Wednesday, February 23, 2011
news flash
In breaking news, Morning is said to be considering a return to Ukraine after a several month "time apart" break that left the country shrouded in darkness until the cautious and short-term arrival of Day. In ongoing talks, Night is said to be considering conceding ground to Day, but terms of the potential agreement are not yet clear. The moon could not be reached for comment. Sources close to the sun say it's hot.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
post 20 february
So, now it’s really cold.
No doubt you remember that I just [last week] said it was warm enough for me to wear my snazzy fall jacket. No more.
On Wednesday morning, while I was missing the bus to yoga, it was ridiculously cold. This cold was what had made me late in the first place, for only an extremely well-balanced and dedicated individual or a great fool would get out of a warm bed into a freezing world while it’s still dark out. I am not a great fool [so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you], so I was reluctant to get out of bed. I missed the bus I usually take. Then I second-guessed another bus, ignored one that was almost right, and kept standing there. Abruptly, I realized that I was going to be late, and I do not go late to yoga. It’s just not right. Everyone’s getting balanced and calmed and I’m not about to stumble in and insert unnecessary awkward energy into that scene. So, I decided to walk down to see how cold it really was on the digital display down the street. A young German shepherd who’d been walking with me earlier reappeared to herd me along the icy sidewalk, and together we discovered that it was –15 degrees Celsius. Clearly time to go home.
--the morning in question, too cold to keep still--
I definitely had more than a twinge of guilt abandoning my companion as I hurried up the front steps into my building, but what to do? There are so many dogs and cats on the street in Ukraine—a completely unthinkable number in comparison to what you might see at home. Most of them are homeless, but some run around with collars, too. A family of black cats lives in my apartment building, usually sleeping in a glossywarm pile on a mat outside of the apartment across from me. This is partly because this floor’s stairwell door is missing a glass panel, so the cats can always get back to home base from the stairs. Still, to feed them, or not? It seems like my across-the-hall neighbors have two answers. Sometimes I hear or see a woman leaving food for them, and sometimes I hear a man stomping his feet to scatter them elsewhere. A third response comes from an occasional visitor. On some mornings, I’ll hear the stairwell door open and a clattering of long-nailed paws hurrying down the hall. If I hurry to the peep-hole in my door, I can see a low-bellied dog sniff the entire scene, then give a few short barks. His owner calls him back, saying, “No, nothing there now,” and easily implying that it’s through this canine vigilance that the feline tide is held at bay. Good boy. Lucky boy, anyway, to have an owner, and one who takes him out for walks, too. Overall, the homeless animal situation is a tough one throughout Ukraine, it seems, even to someone who’s neither a dog nor a cat person.
Didn’t expect to write that much about animals, but let it be so. Хай буде так.
The cold weather is probably one of the reasons that I’ve been keeping up a little better with my reading and writing. In the last week, I’ve read This is Where I Leave You and half of Stranger in a Strange Land. As childishly delighted as it sounds to say it in such a way, oh, how I love reading! I’m also pretty pleased with writing, too, due to a variety of factors.
I love writing to begin with, as we know, but inspiration always helps. I’ve already mentioned the International Writing Olympics, and that’s one of the most obvious roles that writing is playing in my life at the moment. Recent applications for two different spring conferences have required me to write two professional articles [“The Case for Creative Writing” and “English to English: American Reflections on Editing Translations in Ukraine”]. The encouragement of a few friends has pushed me to try to keep up with my blog a little better [Look! I’m doing it!]. In response to requests, I’ve given out bound copies of three of my own books to friends, and am looking forward to their feedback. Hopefully we’ll also be able to restart the To My Mind writing group in the not-too-distant future, too.
Yesterday, I explored a little of Rivne—what we’ll call the capital of the state next door. Despite being referred to as “not a gem” in one of my guidebooks, it seems very promising. Not only does it have some fabulous PCVs and good secondhand shopping, but it also has the Salvador Dali Café [where I had excellent Kava Po-Meksikansky, i.e., Mexican-style coffee] and—AND!—a diner! Unfortunately, the effort to balance being a tourist and wanting to blend precluded me from taking pictures this time, but there were indeed the right kinds of booths, lots of flashy chrome, vintage-style movie posters, and other decorations. I had vareneky [pierogies]. Also, there was a chandelier. Kind of a diner, anyway. Warmer weather and further welcomes will definitely encourage further exploration. :)
Today, we spent English Club hearing about Presidents’ Day in general, as well as lots about Washington and Lincoln. Ukraine, which also has a president, does not have a day off on Monday. Enjoy your holiday!
:)
No doubt you remember that I just [last week] said it was warm enough for me to wear my snazzy fall jacket. No more.
On Wednesday morning, while I was missing the bus to yoga, it was ridiculously cold. This cold was what had made me late in the first place, for only an extremely well-balanced and dedicated individual or a great fool would get out of a warm bed into a freezing world while it’s still dark out. I am not a great fool [so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of you], so I was reluctant to get out of bed. I missed the bus I usually take. Then I second-guessed another bus, ignored one that was almost right, and kept standing there. Abruptly, I realized that I was going to be late, and I do not go late to yoga. It’s just not right. Everyone’s getting balanced and calmed and I’m not about to stumble in and insert unnecessary awkward energy into that scene. So, I decided to walk down to see how cold it really was on the digital display down the street. A young German shepherd who’d been walking with me earlier reappeared to herd me along the icy sidewalk, and together we discovered that it was –15 degrees Celsius. Clearly time to go home.
--the morning in question, too cold to keep still--
I definitely had more than a twinge of guilt abandoning my companion as I hurried up the front steps into my building, but what to do? There are so many dogs and cats on the street in Ukraine—a completely unthinkable number in comparison to what you might see at home. Most of them are homeless, but some run around with collars, too. A family of black cats lives in my apartment building, usually sleeping in a glossywarm pile on a mat outside of the apartment across from me. This is partly because this floor’s stairwell door is missing a glass panel, so the cats can always get back to home base from the stairs. Still, to feed them, or not? It seems like my across-the-hall neighbors have two answers. Sometimes I hear or see a woman leaving food for them, and sometimes I hear a man stomping his feet to scatter them elsewhere. A third response comes from an occasional visitor. On some mornings, I’ll hear the stairwell door open and a clattering of long-nailed paws hurrying down the hall. If I hurry to the peep-hole in my door, I can see a low-bellied dog sniff the entire scene, then give a few short barks. His owner calls him back, saying, “No, nothing there now,” and easily implying that it’s through this canine vigilance that the feline tide is held at bay. Good boy. Lucky boy, anyway, to have an owner, and one who takes him out for walks, too. Overall, the homeless animal situation is a tough one throughout Ukraine, it seems, even to someone who’s neither a dog nor a cat person.
