Yes, teaching and learning languages is exciting, beneficial, and life changing, but I sort of need a break every now and then. So as any normal person does, I run away from my stressful situations looking for anything to latch onto. Fortunately there are a couple of clubs in Kramators'k, but only one of them tripped me up on my fleeing episode, this was Bacs. 30 gryvnyas at the door, and expensive drinks, but at least there is a dance floor. I think I have tricked the Ukrainian public into thinking that I can dance, but I imagine they will catch on soon, and when they do, I shall flee once again.
The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps. With any response, please be respectful to anyone who may read this website and your responses.
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
Hitchhiking
It was a cool evening in Kiev after about two weeks away from home in Oster when Keith, Alex and I were on the metro heading east towards the final stop. When reaching this stop we stepped off the train onto the platform and took a left, quickly heading to the bus station for the final bus to Oster..we should have taken a right-hand turn. The three of us wander around the station and through a bazaar looking for something familiar that could lead us towards the bus station, but no luck. After searching and searching, we miss the final bus. Fortunately, we meet a woman who directs us to a place where more freelance marshrutkas (sort of like mini busses [like the JOs]) can be found.
Walking along what is similar to a highway, we find the bridge she told us to stand under, and to our surprise, this was the previous stop on the metro. There we found one marshrutka that was heading to Chernihiv and the driver said that Oster and Kozelets were stops on the way if we each paid extra. Sitting in the still vehicle, the three of us relax and watch a little Jurassic Park on the mini TV. It was of course voiced over...with one man voicing all characters and reading signs aloud. Excitement grew as the bus started and we began to move, but less than thirty seconds into the trip a car smashes into the back end of the drivers side, and we begin to sit to wait a bit more.
So another marshrutka comes to the rescue, we switch to the new driver's vehicle and head down the highway, but this driver is not going to Oster or Kozelets, he instead drops us off along the highway where the road to Oster passes over, we still have a good 20 Km to go. This is where the hitchhiking comes into play. We find a woman and her husband that were willing to pick us up and drive us into Oster at the cost of 50 gryvnyas. Long trip home, but I enjoyed it.
The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps. With any response, please be respectful to anyone who may read this website and your responses.
Walking along what is similar to a highway, we find the bridge she told us to stand under, and to our surprise, this was the previous stop on the metro. There we found one marshrutka that was heading to Chernihiv and the driver said that Oster and Kozelets were stops on the way if we each paid extra. Sitting in the still vehicle, the three of us relax and watch a little Jurassic Park on the mini TV. It was of course voiced over...with one man voicing all characters and reading signs aloud. Excitement grew as the bus started and we began to move, but less than thirty seconds into the trip a car smashes into the back end of the drivers side, and we begin to sit to wait a bit more.
So another marshrutka comes to the rescue, we switch to the new driver's vehicle and head down the highway, but this driver is not going to Oster or Kozelets, he instead drops us off along the highway where the road to Oster passes over, we still have a good 20 Km to go. This is where the hitchhiking comes into play. We find a woman and her husband that were willing to pick us up and drive us into Oster at the cost of 50 gryvnyas. Long trip home, but I enjoyed it.
The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps. With any response, please be respectful to anyone who may read this website and your responses.
Ukrainian Winter Holiday Season
It is Winter Holiday Season, and the festivals are just as bright here in Ukraine as they are in the States. While still living in Oster, the small little mini-mart down the street from Anna's house had put up lights in in mid December, but the Christmas holiday is not celebrated until January 7th. This is because of the use of the Julian calendar which has these holidays falling thirteen days after ours back in the states which follow the Gregorian calendar...but in celebration of both calendars, we have festivals on both New Year's holidays.
A New Year's party was held during the last week of class at School 3. I was invited and was asked to help sing a few songs. They asked me to sing the Christmas song 'Silent Night,' as the party was on the day of American and Western European Christmas. I then joined the school district's foreign languages director Ostap and we sang "Auld Lang Syne." They then asked me to sing "Yesterday" with Olga, the music director. To my friends Gail, Jared and Catherine, you would be pleased here in Ukraine, as everyone is a Beatles fan. Every school performance I have seen at the three schools I have been involved with has had a student perform a Beatles number. Also, at this event Father Frost came to the show. He is similar to our Santa Clause in appearance.
New Year's was celebrated at home with Oksana, Alexie, Katya, and Vanya. It was a calm evening, and I didn't meet my traditional drinking mark. I had only a glass of wine and a glass of champagne, but the fridge is full and I have a little less than a month to drink what was left over and a couple of days to finish the food...shouldn't be a problem. It was to my surprise that gifts are exchanged on New Year's eve.
The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps. With any response, please be respectful to anyone who may read this website and your responses.
A New Year's party was held during the last week of class at School 3. I was invited and was asked to help sing a few songs. They asked me to sing the Christmas song 'Silent Night,' as the party was on the day of American and Western European Christmas. I then joined the school district's foreign languages director Ostap and we sang "Auld Lang Syne." They then asked me to sing "Yesterday" with Olga, the music director. To my friends Gail, Jared and Catherine, you would be pleased here in Ukraine, as everyone is a Beatles fan. Every school performance I have seen at the three schools I have been involved with has had a student perform a Beatles number. Also, at this event Father Frost came to the show. He is similar to our Santa Clause in appearance.
