Props to Hugh for being the first to leave a comment!
I actually plan on sending the link out to others
before the end of the week. So hello and welcome
everyone! I hope to keep this throughout my service,
but there is a chance that the PC will ban it, in
which case I'll just send out mass emails.

A little bit about what I'll be doing. My program is
called Community Economic Development and I will be
working for as an NGO (non governmental organization)
Facilitator. I'm not sure what the NGO will focus on
and they won't tell me until halfway through training
where I'll be living. I will be learning either
Russian or Ukrainian. The first 3 months are
intensive language, techincal and cultural training.
I'll be living with a host family in the Chernihiv
Oblast (northeast of Kyiv). After three months, I
will officially be sworn in as a volunteer and will
move to my permanent sight. At that point, I could
live with them from a month or my entire service. It
depends what type of housing options the town has. I
will be living on $200 a month, though the NGO i am
working for provides the housing. So that's emily's
cliff notes Ukraine.

A little about the country. No. It is not part of
Russia. It became independent in 1991 after the fall
of the Soviet Union. It has a really interesting
history which I am not going to teach, but you should
check out Anna Reid: A Journey through the History of
Ukraine. The weather is really similar to Michigan.
YOu can't drink the water. The east side of the
country (split by the Dneiper River) was very
industrialized by Russia and they still speak Russian
there. The west is more nationalistic and they speak
more Ukrainian there. It is much less industrialized
as well. I hope to be in the west of the country.
And lastly, Chernobyl is located north of Kyiv. It
blew in 1986 and the Dneiper River is said to have
radioactive silt. Volunteers are not allowed near
Chernobyl so to all of you that I told I would be
repairing the sarcophagus - just kidding!

Look to the right. See that address? PLEASE send me
mail! For the first three months I can't get any
packages (for all of you dying to send me boxes of
peanut butter and contact solution, you'll have to
wait). Once I get my permanent address and set up an
account at the post office, I'll post it. But until
then, send me lots of letters - i need to look popular
in front of the other volunteers. If you forgot how
to write/send a snailmail letter, let me know.

As I write this I have 17 days, 6 hours and 59 minutes
before I leave. I would put my stress level at
roughly a 7 out of 10. I had planned on working half
days this week but with the schedule it is impossible!
Oh well. Last day Friday. Then I visit the entire
state of Michigan, America's High Five (thanks Jon-o!)
on my goodbye tour.

I had a dream last night that I was stuffing things in
my bag two hours before my flight to Philly for
staging bc I didn't have time to do it before then.
I'm hoping that doesn't happen.

So anyway - my email is emilykracht@yahoo.com. EIther
leave a comment hear or shoot me an email! I can't
say how regular my internet connection will be, but if
you're lucky you'll get a happy little letter instead.

eek!