Didn’t expect to write that much about animals, but let it be so. Хай буде так.
The cold weather is probably one of the reasons that I’ve been keeping up a little better with my reading and writing. In the last week, I’ve read This is Where I Leave You and half of Stranger in a Strange Land. As childishly delighted as it sounds to say it in such a way, oh, how I love reading! I’m also pretty pleased with writing, too, due to a variety of factors.
I love writing to begin with, as we know, but inspiration always helps. I’ve already mentioned the International Writing Olympics, and that’s one of the most obvious roles that writing is playing in my life at the moment. Recent applications for two different spring conferences have required me to write two professional articles [“The Case for Creative Writing” and “English to English: American Reflections on Editing Translations in Ukraine”]. The encouragement of a few friends has pushed me to try to keep up with my blog a little better [Look! I’m doing it!]. In response to requests, I’ve given out bound copies of three of my own books to friends, and am looking forward to their feedback. Hopefully we’ll also be able to restart the To My Mind writing group in the not-too-distant future, too. Yesterday, I explored a little of Rivne—what we’ll call the capital of the state next door. Despite being referred to as “not a gem” in one of my guidebooks, it seems very promising. Not only does it have some fabulous PCVs and good secondhand shopping, but it also has the Salvador Dali Café [where I had excellent Kava Po-Meksikansky, i.e., Mexican-style coffee] and—AND!—a diner! Unfortunately, the effort to balance being a tourist and wanting to blend precluded me from taking pictures this time, but there were indeed the right kinds of booths, lots of flashy chrome, vintage-style movie posters, and other decorations. I had vareneky [pierogies]. Also, there was a chandelier. Kind of a diner, anyway. Warmer weather and further welcomes will definitely encourage further exploration. :)
Today, we spent English Club hearing about Presidents’ Day in general, as well as lots about Washington and Lincoln. Ukraine, which also has a president, does not have a day off on Monday. Enjoy your holiday!
:)
Sunday, February 13, 2011
post 13 february
What? Another blog post? Has it been a month already?
Okay, okay. I’m trying. Having been recently inspired by a few friends, I’m making a better effort to keep you updated. What does this mean, being updated? Do I really have such astonishing events happening over here every single day?
Will I really keep asking questions throughout this entire post, or will I actually se any declarative sentences? Do I really expect that you’d read a post made up of only questions? Would you?
Last week’s weather was lovely, with the return of my fall jacket featuring prominently [Featured where? Enough with the questions!]. I’ve gotten back into mostly regular attendance of yoga and aerobics, classes have started, and it looks like good things are going on in general.
The International Writing Olympics is/ are still the big thing at the moment, and will continue to be for the next few months, at least. We’re up to 19 oblasts participating—that’s out of a total of 24, if you could Crimea as an oblast, which it’s not. To avoid you having to ask a question in this declarative-only zone, I’ll just tell you: it’s actually an autonomous republic. Maybe this is why the Ukrainian way to refer to this area is “the Crimea”, stemming from “the Autonomous Republic of Crimea”, but I feel like this is the logic that makes so many Americans believe that the country in which I currently reside is called “the Ukraine”, as if it is the property of some larger union.
Anyway, there’s good publicity being spread in the press, and also generated in reality, and the national steering committee is doing excellent work. We’ve gathered some prize donations, including certificates, books, publication in a few locations, and hopefully a really sweet booklet currently titled “79 Writing Ideas: A Collection of Ideas and Activities to Encourage Creative Writing.” Maybe tomorrow it’ll be titled “80”, but we’ll see. If you’re interested in a copy of the ideas in this booklet, let me know!
There’s also the possibility that this project will extend into summer writing workshops or camps for winners or other participants, but this remains to be seen. Of course I’d love to have another summer Student Writers’ Workshop, just like in the good ol’ days at Walkersville Middle School with the Maryland Writing Project, but we’re getting there one step at a time. I’m really happy to be involved in this project, but it’s a lot of work putting something so ambitious into motion. Lots of positive feedback is already drifting back my way, though, as Ukrainian teachers and PCVs start preparing their students and integrating creative writing into their lessons. In one of two teacher seminars I’ve already presented on this topic, one woman said to me, “Well, what am I supposed to say to this question: ‘Why is grass green?’ I mean, it’s biology, right?” Right. It’s a good opportunity for everybody to remember that there doesn’t always have to be a right answer in creative thinking.
And… two bits: On Saturday, while I was walking with my friend Kate on a sidewalk lined with produce sellers, one man called out to ask us if we wanted to buy some apples. Usually, people are vaguely passive sellers, maybe offering up a mumbled litany of the delicious freshness of whatever they have in front of them, or asking in the typical implied negative, “You don’t need carrots, do you?” This man was definitely active, though, and I answered, in Ukrainian, “No, thanks, we don’t need any apples.” To this, he responded, “Your friend’s from America, yes?” I laughed, and said yes, and that I was from America, too. “You understand me?” he asked. “Yes,” I said, “but we still don’t need any apples.” He laughed, we left. Do I look more Ukrainian than Kate? Maybe. My red winter hat is definitely not Ukrainian style, but she was wearing a backpack—also not Ukrainian style.
Later, when we both got on the 30-minute bus to her town, Kivertsi, we were speaking English to each other—not surprisingly, although not loudly, as Kate was sitting in the back row and I was standing in the aisle near her. At one point, a man nearby turned around to stare at both of us, super-intensely. I’m not one to challenge someone overtly, but I definitely looked back at him, sort of wondering what his deal was. Eventually, he mumbled something about “speaking English” and turned back around. “Yes,” I said, in Ukrainian, “but we can speak Ukrainian, too.” Then he turned back and really stared. The mom and her daughter sitting beside Kate giggled and smiled at us. Yes! Victory! We can impress people with simple sentences!!
I thought immediately of visiting my sister in Yemen and being so impressed when she could turn back to the little boys calling out a string of wondering words at us in the market and return in Arabic, “Yeah? Well, whoever taught you to talk to your elders like that? You should know better than to be rude to strangers!” I mean, I think that’s what she said…
Happy birthday to my dearest sister, and happy day to all!
