My final blog posting *sniff* *sniff*

I started this blog when I began my Peace Corps journey back in October 2015. I’m afraid to have to announce my Peace Corps journey in Ukraine has come to an end. If you’ve read my previous blogs, you know I had to be medevac due to mass they found (Thought to be an enlarged lymph node or cyst?) during an ultra sound that was required during my physical exam to extend my service for one year. When I arrived to Colorado, a CT scan and a needle biopsy was performed. Well, thankfully what was thought to be a concern was just fatty tissue from my previous surgeries. Although I was deemed 100% healthy and my melanoma doctor felt I could still perform my duties for an extended year, Peace Corps felt there were too many risk factors associated with my case and chose not to allow me to return to Ukraine.  They gave me two options, “medically separate from my service” and appeal their decision, to not allow me to return to Ukraine or COS (close of service) from America. I chose to COS from America because I wanted to keep my successful service a positive one.

I find myself learning how to adjust to American life again. I wasn’t quite prepared too! This is what I have learned in the past weeks.

• Washing my clothes – I’m not sure if I can get used to washing and drying my laundry in under one hour.
• Microwaves – I find myself still using my stove top to re-heat food.
• Choices – I keep telling myself “just because you can buy Cheeto’s and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups doesn’t mean you should”.
• Cars – I walked 2.5 + miles to work every day in Ukraine, In America, I drive. I have been forcing myself to walk as much as possible.
• Language – Although I never had the greatest language skills it takes everything in my power not to address someone in Ukrainian.
• Lifting heavy items – Due to “man’s roles and woman roles”, even when I wanted to lift heavy items a gentleman would always do this task for me. Poor John would insist on carrying heavy items for me because he didn’t want to be seen allowing me to do this task! I now lift weights everyday!!
• Long hot showers – My sister had commented on how fast I take showers. In Ukraine, there’s one purpose for a shower and that is to get clean and save water. There was no relaxing under a hot shower head.
• Cooking – I realized I can’t cook in America, it will take me a while to get used to cooking here again. Mostly it’s the convince of cooking items that’s tripping me up, and recognizing I don’t have to cook the longer, harder way.
• American headaches – Don’t ever let your driver’s license expire – I was so busy trying to get everything in order for Peace Corps, I failed to renew my driver’s license before I left. In Colorado, if you don’t renew it within one year you have to re take the written and driving portion. FYI it’s not so easy to do after 20 + years and causes an incredible amount of stress!
• Life is easier, happier and much more enjoyable with your best friend at your side – Yes, John is still in Ukraine – This leaves me to announce John’s decision. His 1-year extension was approved, while he planned on fulfilling the extension, he has made the decision to COS (Close of Service) and will be COS’ing on January 15th. We both were on a journey as a couple and we have decided to move forward in our lives together. I plan to fly back to Ukraine the first of January to join him for a Ukrainian Christmas (January 7^th) and help him close his service. Afterwards, we plan on traveling Europe for a bit. We are not in a hurry to go back to the American grind just yet, we plan on enjoying ourselves for a short while!

As I mentioned in my last blog I created a “just in case I couldn’t return to Ukraine plan”. Before I left I wanted to do as much as possible.  John and I traveled to Kyiv for a Scorpions concert.

I got a tattoo to represent my service.

I said good bye to friends and community members including my neighbor and hairdresser!

I pretended to “Ring the Bell” in my Vyshyvanka – This is an ongoing tradition in Peace Corps, you ring a bell in your traditional Ukrainian dress to signify your service has come to an end.

And most importantly I finished my final grant with my organization “Eco-Carpathians”. I was incredibly proud of this project in which brought a series of Public Relation trainings to the employees of the Carpathian National Nature Park. Including, new uniforms for the employees at the each of the trail head check points, new information boards and territory informational material translated into English.

Included in our project was a series of Eco lessons for school children of different age levels on “litter separation” including a promotional video on this topic that will be shown in schools.

 

While I am disappointed my service has come to an end, I also knew it wouldn’t go on forever. I hold on to the fact that I had the most amazing experience and I proudly honored my 27 months commitment as a volunteer, this is something I didn’t think I could do after my first hospital debacle. Peace Corps gave me incredible medical care during the unfortunate medical discovery of melanoma, I will forever be grateful to Peace Corps for giving me so much and expanding my mind in a variety of ways.

