I have to admit it’s getting greener
OR
Spring is a completely different country
Choose your title! Either way, you get the idea… Things are warming up—maybe not constantly, but vaguely consistently headed in that direction—and this means new leaves and flowers and veggies, new holidays, high spirits, and more people out and about wearing fewer layers. Out from underneath those down-stuffed coats and fur-fringed hoods, more optimistic beings are appearing, delivering handfuls of daffodils and buying fresh radishes at the market.
Today, I bought radishes at the mini-market in front of the closest post office. You know, it’s the one that’s the sidewalk lined by mostly older weather-impervious ladies with displays of apples and beets and water bottles full of milk. I cannot remember ever buying radishes at home, but here, today, it seemed like the right thing to do.
This past weekend, I earned two certificates. One was for presenting at a TESOL [Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages] conference, as part of a panel on critical thinking and active citizenship. Beyond the fact that two of the other members of my panel were from my training group in Chernihiv—Laura Ruth and Sharon—one of the perks for me was seeing Zoya [a really impressive master teacher who I saw present at the Teacher Recertification Institute in Chernihv] taking notes while I was talking and looking intently at my PowerPOint. Hooray! The second certificate was for being part of a winning team in a vareneky [pierogie]-eating contest. It’s clear what the perk was in that situation. Although, it’s hard to say which certificate I’m more pleased with. :)
Easter has come and gone, preceded by a frenzy of inside-out cleaning, accompanied by lots of baking, and followed by full bellies. I spent the holiday weekend with relatives in Komarno, which is an hour south of Lviv. I had a really nice time there and was very warmly greeted by each of the six or seven families I visited. Of course, this made for a lot of eating—pascha [Easter bread], eggs, shredded beets and horseradish, diced eggs and horseradish, veggie salads, probably about seven kinds of cake… plus cherry compote and even strawberry compote—yum! I attended the basket-blessing service—so many people lining the walks around the beautiful blue church! In a town of about 5,000 people, I was amazed by the number of people gathered together. I also visited two other churches and saw a concert/ pageant/ song-and-dance-and-play presentation/ celebration performed by local children. Two of my cousins [everyone’s either a cousin, an aunt, or an uncle, in my shorthand explanations!] took part—one as an egg, and one as a rabbit carrying horseradish in place of the typical [to me!] carrot. It was a bit challenging to spend three days speaking almost exclusively Ukrainian, but it was good practice, of course! Everyone was very generous with their understanding, their send-home goodies, and their offers: Come and we’ll show you how to make good varekeny! Come and we’ll give you a tour of Lviv! Come! You’re welcome!
Of course, school’s still going on. I’m finished with one Applied Linguistics class [more or less Creative Writing], and two English Philology masters’ classes, and this week marks the end of my Applied Linguistics masters’ classes. Still, Political Linguistics starts tomorrow [oh my!], and I’ve picked up a class at the Humanities University down the road, so I’ll stay busy.
In connection to school, I’ll add a bit of explanation about the last few pictures I posted last time. The week after Easter was a pretty entertaining one, as it was the week of the College of Romance-Germanic Philology, i.e., my little part of Volyn National University. This meant that, after the Monday holiday, we returned to Ukrainian Day and an opening concert [Tuesday], German Day and a Miss of the College contest [Wednesday], American Day and Mr. of the College contest [Thursday], and French/ Spanish Day and a closing concert [Friday]. Yes, there are lots of talented students, hence all the contests and concerts, as well as all of the languages spoken and sung within. Thursday was perhaps the most exciting for me, as American Day ended up with the Applied Linguistics Department dressing up as cowboys and performing a variety of country and country-esque songs. The winner was Vika’s class, with “Have you ever seen the rain” by CCR—nice! Plus, I was asked to be a judge for the Mr. contest, which was sort of entertaining, as my Ukrainian skills didn’t cover all of the material included, we’ll say. Still, watching a set of five guys try to give five girls hair-dos for randomly drawn occasions [first day of work, meeting boyfriend’s parents, etc.] didn’t really require too much vocabulary.
