Hey Everyone,
As you know from the first 3 (three) parts of this article, I went to Ukraine to do a simple visa run and it ended up being a simple disaster. (Part 1)(Part 2)(Part 3)
As we ended Part 3 – I had obtained a new passport. Now all I had to do was figure out how to replace my immigration card to be able to get a new visa and cross the border back to Russia!
This was no easy thing to do because the police departments in Kiev would not help in any form 
or manner. This could created a border situation that would not be any fun at all. One of the most important papers you will recieve at the Ukraine border is called the Immigration paper. It is a paper that has two parts and you fill it out as you cross the border to Ukraine. They keep one part and you get the other part. They are both stamped just like your passport gets stamped at the border. This paper is not to be lost, stolen, misplace or used as scrap paper to draw on. 🙂
I had my passport in hand and was back at the hotel room planning my next step for obtaining a hassle free passage back home to Mother Russia. I was in the process of making phone calls to my embassy again to try to get a number of a higher up Ukraine official that I could irate about the police situation, when low and behold my room phone rings and it is an official from the Ukraine Embassy Office in Kiev. A man named Sergei who worked with the Peace Corps division of Ukraine had my Wallet! Sergei worked in the main office located at the Ukraine Embassy Offices in Kiev. He was one of the leaders of the Ukraine organization.
I was floored. The idea that I would ever see my wallet and passport again was the farthest thing from my mind at this point. I had resigned to total loss and had mentally adjusted to this loss.
After a few more phone calls and arrangements made to go to the administration section of Peace Corps in Ukraine. I took a taxi and transverse the city of Kiev again.
Sergei was a fantastic person that made my trip to Kiev well worth while. It was not just the fact that he found my passport and wallet but the fact that after an hour conversation with him, I found that he was a man of integrity and I now had a new friend in Kiev in case of future issues.
You are probably asking what is the story on how he came across my wallet? Glad you asked…
Sergei was looking through the lost and found at the Kiev metro. He explained that at this lost and found is an unbelievable amount of stuff. He goes a few times a year and looks for things that are past expiration of picking up and considered gone forever. He says that he finds very useful items that can be used to help defray costs for the organization. He came across my wallet with my passport in it. He said that he asked what they were going to do with this and they acted and gave a who cares attitude. Sergei took it upon himself to sign out the wallet into his responsibility and contacted the American Embassy.
That is then when I received a call at the hotel and got back my wallet. I got back all pictures, documents, passport and immigration card. All that was lost was the little bit of money that was kept inside.
The odds that Sergei would go to the Metro – lost and found at that particular time has to be unbelievable odds behind it. Then the odds that he would take it upon himself to help were even greater odds.
I want to Thank Sergei with The Ukraine Peace Corps!
What did this do to my situation in Ukraine? Glad you asked…
This happened to be a Thursday afternoon. So that meant that I could get my visa for Russia same day on Friday. As I am taking everything one day at a time because of my heart issues. I went back to the hotel and had a good meal and get a good night sleep. Because I had to get up early and do what I came in the first place to Kiev for – Get a visa to Russia… (That is Part 5)
Windows to Russia!
comments always welcome.
Note 1: Seems to me that this situation gave me things to think about – I am always amazed when God sends me a reality lesson. He does this too me in my life and then corrects the situation after he sees that I have learned a lesson. Sounds strange but it is how I look at things. All my life has been this way…
Note 2: Once a passport is replaced with the American Government – The old passport is history. You can keep it and look at it but do not try to use it.I was glad to get it back because it has a record of all our trips around the world…