:)
Okay, okay. I’m trying. Having been recently inspired by a few friends, I’m making a better effort to keep you updated. What does this mean, being updated? Do I really have such astonishing events happening over here every single day?
Will I really keep asking questions throughout this entire post, or will I actually se any declarative sentences? Do I really expect that you’d read a post made up of only questions? Would you?
Last week’s weather was lovely, with the return of my fall jacket featuring prominently [Featured where? Enough with the questions!]. I’ve gotten back into mostly regular attendance of yoga and aerobics, classes have started, and it looks like good things are going on in general.
The International Writing Olympics is/ are still the big thing at the moment, and will continue to be for the next few months, at least. We’re up to 19 oblasts participating—that’s out of a total of 24, if you could Crimea as an oblast, which it’s not. To avoid you having to ask a question in this declarative-only zone, I’ll just tell you: it’s actually an autonomous republic. Maybe this is why the Ukrainian way to refer to this area is “the Crimea”, stemming from “the Autonomous Republic of Crimea”, but I feel like this is the logic that makes so many Americans believe that the country in which I currently reside is called “the Ukraine”, as if it is the property of some larger union.
Anyway, there’s good publicity being spread in the press, and also generated in reality, and the national steering committee is doing excellent work. We’ve gathered some prize donations, including certificates, books, publication in a few locations, and hopefully a really sweet booklet currently titled “79 Writing Ideas: A Collection of Ideas and Activities to Encourage Creative Writing.” Maybe tomorrow it’ll be titled “80”, but we’ll see. If you’re interested in a copy of the ideas in this booklet, let me know!
There’s also the possibility that this project will extend into summer writing workshops or camps for winners or other participants, but this remains to be seen. Of course I’d love to have another summer Student Writers’ Workshop, just like in the good ol’ days at Walkersville Middle School with the Maryland Writing Project, but we’re getting there one step at a time. I’m really happy to be involved in this project, but it’s a lot of work putting something so ambitious into motion. Lots of positive feedback is already drifting back my way, though, as Ukrainian teachers and PCVs start preparing their students and integrating creative writing into their lessons. In one of two teacher seminars I’ve already presented on this topic, one woman said to me, “Well, what am I supposed to say to this question: ‘Why is grass green?’ I mean, it’s biology, right?” Right. It’s a good opportunity for everybody to remember that there doesn’t always have to be a right answer in creative thinking.
And… two bits: On Saturday, while I was walking with my friend Kate on a sidewalk lined with produce sellers, one man called out to ask us if we wanted to buy some apples. Usually, people are vaguely passive sellers, maybe offering up a mumbled litany of the delicious freshness of whatever they have in front of them, or asking in the typical implied negative, “You don’t need carrots, do you?” This man was definitely active, though, and I answered, in Ukrainian, “No, thanks, we don’t need any apples.” To this, he responded, “Your friend’s from America, yes?” I laughed, and said yes, and that I was from America, too. “You understand me?” he asked. “Yes,” I said, “but we still don’t need any apples.” He laughed, we left. Do I look more Ukrainian than Kate? Maybe. My red winter hat is definitely not Ukrainian style, but she was wearing a backpack—also not Ukrainian style.
Later, when we both got on the 30-minute bus to her town, Kivertsi, we were speaking English to each other—not surprisingly, although not loudly, as Kate was sitting in the back row and I was standing in the aisle near her. At one point, a man nearby turned around to stare at both of us, super-intensely. I’m not one to challenge someone overtly, but I definitely looked back at him, sort of wondering what his deal was. Eventually, he mumbled something about “speaking English” and turned back around. “Yes,” I said, in Ukrainian, “but we can speak Ukrainian, too.” Then he turned back and really stared. The mom and her daughter sitting beside Kate giggled and smiled at us. Yes! Victory! We can impress people with simple sentences!!
I thought immediately of visiting my sister in Yemen and being so impressed when she could turn back to the little boys calling out a string of wondering words at us in the market and return in Arabic, “Yeah? Well, whoever taught you to talk to your elders like that? You should know better than to be rude to strangers!” I mean, I think that’s what she said…
Happy birthday to my dearest sister, and happy day to all!
:)
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
post 9 february
Yes, it’s been about a month since my last post, but no, I haven’t forgotten about you. In fact, I think of you, and think of you often!
For as much as I love to write, I wonder why it’s so hard for me to keep up with a blog regularly. I guess the answer is that I’m trying to do things worth blogging about, but that’s really not much of an excuse.
The biggest project of the moment is the International Writing Olympics, a creative writing contest organized by Peace Corps Volunteers in eleven countries. This is the first year we’ve brought the contest to Ukraine, and I’m working as the national coordinator, so there’s a lot to work out. The official prompts have just come out, and so all kinds of students and all kinds of proctors and judges all across the country are generating lots of creative energy right about now. Ponder some of our sample questions for yourself: What would you do if you were invisible? What would happen if music were illegal? What do clouds think about? Want more questions? Send me an email and I’ll send you last year’s official questions.
The new semester has just started, too, and I’m teaching teachers at the Inservice Institute, as well as Applied Linguistics 5th year (masters) and 3rd year students, plus Country Studies for 1st year students. This schedule is subject to quite a bit of variation, plus the addition of a class at the Humanities University within the next few weeks, but it’s a good start.
I went to language refresher camp a few weeks ago, which was good, but pretty different from the summer camp. This one was a bit more low-key, and less, well, camp-y. Fine with me, though, as it was cold out.
Meetings: Our regional Collaborative meeting, which I co-facilitated, was great, as was the Collaborative meeting in Lvivksa oblast. I’m hoping to attend another Collaborative meeting in Chortkiv, Ternopliska oblast, this Saturday, but we’ll see! I’m the Western Regional Collaborative Facilitator, so I feel like it might be a good plan to try to be as involved as possible in as many of the meetings as I can, but also, it’s fun to travel around and hang out with new people. Okay, you’re right, it’s not always fun to spend ten hours on a bus in one day, but, really, the people were great.
Conferences: With any luck, I’ll be presenting at a TESOL Conference in Zhytomyr in April, as well as another conference in Kyiv around the same time. At the TESOL Conference, my presentation will be on “The Case for Creative Writing,” but at the conference in Kyiv, there’s a bit more uncertainty. I was asked to present, but it turns out that the focus of the conference is on translation. Yes, I’ve worked on three translation projects—the Cossack book, the subtitles of the film about the Black Sea Fleet, and, most recently, the University website—but all of these have come to me in at least mostly English form. I’m at a bit of a loss about what to present about—much less what to write a 6-page article about for the conference Book of Papers—but my tentative title is “English to English: An American’s Reflections on Editing Translations in Ukraine.” Pretty original, right? Phew!
