Life In The City

As time goes by when you live in a country not your own, life can seem, well, more normal. I can go for days speaking only Russian and chatting with people in my market or the local babushki that roam around looking asking for money. Things get to seem, well, normal. You're acclimatized. Then usually, something happens that totally rocks your world and you realize that you are way, way, way, not in Kansas anymore. In fact, you are in another world altogether.

This summer, I've noticed that about once a week, I wake up at 7 or 8am and hear an obnoxious tapping noise.

"tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap"

It's loud. It goes on and on and on for about three or four hours.

"tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap"

Because I live in a city and am use to constant street and neighbor noises, I've grown pretty tolerant of noise in general. I am even used to fireworks going off at 2 am in the morning. I can even say I like living in a city and enjoy the noise.

"tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap"

But this.......

"tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap"

Last Monday at 8 am the noise started and continued for two hours.

"tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap"

It got on my nerves and I had to figure out what or who was making this noise.

"tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap"

I went out on my balcony to survey the back area and give the world my best hefty, "I am an Ukrainian woman-what are you doing?-you are being obnoxious and I am going to intimidate you" look. (I still haven't perfected this. I am still too thin and too young. I consider this a good thing.)

I hear it but don't see it.

"tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap"

Then under the trees I see a man with a little tartar style cap on his head. He is clearly engrossed in his work and pounding something.

"tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap"

I see the glint of metal.

"tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap"

It is.......a sword!

"tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap"

A sword! Right here in the middle of Kyiv, a globalized, Eastern European city!

"tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap"

It was long and curved. A tartar sword.

"tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap"

He must have been using it a lot for it to need so much attention.

"tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap"

Could he be preparing his weapons for the rescue of the beautiful Yulia Tymoshenko?

"tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap"

Then he finished and pulled out a long, wooden stick and attached the sword to it.

It was a scythe! A scythe! You know, like the grim reaper, Kostya Levin in "Anna Karenina", and the sickle part of the communist party's hammer and sickle?

A scythe in the middle of Kyiv!

I have never seen one before in my life.

Definitely a "not in Kansas anymore" moment.

"tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap"

He finished about an hour later.

Then for the next two hours........

"shssss, shsss, shsss, shsss, shsss, shsss, shsss, shsss,"

Time to sharpen it!

I love Ukraine.