Olga

I have mentioned Olga, our coordinator, and "in charge on the ground in Moscow" before.  On my first trip, Olga struck me as cold an uncaring.  On my second trip, I was somewhat impressed by her competence at the Court hearing, and surprised by her friendliness.  On this third and final trip, I saw Olga in a whole different light.  I understood that her real job begins at the Court hearing.  By the time of my first trip to Moscow, I had put in many months of paperwork, waiting, money, energy into the adoption process ....I viewed it as the end of the process -- for Olga, it was not even the beginning.  I don't know how many families whom she meets on their first trip actually completes their adoptions.  On this third trip, I realized that she just didn't have the time and energy to get involved with each and every family she meets.  I also noticed that she had at least 4 families on their third trips the week I was there -- and she may have had other families on their second and first trips.  She kept everyone's papers organized, up to date - the stuff needed for the new birth certificates, for the passports for the children, the stuff needed for the embassies -- she had families from different countries, so she had to keep the different countries' requirements straight, and trouble shoot should complications arise, make sure everyone's paperwork got completed properly (obviously the legal ramifications of her job were huge), and make sure all the families did what they were supposed to do, arrange for people to be picked up, dropped off -- not to mention being on good terms with the various officials in the various offices dealing with the foreign families.  This last week  we spent more time with her than before, and saw the stress and the multi-tasking she had to endure.  Hers is stressful and important job. -- one that she does with admirable efficiency.  I wish we had a chance to ask her what she felt about all these foreigners adopting their children -- is it just a job for her?  does she think these kids will have better lives?  Is she disgusted that there is no good way in Russia to take care of children without families?