Before I came to Ukraine, I spent hours compiling a list of things that supposedly couldn't be found here, worried there might be something I just couldn't live without.
Let me tell you this: you can find anything in Ukraine. Seriously, in a place where you can buy Oil of Olay products next to apple-scented toilet paper, what can't you buy?!
Oh yeah, one thing: peanut butter.
Aside from that, I've had no trouble finding anything else, even things I was warned would be impossible to find, like post-it notes and vegetable peelers.
Lesson planning, bathtub cleaning, a brief visit from EC and his Muscovite girlfriend, and grocery shopping is how I spent my day. I discovered two new (small) supermarkets for buying household items like shampoo, cleaning solutions, etc. I revisited the tea shop for anti-stress tea (it's reaaaaaally good tea) and the lady there was really happy to see me. Also got a chocolate roiboos tea. Please don't ask me how much tea I have in my cupboard. It's fantastic.
I went to the little market to pick up another item and was greeted by another saleswoman who remembered me. The other customer present had gone to Vancouver, British Columbia before and went off on a long speech about how life is better “over there”. Then she asked me if all of Alaska belonged to the USA or if parts of it belonged to Canada.
(You may have noticed I have done a lot of shopping- and none of it for fun things like clothes!- I can't wait for my first paycheck....a whole more week...)
Side note: one of the American? Canadian? teachers here told me that "in USA" is correct. What do you think, my English-speaking readers? I don't think I've ever heard a single person say that. My vote is 100% for "in the USA". Is this a regional thing?
Ahhhh....much, much, much more lesson planning waits. Must get back to it. But briefly- D plans to come to Kharkov in October!!!!!! We can't wait! He just has a couple more things to see through in Washington...... We told each other we'd never again spend so much time apart!
And I bought seasons 1 - 4 of the Tudors today, as I'm running out of reading material on the Kindle. It cost $2.50. Take that, Amazon.com!
My vote is for "in the USA". I've never heard anyone saying just "in USA". I always feel ashamed when in my speech I forget "the" in front of "USA" :)
ReplyDelete"In the USA" is the only correct way!!!!
ReplyDeleteRe: "one thing: peanut butter."
ReplyDeleteQui quaerit, reperit!
You're not alone with such question:
http://www.kharkovforum.com/showthread.php?t=761016&page=2
According to the forum, the peanut butter was possible to find at:
1. 'Proletarskaya' subway station, 'Vostorg' store:
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=49.9441504&lon=36.3997221&z=15&l=0&m=b
2. 5 min. driving from Kharkov airport, 'Metro Cash&Carry':
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=49.9330728&lon=36.2647829&z=14&l=0&m=b
3. 5 min. walking from 'Nauchnaja' subway station, 'Vostorg' store:
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=50.0136961&lon=36.2160873&z=14&l=0&m=b
Mr. M and Lena, thanks for the vote of confidence. I could have sworn it's not possible to use USA without an article, but hearing another American say it's okay really shook me.
ReplyDeleteRoman, thank you for the tips! I will pass that on to my colleague, the one who has been dreaming of peanut butter since he arrived here :)