I want to thank all of you who followed my journey for the last two years, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. John and I are looking forward too many, many more new journeys!

 

 

 

 

The roller coaster of life never ends…..

I lied. I didn’t mean to lie, but once again, I am on the roller coaster of life. Peace Corps had previously told me I couldn’t extend my service when I was diagnosed with melanoma. But they also said I couldn’t return to Ukraine and ultimately, I did. I find, that in life you just never know until you try to get what you want. So, when my country director encouraged me to still apply to extend, of course I did. Yes, it was approved but ultimately you need to get the final OK from the Washington DC Peace Corps office.

Before Washington will give you their final “seal of approval” you must go through another physical. I guess they want to make sure you are healthy enough to stay in your country of service another year. I did just that thinking I had gotten through the physical with flying colors. This is when I started riding the roller coaster of Peace Corps once again.

I received a phone call from my doctor notifying me that I needed to be medevacked to the US. During my physical they performed an Ultra Sound and found an enlarged lymph node/cyst (?). I guess it’s enough of a concern to send me home to have me go through further tests. I was feeling like I was so close but yet so far. I never made it to home base….

Peace Corps Washington has not given me the final approval for my extension at this time. Of course, they need to know the final outcome of these upcoming tests. I am just incredibly thankful to Peace Corps for providing me with excellent health care and support.

Everyone in my town including my husband feels positive I will be returning to Yaremche. Everyone but me. This time I want to prepare for the worst. That way I am not disappointed if I receive bad news. I want to set my bar low, so I have nowhere to go but up!

Of course, I want to come back to Ukraine if I can, but I learned from my last experience when I was medevac not to get my hopes up. I didn’t realize how much being stuck in America previously affected me, I didn’t feel like I had any closure when they told me I couldn’t return to Ukraine, I panicked. Well this time I am going to be more prepared.  I have a few weeks until I need to fly out. So, I am on a mission to get things done.

I currently have a grant open, but we are close to the end of the project,  I wasn’t in a hurry to do the final project reporting to close the grant. My counterpart, Maryana and I are racing to finish it ahead of schedule now. I also want to accomplish some personal things.

John has been wanting to see the Scorpions since he heard they will be playing in Kyiv. We had been looking at tickets since early July, but thought they were sold out. When John checked last they had released more tickets. John quickly purchased 2 tickets and we will be heading to Kyiv to fulfill his need to let out a little stress and adrenalin. Hey, if I’m gonna go out, I want to go out with a bang. I can’t think of a better way to do this than see a Heavy Metal band in Ukraine with my husband.

I also want to get a tattoo and have the opportunity to hug, have dinner and say good bye to some of the good friends I have made while in Yaremche. Just in case I don’t get to return.  I want to feel complete accomplishment this time, since I have a bit of time to prepare!!

When I feel complete I can get on that plane to America ready to focus 100% on my health. I will update and inform you when I will be unbuckling my seatbelt and getting off this ride!

Note: I am not writing about my personal issues in this blog or any social media outlet as a way to look for sympathy. I am doing this solely because I feel many people are taking this journey to Ukraine with me and I would like to update everyone as well as to journal my experience.

This blog expresses my own thoughts and opinions and in no way reflects the Peace Corps or the American government as a whole.

A ghostly time in Ukraine

I would like to make it very clear, I am not a person that is interested in Halloween. I never took part in any festivities and I think I have dressed up in a costume only 4 times in my 42 years. But Ukraine has changed me, I now reevaluate  everything I have taken for granted in America. Halloween was one of them.

Last year when John told me that he and a colleague were planning on having a party in their office for this holiday I thought they were silly and to be honest, I told them I would help but wasn’t all that enthusiastic about it. That was until I noticed how many kids showed up because they were craving this holiday that doesn’t exist in Ukraine. John has a tiny office and kids were bursting the seems of it, we all could barely fit.

But this is what really made me quickly get interested in this holiday. After talking with several adults in town I realized there was a huge misconception of Halloween. People in Ukraine are very religious and thought Halloween was associated with religion. Many adults do not condone this holiday and priests even announce to its parish not to partake in activities concerning this holiday.  I had to explain to many people that it originated that way but today, it is a commercial holiday that has nothing to do with religion but rather,  a social activity for kids and adults. I wanted to try to debunk this myth.