Wednesday night of the same week brought an Easter concert spectacular. There’s really no other way to describe it, but it was traditional, Ukrainian, and quite grand. Adding that to Maria’s showcase concert and the jazz concert, my concert total is rising rapidly!
More random bits…
I saw a delegation headed by a Massachusetts state senator speak at the Humanities University—more or less about active citizenship. Cool!
The grant proposal has gotten lots of very positive feedback, and will hopefully be funded soon!
I’ve successfully been to yoga several times now, and hope to keep it up! It’s three times a week, at 7 a.m., and it’s a bit tough to catch the right trolley and get there at 6:45, but the teacher is good, it’s challenging, and I’m enjoying trying to follow along.
Yesterday I received a package of Melissa tea as a gift. It’s tasty!
Film club continues to watch a wide variety of films… most recently Tom Hanks’ Big and the Coen brothers’ Millers’ Crossing… One of those was definitely easier for everyone to understand, including the two of us who are native speakers! We were a little concerned about Air Force One because of the way the Russian terrorists were portrayed, but it was mostly a success, although not as highly rated as Matilda. :)
Hope everything is nicely green wherever you bloomin’ are. :)
Monday, April 19, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
picture post- 10 april
album update!
- carrying candles home in the rain on Thursday [Holy Thursday, Clean Thursday… the one before Good Friday]
- Because it’s spring, buy real plants and plant them! Because it’s Easter, buy fake flowers to decorate the graves of relatives.
- festive pysanky and pascha [Easter bread] decorations on Tam-Tam
- one of many mosaically decorated bus stops on the way to Lviv
- one of many lovely churches on the way to Lviv
- one of many Easter eggs, prepared here by Ivanna and daughter Iryna
- If the paschas are small enough, you can eat three by yourself!
- Mom/ Grandma Yaroslava helps to prepare baskets
- basket-blessing, and the church is surrounded by people and baskets
- iconostas inside, with “Christ is risen” letters in gold… in Ukrainian, clearly
- baskets
- blessing
- lots more baskets
- front of church
- inside another church
- same church, with me
- iconostas of this church
- mosaic icon
- flower-pysanky hanging in gate in front of old Polish castle, or church
- oldest church
- girls offering bread and welcome to traditional children’s Easter show
- forest animals help this poor little lost girl by bringing her a basket, as well as stuff for it… sort of the opposite of Little Red Riding Hood? J
- each item in the basket talks about why it’s most important—this one, the horseradish [krin], is related to me, so he wins J
- me there
- round and round and round in the circle dance
- inside this old church
- same
- family- Veronika, her mom Mariana, me, Mariana’s sister Anya, and their mom Nadia
- not the only stork nesting on an electric pole in the area
- Bohdan, Roman, and Hanna wave goodbye after packing me onto the marshrutka back to Lutsk
- just about every tree in a yard or on the street is painted solid white about three feet from the ground, but here along the road between towns, one stripe does the trick [both a spring Easter-cleaning and keeping-bugs-away tradition]
- Easter concert spectacular
- maypole and jump-roping as part of the same show
- drum corps in university concert… inside!
- carrying candles home in the rain on Thursday [Holy Thursday, Clean Thursday… the one before Good Friday]
- Because it’s spring, buy real plants and plant them! Because it’s Easter, buy fake flowers to decorate the graves of relatives.
- festive pysanky and pascha [Easter bread] decorations on Tam-Tam
- one of many mosaically decorated bus stops on the way to Lviv
- one of many lovely churches on the way to Lviv
- one of many Easter eggs, prepared here by Ivanna and daughter Iryna
- If the paschas are small enough, you can eat three by yourself!