So, I regret that this entry seems a little dry, but I’m working on it. If I could stay updated better, I’d have more of a chance to tell you the interesting little bits of my life here, which are, well, more interesting than sweeping overviews. But, hey. It’s something.
Actually, you should read my friend Kate’s blog. She’s super-good at keeping updated, and she’s an entertaining storyteller with an entertaining life. Plus, sometimes some of her stories involve me! Take it away, Kate! http://katemarieschmidt.blogspot.com/
:)
For as much as I love to write, I wonder why it’s so hard for me to keep up with a blog regularly. I guess the answer is that I’m trying to do things worth blogging about, but that’s really not much of an excuse.
The biggest project of the moment is the International Writing Olympics, a creative writing contest organized by Peace Corps Volunteers in eleven countries. This is the first year we’ve brought the contest to Ukraine, and I’m working as the national coordinator, so there’s a lot to work out. The official prompts have just come out, and so all kinds of students and all kinds of proctors and judges all across the country are generating lots of creative energy right about now. Ponder some of our sample questions for yourself: What would you do if you were invisible? What would happen if music were illegal? What do clouds think about? Want more questions? Send me an email and I’ll send you last year’s official questions.
The new semester has just started, too, and I’m teaching teachers at the Inservice Institute, as well as Applied Linguistics 5th year (masters) and 3rd year students, plus Country Studies for 1st year students. This schedule is subject to quite a bit of variation, plus the addition of a class at the Humanities University within the next few weeks, but it’s a good start.
I went to language refresher camp a few weeks ago, which was good, but pretty different from the summer camp. This one was a bit more low-key, and less, well, camp-y. Fine with me, though, as it was cold out.
Meetings: Our regional Collaborative meeting, which I co-facilitated, was great, as was the Collaborative meeting in Lvivksa oblast. I’m hoping to attend another Collaborative meeting in Chortkiv, Ternopliska oblast, this Saturday, but we’ll see! I’m the Western Regional Collaborative Facilitator, so I feel like it might be a good plan to try to be as involved as possible in as many of the meetings as I can, but also, it’s fun to travel around and hang out with new people. Okay, you’re right, it’s not always fun to spend ten hours on a bus in one day, but, really, the people were great.
Conferences: With any luck, I’ll be presenting at a TESOL Conference in Zhytomyr in April, as well as another conference in Kyiv around the same time. At the TESOL Conference, my presentation will be on “The Case for Creative Writing,” but at the conference in Kyiv, there’s a bit more uncertainty. I was asked to present, but it turns out that the focus of the conference is on translation. Yes, I’ve worked on three translation projects—the Cossack book, the subtitles of the film about the Black Sea Fleet, and, most recently, the University website—but all of these have come to me in at least mostly English form. I’m at a bit of a loss about what to present about—much less what to write a 6-page article about for the conference Book of Papers—but my tentative title is “English to English: An American’s Reflections on Editing Translations in Ukraine.” Pretty original, right? Phew!
So, I regret that this entry seems a little dry, but I’m working on it. If I could stay updated better, I’d have more of a chance to tell you the interesting little bits of my life here, which are, well, more interesting than sweeping overviews. But, hey. It’s something.
Actually, you should read my friend Kate’s blog. She’s super-good at keeping updated, and she’s an entertaining storyteller with an entertaining life. Plus, sometimes some of her stories involve me! Take it away, Kate! http://katemarieschmidt.blogspot.com/
:)
Monday, January 10, 2011
post 10 january
holidaisy chain// holidazy// holidizzy
‘Tis been the season for holidays, and most have already come and gone by the time I’m sitting down to write about them.
As you no doubt recall, when last I wrote, ‘twas just about the night before Thanksgiving, and all through Ukraine, Peace Corps Volunteers were searching for Stovetop in vain… Well, not exactly. The PCVs I celebrated with cooked lots of tasty goodies from scratch, and while the bird was a storebought chicken instead of a homecooked turkey, the spirit was definitely right. At a second Thanksgiving dinner a few days later, hosted by some former exchange students to America, a real turkey was served, but the outstanding dish of the night was one guy’s mom’s homemade pickles. Maybe I’m just saying this because I’m a vegetarian, but really, they were good pickles! The third and final Thanksgiving dinner of the season was a chance for me to share some American favorites with a few of my closest Ukrainian friends. We had—all homemade, mind you!—mashed potatoes, stuffing, baked corn pudding, spiced glazed carrots, pumpkin pie, cranberry jelly, baking powder biscuits, spiced peaches, and dried-apple compote. They even brought along a chicken decorated to look like a turkey so that the meal would be complete. :)
The end of November brought the end of Nanowrimo—National Novel Writing Month—and I’m pleased to report that a few of my PCV friends finished their first novels successfully! I finished, too, although it was a little close at the end. :)
So, then it was December. This meant the end of most of my regular classes, but the appearance of other new projects and opportunities—editing the English translation of the university website, working to improve the quality and organization of the PC-Ukraine Collaborative [a professional development group run by and for Volunteers within Ukraine], editing the content of the Collaborative website, helping to prepare students for the English Olympiad competition, and stepping up to coordinate the International Writing Olympics in Ukraine. I’m really excited about that last project—it’s something that’s been run by PCVs in other countries for a few years, but I really wanted to Ukraine to participate this year, and so we are! Participating students will have an hour to show off their skills in English, creativity, and critical thinking, as they answer questions like: What would you do with a million watermelons? and What would a cloud say, if it could talk?
December wasn’t all work, certainly. I had the chance to attend a concert featuring Peter Yarrow [of Peter, Paul, and Mary, don’t you know], who performed with his son and daughter, as well as an excellent and spunky Ukrainian singer who helped to save the show when it turned out that “Puff the Magic Dragon” would not be performed in its entirety. Ah, well. That weekend was a beautiful time to be in Kyiv, as Sunday was St. Nicholas’ Day—i.e., presents and good times for kids day—and Independence Square was filled with not only snow, but also decorations, concerts, contests, ice skating, shopping, ponies, and all kinds of excitement.