I decided I wanted to have a bigger and better Halloween party this year for the kids in Yaremche. I knew John would be in Kyiv so I enlisted his colleague, Nastia again to help me. First on my list was a larger venue. It just so happens she also works at the museum and told me we could have the event there. Pumpkin pies are not a thing here, I decided I would bake pumpkin pies and have a pumpkin carving station. Games, we had to have games. Bobbing for apples are a staple in America, Nastia felt the kids would not participate in this activity because kids would not want to ruin their make up. However, I am a Peace Corps Volunteer, I knew I would not be doing my job if I did not share my culture with these kids, I also planned to have the game Jenga as a back up! I thought we could have a craft station and end the evening with the movie “Night at the museum”. I even put the word out to other volunteers asking if someone would like to attend to help me make this more of a culture event.

After carefully organizing, I found a volunteer from a different oblast to attend the party, a store in Kyiv that sold some Halloween decorations to decorate, a large pumpkin to bake pies, apples from my counterpart’s, Maryana tree for “bobbing for apples”, candy to be donated by the English school in town and Johns work lent us their screen and projector to watch the film. I was ready!

It took me two days to bake my pies, I was missing the pilsbury dough boy and was absolutely exhausted from the process.

At 5:00 sharp a large group of kids and some adults showed up. I was immediately was bombarded with a ton of questions and was running around like a mad woman. What I realized was that in America kids just automatically know what to do at a holiday party like Halloween. This time, I had to guide the kids and show them what to do. Of course, the night didn’t go exactly as I planned. Nastia was right and no kids participated in the game “bobbing for apples” but Jenga was a hit, the craft section got off to a slow start, kids didn’t just in and help themselves to the candy but rather I had to keep offering it them and the speakers for the movie didn’t quite work so the film was hard to hear. But all in all, it was a smashing success.

Between my English club for adults where we discussed this holiday and the party at the museum I truly hope I helped change some people’s thoughts about Halloween. I know that I have changed mine, this is defiantly a day I took for granted. In the future I dress up, decorate my house, carve pumpkins and partake in any way I can. We must enjoy the things that bring “fun” into our lives!

This blog expresses my own thoughts and opinions and in no way reflects the Peace Corps or the American government as a whole.

Two Years in Ukraine

It’s official, I have lived in Ukraine for two years. Yes, I am wondering where the time went, like we all do as the years pass by.

A year ago I wrote a post “What Ukraine has taught me”, it was a long list. Everyday is a new experience for me.  I decided to add to the list of things I learned about myself this past year while living in another country.