- Mom/ Grandma Yaroslava helps to prepare baskets
- basket-blessing, and the church is surrounded by people and baskets
- iconostas inside, with “Christ is risen” letters in gold… in Ukrainian, clearly
- baskets
- blessing
- lots more baskets
- front of church
- inside another church
- same church, with me
- iconostas of this church
- mosaic icon
- flower-pysanky hanging in gate in front of old Polish castle, or church
- oldest church
- girls offering bread and welcome to traditional children’s Easter show
- forest animals help this poor little lost girl by bringing her a basket, as well as stuff for it… sort of the opposite of Little Red Riding Hood? J
- each item in the basket talks about why it’s most important—this one, the horseradish [krin], is related to me, so he wins J
- me there
- round and round and round in the circle dance
- inside this old church
- same
- family- Veronika, her mom Mariana, me, Mariana’s sister Anya, and their mom Nadia
- not the only stork nesting on an electric pole in the area
- Bohdan, Roman, and Hanna wave goodbye after packing me onto the marshrutka back to Lutsk
- just about every tree in a yard or on the street is painted solid white about three feet from the ground, but here along the road between towns, one stripe does the trick [both a spring Easter-cleaning and keeping-bugs-away tradition]
- Easter concert spectacular
- maypole and jump-roping as part of the same show
- drum corps in university concert… inside!
Friday, April 2, 2010
post 2 april
While walking home from school a few days ago, I decided to time the trip. It turns out that traveling from my office door to my apartment door takes one hour. In that hour, I pass by all kinds of surprises. Sometimes it’s a free hugs campaign in front of the central department store. Sometimes it’s a set of five Pekingese trundling along in a magically untangled web of leashes.
It wasn’t too long ago that I considered the drive from home to Baltimore to take a long time— one hour. Mostly freeways made up the route, and chances are that I saw a lot more in that distance than I do in the same amount of time here. Still, despite occasional traffic jams and construction—the majority of which were admittedly fairly predictable, too— I usually knew just about exactly what to expect. I don’t mean that I didn’t appreciate the scenery, NPR, or my own car. I do miss those things.
Here, though, I’m definitely surprised much more often. On the way home, it’s nothing to pass by an Orthodox church streaming live music into the neighborhood, then to be followed by this music until turning a corner, where it’s suddenly replaced by someone practicing the trumpet, probably very close to an open fifth-floor window. Another turn, and now it’s techno on the third floor of a different building and a chorus of unexpected ring tones from all angles. One more turn, and the church music returns, mixed with the flurry of soccer— uh, football-playing children.
It’s this sort of collage that I like best— not just one really amazing moment, but a variety of layers of different bits all stuck together in an unexpected way. I mean, when my five-year-old host nephew started singing “I like to move it move it” at the dinner table. When I found a yoga class with an instructor named Taras. When I found that even sweet little old ladies in seemingly remote places have cell phones. When the Applied Linguistics Department’s phonetics contest on December 25th included both a rousing rendition of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and a recitation of “Annabelle Lee.”
Now it’s spring— mostly— and I’m excited to see more and more people out concocting new surprises. Of course, they just see it as life, but I’m so interested in each development: the actual sea of flowers that appears for Women’s Day, the profusion of willow branches on Palm Sunday, the lines at both the “cheap bread” and “fresh bread” stands, the way men will cross the street to shake each others’ hands, the sudden appearance of an unexpectedly English song on the marshrutka radio… Last week I wanted to laugh really loudly when marshrutka number nine was suddenly Rick-rolled… but I decided I’d keep that news to myself.
Of course, I sometimes miss getting places faster, but I don’t miss missing what’s in between the two points. The shortest difference definitely does not pass through Ukraine, but I’m glad I do.
It wasn’t too long ago that I considered the drive from home to Baltimore to take a long time— one hour. Mostly freeways made up the route, and chances are that I saw a lot more in that distance than I do in the same amount of time here. Still, despite occasional traffic jams and construction—the majority of which were admittedly fairly predictable, too— I usually knew just about exactly what to expect. I don’t mean that I didn’t appreciate the scenery, NPR, or my own car. I do miss those things.
