Sixth Day With Sergey

(Friday 8/8) We had been planning to go on this Boy Scout camping and canoeing trip for a couple of months. When we found out that Sergey would be visiting during this time, we thought it would be cool if he could go on the trip. When Nancy got injured in that bicycle crash, we figured that was it.

But Nancy was doing OK and she insisted that we go.

So Mark and Sergey hung out for the day until I got off early from work, then we loaded up and headed out. The trip was to Lake Herman State Park.

When you get to a camp, the first thing you do is set up. Gear needs to be hauled and tents need to be set up.



When we met at the gathering point before we left, Sergey was a little shy (amazingly). But by the time we were done setting up, he was mixing nicely with the others. The boys had some free time before campfire, so most of them fished. I forgot our fishing pole at home, but the other boys were great at letting him use one of theirs.



The boy scouts welcomed him warmly into the troop. They were very interested in his country and were often asking him the Russian words for various things. Sergey, however, was not cooperative in this regard. He refused to tell them anything about Ukraine, and almost never told them the Russian words for things when they asked. I was disappointed for the other boys, because they were genuinely interested. I think Sergey so badly wants to be an American, or at least act like one, that he doesn't want to stand out as a foreigner. Or it could be that he's 12.

At campfire we had skits and songs and stories, followed by smores and banana boats. He liked that.

Sergey slept with me in the tent.



Mark is doing OK with Sergey but we are now seeing some adjustment going on. We think he is trying to get this all figured out. We all knew that when we adopt there would be an adjustment for this only child, and it is happening. Sergey always gets the attention when we introduce him to people. Plus, Mark is naturally reserved, while Sergey is outgoing and silly. The expression, "the honeymoon is over" comes to mind, but that is too strong. There is just some adjustment going on.

Back home, Nancy was invited to friends for dinner so I didn't need to be worried about her Fri. night.