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Above the Sky

August 12, 2014, 10:00 2167 Author: Lylia Kalinichenko, translated by Daria Sukach www.deti.zp.ua How an ordinary care-taker from the orphanage in Kalinovka came to be in wonderful England for a week

My travel is over. England… Such a far away and a close country. Everything is over. My concerns, fear of unknown and new.

During my life I travelled to a few cities which number can be counted on the fingers of one hand. So, when I came to visit London I guess I looked really silly. I thought I’d never find my way if I am not picked up.

What really struck me in England were wheelchair users who can move around freely everywhere along the street and have an access to any building and public transport as well as adapted restrooms. And many people in wheelchairs do not need any assistance! Unfortunately people with disabilities in Ukraine are deprived of many basic opportunities.

The following day I finally reached Ramsgate. I never saw such an abundance of flowers before! Maybe just in my dreams! I was so happy to see my good friends I did not see for a year. I couldn’t believe my eyes. My friends and I had a lovely evening in a ship restaurant!

Every day we visited different amazing places – ancient castles, botanic gardens, and many other sightseeing places. I was observing everything – people, their gestures, animals. By the way I did not see any stray dogs there! Well, I actually absorbed everything and everyone on my way!

I liked an orphanage-school I visited there. I was especially curious to see this institution since I myself work in such a place in Ukraine. This was a coeducational English school. Children study and stay there five days a week and are taken home by their parents on weekends. The school helps children gain some experience and become adaptive to society. The students of this school even treated us to some ice-cream they made by themselves! The only thing which made me upset was my language barrier. I used to miss my English lessons pretty often!

I spent in England just one week but this country will remain in my heart forever! I will never forget its medieval castles which are sinking in flowerbeds, sheep and horses that are grazing peacefully on a meadow, its cheerful elderly ladies who are drinking tea with milk, its cleanness, mown lawns and its mild climate. And the most precious are my friends – people I am so grateful to for such a priceless gift they’ve made for me!

I really appreciate people who have come into my life for the last six years. These people have taught, helped and cherished me a lot.

Whenever I look at the sky I immediately come back to the moment when I was above the clouds. Above the sky!

Happy Child foundation - effective help to the most needy children of the Zaporozhye region, Ukraine, since 2004

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deafness of the 4th degree

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Artur Kerimov

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