Let it be

I write this post with a saddened, and heavy heart.  I know that many of you who read my blog expect to read about my adventures in Ukraine.  However, given the tragic disaster that occured in my beloved home state just the other day, talking about myself just doesn't seem so important. 

 So much is gone.  Ruined.  The place that I called home for four years of my life was almost destroyed. The place where I grew up is nothing but rubble.  My family and friends are safe, but several of my closest friends lost their homes and cars.  I know that they will agree that they are the lucky ones though.  

When my mom told me the horrible news, I couldn't help but cry and ask why.  Why do things like this happen? Why is nature so unpredictable?  And worst of all,  why does God let things like this happen. At the same time, I felt an overwhelming since of grattitude to God for keeping my friends and family safe.  I also felt heartache for those who were not so fortunate.  

Since I found out, I have been glued to the computer looking at pictures and watching coverage of what happened.  I know that this does not come close to portraying the horror that those natural disasters brought to Alabama.  One thing I have noticed and that absolutely warmed my heart was how quickly the state has come together to help one another.  No matter the past of our state and the current status of it, no one can say that Alabama is a bad place.  Their is simply too much love and compassion there for this to be true.  

My heart aches that I am not there to help in the relief efforts.  However, I know that one thing I can do is pray for our state and it's people.  This one simple act doesn't feel like enough, but I know that it is a powerful tool.  

My thoughts and prayers are with my family, friends, and neighbors who are enduring the after effects of such a tragedy.  I love you all and I am proud to call myself an Alabamian.

This song has always helped me whenever I feel broken or lost.  I hope it will do the same for you.

Let it be

When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me,
speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me,
speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.

And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree,
there will be an answer, let it be.
For though they may be parted there is still a chance that they will see,
there will be an answer. let it be.

Let it be, let it be, .....

And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light, that shines on me,
shine until tomorrow, let it be.
I wake up to the sound of music, mother Mary comes to me,
speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be, ..... 

Me and YouKraine

This update has been a long time coming, but due to my work filled days and a lack of reliable internet service, I am just now getting the opportunity.  It's been a few weeks since my last update, so I could pretty much write you guys a novel of an update now.  Instead of that, I'll just go with a short and concise list :) Here we go....

What I've been up to:

1.  I have now been in Ukraine for exactly one month.  Although I liked it immediately, I am really starting to feel at home here.  Of course I am still learning to read and write Russian so I kind of feel like a child most of the time, but I'm still starting to feel more comfortable.  My language skills are getting better every day thanks to an amazingly patient language teacher and host family.  I've made a few embarrassing mistakes (such as telling my students to "pee" their names instead of "write" their names), but I have gotten really good at laughing at myself (as if I wasn't already pretty darn good at that).  

2.  I taught my first lesson, along with my partner Becky, on Thursday.  It was a 9th grade class with about 20 students in it.  The class is currently working on healthy lifestyles so we decided to teach on the different aspects of health.  Did I mention that we did the whole lesson in Russian?  Haha don't be too impressed! We did a lot of it before hand and had the phrases we knew we needed.  Their were a couple of moments where I had no idea what some of the students were saying, but it didn't affect the lesson.  It is crazy how creative you can get when you know that their is a language barrier.  

This week I will be teaching another healthy lifestyles class for my 9th grade students, and I will also be teaching a 10th grade lesson!  It takes a lot of preparation to get ready for the lessons, on top of studying the language and trying to work on other assignments, but I know the pay-off will be well worth it.

3. Last Tuesday, we went on a field trip to Kiev (Kyiv) which is the capital of Ukraine.  If you haven't ever seen pictures of it, you need to go and google it right now! It was absolutely breath-takingly beautiful.  We left Cherniv around 9 a.m. and had to ride a small, cramped bus for 2 hours to get there.  Once we arrived, our language teacher divulged that we would be in charge of finding the Peace Corps Office, which was the main point of our excursion.  It sounds like an easy task, but you take an extremely confusing metro system and add to a city of around 500,000 people, and you have yourself one frustrating adventure.  Considering that I'm from one of the smallest towns in the world, you can imagine the confused look on my face when it came to navigating the metro and the busy streets.  After a few hours, I picked up on the pace of the city and felt like I was able to keep up with it.  We found the Peace Corps office quicker than I thought, and then we were able to do a little sightseeing! Unfortunately, we weren't able to go into any of the museums or galleries because of the time restraints we had, but we did get to do a lot of walking around, so we got to see a lot.  They city is huge, but so gorgeous.  All of the buildings are colorful and exotic.  Some of the buildings are so old, and therefore make for fascinating pictures.  It feels as if overnight, Spring has shown up so everything is green and bright.  It definitely is prettier than the dull grayness of leftover winter that I witnessed when I arrived.  The trip was short, but left a huge impact on all of us.  We will get to return in June when we have our swearing in ceremony.  I will definitely be seeing some more of the sights then :)

That's pretty much all I can think of right now guys.  The busy cafe that I am bumming internet from doesn't serve as the best blog-writing environment, but I promise to try and do better and updating!  Until then, here are a few pictures of what I've been seeing lately!

