open for sponsored holiday suggestions in other countries for Xmas".
Another classified by female "Juicy" emphasizes: I am not interested (nor excited) by a man who expects a woman to pay for herself. I want that a man pays for me". Juicy does not exclude sex.
The site has men classifieds too. About half of them will happily pay for a vacation. Some in their profile under "Financial status" put "able to pay for all".
The article writer contacted some men who posted classifieds to comment on "strictly no sex". The usual response was: not paying USD2000-2500 for vacation without a test-drive.
Seems the meaning of "vacation money" is also subject to cultural differences and depends on a country.
But I was intrigued by this headline in Korespondent: "For a vacation in Maldives or Crimea - thousands will pay with sex". The article describes tens of local websites on which thousands of Ukrainians - male and female - post classifieds for a sponsored vaction. The article also gives websites and links. One of the links is: http://tour.bigmir.net/traveler/
Here is a rough translation of few ads:
"Female - 18 years old with long blond hair looks for a sponsored vacation to UAE, Monaco, France or Spain. She prefers a company of a man up to 35 who will entirely take care of holiday arrangements. Requirements for sponsored vacation are: 5 star hotel, paid flights, paid visa support (i.e payment and all arrangements to get Schengen visa) and all other expenses such as shopping covered. The classified also adds "strictly no sex". This young Ukrainian female is available for sponsored vacation end of September. She is also open for sponsored holiday suggestions in other countries for Xmas".
Another classified by female "Juicy" emphasizes: I am not interested (nor excited) by a man who expects a woman to pay for herself. I want that a man pays for me". Juicy does not exclude sex.
The site has men classifieds too. About half of them will happily pay for a vacation. Some in their profile under "Financial status" put "able to pay for all".
The article writer contacted some men who posted classifieds to comment on "strictly no sex". The usual response was: not paying USD2000-2500 for vacation without a test-drive.
Seems the meaning of "vacation money" is also subject to cultural differences and depends on a country.
Confused Chestnuts
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