Blocks

Jenna in front of stone wall

Before I explain the title and picture, I would like to say that everything with Maxim is going well as we slog through the 10 day waiting period. I feel like it is slogging. We are not doing any paperwork (we can't legally at this point) we really have nothing to do other that to be with Maxim, (which is great of course). However we are getting a little stir crazy. I currently have things that can be done at work and I feel "Stuck" here. Oh well, I guess they do not call it "waiting period" without a good reason.

Ok now to the picture. Of course the photo shows Jenna my lovely wife, but what I am really taking a picture of is the block wall (Don't tell Jenna), Jenna is in the picture for scale. What are these blocks? Well they are cut out of the mountains on the Crimean peninsula. They are used very often for building around here, both in homes and in walls. They seem to be quite layered and not quite solid. When you examine them closely they appear a little like Swiss cheese with air pockets all over. Apparently these stones are favored for building material as they are cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Stone and concrete is almost exclusively used in build homes, even the second story floors and walls are concrete. I am told that any construction that I see from the yellow stone was done after the fall of the soviet union in 1989-90 time frame. The reason is during the Soviot Era, the destruction of the mountains in Crimea was prohibited. Interestingly, there is some very old construction of this same yellow stone from before the Soviet Era around Kherson. I have walked past truck loads of these blocks for sale at markets. I look at them and think they would never pass inspection in America as they appear fragile and crumbly. Not sure how sturdy they really are, but I have not seen any of the buildings which use this material collapse. The cost of the stone is 5 Grivna each. When we first got to Kherson the cost was just under 1 dollar, but now it has lowered to about 60 US cents each.

When we first arrived in Kiev the exchange rate on the street was 1 US dollar to 5.8 Grivna. It went down to about 5.7 Grivna, but in the last few weeks the Dollar has climbed against the Grivna. I just saw as I walked to the internet Cafe the exchange rate of 1 US dollar to 7.8 Grivna. This is great for buying food here, Jenna and I can eat for about 5-10 dollars per day (If we prepare the food). However our lodging is not receiving any break. We pay 65 dollars per night in Kherson, and it does not change as the value of the dollar rises. (Hmm, somebody is making money). Anyway I have to go now as I am expecting a conference call from work.