Today is both my birthday (the big two four)and the last day of school for the semester. Life is sweet.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
You look like a monkey...and you smell like one too!
Today is both my birthday (the big two four)and the last day of school for the semester. Life is sweet.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Rainy Daze
Hi everyone!
I had an interesting weekend.
The original plan: Shashlik at Adrien's. Meet Niko, in Khmelnetsky, take the marshrutka (bus) there together.
What Actually Happened: I got on the marshrutka to Khmelnetsky (about an hour long ride)at 12:20. At 12:50 Niko called me and said the shashlik was cancelled. Boo. I got to Khmelnetsky and found out that it was my friend Ruslan's birthday and we were going to celebrate with (you guessed it) shashlik. It was like a roller-coaster ride of emotions. We had a lovely picnic by a little lake. I learned a new frisbee game (apparantly I've gotten a little rusty when it comes to disk tossing) that is basically like tag and keep-away. One person is "the dog" and they have to tag the person with the frisbee before they throw it to another person.
The next day we went to yet another shashlik at Niko's host family's summer house. It was tasty and the family was really nice. I drank a little too much red wine, but all things considered it was a great night.
Today it's raining and I'm waiting for my 5-o-clock train home. Hopefully it's raining in the town where I live too. My Sugar Peas need it to grow up strong and delicious.
I had an interesting weekend.
The original plan: Shashlik at Adrien's. Meet Niko, in Khmelnetsky, take the marshrutka (bus) there together.
What Actually Happened: I got on the marshrutka to Khmelnetsky (about an hour long ride)at 12:20. At 12:50 Niko called me and said the shashlik was cancelled. Boo. I got to Khmelnetsky and found out that it was my friend Ruslan's birthday and we were going to celebrate with (you guessed it) shashlik. It was like a roller-coaster ride of emotions. We had a lovely picnic by a little lake. I learned a new frisbee game (apparantly I've gotten a little rusty when it comes to disk tossing) that is basically like tag and keep-away. One person is "the dog" and they have to tag the person with the frisbee before they throw it to another person.
The next day we went to yet another shashlik at Niko's host family's summer house. It was tasty and the family was really nice. I drank a little too much red wine, but all things considered it was a great night.
Today it's raining and I'm waiting for my 5-o-clock train home. Hopefully it's raining in the town where I live too. My Sugar Peas need it to grow up strong and delicious.
Friday, May 21, 2010
May!
Spring time in Ukraine is beautiful (probably expecially beautiful when compared to the starkness of the winter). My yard is abloom with tulips, lilacs, and about a billion other flowers. Our chicks have transformed into chickens, and the garden (which is really like a small farm!) is well underway. My officiall veggie contribution has been sweet peas!! I can't wait for all of this fresh produce to flood into my potato and mayonaise filled life!!!
I officially have three teaching days before summer vacation! I'm sure I'll find myself wishing school was back in session when I'm totally bored, but at this point I am wickedly excited for a little break. I'm hoping to do some travelling around Ukraine, and I am definitely signed up to work at a baseball camp (of all things). I assured the camp director that I am not in fact good at sports, but he said my English prowess outweighs my lack of coordination.
News Flash! I went running yesterday. I think that having a dog to take care of is one of the best things I could do for my health. I can't stand to see him just sit around all day. I've also developed the very Ukrainian habbit of doing morning exersizes. It's amazing what a ton of down time will motivate you to do. I'm toying with the idea of becoming a vegetarian for the summer...they eat a pretty meat-heavy diet here and it would be hard to explain to people why I just suddenly stopped eating meat (vegetarianism is not popular in Ukraine, neither is refusing to eat what is offered to you), so we'll see about that.
I hope you are all having an excellent spring!
I officially have three teaching days before summer vacation! I'm sure I'll find myself wishing school was back in session when I'm totally bored, but at this point I am wickedly excited for a little break. I'm hoping to do some travelling around Ukraine, and I am definitely signed up to work at a baseball camp (of all things). I assured the camp director that I am not in fact good at sports, but he said my English prowess outweighs my lack of coordination.