Here, though, I’m definitely surprised much more often. On the way home, it’s nothing to pass by an Orthodox church streaming live music into the neighborhood, then to be followed by this music until turning a corner, where it’s suddenly replaced by someone practicing the trumpet, probably very close to an open fifth-floor window. Another turn, and now it’s techno on the third floor of a different building and a chorus of unexpected ring tones from all angles. One more turn, and the church music returns, mixed with the flurry of soccer— uh, football-playing children.
It’s this sort of collage that I like best— not just one really amazing moment, but a variety of layers of different bits all stuck together in an unexpected way. I mean, when my five-year-old host nephew started singing “I like to move it move it” at the dinner table. When I found a yoga class with an instructor named Taras. When I found that even sweet little old ladies in seemingly remote places have cell phones. When the Applied Linguistics Department’s phonetics contest on December 25th included both a rousing rendition of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and a recitation of “Annabelle Lee.”
Now it’s spring— mostly— and I’m excited to see more and more people out concocting new surprises. Of course, they just see it as life, but I’m so interested in each development: the actual sea of flowers that appears for Women’s Day, the profusion of willow branches on Palm Sunday, the lines at both the “cheap bread” and “fresh bread” stands, the way men will cross the street to shake each others’ hands, the sudden appearance of an unexpectedly English song on the marshrutka radio… Last week I wanted to laugh really loudly when marshrutka number nine was suddenly Rick-rolled… but I decided I’d keep that news to myself.
Of course, I sometimes miss getting places faster, but I don’t miss missing what’s in between the two points. The shortest difference definitely does not pass through Ukraine, but I’m glad I do.
Monday, March 22, 2010
picture post- 22 march
Heya! Here are some more happenings, freeze-framed for your convenience. :)
- group of teachers I was teaching at the recertification institute
- selling flowers for women’s day outside of the central department store downtown
- St. Nicholas’ Ukrainian Orthodox church
- Taras Shevshenko deciding whether to give a speech on his birthday or not
- grafitti in Lutsk of Lutsk, more or less
- my desk, decked out
- pussy willows, with hopefully the last snow of the season as a backdrop
- Maria, my tutee, at her showcase concert
- Maria, with accompaniment
- St. Patrick’s Day, so slightly more green than usual…
- an adorably logoed language school where a few of us helped out
- WWII memorial
- WWII memorial, II
- some kind of museum
- group of teachers I was teaching at the recertification institute
- selling flowers for women’s day outside of the central department store downtown
- St. Nicholas’ Ukrainian Orthodox church
- Taras Shevshenko deciding whether to give a speech on his birthday or not
- grafitti in Lutsk of Lutsk, more or less
- my desk, decked out
- pussy willows, with hopefully the last snow of the season as a backdrop
- Maria, my tutee, at her showcase concert
- Maria, with accompaniment
- St. Patrick’s Day, so slightly more green than usual…
- an adorably logoed language school where a few of us helped out
- WWII memorial
- WWII memorial, II
- some kind of museum
Sunday, February 21, 2010
picture post 21 february
new pictures into the album-- sorry they're not as captions, but someday they'll all be magically aligned... :)
- the same night as my presentation on active citizenship, there was a ball- of course!
- you should be so lucky to have your parents send you such an exciting package
- yes it’s here, at the new Adrenaline City entertainment center!
- the result of something magical
- like overnight freezing fog
- haircut with Oksana
- visitors
- inscription on the back of a gift painting, and two of three homemade cakes
- nightlights
- recertification institute meets the sky
- out for breakfast with Anna, including boiled eggs on pillows of spinach and fresh juice and buckwheat bread
- and cocoa and caramel apple croissants!
- more visitors
- more homemade goodies- doughnuts, apple cake, and cookies
- again with the snow
- the same night as my presentation on active citizenship, there was a ball- of course!
- you should be so lucky to have your parents send you such an exciting package
- yes it’s here, at the new Adrenaline City entertainment center!
