Happy 4 Month Anniversary to the Earmuff Wearing American PCV

This Kate Klassic, as I'm starting to call my cards, is my 100th piece of snail mail.
(please note that my bootay is not drawn to real size, too big wouldn't fit)



This pictures make me realize something. No, not that Unicorns aren't real but how "thumbs up" is probably in too many photos. Sorry I can't help it.



This girl was cracking me up in vocab exercise. She was trying to say church but all she kept saying was chann...chann...chann... very energetically. For some reason, she reminded me of a young Amy Griggs.



A "small" afternoon snack last Sunday at Tanya's house.

This past Tuesday marked 4 months of being here in the lovely country of Ukraine. I have now been at site for 2 months. This week I can say I’m finally starting to feel at home and found a routine. Now don’t be confused and think that this means any two days are alike. Every day brings surprises some more pleasant than others. Overall, I’m glad to be here. One friend wrote in a letter I got awhile ago “We all miss you, but we’re glad you’re there.” That’s how I feel as well. I’m glad I chose to be a PCV but there are many days where I wish I could be in two places at once. But I’m learning a lot about myself and how to serve others. Hopefully I’m benefiting the Ukrainians I interact with on a daily basis as equal as they are making an impact on me.

So here is the skinny on this past week:

First of course the topic of the weather. It has been warming up the last half of the week, I stopped wearing long under wear. It nice to not make the laundry plus it is definitely a confidence booster when I get to go over one more notch on my belt with the lack of two extra layers. With the temperature warming up the mass amount of snow started to melt. Yesterday for the first time, I could see the brick drive way at my house. I was thinking to myself give it a couple more days and even if it is still welt and cold I’m going to go running on the main roads in town that have melted enough to create space for me and passing cars.

Not so fast. This morning I woke up to probably 2 inches of snow. It is now 11:30am and the snow is still coming down. So who knows when I’ll ever get to run outside?!?! Can someone tell me if we saw the ground hog this year????
Even though, I’m a little bummed about more snow, this week I found out that the man who recently opened a gym is friends with my school director which means I have the hook up. I’m going to tutor his 8th grade daughter once or twice a week in exchange for working on M-W-F. After finishing my classes on Friday, I went with the vice principle to check out the gym. It is small but very nice. Some of the equipment is newer than stuff we had in Merner. I had prepared myself to see former USSR weights that their past Olympians used. I was excited for the nice lifting machines, but when I saw the one very nice treadmill I nearly cried.

So as of tomorrow, I’m going to start my new Ukrainian workout program. Hopefully running 30mins and lifting on M-W-Fs. Then in the comfort of my own room where the door doesn’t shut, I’m going to discreetly do “Biggest Loser” yoga. I’m sure when my host mother comes into my room to randomly chat she is going to love seeing my big booty up in the air. I’m just going to remember to lay off the cabbage and eggs. I’ll give you three guesses why. Silent but violent mean anything to you???

The Ukrainian Mail Santa brought me a present this week. I got a package from Mama Perrone (aka the best Old Navy hookup). I got very nice blue pea coat, fleece pullover (which is now a daily after school staple), scarves, PJ pants, and whole bunch of other stuff. When I pulled the coat from the box, I’m a little embarrassed to say if you would have been in the other room you would have thought a 5 year old girl finally got the Barbie dream house she always wanted.

Along with Old Navy presents, she also sent me some delicious chocolates: Ferrero Rocher candies, chocolate covered pretzels, and my beloved peanut M&Ms. I snacked on them throughout the week and also shared with my host family. But I have really been trying to throw back on chocolate this weekend because once the workout start I’m going to attempt to eat healthier aka reject huge servings of food from my host mothers while also trying to stay away from sweets as much as possible. So this weekend, I have been consuming mass amount of chocolates all in the name of being healthy. Does this classify as an oxymoron?

Speaking of food, I had an interesting bowl of fish soup. Besides, clam chowder in Boston for the Civics trip in high school, I don’t think I have ever really had fish soup. It tasted so fishy; I was scooping the bottom of the bowl for small gold fish. I think I’m going to pass the next time that is made. Also in this same sitting were Ukrainian sausages which aren’t really sausage it is more like very fat hot dog. As a kid, I was always a fan of Oscar Myer but I could handle Ballpark Franks. I remember refusing to eat Aldi hotdogs because they were nothing like the standard brands. Let’s just say now, I would chow down on an Aldi’s hotdog with no funny facial expressions. Because Ukrainian hot dogs are very soft, too soft and they also have a smell to them…makes me think of burnt pile wood for some reason.

Random things from this week: I was able to charade/use my Ukrainian for describing mushrooms in approximately 5 secs. to my host mother. I said “when warm” then pointed to the ground and made a pop noise (as if mushrooms really coming out of the group with that loud sound effect.) Regardless, she got it. I’m thinking if charade-ing with help of minor Ukrainian was a sport, I would be a world class champion!

2nd random thing: I was walking to school on Monday through the park. There was a pack of 8 dogs. The funny part was the group was super diverse: sizes, colors, types. They were all just taking a morning stroll. It would have made a great photo ( I’m starting to carry my camera every day to school). Here in Ukraine there are many stray dogs. Another morning I counted 14 stray dogs that I crossed paths with on my 30 minute walk. For some reason, it made me think of the movie “All Dogs Go to Heaven.”

This weekend was nice for the fact I was able to chat with Tobey, Bre, and Jessie on the phone as well as chat a few people on chat. Always nice to hear familiar voices. Really blessed with many great friends. Yes, Tob I consider you my sister and friend (trying to be pleasant again). It is funny being away from home for a long period of time. It is interesting the moments I miss certain people and what exactly I miss about them. Or after seeing something outrageous around town, for instance when I saw see through tops being sold in the market I wished Annie and Kimberly were around so we could argue what is more classy mesh or weaved yarn ones?

So this is what I had to report to you all after…let me get my calendar… 18 weeks. Reason I put weeks is because I was talking to Margaret and she mentioned it being week 8 back at NCC. I am closing in on being out of college for almost a year, funny to think eventually I stopped counting my life on a 10 week schedule. But I think it will be awhile before I forget what each week distinctly means.

Hope you all are well. Keep lookin’ up, friends.

Kate

Almost forgot the biggest news, congrats to Mr. & Mrs. Erik Natzke (I’m hoping you guys really go with Schnatz). Erik thanks for making Tobey an honest woman and welcome officially to the family (even though you have been part of it for a while now). Love you both.




Walking through the park. The photo didn't turn out how I planned.



Look closely. Wet clothes out to dry...more like freeze. Still haven't quite figured this Ukrainian practice out.



Too much snow for a stroller. No problem, these moms got sleds for their little ones. Best part is that the kids are so bundled they look like the brother from "the christmas story."



Map of who slept with who on my beloved Grey's Anatomy. More needs to be added. I know the whole idea of this is sad. But there are only so many books you can read, cards you can make, before you need to think outside the box.