Up, Down, Up, Down, Up...

“Goodbyes Are Never Easy”

Goodbyes aren’t easy but I really don’t like see you laters either. Sunday night I had my last meal with my host babusci and a family friend. My host brother and father were there for part of the meal but for the most part it was us three ladies hanging out around the table, eating a lot of food and enjoying some vodka. I’m still amazed about how a person can drink so much vodka, and then walk in the freezing cold & dark to their house across town.

The next morning, I was up at 5am laying in my bed wishing that I could stay in Ivanivka, but that’s not how PC works. I had my bags all packed up and ready to go at 7:30am. Allison’s host dad came to my house to drive my bags to the school where the rented coach bus would pick us up. I joined my host babusci, mother and sister on my last walk down my street pass the Y (where Allison and I’s roads met), our little neighborhood store, and many familiar faces.

Once I saw the rest of my cluster with all their bags standing next to the road waiting, my eyes started to glaze over. I expect that when I leave this country I’ll be attached and there will be a sense of lost with leaving. But I really didn’t expect to get so attached to my host family I was with for a little over 2 months. We loaded all of our stuff, joined our link mates on the bus and drove away while my babusci stood next to the school waving good bye.

On the way to Kiev, we heard about a bus breaking down so we went off our scheduled root to pick up two more clusters. On what seemed like forever ride into Kiev, the bus enjoyed a bucket of meat cooked by my babusci. She was so scared that I wasn’t going to get feed in Kiev that she tried to give me a huge piece of Salo (solid pig fat) along with some potatoes. I luckily got away with only the bucket of cooked meat, but everyone helped finish off the bus so it all worked out.

Arrived to Kiev, unloaded our many, many bags before heading to the conference hall. They had a power point presentation of the regions across the country. A region for the most part is made up of 3 oblasts. So the coordinator would read names off, people would stand, after finishing all the names the list would appear on the screen. We went through 4 regions and none of the people from my cluster or link had been called. I was so nervous/excited I just started to nervously laugh with Allison. Then region 5 came. First was Cindy, Jon, Allison,… at this point I’m in my seat waiting to die because I just know that I’m going to be on the opposite side of the country and my cluster on the other. Then my name was called, followed by Laura, Scott and Kelsey. So I’m with my whole cluster and two of my favorites from our link, plus another PCT from Chernivhiv that I knew.

Also during this session of the announcement, they played a slide show of photos from training. I’m pretty much calling that my photo was the funniest/ got the most laughs. It was the photo of my cluster mate Laura standing next to Lake O Laura. But the best part was first on the screen Laura was cropped in on and then it kept zooming out showing more and more water.

Eventually, after our site announcement we headed off to rooms by regions to meet our regional managers. Mine is a nice man named Bohdan. He is also the man who interviewed me for my site placement and it just so happens that he will be my boss for the next two years. Sort of think about it like a RA to Hall Director relationship where they don’t micro manage you but they are there to be a resource/coach for you to be able to do your job the best. We discussed the events of the next couple of days in Kiev as well as what our sites will be like. At the end of it, he told us if you want to find out who you are this is the experience.

After finding out all, the great information it was time to celebrate and mingle with other volunteers that I never had the chance to meet. Allison, Laura and I were roommates but in our suite there was a double with two other girls. Whitney from VA, and Rudy from NYC quickly were absorbed into our room. At one point in the night, I looked around and was holy moly there are a ton of people in our room. I think around 20 something people were enjoying some pivo and getting to know each other. We were all trying to figure out facts and even myths about the regions we were headed to. We called it a night around 11pm and hit the hay.

“I’ll take you to church”

On Tuesday morning, we had some information sessions before finding out our counterparts. We had a group session with the counterparts before heading up to the room and meeting them for the first time. My counterpart is an ENG teacher with 25 years experience as well as a very spunky personality. That morning I had found out from my RM that she was a never social lady who was a spit fire. He said that we will make a good match.

