The Grand Finale

Tuesday started early for the workteam as we prepared to cheer on the IVA students running a 5K race from Hope Center to the Black Sea and back. We had a post on the route and encouraged them on to the finish line. All received a t shirt with the words "Borsch powered" on the back. After crepes for breakfast, we prepared for the Graduation Ceremony and also packed our suitcases for the trip home.

The ceremony began with speeches and gifts to thank teachers and staff of Hope Center. Each received a certificate, an award for personal characteristic, and a gift of money from the workteam. Some had passed their driver license test and received that also. A trio of IVA guys entertained with a song and five of the IVA class of 2007 returned to say a few words at the ceremony. It was great to see them make the effort to be there.
Ice cream and goodies were served.

It was time to board the van and depart from Hope Center. We traveled for 5 hours to Yalta where we stayed in the old (1927) part of town in a newly remodeled bed and breakfast. We began Wednesday with our guide, Yuri, by taking a boatride out on the Black Sea to the Swallow's Nest high up on a cliff- about 700 stair steps up. Sara Gaw who along with her husband, Matt, accompanied us on the trip was nearly carried away by two eagles. You see the Swallow's Nest up on the cliff behind her.

We also toured the grounds of the Lividian Palace which was unfortunately closed that day. After a lunch at a Pizza place, we walked through the beautiful botanical Nikiti Gardens.

From there the van took us to Simperofel to catch our flight to Kiev that night. We stayed in downtown Kiev and began the day at McDonald's for breakfast. We were able to walk around the War Memorial Museum and Park. This huge statue symbolizes the Motherland to the Ukrainians

It glistened beautifully against the blue sky.

We did a little more gift shopping and left for the airport. Our return to USA went well for most of us- Kiev to Frankfort, Germany- to Chicago to home! Great to sleep in our own beds and eat good old American food again. Two days of jet lag and we are back to normal again--our willingness to go to Ukraine as a"Life Changer" has resulted in our own lives being changed as well.