• I realized that I love chickens and goats…however, I have a love/hate relationship with the rooster behind my apartment building, we seem to be getting along a lot better now that it doesn’t get light until 7:30 am. Update: I think the rooster became dinner because I no longer hear him!
• It is now perfectly acceptable to me to buy cheese or eggs on the side of the road. However, milk is still not acceptable.
• Shooing a pigeon away from a delectable berry in the bazaar has become my “new normal”.
• Dryers and microwaves are over-rated.
• I have slowed down to experience the joys of eating an ice cream on a hot summer day in the promenade of town on my way home from work or stopping to pick a piece of fruit off a tree.
• I now light a candle, turn on music and take a long hot bath on the night that John is working late to teach his photography workshop. I am sorry it took me 41 years and moving 1/2 way around the world to discover how simple it is to do something just for yourself.
• According to my Ukrainian Language teacher..my “English has improved“. While this was not what I was aiming for, I believe I owe this to teaching my English Club and realizing how important it is to a foreigner to speak slowly, clearly and have good pronunciation. All things I do automatically now, to the point English speakers have to remind me to quit doing this. Update: I still speak slowly and I have mastered “Ukrainglish”
• I have realized I wish I would have taken more time to help make the life easier for the exchange student from Brazil my parents hosted while I was in High School, at least made an effort to learn a few words in her language to help her feel more comfortable.
• I have a new respect for our government and why we need to protect our freedoms.
• I now love National Parks even more than ever. I admire their beauty and would like to visit more of them. Update: I still love working at a National Park and day dream about working for one in America!
• I never really understood why people wear coats that go down to their knees, now I do..I am one of those people.
• Yak Trax, those chains for your shoes to help give you better traction on Ice are the best invention in the world.
• I now have mastered the potato and I love cabbage.
• I have realized how very lucky we are to have a variety of foods in the U.S,  I miss ethnic foods. I discovered this when I started stopping at every restaurant in a large city to see if they served anything besides traditional Ukrainian food.
• I will never buy “Rice a-Roni” again now that I have discovered how simple it is to make yourself.
• I can’t for the life of me figure out why you can not open a vent or window on a hot marshrutka (Type of shuttle bus) in the summer for fear that a breeze will make you sick..but, in the winter it is acceptable to jump into a freezing cold stream on Christmas. I have asked this question to several Ukrainians and and they also don’t know. I have realized sometimes sense and sensibility do not matter when traditions and customs take president. Update: I try to avoid Marshrutka’s and trains in the summer!
• If you feel like experimenting with food..Curry and Ukrainian Spaghetti pasta don’t mix well together. Update: I don’t experiment anymore!
• I never realized how lucky that my 1st language is the International language, this is something I have taken for granted.
• Some things you are meant to never understand.
• I hope in the future I make enough money to do all my shopping at whole foods because I would like to only buy organic. I have realized how much preservatives and artificial products America put’s in it’s food, not to mention salts and sugars.
• I was foolish for always washing my clothes just after wearing them once in America. I am now fully aware you can wear your clothes multiple times and you can help save the planet by conserving energy and your clothes from wearing out by washing them too much.
• I realize that while I recycled in America I still could have done a better job and I now have thought of many ways I can reduce my waste more efficiently.
• I now think paper towels are ridiculous and a huge waste producer. I haven’t used them since I left the U.S. and don’t even miss them. Dish towel are the way to go.
• If I ever had any germaphobic issues in the past, I no longer have them.
• It’s OK to let food get a little warm or sit out on the counter for a while and I shouldn’t be so paranoid.
• After my hospitalization I lost my passion for cooking..I have now re-discovered it.
• Technology today is amazing.
• When you live abroad Skype, Google translate and Facebook become your best friends. Update: I realized my computer is my world, it is my t.v., phone, my life savor at work! When your in the Peace Corps, you need a computer!
• There is a big difference between British English and American English.
• I realized when I return to the U.S. John and I will be able to talk to each other and no one will understand….as long as there is no Ukrainians in the room.
• I will never leave my house in the winter with a wet head again… or a hat.
• I think everyone should have to walk to work or climb 5 flights of stairs to get to their home…it’s the cheapest gym ever. I honestly will walk more in the future instead of driving. In fact…In fact, I’m considering to never drive a car again, I will save a lot of money on a car and gas. Note: this does not mean I wont ride in one. Update: Those 5 flights of stairs haven’t gotten any easier!
• Every time I leave the house I think of a strategic plan. It could be my routes to minimize my walking time, when I could use a bathroom next or one that you don’t have to squat in, shopping for food, ect…I think this ultimately will be a hard habit to break.
• I thought I was a flexible person, but now I think..maybe i’m not and I could work on this a bit more. Update: I am a bit more flexible!
• I don’t know why I ever complained in America…we have so much and life is easier, I wish I would have been more grateful and will be when I return home. Update: I still feel Americans don’t realize how good we have it!
•  You do not need a T.V. and can accomplish a lot more with out them. However, since I have gotten Netflix 6 months ago my life has become more enjoyable!
• I am stronger than I think I am. 
• It’s easier to “put my big girl pants” on since my trip to Thailand.
• I love Uber. A car service like a Taxi. 
• My husband is the most supportive man in the world. Ok…Ok…he’s right up there with my father, my dad is pretty awesome too!
• I won’t feel accomplished in my life until I make borch (a popular Ukrainian soup) this winter. Yes, I found out I have a domestic side.
• Life is short…I want to take more trips this year. 
• I need to accept my Ukrainian probably wont improve much more, but I still need to keep going to my tutoring lessons to try. 
• I want to find my zen by meditating more.
• I need to quit living in the future and more in the present. I worry to much. 
• I get car sick in Ukraine.
• I have learned how to sleep like a baby in train cars.
• I have no idea what my future holds, and that’s ok!

This blog expresses my own thoughts and opinions and in no way reflects the Peace Corps or the American government as a whole.

літо (Summer)

I would be lying if I said it hasn’t been a rough year for John and me, but there have been plenty of good things as well!

In July, my father and his girlfriend Noor, came to Ukraine for a visit. This was the highlight of our summer. This was the 2^nd visit to Ukraine for my father but, the first for Noor. We gave her the full Ukrainian tour.