News Flash! I went running yesterday. I think that having a dog to take care of is one of the best things I could do for my health. I can't stand to see him just sit around all day. I've also developed the very Ukrainian habbit of doing morning exersizes. It's amazing what a ton of down time will motivate you to do. I'm toying with the idea of becoming a vegetarian for the summer...they eat a pretty meat-heavy diet here and it would be hard to explain to people why I just suddenly stopped eating meat (vegetarianism is not popular in Ukraine, neither is refusing to eat what is offered to you), so we'll see about that.
I hope you are all having an excellent spring!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Shashlik and THE Disco
I spent a lovely weekend in Morozivka with my host family. Going there is like going back home from college. I eat a ton and get to relax for a couple days.
There were two big hilights from this trip. On Saturday night I went to THE disco with my friend Alie and her host sister. This is a village disco, meaning that it is the equivalent of a townie bar but with blasting techno music, ballin lazer lights and an overactive smoke machine. Needless to say it's a bit hard to describe. When we lived in Morozivka we went to this bar relatively often and people got used to seeing "The Americans" there. At this point we have been gone for about three months and we are super novel again. This time as we were walking in a guy asked if we were from America or Africa (I mean Alie's tall but I don't know where he got Africa from). We ended up talking and dancing with him and his friends for most of the evening. It's a lot more comfortable to be a spectacle when you understand enough of the language to know that people aren't talking trash about you... for the most part. This disco remains my favorite bar in all of Ukraine.
On Sunday my host sisters, Tanya and Galya, Galya's boyfriend and I went to a field and made Shashlik, the best food in all of the world. (We stopped to see the ostrich farm first, a major must see in the region.) Shashlik is pork that has been marinating in spices and onion overnight then put onto skewers and fried over an open fire. It is incredibly tasty and an awesome way to spend the afternoon with friends or family (plus you feel like a cave man when you eat fried meat off a stick around a fire). This is one culinary tradition I am definitely bringing back to America with me. I've said it before and I'll say it again... everything cooked over a fire in Ukraine is delicious.
There were two big hilights from this trip. On Saturday night I went to THE disco with my friend Alie and her host sister. This is a village disco, meaning that it is the equivalent of a townie bar but with blasting techno music, ballin lazer lights and an overactive smoke machine. Needless to say it's a bit hard to describe. When we lived in Morozivka we went to this bar relatively often and people got used to seeing "The Americans" there. At this point we have been gone for about three months and we are super novel again. This time as we were walking in a guy asked if we were from America or Africa (I mean Alie's tall but I don't know where he got Africa from). We ended up talking and dancing with him and his friends for most of the evening. It's a lot more comfortable to be a spectacle when you understand enough of the language to know that people aren't talking trash about you... for the most part. This disco remains my favorite bar in all of Ukraine.
On Sunday my host sisters, Tanya and Galya, Galya's boyfriend and I went to a field and made Shashlik, the best food in all of the world. (We stopped to see the ostrich farm first, a major must see in the region.) Shashlik is pork that has been marinating in spices and onion overnight then put onto skewers and fried over an open fire. It is incredibly tasty and an awesome way to spend the afternoon with friends or family (plus you feel like a cave man when you eat fried meat off a stick around a fire). This is one culinary tradition I am definitely bringing back to America with me. I've said it before and I'll say it again... everything cooked over a fire in Ukraine is delicious.
Friday, March 26, 2010
An Update
A life goal has been achieved. I HAVE A PUPPY!!!! His name is Freddy. Initially it was Franky but Anya (the lady I live with who technically owns the dog) kept calling him Freddy so it stuck. He is pretty much the cutest puppy ever. When I get the internet at my house (which is supposedly happening soon) I will be posting many many pictures... 6 months worth really. So now I officially live with an adorable lady, a kitten, chickens, rabbits, and a puppy. Gotta love that.
This weekend it is finally getting warm! Along with the snow and ice people's dispositions are melting. I have gotten a lot more preevets (hellos) on the street since the shift in the weather.
