Gary M. Pomerantz

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A Story of Family: In search of Grandpa's world

A visit to the old neighborhood ...

... mirrors the
journey of a lifetime

The Atlanta Journal and Constitution
February 1, 1998

By Gary M. Pomerantz
Staff writer

Preparing for our trip to Ukraine, my father found, then struck up an Internet friendship with, a Kremenchuk businessman named Nicolay Dregval.

Nic, as he is known, mentioned that his 12-year-old son, Misha, was taking English lessons and would love an American pen pal. My father suggested Ross, my 8-year-old son.

So began the magic of modern technology: e-mail pen pals, an Atlanta schoolboy conversing with a Ukrainian boy living in the very town the American's great-grandfather fled 85 years ago.

Wrote Ross: "I have a computer game called Civilization. Lots of time my team is the Russians. And I usually win. Sometimes, I'm the Babylonians."

Replied Misha: "I have computer game coled (sic) Civilization, too. I like to play in it very much. But my favorit game is Warcraft."

That is also Ross's favorite game. "Which team do you like ---Human or Orc?" Ross wrote.

Their exchanges over the months were priceless. Ross: "Do you have curly hair?" Misha: "I have curly hair not." Ross: "Who is your favorite athlete?" Misha: "My favorit plaer is Mishel Jordan." Misha added that he has seen Chicago Bulls games on TV.

Ross signs each e-mail the same way: "From Your Pen Pal in America."

And Misha signs: "From Your First Friend in Ukraine."

Nic also was moved by these exchanges."The world really (is) getting smaller," Nic wrote. "Recently USA also were far as Mars. KGB preserved us self-denyingly against 'decomposing influence of West.' Now people open eyes on the world."

We arranged to meet Nic and Misha on our Kremenchuk visit.

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