We met them in Kyiv. We spent the day showing her all of the highlights of the big capitol.

We then left on an intercity train (fast train) and headed for Odessa. I was pretty excited for this part of our Ukrainian tour. I had never experienced a fast train here and was excited to see how they differed from the old soviet style trains. They were beyond my expectations. Air conditioned, plenty of leg room and FAST, of course this was because we traveled 1^st class however, I have no doubt 2^nd class wouldn’t disappoint as well…it would still be FAST. I was giddy with excitement to see the black sea and another part of Ukraine. Odessa did not let me down. As I stepped off the train I could smell the sea in the air, my skin absorbed the moisture.

We visited during peak tourist season so, there of course were a ton of people. In Odessa, the people mainly spoke Russian, the little Ukrainian John and I know did not prove helpful to us. However, being it was a tourist town we found enough English-speaking people to help us.

We stayed in a guest house with a fabulous family, we had the option of them cooking for us it we liked. We enjoyed a few home cooked meals on the balcony enjoying our incredible food.

After some much-needed rest we then headed to my favorite city, Lviv. This city never disappoints me!

My father rented a car and he drove all of us to Yaremche, the final tour on our trip. This was very exciting for John and I as we got to see part of the country from a different view rather, our typical train window!

We had the opportunity to drive on a side road to a sunflower field to capture wonderful photos.

Our trip ended in Yaremche where we had the opportunity to show our beloved town to Noor. While in Yaremche, we took them to my last SPA (small project assistance) project Huk waterfall. While there, I was able to show them an information board about the project that had my photograph (I will be in the Carpathians forever) and I took the opportunity to zip line.

We had an unforgettable trip.

Shortly after they left we headed back to Kyiv to attend our groups COS (Close of Service) conference. Yes, as hard as it was to get into the Peace Corps, it is as hard to get out!!

John and I are not leaving in December with the rest of our group since we chose to extend with a handful of other volunteers (approximately 1/3 of the original 56 of us) but rather, it was an opportunity for us to see many of our friends that will be leaving. We also still had to learn many things that we needed to know about closing service procedures.

It was exciting to speak with many of the younger volunteers. Many of them spoke of how they were planning on finishing graduate programs or applying for jobs. It made me realize they are just getting started and have their whole lives ahead of them. They still have so much of this life to experience.

I had time to reflect on what this group of people and staff members meant to me, how they are an important part of my life and the experience I have had these past two years. We may go our separate ways but I have a feeling  they will remain important to me throughout my life.

Those are the two big adventures we had this summer.

Of course, we have had plenty of friends travel through Yaremche to provide entertainment.

One volunteer sprained her ankle on Dovebush trail, one of our most popular trails in Yaremche. Peace Corps suggested she visit the Yaremche hospital to get x-rays to make sure she didn’t fracture it. I went with her not only to provide my support but, I secretly wanted to experience our hospital now that I’m utterly fascinated with Hospitals!

While our Hospital is old and could use updated equipment, something I already knew from when I had toured it a year ago and a common problem in Ukraine hospitals. I was completely impressed by the service we received. When we arrived too the emergency room we were greeted by a very knowledgeable nurse who actually spoke a fair amount of English. I thought we would have to wait a long time to receive the x-ray but, we only waited 20 minutes. Luckily, she did not fracture it. The Doctor took a few minutes to explain this to her, wrote her a prescription and sent us on our way. All in all, it was a good experience.

For now, we plan to enjoy fall and everything it has to offer. I have just started my second project “Eco Carpathians” that I will be writing about soon.

Happy fall everyone!

This blog expresses my own thoughts and opinions and in no way reflects the Peace Corps or the American government as a whole.

 

 

 

 

 

A loss while in Peace Corps

All volunteers know it happens. In fact, I can guarantee you it crosses almost everyone’s mind while going through the application process.

Volunteers must accept this when we agree to serve in another country for 27th months. We are fully aware that not only could we miss new marriages and babies being born, we would also most likely miss the passing of a loved one. It may be a beloved pet or a friend, but we also know it could very possibly be a close family member. We must accept this and make peace with this possibility while we are secretly praying it doesn’t happen to us while were gone.

It did this past early summer. We lost our beloved dog Bean. We grieved and felt the guilt of not being there in her final days, but was comforted knowing our good friend was with her and gave her a peaceful ending by putting her pain at ease when it was her time to go. We hoped our dog would be our only loss we had while in the Peace Corps.

