Spring is finally here!

So update on the site front!

Up until now the weather has been such a debbie downer.  Being from Hawaii, Seasonal Affective Disorder totally kicked in.  Haha...but seriously, I would be saying "Geez it's April, and I still have to wear this coat?!" and last week it was rainy...like Seattle meets tropical rains...it was cloudy all day but would be dumping rain.  It sucked!  Here I kept telling myself "April Showers brings May flowers"... I'm trying to keep positive here...

But let me update you on what has been happening around here dealing with Peace Corps...the other volunteers in our oblast has been coordinating this mural painting in our city for HIV/AIDS awareness.  They got to get some local artists from the art school to create the art...this project has been going great...but due to rain...we had to chill out for a little.  Here are some pictures.

This is getting those walls to be basic white to start muralling!!!

Shenanigans

On this blank wall we are posing in front of another volunteer in our oblast is creating a "World Map" project, where we will be making a map of the world...and they are encompassing HIV/AIDS statistical data...just like a GIS map person can do...so you I'm sure you guys know how stoked I am about this projection.  I better stop before I start geeking out with my GIS jargon.

Also, another fun thing.  There is a popular show here in Ukraine called "My Dance" and its like So you think you can dance...and my town Kirovograd challenged another town and won and are advancing to the next round.  So a couple of hosts/dancers came to our school and let us do like a flash mob deal.  I don't really know what was going on, but we totally chilled out, and the girls in my class were going crazy for one of the guys that was here....it was great.  They also were conducting interviews with some of the students, and I was in the background gallavanting...so hopefully I can make it on the Ukrainian airwaves...lol....

Other than that...the sun is finally out, I can start wearing less layers.  I also am able to where my sun glasses and I would be looking like I'm a tool bag....Miss you all and don't be afraid to write back...

IT'S GONNA BE A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME IN UKRAINE!

Jas

Budapest

Hello all....it has been a while I know. Sorry, but I just got internet at my apartment so I can be fully communicative now days.

Anyways, so a few weeks back I hopped on a train to Budapest, Hungary from Kiev, Ukraine.  It was such a long trip.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:  At the border in between Hungary and Ukraine, they have to change the wheels of the train.  I don't know every little detail but its because they have different types of rail tracks dating all the way back from the Soviet times.  Something like the Soviet Union didn't want any surprise attacks by train from the west so they had totally different tracks...  Interesting huh....

Anyways here are some pictures of my trip.

The Music School near our hostel

The royal family's crest

The Danube and Chain Bridge

Actual bullet holes from when they were attacked during World War II

The university...infamous for the 1956 Revolution

The church

See something shiny?

Parliament on the D

It was a great trip, and very refreshing to leave the site a little while.  It was a great experience and definitely going back for round 2 next year.  This time I definitely want to do the turkish baths!!