New Year's was celebrated at home with Oksana, Alexie, Katya, and Vanya. It was a calm evening, and I didn't meet my traditional drinking mark. I had only a glass of wine and a glass of champagne, but the fridge is full and I have a little less than a month to drink what was left over and a couple of days to finish the food...shouldn't be a problem. It was to my surprise that gifts are exchanged on New Year's eve.
The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps. With any response, please be respectful to anyone who may read this website and your responses.
My apologies on the long pause
Well, in response to some hatemail I have been receiving from my beloved friends in the U.S., I have finally updated my blog. I was internetless for all too long, but those days are over and we can share some beautiful digital hugs. I have written some quick updates, but in the future it should be kept up to date. Unfortunately, for a while, some updates will be a bit out of order, but you will just have to deal with that.
Friday, 21 September 2007
Take Your Brother to Work Day
I have just returned to the splendid little home of brother Aaron and his lovely fiancé Danielle after…a day at work? For some last minute bonding time, and to help Aaron speed through the day, I helped him out at work. I guess today was ‘Take Your Brother to Work Day.’ I was an Anheuser salesman today, despite the fact that I quit my job with the Anheuser distributor in Johnson and Miami Counties a week and a half ago. When Danielle is ready, the two of us will hop on the road, with Aaron an hour or two behind.
Tonight will be sort of a grand hurrah in the Kansas City area. The brothers and Dad will be joining me and a group of friends at the bars on this evening. Talking of times of old, times of now, and times of the future; there should be some pleasant bonding.
Tonight will be sort of a grand hurrah in the Kansas City area. The brothers and Dad will be joining me and a group of friends at the bars on this evening. Talking of times of old, times of now, and times of the future; there should be some pleasant bonding.
Wednesday, 19 September 2007
My Difficult Goodbyes
So on my recent week and a half trip through the Midwest to say my goodbyes; I actually said very few goodbyes. I am bad at them, and my apologies to those friends I never gave farewells to, never hugged goodbye. Thinking about it on the road during the day and night, I have realized that this kind of goodbye has never been on my battlefield. Maybe I avoided them in hopes of there never being any real departure, or separation. As I think of it now though, it may be difficult for some of us to reunite...but I guess life is filled with difficulties, all of which are nothing more than additional challenges to conquer.
With these recent understandings I have decided that it is of importance that I give some phonecalls and send some messages to some individuals, to give my personal feelings. I am leaving in about eight days, and I have still not come to a complete realization of who I am leaving. There lies a great adventure, and I plan on taking you all with me in heart. Thank you and all the best.
With these recent understandings I have decided that it is of importance that I give some phonecalls and send some messages to some individuals, to give my personal feelings. I am leaving in about eight days, and I have still not come to a complete realization of who I am leaving. There lies a great adventure, and I plan on taking you all with me in heart. Thank you and all the best.
Thursday, 30 August 2007
Conversations with Roman
It is less than a month now to when I set off to Ukraine, and I am now beginning to think about relationships. There will be great one to be made, but that does not concern me, it is the relationships i currently hold that sit on my mind. Last Saturday I had a farewell party with my family and friends of all ages. Of course there are many that were unable to attend, but that is more than alright, I still have a month to hop on the friendship roads.
Wether or not I am able to visit and say good-byes to all the friends before my departure, there will still be wonderful reunions, be they two years, ten years, thirty years from now in person, on the phone, digitally, or any other form of communication. I have this wonderful understanding that the greatest conversations can resume even after the greatest pauses known.
One friendship that has surprised me with its continuation is between myself and Beverly (mother of my ex-girlfriend). She recently put my in contact with a retired Ukrainian doctor and I had the great fortune of meeting him yesterday. The conversation between Roman and myself brought it to my attention to how little I know about Ukraine. His stories of corruption in the government, watching his in action during WWII, his emotions of thoughts in the east, and the tales of his love for Ukrainian music and dance all showed to me the wonders of first hand conversation opposed to book and internet research. These meetings, as he has insisted, will happen several more time before my departure. His excitement for throughout the conversation intrigued me. His daughter and her friend video recorded our conversation, as apparently, he rarely talks about his life in Ukraine. I have many thanks to Beverly and Roman.
Now that my trip nears, my blog involvement should be increasing. Unfortunately, we have lost internet in the Schwieterman Manor, so I may be throwing numerous blogs up at a time for a while.
Wether or not I am able to visit and say good-byes to all the friends before my departure, there will still be wonderful reunions, be they two years, ten years, thirty years from now in person, on the phone, digitally, or any other form of communication. I have this wonderful understanding that the greatest conversations can resume even after the greatest pauses known.
One friendship that has surprised me with its continuation is between myself and Beverly (mother of my ex-girlfriend). She recently put my in contact with a retired Ukrainian doctor and I had the great fortune of meeting him yesterday. The conversation between Roman and myself brought it to my attention to how little I know about Ukraine. His stories of corruption in the government, watching his in action during WWII, his emotions of thoughts in the east, and the tales of his love for Ukrainian music and dance all showed to me the wonders of first hand conversation opposed to book and internet research. These meetings, as he has insisted, will happen several more time before my departure. His excitement for throughout the conversation intrigued me. His daughter and her friend video recorded our conversation, as apparently, he rarely talks about his life in Ukraine. I have many thanks to Beverly and Roman.
Now that my trip nears, my blog involvement should be increasing. Unfortunately, we have lost internet in the Schwieterman Manor, so I may be throwing numerous blogs up at a time for a while.
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