Saturday, March 26, 2005

The Chickens are attacking!!!

So, I've come to realize that if you don't have a chicken ( a live one) then you are not living the traditional ukrainian lifestyle... I actually figured that out a while back but it became even more relevant this past week. I was in Borova ( a town nearby with another group of volunteers that we meet with for technical training on Saturdays) and one of our teachers was talking with us about the mongol-tatars and the Kosacks... very interesting stuff... the room was really hot so we opened the door to let some fresh air in... and then all of a sudden out of no where 5 chickens were inspired by the Mongolian tatars and ATTACKED!!! The flew in the back door and started squaking or clucking violently... whetever it is that chickens do... SO, Volodiya our teacher runs into the kitchen and starts moving the door trying to shoo the chickens away and he actually pelted one of them with the door and all of a sudden you hear this chicken yelp from it's belly... AARRGGUU!!! It was definitely a cross cultural experience... So to make things better on the way home from Borova after class... I take a short cut past the wood factory, and the burned out warehouse and the abandoned gas station to get to my apartment building ( don't worry mom my sister Olya showed me it) and as I'm walking past the gas station the chickens have taken over and are just clucking around, there must have been 20 of them! I just start roaring. I mean it's just like a swarm of them clucking and pecking around the abandoned gas pumps!!! It was hysterical and no one was watching them... Ya know, It's the little moments like that that make it all worth while!

Sunday, March 20, 2005

Bez майинез и кетчуп (Without Mayonaise or Ketchup)

So another week down... wow the time is flying by. I have come to a conclucion... that Ketchup and mayonaise were created in the Soviet Union and are the national foods of Ukraine!!! They put it on everything.... Every where I go I have to say without ketchup or mayonaise. It's on Pizza ( which instead of tomato sauce they use tomato flavored mayonaise...), vegetables, cabbage, potatoes and it compliments all meals... breakfast lunch and dinner! Just a funny quirk that i'm getting used too...

We are in Kyiv today at the Peace Corps office and what I've seen of this city it is beautiful.... Like everything here it is such a dichotomy... Gorgeous eurpean style architecture mixed with the severe blandness of soviet bloc style. Amazing stuff really!!! I'm excited to finally be here because it is only a short bus trip from my house... by short they mean 45 minutes-1 hour. Nothing moves fast here... Well actually that is not true... the one thing that does work very fast here is the rumor mill! Apparently Ukrainians are notorious for being big gossips. Something that I'm having a hard time getting used to. And recently, because we are the most exciting recent addition to our little town of Kalynivka, a few members of my group are finding that out first hand. I've been doing my best to stay clear but just by being an american I'm clumped in with the guilty by association category... nothing malicious just bored housewives chatting on the phone and stretching the truth. It can be quite humorous at times!!! Well I'm signing off cause I gotta let another lonely PCV on the computer!!! I love you all and thanks for reading.... feel free to leave a comment!

Sunday, March 13, 2005

2 weeks down and a world of widom later...

So I'm just wrapping up my second week in Ukraine and so far i haven't been bitten by any stray animals. JK... But i have learned through my humorous and enlightening Cross Cultural Handbook given to me by the PC that people probablythink that I have a mild case of mental retardation because of my persistant smiling...HEE! I'm adjusting really well and becoming much more comfortable with the new culture... The only problem is that when you need to be somewhere at a certain time I think it means that you need to eat at that time and then be 15 minutes late for everything... an adjustment for sure even for the girl with 2 speeds, slow and stopped. I have now had a thorough education on public transit having taken both the train, Mashrukah (little buses) and a Taxi, and becoming more mobile is a good step towards independence. Oh but i've also learned that when waiting for a Marshrutkah never stand at the stop on the side of the road. Always wait atleast 8 feet back because you will gat splashed and dirty when it pulls up. I'm going to be getting internet at my house this week so hopefully I will be able to upload some pictures then... I guess I'm movin on up in the world, not only do we have hot water but a washing macine and now the INTERNET!!! Take care everyone. I love you all!

Sunday, March 06, 2005

Dobre Dyen Ukraine!

So I have finally arrived in Ukraine! On the 1st, we landed at Borispyl airport which looked like it had just stepped out of the 1970's, in fact most things here look like they just stepped out of the 1970's. Then myself and the other PCT's (peace corps trainees) were wisked away to a former soviet spa for training. The room was basic but provided all of the necessary essentials. On the 4th, we left our little cocoon and moved in with our host families for training. I will be in training untill the end of May. I live in a small town called Kalynivka. It's just southwest of Kiev if you want to look at it on the map. I've learned that you shouldn't necessarily judge something by how it looks on the outside. The apartment building that my family lives in looks a little rundown on the outside but inside their apartment is beautiful. Like everything in this country that I've seen, it just needs a good power washing. Pavel and Looda, my host parents, work in Kiev as an engineer and an accountant respectively. I also have a 19 year old sister (just like at home) Olya who is a student at a University in Kiev as well. The people here seem a bit cold and impersonably at first but once you say hello they are very warm and hospitable. I'm learning russian as is everyone in my cluster (the 4 other PCT's that live in Kalynivka) and my russian is poor at it's best. Oksana, my teacher is very patient and she is having a party for out cluster and our host families this afternoon. I think I'm adjusting well to the new culture though. Besides the language barrier, I really do like the experience so far. I've made some great friends at training and I feel like I have a strong support circle here. I'll keep posting (most likely on sundays). I love you all and miss you as well!