To mark the completion of our observer mission in five separate districts there was an obligatory chat at the Canadian embassy. We all said our goodbyes.
The rest of the evening was spent next to the stage. Such a relief to be ourselves again and able to openly support Ukraine, sharing the hope that Ukraine will overthrow president Yanukovich and finally ditch its dependence on Russia.
I was told to return to a house near the center of kyiv to have dinner and coffee and stay over. I didn't mind . The lady seemed very patriotic, a young Ukrainian woman who was doing her Phd in London. And the Canadian guy, maybe in his 30s or 40s in a suit, very Ukrainian in a Canadian way, was cute. He offered to carry my miniature rolling suitcase.
We spent the evening and long into the night sipping Canadian spirits and discussing the plight of Ukraine, formulating our plans.
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| Outside the Kyiv City hall |
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| Sundays drew big crowds |
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| the windows of the City Hall |
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| The Rada Maidan 'Council Maidan' invited people to sign up to be a member |
Other inhabitants of this huge house was a German guy - another election observer - and a wounded Maidan revolutionary complete with bandaged arm and a limp. He was one of the ones who had been beaten by the Berkut. He spent the day watching footage of the attack on the Maidan and Mykolyvsky Church, on the 30th November, I was mesmerised. The cameraman, speaking English. arguing with the police, much running, people are curled up on the floor, being hit by police rubber batons , a policeman running towards the camera, a woman screaming. The picture turns into a kaleidoscope of psychedelic colors yet the camera keeps rolling. Glimpses of the floor, lights, boots, a police uniform and then it goes black.
I sat wondering how I would react to a violent attack by the police.