Today I'm in Kyiv, then on my way to Morozivka for Saturday and Sunday. Next week is my spring break and I think I'm heading to Odessa. I'm hoping to see the Black Sea, but it'll be way to cold to play outside too much. I also want to go to an art museum... we'll see about that.
Last weekend was one of the other volunteers' birthday's so we went out to a club called shtorm (NOT storm!). It was a hilarious club with a fake tornado in the middle of the dance floor and booths with huge leather couches. We were dancing and celebrating and all of a sudden there were two people dancing on stage... a man wearing a metalic colored vest and suspenders and a girl who had cut the butt pockets out of her jeans so it appeared that she was wearing funky chapps. They were certainly paid to be up there and their moves were hilarious. Vesty's move (singular) was to wiggle around and point at different points in the room. Great stuff. After the club we taxied it back to my friend Niko's apartment and absolutely devoured all of his expensive food. A lovely night was had by all.
This weekend it is finally getting warm! Along with the snow and ice people's dispositions are melting. I have gotten a lot more preevets (hellos) on the street since the shift in the weather.
Today I'm in Kyiv, then on my way to Morozivka for Saturday and Sunday. Next week is my spring break and I think I'm heading to Odessa. I'm hoping to see the Black Sea, but it'll be way to cold to play outside too much. I also want to go to an art museum... we'll see about that.
Last weekend was one of the other volunteers' birthday's so we went out to a club called shtorm (NOT storm!). It was a hilarious club with a fake tornado in the middle of the dance floor and booths with huge leather couches. We were dancing and celebrating and all of a sudden there were two people dancing on stage... a man wearing a metalic colored vest and suspenders and a girl who had cut the butt pockets out of her jeans so it appeared that she was wearing funky chapps. They were certainly paid to be up there and their moves were hilarious. Vesty's move (singular) was to wiggle around and point at different points in the room. Great stuff. After the club we taxied it back to my friend Niko's apartment and absolutely devoured all of his expensive food. A lovely night was had by all.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Livin For the Citaaay
Hello,
This weekend I am in Xmelnetsky with two of my friends (Alei and Emily from training). Yesterday was quite a big day. I caught the 10:00 elecktrechka (commuter train). I knew I was headed to the First School, but I had never been there before and neglected to write down the directions. I got into the city and took a marshrutka (small bus type deal) to the center. One thing about Ukraine is that people LOVE to give directions and are really helpful if you stop them to ask a question. One of their national sayings is "your tongue will lead you to Kyiv" (ie if you ask people for directions you will get where you need to go). I asked the marshrutka driver if he would pass the first school and this started a riotous conversation among the whole bus about how to get me to where I needed to go. Needless to say I got there. At the school we had our "Meet Your Neighbors" meeting. Eleven volunteers and our regional manager got together to chat about life in our oblast. It was your typical meeting, ice breakers, new and old business.
After we ended up going out to lunch at a pizza place. One of us accidentally ordered a pizza with tuna on it which is pretty popular here. A few of the other volunteers had planned a taco night (Mexican/spicy food is pretty much non-exictent here). After a lot of himming and hawing Emily and I decided to go along instead of heading to her apartment as we had planned. In fact, everyone had the same idea. 9 people ended up going. We started off cooking the tacos together and talking. 9 Americans in a small apartment makes for a loud environment. It was great to get to know everyone a little better. After some DELICIOUS and very spicy tacos we decided to go to the disco. There was much dancing and more talking and lots of laughing. After the first disco four of us decided to head out to another club. This one had an excellent ambience and a light up dance floor. We finally made it back home pretty late and made ourselves cozy little beds on the floor. By which I mean I slept on the floor using my coat as a blanket. Haha good ol' Peace Corps. Anyway. Now I have 7 new friends.