- the result of something magical
- like overnight freezing fog
- haircut with Oksana
- visitors
- inscription on the back of a gift painting, and two of three homemade cakes
- nightlights
- recertification institute meets the sky
- out for breakfast with Anna, including boiled eggs on pillows of spinach and fresh juice and buckwheat bread
- and cocoa and caramel apple croissants!
- more visitors
- more homemade goodies- doughnuts, apple cake, and cookies
- again with the snow
post 21 february
Yesterday I went second-hand shopping in the old bazaar, made bagels, had a coffee-cola float, and did three buckets of laundry. Yes!
Today it snowed again! Okay!
Things have been going pretty well in general. I’ve been busier since the start of the new semester, hence the drop-off in posts. So, some stuff about school, then film club, English club, family, and the future, plus whatever else needs to be addede. Sorry, didn’t mean to go all organizational on you there- just for my benefit. :)
Right now, at the university, I’m teaching two groups of masters’ students in each of two different departments: English Philology and Applied Linguistics. I’m also working with two other groups of fifth-year specialists’ students, one class of which is now Creative Writing once a week. :) I’m in and out of other classes, as well, including a class of fourth year students who are talking about music, and basically anywhere else I’m wanted, if I’m available! In the 11th week of the semester—- it’s a little complicated to look at on a chart, actually—-I’ll start Political Linguistics lectures and then seminars. How exciting! Each of my current classes meets only once a week, so I haven’t been with them too long yet, but I’m enjoying getting to know them and having the chance to talk about a variety of interesting subjects—as always, one of the benefits of teaching a language! Getting to know my students allows them to ask me interesting questions, too, like, “Lots of tourists visit New York City, but where is best place to visit to really see America?” and “Would you like to stay in Ukraine forever?” and “Who are your parents?”
I’ve also started working at the Teacher Recertification Institute. It’s not my primary assignment, but if I’m able to work it into my schedule, it’s fine. Right now, I’m teaching the current group of teachers about aspects of the writing process, and having them write along the way. Hooray! Their general feedback has been positive in general, which is nice, although I definitely giggled a little at the response note that said, “Thank you for such an unusual experience!”
Film club continues to meet on Sunday afternoons, and we’ve moved on from Jaws to Election to My Fair Lady to Born on the Fourth of July. Next week it’s Matilda. Variety is the spice of life. :)
English club has met twice so far in the new semester. The first meeting included two PCVs and two participants—at least we didn’t outnumber them! The second included myself and sixteen participants! The subject was fashion, including a really cool video made by one of the girls who chose the topic the previous week. Next week’s discussion topic is love. Did I mention that there was only one guy at each meeting so far? And that each week it was a different guy? Maybe I should suggest that we choose something a little more, perhaps, balanced for next week? :)
Family! I’ve gotten phone calls, emails, and a letter, and have had two weekends of family visits! It’s tough to say exactly who everyone is, in terms of their exact relationship to me, but I’ve generally decided that anyone who is roughly my age or younger is my cousin and that anyone older must be my aunt or uncle. With that philosophy in place, I can tell you that I’ve met sisters Mariana and Anya, my cousins, and their husbands Ihor and Stepan, as well as cousin Ivanna, Uncle Bohdan, cousin Natalia, and Aunt Hanna. They all made the trip to Lutsk from Komarno by car, and it took them roughly four hours because of the bad weather. I’ve delayed my trip to Komarno until the weather clears, but they’re all very, very inviting! It’s exciting to meet with them, to cook for them, to receive amazingly generous gifts from them, and to do my best to communicate with them! Cousin Ivanna is an English teacher at a primary school, and Stepan studied some English when he was in school, but it’s mostly Ukrainian. Luckily, my vocabulary skills allow me to discuss food and the weather, as well as to point to pictures and to identify friends and family members!
The future! It might involve presenting at a TESOL Conference in April in Rivne, a city in the next oblast [state] over, as well as writing a grant for an organizing a possible summer leadership camp on the apparently quite beautiful Svityaz Lake, and helping out at a superhero-themed camp with a focus on human rights being run by PCV friends of mine in Crimea.
