A One Way Ticket to Krasnomeysk!!!

I am recently the proud recipient of a One Way Train Ticket!!! It reminded me of all those times when Dad said that he wanted a one way ticket to Timbuktu!!! Well Dad I beat you too it! Actually this one way ticket was a sort of reward for surviving 3 months of training where you barely have time to breathe!!!!
It's official folks... I am no longer the scum of the PC office, a PCT, I am officially now a PCV!!! I have taken the oath of the office with was administered in an amazing and memorable ceremony by the US Ambassador John Herbst. The swearing in ceremony took place in the same building as the First parliament of a United Ukraine in 1918. It's pretty historical. There was a ton of media coverage and yours truly gave 2 interviews in RUSSIAN for national television. It's a good thing the camara only shoots from the shoulders up because my knees were shacking for fear that they wouldn't understand me.
I'm sad to leave the people that I have grown so close too during my training process, my host family, Language and Technical teachers, and of course my cluster and link mates. But time moves forward and so must I. I'm excited to have a bit more independece and not be so closely under the all-knowing eyes of the training staff. It's a bit like the KGB but without the violence and all that bad stuff.... they know all! A new town will surely present new problems, but also ne opportunities. Take care and I'll write again very soon!!! I love you all!

Hi Family!!!

So I just want to take a quick moment to let you know that it was great to talk to some of you this past Saturday! It sounds like Nana'a party was a real hoot! Well she definitely deserves a hoot... it's not everyday you turn 96 years young!!! And to those of you who I didn't get a chance to speak to I was thinking about you! Don't worry I am on the mend with that nasty cold and the trees that I think I'm allergic to are starting to lose their blossoms.... Yes folks God really does exist! I'm in Kyiv today hoping that I would have some work to type up from my student parliament but alas once again they fail to comethrough. I shouldn't say that, they are great kids and it's not their fault that they've never been held accountable for anything in their lives before.... I choose to not blame the parents this time (though they directly are at fault) but rather the culture that babies the youth and never allows them to take responsibility or think for themselves.... Well at least I can take the time for a Relaxing Meg Day out in the city... Okay so now that the venting is over I'll speak of much more exciting things. I have now received my two boxes from home and have more easter candy than one could possibly consume... don't worry Mom though, the entire town of Kalynivka LOVES YOU!!! especially my students. They are actually working out to be a good source of bribery... HEE! This Saturday I am going to the Ukrainian version of Old Sturbridge Village called Feofania. I'm not sure what Feofania means but I'm sure that I will find out. I've been looking forward to it for a few weeks now. Yeah I know, stop rolling your eyes, I came to the realization that I'm a dork a long time ago... It's okie I've accepted it and moved on. It'll be a nice day of relaxation which is much needed. Last Sunday, I saw the National Ballet perform Romeo and Juliet with a few of my friends and who would have thought that when I applied for the Peace Corps I would be sitting the the National Opera House in Kyiv watching the National Ukrainian Ballet company and have just gone out for a delicious dinner. It's crazy I know!!! but it's all part of the Ukrainian way of life. I'm trying to get as much time in Kyiv as possible before i depart for the dark cold east.... Actually it's really quite lovely but that is what they would like you to believe about it... where i can walk past an enormous red steel sickle and hammer on my way to the grocery store every day!!! It's just great isn't it...
Well as some of you may know already, next week will be my last week in my training cluster (boo hoo) but this is going to be the opening of a new horizon where I can take my mild russian skills to the land of Lenin!!! Good bye for now and I want to apologize in advance if I miss some postings over the next weeks after I leave my home here in K'Town I'll be at the lovely Prolisok (former soviet sanitorium that would be condemned by american standards but has hot water and a shower with some decent pressure so for a PCV it's heaven and considered prime real estate in Ukraine!) and then the 13.5 hour train ride to my new home... take care you guys!!! And I'm just going to announce that MELISSA IS ENGAGED!!! Now the world knows so no keeping it a secret Melis... CONGRATS!

Rain, Rain go away... Go pick on someone else today!!!

So i'm in the peace corps office and Eric has just informed me that the rain will not stop... Today, monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday... well you get the Idea. It has been raining here non stop and quite frainkly I've had my fill. Normally, I'm a rain lover. There's nothing more refreshing than a nice rainstorm to cool things off and refresh the earth. But this is rediculous... In fact, it was raining so hard that we now have a leak in the roof of our apartment building. It's really not that bad it just leaks in the stair well. But the constant water flow has warped the loverly wooden door to our apartment making it incredibly hard to open the door. The first day this happened my host father went out to the shed to grab some tools to fix the door and we couldn't open it up so Olya and I are running into the door from the inside and Papa Pasha is on the outside trying to open it. he was stuck out there for over 2 hours and we were captive in the apartment. I was supposed to meet up with my cluster mates but had to cancel on account of inability to leave the apartment. It was rather funny but definitely a moment. Well Things here are going well as usual. I only have 2 more weeks in Kalynivka with my host family. Mom I did get the packages thanks!!!! And they'll be great to help celebrate the end of training... I love you all and I'll keep you updated as the transition continues.... HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL THE MOMMAS and HAPPY 96TH BIRTHDAY NANA!!! I LOVE YOU!!!