The biggest trip, however, was home to America for a holiday visit. Although my parents and a few people knew that I was coming, this was a big surprise to most, especially my sister. Kudos to her husband for managing to keep this secret for so long, and to my whole family for making my time at home so warm and enjoyable. While this blog is about my time in Ukraine, I can simply say that it was wonderful to see many of the people I love and to check in with their exciting and busy lives. I did speak Ukrainian with a man at my dad’s church [he was born about two hours away from where I live now] and Angelica and I went to see a Gogol Bordello concert, so Ukraine was never too far from my mind. Wow, though— America is, like, a totally different country! :)
On my way back home [to Lutsk] from home [America], I spent a few days at home [in Komarno] to celebrate Ukrainian Christmas with the Ukrainian Kruts. This required some travel management, but it was lovely to arrive at Bohdan’s house and to be greeted with a cup of hot tea and some fresh doughnuts. Musn’t go hungry before Christmas Eve dinner! This dinner featured the right number of dishes, including two kinds of vareneky [pierogies], kutya, lots of fish, mushroom soup, salads, cakes, and more. A few traditions include first eating a small piece of bread with honey on it, putting some cloves of garlic at the table corners underneath the tablecloth, and decorating with straw, under and/ or on the table. The three days of Christmas are a time for children to go out singing carols individually or with a group, in somewhat serious or silly Vertep tradition. I was surprised to see how late some of the kids went out at night, but then I discovered how much money they were receiving! In the past, caroling kids might have received sweets, but now, it looks like they’re filling their pockets with cash. My little cousin Irynka, who’s six, went out with her mother after Christmas Eve dinner, at about 10 pm… a little too late for me after such a long trip to get to dinner on time! A few days in Komarno allowed me to visit more relatives, meet some more complete strangers, listen to lots of carols, and eat lots of kutya and other holiday treats.
Now, I’m back in Lutsk, and starting to pick up a daily routine. Students are mostly taking exams now, so I don’t really have a normal schedule to return to, but getting up at the right time in the morning would be a good start. All that traveling is over for now, and I’ll be sticking around in this same time zone for a while. Next week is Ukrainian Language Refresher camp, but that’s only about an hour away, and comparably quite easy to get to. Before that, though, there’s one more holiday--- Old New Year! That’s right, I get two Christmases and two New Years’ this year! What a festive deal…
Hope your days are merry and bright!
:)
‘Tis been the season for holidays, and most have already come and gone by the time I’m sitting down to write about them.
As you no doubt recall, when last I wrote, ‘twas just about the night before Thanksgiving, and all through Ukraine, Peace Corps Volunteers were searching for Stovetop in vain… Well, not exactly. The PCVs I celebrated with cooked lots of tasty goodies from scratch, and while the bird was a storebought chicken instead of a homecooked turkey, the spirit was definitely right. At a second Thanksgiving dinner a few days later, hosted by some former exchange students to America, a real turkey was served, but the outstanding dish of the night was one guy’s mom’s homemade pickles. Maybe I’m just saying this because I’m a vegetarian, but really, they were good pickles! The third and final Thanksgiving dinner of the season was a chance for me to share some American favorites with a few of my closest Ukrainian friends. We had—all homemade, mind you!—mashed potatoes, stuffing, baked corn pudding, spiced glazed carrots, pumpkin pie, cranberry jelly, baking powder biscuits, spiced peaches, and dried-apple compote. They even brought along a chicken decorated to look like a turkey so that the meal would be complete. :)
The end of November brought the end of Nanowrimo—National Novel Writing Month—and I’m pleased to report that a few of my PCV friends finished their first novels successfully! I finished, too, although it was a little close at the end. :)
So, then it was December. This meant the end of most of my regular classes, but the appearance of other new projects and opportunities—editing the English translation of the university website, working to improve the quality and organization of the PC-Ukraine Collaborative [a professional development group run by and for Volunteers within Ukraine], editing the content of the Collaborative website, helping to prepare students for the English Olympiad competition, and stepping up to coordinate the International Writing Olympics in Ukraine. I’m really excited about that last project—it’s something that’s been run by PCVs in other countries for a few years, but I really wanted to Ukraine to participate this year, and so we are! Participating students will have an hour to show off their skills in English, creativity, and critical thinking, as they answer questions like: What would you do with a million watermelons? and What would a cloud say, if it could talk?
December wasn’t all work, certainly. I had the chance to attend a concert featuring Peter Yarrow [of Peter, Paul, and Mary, don’t you know], who performed with his son and daughter, as well as an excellent and spunky Ukrainian singer who helped to save the show when it turned out that “Puff the Magic Dragon” would not be performed in its entirety. Ah, well. That weekend was a beautiful time to be in Kyiv, as Sunday was St. Nicholas’ Day—i.e., presents and good times for kids day—and Independence Square was filled with not only snow, but also decorations, concerts, contests, ice skating, shopping, ponies, and all kinds of excitement.
The biggest trip, however, was home to America for a holiday visit. Although my parents and a few people knew that I was coming, this was a big surprise to most, especially my sister. Kudos to her husband for managing to keep this secret for so long, and to my whole family for making my time at home so warm and enjoyable. While this blog is about my time in Ukraine, I can simply say that it was wonderful to see many of the people I love and to check in with their exciting and busy lives. I did speak Ukrainian with a man at my dad’s church [he was born about two hours away from where I live now] and Angelica and I went to see a Gogol Bordello concert, so Ukraine was never too far from my mind. Wow, though— America is, like, a totally different country! :)
On my way back home [to Lutsk] from home [America], I spent a few days at home [in Komarno] to celebrate Ukrainian Christmas with the Ukrainian Kruts. This required some travel management, but it was lovely to arrive at Bohdan’s house and to be greeted with a cup of hot tea and some fresh doughnuts. Musn’t go hungry before Christmas Eve dinner! This dinner featured the right number of dishes, including two kinds of vareneky [pierogies], kutya, lots of fish, mushroom soup, salads, cakes, and more. A few traditions include first eating a small piece of bread with honey on it, putting some cloves of garlic at the table corners underneath the tablecloth, and decorating with straw, under and/ or on the table. The three days of Christmas are a time for children to go out singing carols individually or with a group, in somewhat serious or silly Vertep tradition. I was surprised to see how late some of the kids went out at night, but then I discovered how much money they were receiving! In the past, caroling kids might have received sweets, but now, it looks like they’re filling their pockets with cash. My little cousin Irynka, who’s six, went out with her mother after Christmas Eve dinner, at about 10 pm… a little too late for me after such a long trip to get to dinner on time! A few days in Komarno allowed me to visit more relatives, meet some more complete strangers, listen to lots of carols, and eat lots of kutya and other holiday treats.
