of the teachers complimented me on my cursive Russian
today. I'm somewhat proud of my writing myself, but
to hear it confirmed by a teacher that never talks to
me is positively thrilling. As I sat in my office
clutching my radiator for heat so that I could
continue writing, I reflected on the past few months
at site.
Maybe it's the yoga I've been doing everyday or some
drug they've been adding to my borsch, but I've been
happy. Not like skipping around singing happy, but
normal, satisfied happy. My director recently had to
fill out a progress report about me. She told Peace
Corps that I had already held 160 classes plus 40
extra-curricular events, attended round table
discussions and held a wildly popular friendship
bracelet club, promoting the importance of friendship
across cultures. She also mentioned how I had quickly
become a member of my family, the school staff and the
entire village, and all because of my Ukrainian jeans
with chains and pictures.
Ok, she didn't mention anything about the jeans, but
her abilities of exaggeration rival even my fathers.
My brothers and I still joke about the Missouri storm
story. "It was like two football players were pushing
the van back and forth!" We don't remember it being
quite like that. In fact all we remember is that we
made Ryan sleep in the driver's seat and all night he
kept accidentally hitting the horn. We all deny
having inherited this exaggeration gene ourselves,
though secretly we all know that we're quite guilty –
and that it only gets worse with age! I digress.
My PC director was so proud of my community
integration so I didn't have the heart to tell him it
may be a bit stretched. At least my director has a
good view of my work (though we'll see after my
ecology lecture).
Classes have been better this semester as well and I
don't know if it is actually them that have changed or
I. Tuesday I started my Art Club with Worry Dolls. I
couldn't come up with a good translation in Russian,
so they are now "Compassion Dolls" or
"Attentive/Caring Dolls." When the class started the
seats quickly filled up and I had to send at least 15
away for lack of space.
First I showed the kids how to make them and then I
realized I forgot all of the paper for them to use. I
told them this week was just a demonstration and we
would make them together the following week. The kids
were so excited, gosh darn it, that they used paper
out of their notebooks instead. Graph paper
Compassion Dolls…only in Ukraine.
Today I had two English Clubs. The first I had a
parent and teacher observing and they seemed to get
into the lesson even though the kids were running
around and jumping (no, really, I told them to do
that!). We studied classroom words and a few verbs,
including jumping and walking. At the beginning of
the next class two girls presented me with large,
sparkly, purple, plastic earrings in the shape of
flowers. What can I say other than they were special?
Another reason for happiness is my involvement outside
of my village. I am on a grant review committee for
PEPFAR (The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS
Relief) and am the HIV/AIDS Coordinator for my oblast
(fancy title, eh?). I also hope to start volunteering
at an orphanage in Odessa with a few other volunteers
soon and I'm already scheduled to do three camps this
summer.
Looking back? I persisted, held on to the hope that
things would get better, and what do you know, for the
moment my patience and determination paid off. I'm
even getting normal portions of food.
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