So last time I posted was a little over two months ago. I have to apologize because I don’t have internet at my apartment and my okole from Hawaii doesn’t like going out in the freezing cold unless I have to.
Well, my last post was about Christmas, and the holidays over here in Ukraine. And I can tell you that not much has changed weather wise. It is still freezing cold, where I go out of my flat with four layers on, but I’ve stopped using my Yak-Trax (its basically tire chains for your shoes, makes it so you don’t slip and fall). I have also hung out with a bunch of the volunteers that are in our oblast (with is like equivalent to a state in USA).
Kirovograds’ka Oblast
For the most part, it’s been fun here. I mean I’m in the city with 6 other volunteers, and I usually can go day to day being anonymous because I live in the oblast center. It has its ups and downs. And being that it is cold, I don’t go out all that much during the week.
So anyway, we also have a total of 24 volunteers in our oblast, we at least meet up once a month to have a collaborative meeting with each other, and also to hang out. I like the people in our oblast, they are cool, and when everyone’s in town, it can get a little crazy.
We just had the oblast English and Spanish Olympiad here. We were judging of course, and Can I just say that it is great to know that there are some children out there that want to do something with their lives. The Olympiad is a great reminder of that, and sort of a motivator to keep the engine going on a volunteer’s end.
Teaching
Teaching has been also great, and sometimes gets really frustrating. I always keep referring back to when I was these kids age, and all I wanted to do was get out class and hang out with my friends, or go to the beach. And how many times, I have been rowdy in classes, and how the teacher does not appreciate that. I mean, you gotta respect teachers, and the art of teaching, because kids are just a ball of energy and its hard to keep up sometimes.
For the most part though, its been a great, and testing journey. I definitely appreciate the kids who want to be here, and learn, and mainly make use of the fact that I am here to help them. And I know that learning a foreign language from a person that doesn’t speak your native tongue is challenging, but it’s the process of seeing them improve and understand me that gets me.
You’d get a kick out of this though, I’ve taught then some legit games: Flip-cup, and “Never Have I ever.” And they love it... Before anyone goes and judges, let’s remember that I’m using these games from English teaching purposes. Lol…
Site seeing and projects.
Well, I have finally left my site for a weekend travel up to Kiev (the capital of Ukraine). First, I went to visit my host family up in Chernihiv for a night, and then travelled down to Kiev for a meeting with a working group. All I can say is that big things are happening soon. And it’s already been about 6 months since I started on this journey.
I’ve got a few projects that I’m trying to be involved in. First off, we are painting murals in our town oblast, in a couple of months. In the summer, I am most likely going to be working a few summer camps that are put on by volunteers. And we will see what kind of personal projects that I can get going for my school….I am very open to ideas, so shoot an email or comment!
All in all, life here is more or less that same that what it could have been in the states. Except for the language barrier, I think that Ukraine will surprise the heck out of you….it still surprises me everyday.
That’s it for now. Fsyo, Paka!!
