Journals from the week ending April 25, 1997
The Ukraine
Abbey Wood, 4/16/97, aboard ship...As we sailed our ship into Odessa, a cold brisk wind brushed across our faces. Ukrainian officials were there to greet us. Most of them spoke Russian, so we were a little worried that we were going to have problems communicating with them.
A few hours later, I went ashore excited and interested in what the Ukraine and the people would be like. The buildings were very old; the city looked like it probably did a hundred years ago. As I walked along the streets there were salami, fresh pastries, bread, and other baked goodies everywhere. The smells of fresh food filled the air and created a warm feeling of welcome. As we walked along the main street, I noticed the fashion, buildings and technology were not as modern as those of North America. We saw people playing chess in a park and street vendors were everywhere. One vendor offered to sketch our faces for a price. Another street vendor offered us the opportunity to have our picture taken with a cute dressed up monkey. There were flowers everywhere—beautiful roses and carnations. We wandered around all day observing in amazement the old buildings and different people.
The next day we went to a school to meet some Ukrainian students. They spoke English so we were able to communicate with them. Their school structure is very similar to ours back home. Later we met with the students again, hosting them on our ship. They were very kind and we all shared similar likes, dislikes, hobbies, etc. They also liked the same music that we do. They were very hospitable and polite to us. They took us to stores, shops, restaurants, and the post office. They translated Russian for us which helped us communicate with the store clerks.
In our conversations with them, our Ukrainian friends told us many things about their country. The capital and largest city is Kiev. Many of the people speak Ukranian (a Slavic language closely related to Russian) which is the official language. Russian is also widely spoken. The main religion is Ukranian Orthodox Christianity. Russians, Moldovans, Belarusians, Hungarians, Bulgarians, Poles and Crimean Tatars make up the Ukraine population.
In closing, I come away from this port visit with some very special and close Ukrainian friends and memories I will always cherish. When we departed Odessa harbor, with the cold wind again brushing our faces, we stood on deck and waved goodbye to our Ukrainian friends, tears filling the eyes of some of us. We hope that we will have the chance to see them again.
Odessa
Josh Rogan, 4/18/97, aboard ship...
I had never heard of the Ukraine before our visit to Odessa. This gave me an open mind and instilled in me a sense of curiosity and wonder. The first day out my group and I set off walking with no expectations but to maybe find some ‘this and that’ for the next leg at sea. We walked for hours down this quiet street lined with beautiful old buildings on either side. We spent the day enjoying the amazing Ukrainian architecture in this quiet part of town, not knowing that the busy shops, cafes, and parks of Odessa were only one block over.
I’d say it was a blessing in disguise that we didn’t find the street with people and traffic because instead we met this real character named George. He was roughly 40 years old, half the size of the shortest person in our group, and radiated joy and hospitality. He noticed that we were speaking English and that we basically were content with being lost in his city. George was kind enough to ask if we would join him on his walk to the market. We eagerly walked with him, sharing stories of our travels with Class Afloat. The market was located in this immense, old building filled with fresh vegetables, mountains of homemade cheese and Ukrainian pastries. Let me tell you, these people really know how to make cheese.
Now that it’s been several days since leaving Odessa, I am left with great memories of the Ukraine. I enjoy reminiscing about playing the guitar to Odessa high school students. I also had the unique opportunity to meet Ukrainian sailors my own age who came unexpectedly to see the ship. I hope to keep in touch with my new friends in Odessa, including good old George.