Our RM called out the matches in the room and I went to the back of the class to sit by my counterpart. She gave me red necklace made of stone as a welcome gift. Through a small conversation over the course of this session I found out that she is married and has a son in the 9th form. She owns three flats in the town. Also that my town is roughly 13,000 people, a railroad hub, there are 300 students at my school and that I’ll be leaving in an apartment when I get there. At one point when my region manager was presenting she leaned over and asked me if I go to church. I said yes and then she was like I will take you to church. It was a very awkward but funny exchange. So now that I’m getting my own apartment I’m thinking my cluster and friends are going to come to Kate’s for Khristmas. Team America love!!

This day was also followed by more pivo and mingling in our dorm room. It was really interesting to hear other people’s experiences from training. We definitely had the most rural and sticks experience but I’m glad for it.

In One Ear Out the Other

Pretty much Wednesday was filled with information about AIDS prevention and training. There was also a lot of time dedicated to how to right grants, what type of grant to write for what types of projects. Just a lot a lot a lot of information. I’m glad most of it I can recover because it is a couple of resource DVDs they gave to us. Long day with a lot of information.


The True Ambassadors

At roughly 12:30 on December 17th, 2009, I was sworn in as a Ukrainian Peace Corps Volunteer. Our country director was joined by U.S. Ambassador, a high up of Ukrainian government as well as heads of education in Ukraine. The Ambassador made the comment that we are the true ambassadors because we are on the grass roots level sharing what America is all about. The whole ceremony only took a little over an hour. After we were sworn in they announced each PCV, their home state, the name of their counterpart, and what city they are serving in. As the S last names started my counterpart leaned over and said, “we will stand I’ll take your hand.” I was like strange but didn’t think too much of it. So when they announced my name I stood followed by my counterpart then she grabbed my hand and raised it in victory as if I had knocked out a boxer in the 1st round. The room roared with laughter. I’m a jokester but for official stuff I like to not really stick out. Later talking to other PCVs, they thought I was the ham who was going for a good laugh but they found it even funnier when they heard it was my counterpart.

Anywho, the ceremony was tad emotional. I felt more proud than when I graduated from high school or college. Our country director shared her hopes for us and success stories from both counterparts and volunteers. I just hope at the end of these two years I’ll be able to say I have a similar story.

The Journey

In a jam packed train ride to train station, I was feeling a little queasy from not having enough space, not being able to see out the windows and too much excitement/anxiety. My counterpart pretty much held the entire conversation because I was focusing on not getting car sick instead of chit chatting. When we got to the train station I told Laura that I didn’t feel good and that I felt bad not talking to my counterpart. She laughed a little and said she knew something was not right because I was so quiet. It is a good feeling to know that I’m that well read.

We boarded an overnight train. It was not too bad just wish I wasn’t 6’2. I was probably asleep by 11pm and got to my town at 6am. I was greeted by the ENG director and another teacher. We got all my bags into one car and all three of us were off to my new home. It was a snowy, dark ride through the picturesque little Ukrainian town; definitely not in Kansas anymore. Two days before getting here, it had snowed around 6 inches so the whole town was sparkling. I would like to think the weather gods are welcoming me.

“Our American”

Two students came to my house later this morning after I had settled in all of my stuff, to escort me to the school. I was greeted by many curious students standing right instead the door. Questions like “What is your name, where are you from, what do you like…” were coming from all directions. I was introduced to many teachers, as well as the director of the school. The students were beyond excited to see me at their school. I was able to visit different class who will be my students. Overall, it was a good day but a tad overwhelming. I feel like the token/trophy American. I can wait for the newness of me to rub off a tad.

Oh, did I mention that I’m not in an apartment I’m with a host family who is incredibly nice. My counterpart as well as the PC seemed to be out of the loop on this minor detail. But I’m sure it will all get ironed out. Hope all is well.

Too tired to proofread sorry.