Report #22–October 15, 2021

Featured Photo: Gif and Nate arrived in Kyiv and then connected to Ivano-Frankivsk with ALL their luggage! Shown here are Nate, Gif, Julia, Anya

Today was a day of “coming and going”! It started early for me with more meetings in which I am discussing the problems we are having clearing shipments in Ukraine. Then it was off to Borispol Airport (Kyiv) to meet Gif and Nate as they entered. Their plane was a little late and they had a close connection so it was nerve-wrecking to wait and wait for their exit from Customs. At first, we got a phone call from Gif asking Tanya’s Ukrainian telephone number because he needed it for the tracking AP that they wanted to put on his phone. Then Nate was first out saying that Gif had been pulled over and Gif told him to keep walking. Eventually Gif emerged and all bags were present (I think a first for Gif’s international travel record). Gif said the problem was that suddenly there were new COVID regulations that were popped on them. He told them that such were not posted on the website and all they replied was that “things change.” It seems it does not matter what your status is there is a random selection that is used. If you are the selected then you have to download the AP, get tested and stay quarantined until your test comes back negative. Nate will get the test in Ivano-Frankivsk and hopefully it will be negative or he could be quarantined for the duration of his visit.

Gif and Nate arrived in Ivano-Frankivsk just as Caleb was going into the departure area and they never saw one another. Caleb had left Zelena in the morning going to the airport in Ivano-Frankivsk. However, on the way down the mountain the car had problems and they were stuck. Thankfully they were able to contact someone else who took Caleb to the airport so he did not miss his flight. Upon arriving in Borispol, Caleb had to get a COVID negative test so he could leave at 7:00 am tomorrow. We got the test and the necessary “negative result” and all is set for his return. Tomorrow will be another day at the airport as I will leave to go to Zaporozhe. I have had a number of telephone calls from the folks there who are eager for my arrival.