Now, I’m back in Lutsk, and starting to pick up a daily routine. Students are mostly taking exams now, so I don’t really have a normal schedule to return to, but getting up at the right time in the morning would be a good start. All that traveling is over for now, and I’ll be sticking around in this same time zone for a while. Next week is Ukrainian Language Refresher camp, but that’s only about an hour away, and comparably quite easy to get to. Before that, though, there’s one more holiday--- Old New Year! That’s right, I get two Christmases and two New Years’ this year! What a festive deal…
Hope your days are merry and bright!
:)
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
post 16 november
A few years ago, I got my dad a Christmas ornament-sort-of hanging that featured a cowboy hat and said, “All My Heroes Are Cowboys.” Now I’m wondering if it might be possible to find one here that reads, “All My Heroes Are Cossacks.”
Last night, I went to yet another concert-show, a cultural showcase of Ukrainian splendor. This one featured Cossacks, old and modern music, singing, and dancing. Nothing too unusual for a show in Ukraine, but this was a particularly good one.
Right?
At one point, I found myself thinking, ’Well, I guess I’ve been in Ukraine for long enough that I’m getting used to this. I haven’t even taken a picture yet. Okay, so I’m adjusting. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad show.’
Shortly after, as you’re no doubt anticipating, I was taking pictures. And videos. And clapping enthusiastically, obviously in an appropriately rhythmic fashion.
So, maybe it’s something you never get over. People here, too, seem to be pretty taken with celebrating their own culture, so I’m in good company.
Other reasons to celebrate, in the past few months, have included a salo festival, a Lutsk production of Carmen, some successful completions of service by fellow PCVs, some travels, some visits with family, and some writing.
1. Salo festival. Salo’s pig fat, so there’s that. I don’t eat it—no, that’s not something that’s changed!—but it’s a point of controversy among PCVs. Is it totally disgusting and worth avoiding, or is it delicious and worth appreciating? Or, is it something that you ought to eat to be polite, but no more than is necessary? Salo is served in a variety of forms, at a variety of temperatures, and with a variety of toppings, additives, and accompaniments. Finally, a festival that celebrates this Ukrainian classic! It was a rainy day, but an opportunity for attendees to sample various kinds of salo, buy lots of meaty products and other souveniers, watch singing, dancing, and music-playing, and even greet several extremely fresh salo... donors? I mean, there were pens of live pigs down one aisle. Very strange.
2. Carmen. Saw her! She sang in Ukrainian, and did quite an excellent job of it. In this show, actually, she was split into four different, colorfully dressed ladies, each of whom took turns with her lines and personality aspects. I’ve never seen the show before, but I’m told there were lots of changes from the original. Still, I enjoyed it.
3. COS. COS stands for Completion of Service, in Peace Corps talk. For me, it means that some of the friends I’ve made over the past year are heading back to the US. Why?! Seriously! Of course, I wish them all the best, but will definitely miss them. I’m looking forward to meeting up with many of them again, but in the meantime, wish them the best with their next adventures. Katie, star of many fine photos and of the nearby town of Rokyni, has already left, and is already missed.
4. Recent travels. One trip took me to a warden training meeting [safety first!] in Lviv, to Komarno to visit family, and then to Horohiv to visit Becky and to see what her town and yoga class are all about. Last week, I headed to Kyiv and then to Chernihiv to meet some new Peace Corps Trainees, to hang out with my dear cluster-mate from training, Laura Ruth, and to visit my host family. Plus, on the way back through Kyiv, I had the chance to visit with Maria, my former tutee and good friend who’s now a university student in the big city. Good times all around! So interesting to be back in Chernihiv, and to see how much more I understand! I also really enjoyed meeting the new PCTs, and wish them all the best as they finish up their final few weeks of training and get ready to head off to their new [as-of-yet-unknown!] sites.
5. Visits. As mentioned above, I had the chance to visit a bit with some Krut family members in early November. On the hour-long bus from Lviv to Komarno, I ended up chatting at great length with a woman who knows my family. Komarno isn’t a big town—I think there are about 5,000 people—so it’s not a surprise that she’d know someone I was planning to visit. It was sort of a surprise to me how curious about everything she was, though! Lots of good practice speaking Ukrainian to start of that part of the trip, certainly. This visit featured lots of delicious goodies—as is always the case! For the first time, though, I had compote [like juice] made from dried apples, and found it excellent and the closest thing to apple cider I’ve had here. It seems odd to me that there’s no apple cider industry, or even production at all, as far as I can tell, because there are lots and lots of apples around. Another first was haluptsi [cabbage rolls] stuffed with mashed potatoes, instead of the usual [for me!] rice, carrots, and onions. This was an excellent discovery, as well, as mashed potatoes make everything better. Well, lots of things, anyway. :) I also had a chance to study English with Ivanka’s daughter Iryna, who is enjoying Disney’s Magic English DVD and book series. “One, two, three, we are happy! One, two, three, we are family!” Indeed! Iryna and I also went with Krystyna on a very leafy walk through a park I’d never been to before, complete with lots of modeling opportunities—mostly for Iryna. I also went boot shopping at the weekly bazaar with Ivanka and Krystyna, contemplated patterns with seamstress Natalia, visited with Hanna, was fed and housed and cared for by Bohdan and Slava, played with a tiny kitten, and saw [totally different from ‘watched’] a pig being gutted. Opportunities!
Also, I had the chance for a short visit with my host family in Chernihiv. They all seem to be doing pretty well, and Ihor is getting so big! I know that this is the standard thing to say about young kids after not having seen them for a while, but it’s true! My host mom, Tamara, has a new Peace Corps Trainee staying with her now, too. I was the first, then Blythe, and now Abby! I’m really grateful to her for continuing to host Americans in need of lots of help and support, because I know that she’ll be able to help! I learned that they thought I was a very good student during training, and that they’re very impressed with my language skills now, too. Of course, I definitely understood a lot more of the conversation over tea than I did on an average day during training, so that was good for my confidence, too!
