::Trust Me, You Don't Want the American Cookies::

"If you give a mouse a cookie, 
he's going to ask for a glass of milk."
::from the children's book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie::

Every Monday night, we host an English movie night with subtitles for whoever wants to come. We usually have a good crowd of Nigerians, Ukrainians and Americans. On the way home from the guys' apartments tonight, some cookies called to me from a bakery window. They were larger than most "store-bought" cookies sold here in Ukraine, and looked truly like sugar cookies! Now, I have been here long enough to know that everything (especially FOOD) is not as it appears, but I was willing to give these cookies a try.

So Jordan and I stop, and I look to figure out what they are called in Russian: "AMERIKANO." Seriously, I spotted the only "American" cookies! I ask the lady for three of these "Amerikano" cookies, and she tells me (in Russian), 

"They are NOT SWEET. They are BAD!" 

I am left with nothing to say! It's not everyday you get talked OUT of buying something by the salesperson. I stand back to regroup with Jordan. We decide to watch what other people are buying and decide to buy the same. However, these are little cookies, and the price is by kilogram. Well, I have no idea how many cookies are in 1 kilogram, AND I only had 8 griven (~1 dollar), not enough for a whole kilogram.

We try to guess how many cookies we can buy with 8 griven, but really, we are CLUELESS. And it's always easier when things are simple. We've been standing here for a while now, but an idea finally came to me. I muster up all of my Russian knowledge, go up to the counter with a smile on my face, and say this:

"I have 8 griven. I want lemon cookies."

"Is that all?"

"Yes! Thank you very much."

Although the cookies tasted nothing like American OR lemon cookies, I say that it was a very successful Ukrainian adventure! Because trust me, you don't WANT the American cookies! :)

-ej