Other things…
- I’ve started my Ukrainian tutoring! That is to say, I’m still tutoring three Ukrainians in English, but now one Ukrainian is tutoring me in Ukrainian. Thanks, Vika!
- I got my ears pierced!
- I’ve received two packages! With wonderful things inside! I have shared the joy of brown sugar!
- I’ve made cookies and bagels successfully in my somewhat-hard-to-figure-out oven!
- I went thrift-shopping in the second hand section of the old bazaar [the one near the castle, if you were wondering :)].
- I am gradually approaching the end of the history translation revision project! I said I was done last week, but then I was informed that there were two more sections left.
- I got my hair cut, and the hairdresser parted it on the other side! Imagine!
- Yes, I think the east coast of the US did have more snow than we had during that snowfestmageddonpocalypse, so yes, I was suitably impressed. There’s a lot of melting going on here, and not a lot of draining [where would it all go?!], but it’s hard to say that means spring is on the way. I actually tried to make such a claim yesterday, but then it snowed hard this morning. Fine.
- Speaking of which, there’s a weather-forecasting groundhog in Kharkiv, and now in Lviv, too!
- I have not seen Avatar or any new movies recently, but I did watch Koyaanisqatsi. Have you seen it? Discuss.
- Lent is going on, and for some, this means no meat, no eggs, and no dairy at all. Wow. I thought that just giving up candy was hard enough.
- Both rounds of the Ukrainian presidential elections have come and gone, fraud has been charged, the appeal has been dropped, and lots of people have lots to say about the topic.
- At first, I didn’t even know the Olympics were going on. I’m not sure if no one talks about them here at all, or just no one talks about them around me. I remember Oksana Bauil! Even if I don’t remember how to spell her name! :)
- My summer is not full! Want to visit? :)
Of course I’m thinking of everyone at home— it’s hard spending Valentine’s Day apart, not being able to celebrate my sister’s birthday with her, and anxiously awaiting the birth of my best friend’s son. I’m trying to have some good adventures to share with you, though, and I’d love to hear from you and to answer any questions you might have!
Like if you want to send me mail, for example, I’m happy to send you my address. For example. :)
Today it snowed again! Okay!
Things have been going pretty well in general. I’ve been busier since the start of the new semester, hence the drop-off in posts. So, some stuff about school, then film club, English club, family, and the future, plus whatever else needs to be addede. Sorry, didn’t mean to go all organizational on you there- just for my benefit. :)
Right now, at the university, I’m teaching two groups of masters’ students in each of two different departments: English Philology and Applied Linguistics. I’m also working with two other groups of fifth-year specialists’ students, one class of which is now Creative Writing once a week. :) I’m in and out of other classes, as well, including a class of fourth year students who are talking about music, and basically anywhere else I’m wanted, if I’m available! In the 11th week of the semester—- it’s a little complicated to look at on a chart, actually—-I’ll start Political Linguistics lectures and then seminars. How exciting! Each of my current classes meets only once a week, so I haven’t been with them too long yet, but I’m enjoying getting to know them and having the chance to talk about a variety of interesting subjects—as always, one of the benefits of teaching a language! Getting to know my students allows them to ask me interesting questions, too, like, “Lots of tourists visit New York City, but where is best place to visit to really see America?” and “Would you like to stay in Ukraine forever?” and “Who are your parents?”
I’ve also started working at the Teacher Recertification Institute. It’s not my primary assignment, but if I’m able to work it into my schedule, it’s fine. Right now, I’m teaching the current group of teachers about aspects of the writing process, and having them write along the way. Hooray! Their general feedback has been positive in general, which is nice, although I definitely giggled a little at the response note that said, “Thank you for such an unusual experience!”