This weekend I am in Xmelnetsky with two of my friends (Alei and Emily from training). Yesterday was quite a big day. I caught the 10:00 elecktrechka (commuter train). I knew I was headed to the First School, but I had never been there before and neglected to write down the directions. I got into the city and took a marshrutka (small bus type deal) to the center. One thing about Ukraine is that people LOVE to give directions and are really helpful if you stop them to ask a question. One of their national sayings is "your tongue will lead you to Kyiv" (ie if you ask people for directions you will get where you need to go). I asked the marshrutka driver if he would pass the first school and this started a riotous conversation among the whole bus about how to get me to where I needed to go. Needless to say I got there. At the school we had our "Meet Your Neighbors" meeting. Eleven volunteers and our regional manager got together to chat about life in our oblast. It was your typical meeting, ice breakers, new and old business.
After we ended up going out to lunch at a pizza place. One of us accidentally ordered a pizza with tuna on it which is pretty popular here. A few of the other volunteers had planned a taco night (Mexican/spicy food is pretty much non-exictent here). After a lot of himming and hawing Emily and I decided to go along instead of heading to her apartment as we had planned. In fact, everyone had the same idea. 9 people ended up going. We started off cooking the tacos together and talking. 9 Americans in a small apartment makes for a loud environment. It was great to get to know everyone a little better. After some DELICIOUS and very spicy tacos we decided to go to the disco. There was much dancing and more talking and lots of laughing. After the first disco four of us decided to head out to another club. This one had an excellent ambience and a light up dance floor. We finally made it back home pretty late and made ourselves cozy little beds on the floor. By which I mean I slept on the floor using my coat as a blanket. Haha good ol' Peace Corps. Anyway. Now I have 7 new friends.
Friday, February 12, 2010
If you're reading this you're awesome.
Hi gang. It has been a Ukraine minute since I posted last. My life is starting to normalize here (which is pretty bizzare in itself). I teach 3rd through 11th graders at the school where I work. I love my students and the other English teachers I work with. I started three English clubs 2nd-5th grade, 6th-8th, and 9th-11th. The most successful one is for the little ones. I had 42 show up to my first meeting last week and 51 this week (ballin'). We sang songs, talked about animals, and watched a bit of the Jungle Book. Let me tell you 2nd graders get rather squirrley during a movie in English when they don't understand a word. It was fun though, before the meeting started a bunch of my little guys came and colored with me. Many of them made adorable valentines for me. In my 6th-8th grade club we were writing childrens books and one of my favs from 7th grade drew the most hilarious picture I've seen in a while (I wish I could scan it in and show you). It's based on Little Red Ridding Hood (Red Head to him). It's a girl with buck teeth and red hair wearing a red army helmet standing over a dead wolf with two guns in her hands and money sticking out of her pockets in front of a flag that says Bart Simpson Forever! Maybe a bit innapropriate, but I didn't care because I was too busy laughing. It's after school anyway.
What else... I'm in Kyiv at the moment, hangin' at the Peace Corps volunteer lounge. I hit the jackpot on books today (there's a volunteer swap library with a lot of sort of trashy novels but sometimes a hidden gem). I found The Clan of the Cave Bear (the book that my friend Ayla is named after I do believe), and a Jodi Piccoult book. Those will hold my attention for a while. I also found a beginner pilates dvd and season one of Firefly. I am currently livin large. There are a bunch of other volunteers in here, so I'm picking up a lot of gossip while writing this.
In other news I should be getting the internet at my site (ie in my house) within the next month. So look for a lot more blogging and skyping and everything internet communication.
Love you guys! Happy Valentines Day!
What else... I'm in Kyiv at the moment, hangin' at the Peace Corps volunteer lounge. I hit the jackpot on books today (there's a volunteer swap library with a lot of sort of trashy novels but sometimes a hidden gem). I found The Clan of the Cave Bear (the book that my friend Ayla is named after I do believe), and a Jodi Piccoult book. Those will hold my attention for a while. I also found a beginner pilates dvd and season one of Firefly. I am currently livin large. There are a bunch of other volunteers in here, so I'm picking up a lot of gossip while writing this.
In other news I should be getting the internet at my site (ie in my house) within the next month. So look for a lot more blogging and skyping and everything internet communication.
Love you guys! Happy Valentines Day!
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