Then the worst happened. We received a face time call from Johns brother and niece notifying us his mother was in the hospital. She had been coping with COPD for the past ten plus years.

When an immediate family member is in a life or death situation Peace Corps is very supportive and will send the volunteer back to America. With very short notice John threw his clothes in a backpack and headed to Lviv to catch a flight to Germany and then to California.

I did my best to stay in contact with his family until he arrived at the hospital to be with his family. He made it just in time to say good bye before she left this world. I was relieved he was with his family during this time of grief.

This got me thinking, John has been a support to family, friends and myself in difficult times for so long. Who supports John during his time of grief?? I struggled with the thought that I would not by his side to support him. I knew I could not be there, I still have my duty to Peace Corps and must stay in Ukraine.

However, in speaking with him as he was preparing to leave, he was so strong and level headed, not panicked or a wreck like most people would be. I realized that after all we had endured in our past, it gave him an amazing amount of strength, medical knowledge and a calmness in dealing with this difficult situation.

A Ukrainian friend asked me “why does god keep giving you difficult times?” I replied, “because he knows we can handle it.”

It’s odd to be in this situation, I feel completely helpless. I may be in Ukraine, but my heart is in America. I will love and support him through Skype.

His mother Vicki raised three amazing boys. She taught them how to cook, clean and at the same time be gentle men. I will always be grateful to her for giving me a good husband.

May you rest in Peace Vicki. We love you.

 

This blog expresses my own thoughts and opinions and in no way reflects the Peace Corps or the American government as a whole.

 

IVANA KUPALA

Ivana Kupala originated in Pagan times and has long been celebrated on the summer solstice.

The festivities start with the creation of it’s central figures: Kupala and Morena. The latter symbolizes a winter deity and therefore must be destroyed in the triumph of light and summer warmth. participants of the festivities usually gather near a river with girls in flower garlands singing songs. Young men are set with the mission of destroying Ivana Kupala. In the evening a large camp fire is set up for everyone present to jump over – a symbolic ritual of cleansing through the element of fire. At the close of the festivities the girls drown the figure of Morena in the river and let their garlands, decorated with burning candles float away on the water. The night preceding these ceremonies often involves mischievous pranks. To this day, the poetic holiday of the sun, youth and summer is commemorated across many Ukrainian regions. Resource – Awesome Ukraine

John and I have been wanting to attend a celebration of Ivana Kupala since we learned about it. Last year we couldn’t go because we were busy. This year, we weren’t going to miss it.

We headed out to the edge of town, the festivities started at 7:00 pm and had all the elements to the story. A burning fire, girls with flowered wreaths and everyone even went to the river. I did not see any mischievous pranks however. There was dancing, celebrating and even fire dancers for entertainment. We returned home after midnight, it was that much fun! John captured wonderful photos of the evening we will never forget.

 

Note: John and I didn’t take part in any Jumping over fire activities!

This blog expresses my own thoughts and opinions and in no way reflects the Peace Corps or the American government as a whole.

що нового? (What’s New?)

We are entering our second summer , the weather is finally warm, the gardens are growing, the children are out enjoying their time off from school and many of my colleagues are taking time off for their summer vacations.

John and I too are planning a summer vacation with my family at the end of July, we plan to go to Odessa. For now, we are keeping busy with activities. John just finished with Camp Wild, a journalism camp he worked incredibly hard on with other volunteers and the first Peace Corps camp in Yaremche. It was wildly successful! In fact, some of the kids had mentioned it was their first time in “the forest”.

I am busy working on our next project with the park “Eco-Carpathians” and also promoting eco-education by working with students.

We both have been working with my organization and keeping busy going to different locations within the park to assess and take professional photographs of different areas. Here is a peak of some of the “unprofessional” photographs I have taken.

We have seen some animals and enjoyed traditional foods…

Explored old Ukrainian homesteads….

Enjoyed breathtaking views…

Your probably asking yourself “Why would they ever come home??” Well, on that note….we are coming home. But, we are excited to announce that we will be staying here until January 2019.

As I had mentioned before in past blogs, we had planned on extending our service for one year. My hopes of doing so was crushed when Peace Corps Washington had told me that I couldn’t extend after being diagnosed with melanoma.

