Breaking the ice

Today we walked along the highway in rural Ukraine, so that we could get pictures of the chickens and geese that are regularly grazing there. Along the way, some young girls saw my camera and struck a pose, so I started shooting.

Fairly soon, an older lady came out and started scolding me. But when she found out I only spoke English, something changed. Things became a little friendlier. We "talked" for a bit, then started on our way. Next thing we knew, we were being called back and led into her backyard, where she shared the bounty of her garden with us. (Best apricots I've had in years!)

It's hard for me to chat up the strangers that I photograph, in the best of circumstances. But children, even without a common language, help break the ice. Paulina was the oldest of the young girls. Her grandmother is Tatiana. Paulina's mom, whose name I couldn't quite catch, spoke a little bit of English.

So, to Tatiana, Paulina, and "mom", if you're reading this:
Спасибо за Ваше гостеприимство! Мы любили видя ваш сад и обмен вашими абрикосы. Вы обратились случайная встреча в прекрасной памятью нашего визита в Украину.