Category Archives: Ukraine

Around the World in 18 Barbers’ Chairs

From Bulgaria to Vietnam, Shawn visits barber shops around the world.

An Apple for an Apple: An International Tale of Citizen Diplomacy

As the midnight train bound for St. Petersburg rumbled through the pitch-black Moldovan countryside, I tried valiantly to remain asleep, but my attempts were futile. The cabin was cozier than expected. We had plenty of room to stretch out and we were given care packages filled with comfortable bedding. However, the atmosphere was sweltering hot and unfamiliar. Romanian-Moldovan and Russian filled the air,Continue reading “An Apple for an Apple: An International Tale of Citizen Diplomacy”

From Homeless Kitten to Swiss Prince: A Cocoa Update

Just one month ago, a 500-gram bundle of mischief and joy came into our lives on the streets of the stunning Ukrainian city of Lviv. As you may remember from my earlier post chronicling Cocoa’s adventures with us, the kitten’s story commenced in a sad fashion, when he was discarded behind a series of dumpsters right beforeContinue reading “From Homeless Kitten to Swiss Prince: A Cocoa Update”

Homeward Bound: A Homeless Ukrainian Kitten’s Incredible Journey

As the golden leaves of autumn danced from the branches above, a man walked past us, a black kitten in his hands. Since there was an open-air pet market selling puppies in vintage playpens and kittens in birdcages just around the corner, we thought the man had just purchased a kitten. I had cheery visionsContinue reading “Homeward Bound: A Homeless Ukrainian Kitten’s Incredible Journey”