The First Lady of Ukraine is a White Sox fan *sigh*

Above, top to bottom: Me with Kateryna Yushchenko, First Lady of Ukraine on October 11th in the Hyatt Kyiv Hotel in Kyiv, Ukraine; Yushchenko and the Ambassador from Lebanon(notice the awkwardly smiling woman in the background who ruined this picture); the most attractive Ukrainian woman I have ever seen; and the posh Hyatt Kyiv Hotel, which will run you about 400 euros a night($600 give or take). 
"Those are olives," I said to Petro the Video Guy as he stabbed a toothpick into a bowl.

"Ahhhhh!" he smiled with delight and nodded vigorously, his face suddenly puckering as he found the pit. "And this?" 

"Those are rice wafers," I said, pointing to the bowl with the white, cup-shaped crackers used to cleanse your palette.

"For spitting!" he mumbled, hawking an almond-shaped olive pit into the rice wafer and tossing it on the table.

I tried to tell him it was for eating, but I was buckled over in laughter under the table in front of a dozen millionaires, choking on my olive.

"In photography business, we must have no serious," said Petro.

"A sense of humor!" I said.

He nodded his approval of the new phrase and waved a hand towards the auction room. Photo and Video made their way back into the auction room and began documenting the handshakes and blank smiles of politicians, millionaires and VIPs . After a few dozen pictures, I slid out and made my way to the door to await the arrival of the First Lady of Ukraine.

"You know, you're not exactly dressed to be standing there," says an older woman with the university. "You're going to be the first thing the first lady sees, we can't have you standing there. We don't want to give a bad impression. You should move over there, stand in the corner. No offense or anything."

"Oh, none taken," I said, plastering a wry smile on my face and biting my tongue, knowing I hold no weight at the university. "I'm sorry, I don't think I caught your name."

"Svinka."

She's an american, about 60 and looking it, and I instantly understand that she enjoys what limited power she wields. Having been up for 24 hours, being anxious for the First Lady, and already irritated, I pop a brilliant question: "is that Mrs. or Ms?"

"Honey, you just don't ask that question in 2008, that's so rude," she said and walked away.

I decide that if ever given the opportunity, I will duel with her to the death. She ranks right below a few high school classmates on my revenge list, but a glass of champagne quickly erases her from my memory. 

Kateryna Yushchenko was born in Hyde Park, Illinois near Chicago where she went to high school(this is per our conversation) and is married to Viktor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine. She mentioned her last trip to Chicago, earlier this year when she attended "a sox game." I take this as her being a fan of the Chicago White Sox, which is unfortunate. 

Although the night was filled with donations, pictures of donors, donor awards, donor auctions, donor recognitions, and a donor dinner I stuffed my face with, the spotlight seemed to always be on Yushchenko. I waited until there was a free moment, handed my camera to Petro and walked up to her and introduced myself. Since we are both from Chicago, we had much to discuss, and she remembered a friend of mine who translated for her(Kate! where are you?!). I had a pleasant conversation with her, and I felt she meant every word. 

Even in the posh Hyatt Kyiv Hotel, she has the grace to mingle with the upper crust of Ukraine, talk to every millionaire in the room and still have a down to earth, meaningful conversation. I was genuinely impressed with her, and she was sincere. I told her about my career dreams, and that I'm a volunteer at the university she donates to regularly. 

"Good luck to you, Michael," she said, squeezing my hand before she left.