Now, Halloween’s passed and Thanksgiving is approaching. Several members of my local PCV family will be coming over to my place to celebrate the holiday with lots of eating and hopefully some American football [watching!]. Before then, though,
6. Writing! November is NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, as you may know, and this is the fourth year in a row that I’ve undertaken this challenge. Write a 50,000 word novel in one month, and you, too, can be a winner! Several fellow PCVs are taking on this challenge for the first time this year, including members of a new informal writing group I’ve started, and I wish all of us the best! I’m way behind at the moment, but hey, there’s plenty of November left before I need to start really freaking out. The weather’s just been so nice… and I’ve been traveling… and I added an aerobics class on top of my yoga class…
Hope the weather’s nice where you are, too! Always happy to hear from you…
:)
PS-- new pictures are up, too! :)
Last night, I went to yet another concert-show, a cultural showcase of Ukrainian splendor. This one featured Cossacks, old and modern music, singing, and dancing. Nothing too unusual for a show in Ukraine, but this was a particularly good one.
Right?
At one point, I found myself thinking, ’Well, I guess I’ve been in Ukraine for long enough that I’m getting used to this. I haven’t even taken a picture yet. Okay, so I’m adjusting. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad show.’
Shortly after, as you’re no doubt anticipating, I was taking pictures. And videos. And clapping enthusiastically, obviously in an appropriately rhythmic fashion.
So, maybe it’s something you never get over. People here, too, seem to be pretty taken with celebrating their own culture, so I’m in good company.
Other reasons to celebrate, in the past few months, have included a salo festival, a Lutsk production of Carmen, some successful completions of service by fellow PCVs, some travels, some visits with family, and some writing.
1. Salo festival. Salo’s pig fat, so there’s that. I don’t eat it—no, that’s not something that’s changed!—but it’s a point of controversy among PCVs. Is it totally disgusting and worth avoiding, or is it delicious and worth appreciating? Or, is it something that you ought to eat to be polite, but no more than is necessary? Salo is served in a variety of forms, at a variety of temperatures, and with a variety of toppings, additives, and accompaniments. Finally, a festival that celebrates this Ukrainian classic! It was a rainy day, but an opportunity for attendees to sample various kinds of salo, buy lots of meaty products and other souveniers, watch singing, dancing, and music-playing, and even greet several extremely fresh salo... donors? I mean, there were pens of live pigs down one aisle. Very strange.
2. Carmen. Saw her! She sang in Ukrainian, and did quite an excellent job of it. In this show, actually, she was split into four different, colorfully dressed ladies, each of whom took turns with her lines and personality aspects. I’ve never seen the show before, but I’m told there were lots of changes from the original. Still, I enjoyed it.
3. COS. COS stands for Completion of Service, in Peace Corps talk. For me, it means that some of the friends I’ve made over the past year are heading back to the US. Why?! Seriously! Of course, I wish them all the best, but will definitely miss them. I’m looking forward to meeting up with many of them again, but in the meantime, wish them the best with their next adventures. Katie, star of many fine photos and of the nearby town of Rokyni, has already left, and is already missed.
4. Recent travels. One trip took me to a warden training meeting [safety first!] in Lviv, to Komarno to visit family, and then to Horohiv to visit Becky and to see what her town and yoga class are all about. Last week, I headed to Kyiv and then to Chernihiv to meet some new Peace Corps Trainees, to hang out with my dear cluster-mate from training, Laura Ruth, and to visit my host family. Plus, on the way back through Kyiv, I had the chance to visit with Maria, my former tutee and good friend who’s now a university student in the big city. Good times all around! So interesting to be back in Chernihiv, and to see how much more I understand! I also really enjoyed meeting the new PCTs, and wish them all the best as they finish up their final few weeks of training and get ready to head off to their new [as-of-yet-unknown!] sites.
5. Visits. As mentioned above, I had the chance to visit a bit with some Krut family members in early November. On the hour-long bus from Lviv to Komarno, I ended up chatting at great length with a woman who knows my family. Komarno isn’t a big town—I think there are about 5,000 people—so it’s not a surprise that she’d know someone I was planning to visit. It was sort of a surprise to me how curious about everything she was, though! Lots of good practice speaking Ukrainian to start of that part of the trip, certainly. This visit featured lots of delicious goodies—as is always the case! For the first time, though, I had compote [like juice] made from dried apples, and found it excellent and the closest thing to apple cider I’ve had here. It seems odd to me that there’s no apple cider industry, or even production at all, as far as I can tell, because there are lots and lots of apples around. Another first was haluptsi [cabbage rolls] stuffed with mashed potatoes, instead of the usual [for me!] rice, carrots, and onions. This was an excellent discovery, as well, as mashed potatoes make everything better. Well, lots of things, anyway. :) I also had a chance to study English with Ivanka’s daughter Iryna, who is enjoying Disney’s Magic English DVD and book series. “One, two, three, we are happy! One, two, three, we are family!” Indeed! Iryna and I also went with Krystyna on a very leafy walk through a park I’d never been to before, complete with lots of modeling opportunities—mostly for Iryna. I also went boot shopping at the weekly bazaar with Ivanka and Krystyna, contemplated patterns with seamstress Natalia, visited with Hanna, was fed and housed and cared for by Bohdan and Slava, played with a tiny kitten, and saw [totally different from ‘watched’] a pig being gutted. Opportunities!
Also, I had the chance for a short visit with my host family in Chernihiv. They all seem to be doing pretty well, and Ihor is getting so big! I know that this is the standard thing to say about young kids after not having seen them for a while, but it’s true! My host mom, Tamara, has a new Peace Corps Trainee staying with her now, too. I was the first, then Blythe, and now Abby! I’m really grateful to her for continuing to host Americans in need of lots of help and support, because I know that she’ll be able to help! I learned that they thought I was a very good student during training, and that they’re very impressed with my language skills now, too. Of course, I definitely understood a lot more of the conversation over tea than I did on an average day during training, so that was good for my confidence, too!
Now, Halloween’s passed and Thanksgiving is approaching. Several members of my local PCV family will be coming over to my place to celebrate the holiday with lots of eating and hopefully some American football [watching!]. Before then, though,
6. Writing! November is NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, as you may know, and this is the fourth year in a row that I’ve undertaken this challenge. Write a 50,000 word novel in one month, and you, too, can be a winner! Several fellow PCVs are taking on this challenge for the first time this year, including members of a new informal writing group I’ve started, and I wish all of us the best! I’m way behind at the moment, but hey, there’s plenty of November left before I need to start really freaking out. The weather’s just been so nice… and I’ve been traveling… and I added an aerobics class on top of my yoga class…
Hope the weather’s nice where you are, too! Always happy to hear from you…
:)
PS-- new pictures are up, too! :)
Saturday, October 30, 2010
post 30 october
The more things that happen, the more there is to tell you about. The more delayed the posting, the more things that happen.