After returning to Ukraine our country director had encouraged me to still apply for an extension, of course I did. I personally have never liked being told I can’t do something…

Well, our extensions were granted. We will be here for one more year, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to stay here in this beautiful country with it’s amazing people doing meaningful projects.

This has been an extraordinary experience in our lives.

 

This blog expresses my own thoughts and opinions and in no way reflects the Peace Corps or the American government as a whole.

My day in Vorkhta

When Johns counterpart, Ivan invited me to his village Vorkhta to help a school teacher design flowers for their local church I will admit, I was hesitant.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to dabble in my old career. However, I knew that every experience to be had was a new learning opportunity and I would probably regret not going.

I rode a Marshrutka to Vorkhta on a beautiful sunny day having nooo idea what I was walking into or what we would be doing. When my bus arrived to the bus stop I was greeted by a lovely woman in charge of this event named Olyha. She spoke no English but, I clearly understood when she instructed me to get into a car that would take me to the school.

There I was met by some local school children who spoke a little English. When I walked into the classroom I immediately knew Olyha knew what she was doing by seeing all the supplies she had laid out. It was interesting for me to see that many of the items were the same as the ones used in America.

We all got to work. We went into the forest and collected different items to use in our designs. The children helped us gather greens with different textures.

When we returned from the forest the children got started on small craft items and I started on the large pieces for the church with Olyha.

It felt like I was being “yelled” at in Ukrainian with every placement of greenery that was made and at one point Oylha was instructing me on what placements I should make..I thought to myself “is this woman really showing me the elements of floral design???”  But, I quickly realized that she truly wasn’t yelling and honestly, I am a little “rusty”, I knew, it would only benefit me to take a little direction. It was most interesting to receive it in Ukrainian as well!

After our work was done we all walked to the church to decorate it for the upcoming holiday. I was impressed to see how it all came together. It was very exciting for me to adorn a beautiful Ukrainian church with flowers. Afterwords, myself and the children were treated to ice cream and lunch by Oylha for our hard work.

While riding the Marshrutka back to Yaremche I felt completely satisfied by revisiting my old profession and I loved working with the delightful children and making new friends. It goes to show, that you must never pass up an opportunity. I hope I will be invited back to help again!

This blog expresses my own thoughts and opinions and in no way reflects the Peace Corps or the American government as a whole.

Casa Capelli is open for tourist season

It’s officially tourist season in Yaremche. I have been observing the large buses rolling into town filled with people ready to take advantage of all the activities the Carpathians have to offer.

The season has begun for John and I too. I have already been swamped with messages from other volunteers ready to come visit us. We don’t mind, it’s an opportunity for us to have conversational English (outside of work) and honestly? It’s a chance to be a tourist in my own region and town! I had a chance to see our towns museum again after it had been newly remolded.

Walk around to enjoy the beauty of Yaremche and its quaint neighborhoods. It really is a breathtaking place.

Whenever I tell a Ukrainian that we live in Yaremche the first thing they mention is the word “Bukovel”. This is a popular ski resort just an hour up the road from us. Many tourists stay in Yaremche during their winter vacations for the rich Ukrainian traditions and then catch a marshrutka to take them to Bukovel to ski.

I have always been a little embarrassed to tell people that we had never been to Bukovel. Beings that were from Colorado, a place that has their fair share of ski resorts such as Aspen and Beaver Creek. So we never felt the need to go there, we had a pretty good idea of what Bukovel was like.

While our visitor (and friend) of the season was here, we decided to hop a marshrutka to go check out this place, be your typical tourists and confirm my suspicions. It was a beautiful day and other than being crammed into a tiny bus with 50 other people, the ride was lovely.

My suspicions were right,  It was a typical ski resort. We were in between seasons at the resort and there wasn’t much to do so, we walked around, found a lovely cheese shop, ate a delicious lunch and then hopped back on a marshrutka back to Yaremche. I felt completely satisfied that I have seen the place and can now tell people I have been there.

John had the opportunity to hike Mt. Hoverla…again, with a group of volunteers that wanted the bragging rights “I climbed the highest mountain in Ukraine” even if there was still snow on the top of the mountain.

We also toured our town and enjoyed some wildlife at the Park’s animal enclosure.

It was fun to share dinners including a delicious fried chicken dinner made by our friend Vanessa. We even had a movie night!

We are looking forward to the summer and all our visitors…let the fun begin!

This page reflects my own thoughts and opinions and in no way reflects the Peace Corps as a whole.