Film club continues to meet on Sunday afternoons, and we’ve moved on from Jaws to Election to My Fair Lady to Born on the Fourth of July. Next week it’s Matilda. Variety is the spice of life. :)
English club has met twice so far in the new semester. The first meeting included two PCVs and two participants—at least we didn’t outnumber them! The second included myself and sixteen participants! The subject was fashion, including a really cool video made by one of the girls who chose the topic the previous week. Next week’s discussion topic is love. Did I mention that there was only one guy at each meeting so far? And that each week it was a different guy? Maybe I should suggest that we choose something a little more, perhaps, balanced for next week? :)
Family! I’ve gotten phone calls, emails, and a letter, and have had two weekends of family visits! It’s tough to say exactly who everyone is, in terms of their exact relationship to me, but I’ve generally decided that anyone who is roughly my age or younger is my cousin and that anyone older must be my aunt or uncle. With that philosophy in place, I can tell you that I’ve met sisters Mariana and Anya, my cousins, and their husbands Ihor and Stepan, as well as cousin Ivanna, Uncle Bohdan, cousin Natalia, and Aunt Hanna. They all made the trip to Lutsk from Komarno by car, and it took them roughly four hours because of the bad weather. I’ve delayed my trip to Komarno until the weather clears, but they’re all very, very inviting! It’s exciting to meet with them, to cook for them, to receive amazingly generous gifts from them, and to do my best to communicate with them! Cousin Ivanna is an English teacher at a primary school, and Stepan studied some English when he was in school, but it’s mostly Ukrainian. Luckily, my vocabulary skills allow me to discuss food and the weather, as well as to point to pictures and to identify friends and family members!
The future! It might involve presenting at a TESOL Conference in April in Rivne, a city in the next oblast [state] over, as well as writing a grant for an organizing a possible summer leadership camp on the apparently quite beautiful Svityaz Lake, and helping out at a superhero-themed camp with a focus on human rights being run by PCV friends of mine in Crimea.
Other things…
- I’ve started my Ukrainian tutoring! That is to say, I’m still tutoring three Ukrainians in English, but now one Ukrainian is tutoring me in Ukrainian. Thanks, Vika!
- I got my ears pierced!
- I’ve received two packages! With wonderful things inside! I have shared the joy of brown sugar!
- I’ve made cookies and bagels successfully in my somewhat-hard-to-figure-out oven!
- I went thrift-shopping in the second hand section of the old bazaar [the one near the castle, if you were wondering :)].
- I am gradually approaching the end of the history translation revision project! I said I was done last week, but then I was informed that there were two more sections left.
- I got my hair cut, and the hairdresser parted it on the other side! Imagine!
- Yes, I think the east coast of the US did have more snow than we had during that snowfestmageddonpocalypse, so yes, I was suitably impressed. There’s a lot of melting going on here, and not a lot of draining [where would it all go?!], but it’s hard to say that means spring is on the way. I actually tried to make such a claim yesterday, but then it snowed hard this morning. Fine.
- Speaking of which, there’s a weather-forecasting groundhog in Kharkiv, and now in Lviv, too!
- I have not seen Avatar or any new movies recently, but I did watch Koyaanisqatsi. Have you seen it? Discuss.
- Lent is going on, and for some, this means no meat, no eggs, and no dairy at all. Wow. I thought that just giving up candy was hard enough.
- Both rounds of the Ukrainian presidential elections have come and gone, fraud has been charged, the appeal has been dropped, and lots of people have lots to say about the topic.
- At first, I didn’t even know the Olympics were going on. I’m not sure if no one talks about them here at all, or just no one talks about them around me. I remember Oksana Bauil! Even if I don’t remember how to spell her name! :)
- My summer is not full! Want to visit? :)
Of course I’m thinking of everyone at home— it’s hard spending Valentine’s Day apart, not being able to celebrate my sister’s birthday with her, and anxiously awaiting the birth of my best friend’s son. I’m trying to have some good adventures to share with you, though, and I’d love to hear from you and to answer any questions you might have!
Like if you want to send me mail, for example, I’m happy to send you my address. For example. :)
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