Certainly, though, these happenings are more of a combination of minutes than major Events Of Importance. To that end, here are a few of the minutes from the last week or so. :)
Thursday
I didn’t go looking for light, but it found me suddenly, striking down right bright angles in the yellow leaves of white birches lining the long road out of town. Eyes drawn to the right, seeking the source, the sun, unstrung and shaking itself out in the cold, clear air—almost missing the boy on the other side of the street. He’s slowgoing three or four steps, back from school in a lookingnice coat and tooclean clothes for those toodirty shoes. Up the alley, before he turns in, two little low dogs hurry up to confront, sharp barks: the race is on. Down he turns, into the dust, all three chasing each other from every angle, haphazard from habit and escape.
Friday
Halfway between my waist and the sky, my red vinyl bowlingstyle bag perches on the seatback just in front of me. Twenty minutes in and I’m still standing, still pressed in between smells and bodies: cologne, onions, humanity. The woman sitting in front of me is chattering incessantly to her friend, neither of them pausing to listen to the other, but nodding emphatically to show their bonded support. Music from a different world suggests an indie rock escape straight from recharged energizers to my ears on thin green cords, but my eyes know differently. My eyes catch the bumpy landscape through thin, gold-scalloped curtains topping the dustdressed windows, all distressed but cared for. I am awkward and I do not belong and I am in the space belonging to others.
Saturday
Minutes ago while K was talking I looked past her through the window across the courtyard on the roof of the building opposite and there was a giant flare a torch and I said look at that and she said what.
Now she is still talking and I am listening but what I am seeing is a bright white light. I am hearing about love and distance and I am feeling understanding. Now I know why the flare was lit; now I see why such a flame was needed. Perfectly angled in the same spot, the same plot develops with a twist, lifting up from the earth now as a wide white circle. Flamed from within, lifting on heat, the moon starts its easy climb into the obvious sky, full and patient.
Sunday
Sudden upclose quiet following something else dropped, rolling with a forward lean from a coat-padded lap. Sidebeside friends glance and shake their heads with undecided laughs on their quiet-in-the-audience lips. Embarassment flushing the dark, wondering what and where to. Behind, loudbreathing rows of underage camouflage feign interest in a slow scene onstage, waiting for more action from the seductive Carmen and her feisty friends to spice things up a little. Lean back into the velvet insulation of a first-row balcony seat, carefully fingerchecking the secondhand purse that could have done better.
Monday
Waking up on top of the covers, face down, curtain open. There is an order, and this is not it. Foggy seconds recall nothing. Light streams in gray and weak, probing a sidetwisted neck and a crackback groan. Whiteframed window, tapesealed against cold and night. Left fingers clean lefteye corners, deep yawn presses chest to mattress, inflates memory. An hour has passed. Butter now soft on the kitchen radiator. Time to turn the oven on.
Tuesday
This is not the lesson plan. This is something else. This could be learning. Five out of ten are in class. Five out of ten are whispering, a group of two and a group of three. They are too quiet to offer up a clue of language. I have given five minutes. This one is too long. I sit. Take attendance. Offer space, control. Soon I will walk, check their work. They take turns glancing up at me. I look up and down, breathe in patience and optimism. Soon we’ll be able to tell. Who understands?
Certainly, though, these happenings are more of a combination of minutes than major Events Of Importance. To that end, here are a few of the minutes from the last week or so. :)
Thursday
I didn’t go looking for light, but it found me suddenly, striking down right bright angles in the yellow leaves of white birches lining the long road out of town. Eyes drawn to the right, seeking the source, the sun, unstrung and shaking itself out in the cold, clear air—almost missing the boy on the other side of the street. He’s slowgoing three or four steps, back from school in a lookingnice coat and tooclean clothes for those toodirty shoes. Up the alley, before he turns in, two little low dogs hurry up to confront, sharp barks: the race is on. Down he turns, into the dust, all three chasing each other from every angle, haphazard from habit and escape.
Friday
Halfway between my waist and the sky, my red vinyl bowlingstyle bag perches on the seatback just in front of me. Twenty minutes in and I’m still standing, still pressed in between smells and bodies: cologne, onions, humanity. The woman sitting in front of me is chattering incessantly to her friend, neither of them pausing to listen to the other, but nodding emphatically to show their bonded support. Music from a different world suggests an indie rock escape straight from recharged energizers to my ears on thin green cords, but my eyes know differently. My eyes catch the bumpy landscape through thin, gold-scalloped curtains topping the dustdressed windows, all distressed but cared for. I am awkward and I do not belong and I am in the space belonging to others.
Saturday
Minutes ago while K was talking I looked past her through the window across the courtyard on the roof of the building opposite and there was a giant flare a torch and I said look at that and she said what.
Now she is still talking and I am listening but what I am seeing is a bright white light. I am hearing about love and distance and I am feeling understanding. Now I know why the flare was lit; now I see why such a flame was needed. Perfectly angled in the same spot, the same plot develops with a twist, lifting up from the earth now as a wide white circle. Flamed from within, lifting on heat, the moon starts its easy climb into the obvious sky, full and patient.
Sunday
Sudden upclose quiet following something else dropped, rolling with a forward lean from a coat-padded lap. Sidebeside friends glance and shake their heads with undecided laughs on their quiet-in-the-audience lips. Embarassment flushing the dark, wondering what and where to. Behind, loudbreathing rows of underage camouflage feign interest in a slow scene onstage, waiting for more action from the seductive Carmen and her feisty friends to spice things up a little. Lean back into the velvet insulation of a first-row balcony seat, carefully fingerchecking the secondhand purse that could have done better.
Monday
Waking up on top of the covers, face down, curtain open. There is an order, and this is not it. Foggy seconds recall nothing. Light streams in gray and weak, probing a sidetwisted neck and a crackback groan. Whiteframed window, tapesealed against cold and night. Left fingers clean lefteye corners, deep yawn presses chest to mattress, inflates memory. An hour has passed. Butter now soft on the kitchen radiator. Time to turn the oven on.
Tuesday
This is not the lesson plan. This is something else. This could be learning. Five out of ten are in class. Five out of ten are whispering, a group of two and a group of three. They are too quiet to offer up a clue of language. I have given five minutes. This one is too long. I sit. Take attendance. Offer space, control. Soon I will walk, check their work. They take turns glancing up at me. I look up and down, breathe in patience and optimism. Soon we’ll be able to tell. Who understands?
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