 Church in Kiev

 View of Kiev

 My group in front of Baturon (an old Kosac fort)

Jeff, Edward, Becky, Me, and Zach

 Me with a statue of a famous Ukrainian poet

 My Dom (home) :)  It looks a lot different now that Spring is here!

Church in Cherniv.  One of my favorites!

More updates soon! 

You may say that I'm a dreamer....

This post is my effort to address the questions from my loved ones about my decision to join the Peace Corps.  Read on and find out why I joined and what I'll be doing for the next years.  I hope this post will also quiet those that questions my sanity at making this decision :)

For as long as I can remember, the Peace Corps has been a part of my plan.  I can't tell you the exact year that I discovered it, but it has been so long that it feels like I was born wanting to join.  I'm sure my insightful dreamer of a mother was the one to initially plant the seed in my mind.  I'm sure at the time she had no idea that the seed she planted would grow into an actual reality.  

The older I got the more I started looking into the logistics of joining and actually considering it.  Their were certain times throughout my college career where I would decide to apply, and then change my mind.  I think my original fickleness was the result of a lot of factors.  Mainly fear or being away from my loved ones, and fear of the unknown.  I ultimately decided a year and half ago to go through with it.  As much as I loved college, by my senior year I felt completely lost.  My initial plan had been to graduate with my BSW (bachelor of Social Work) and then go straight into law school.  Well that plan was fine and dandy until my LSAT score came back a lot lower than I thought it would be.  Looking back, I am thankful that it was because I would probably be pulling my hair out at this exact time had I started law school.  After the initial sense of failure and confusion, and with the help of my supportive family and friends, I took a good look around.  I looked deeped within myself, and for the first time in what had been a very long time, I asked myself what I truly wanted.  Not for the future, but at that exact moment.  The answer came immediately and that's how I ended up applying to the Peace Corps.  My heart new all along what I wanted, and when I stopped to listen to it, I heard it loud and clear.

So, that was almost a year and half ago.  Now I am fulfilling this dream in Ukraine.  Words can't even begin to describe the excitement and peace that I feel being here.  I say all this to let people know what drove me to join the Peace Corps.  I know it was a bit lengthy and wordy, but I've never been good at summarizing.

Now I'd like to take up just a little bit more of your time and answer some of the questions that have been thrown at me.

How long will you be gone?

-The Peace Corps requires us to serve exactly 27 months.  The first 3 months in country are spent with a host family in different parts of the country.  None of us know who are host families will be until we arrive.  Don't worry though! The host families do go through a screening process.  We are broken up into what are called clusters (groups of 5) who we train with throughout the three months.  During those 3 months, we attend 4 hour language sessions 5 days a week.  We also have technical and cross cultural sessions for 4 hours twice a week.  When we are not doing those things, we are visiting different organizations and schools so that we might gain experience. We also get to teach different lessons to different grades at the local school!

  I know many of you are now sitting in disbelief after seeing how long I'll be gone.  Trust me, I know it's a long time.  I also know that in the grand scheme of old Father Time, it really isn't.  

Why Ukriane?

Because this is where the Peace Corps assigned me to serve.  During the initial application and interview phase, we are given the opportunity to give our input on where we want to serve.  However, I went into the process having decided that I would serve where I was needed.  At first I was told that I would either be serving in Eastern Europe, Africa, the Carribean, or Asia.  While of course I had certain places that I prefered over others, I was determined to keep an open mind and do my best to serve where ever I was assigned to serve.  When I was told I would be serving in Ukraine, I have to admit that I had to turn to trusty google.  Throughout my education, I really didn't learn much about Eastern Europose, let alone Ukraine! After a little research, I knew that I had lucked up (yet again) and that I was going to love it.  So far, this initial reaction has been correct :)

What language do they speak?

-A majority of Ukrainians speak the national language which is Ukrainian.  However, their is a large percent who speak Russian.  This is because Ukraine was a part of Russia until 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed.  The language remained eventhough the offical country language was changed to Ukrainian soon after the collapse.  In actuality, the two languages are quite similar and many citizens speak both.

What will you be doing over there?

-The Peace Corps assesses the skills of each and every volunteer and then assigns them to a certain skill area based on their previous experience.  These areas include such things as community development, youth development, business, agriculture, and a few more.  Before we are even invited to serve, we are told which area we will be assigned to and the possible countries of which we could serve.  Because of my background and volunteer experience, I was invited to work in youth development.  It is a very broad focus (in fact, we have more areas we cover than any other focus group in the PC), but it is beneficial in that we get to help in a lot of different ways.  The Youth Development program in Ukraine was started by the PC and the Ukrainian government to address the growing gap between the development of urban and rural youth.  Like American teens, many Ukrainian teens are getting left behind because of their location.  That is where we come in :)  Youth developers work in areas such as teaching healthy lifestyles, english clubs, working at NGO's, aiding social services, and several other aspects that deal directly with helping youth in their educational and emotional development.  

I was thrilled when I found out I would be working in this area as my passion has always been working with children and youth!  I do not know exactly what my offical job will be yet.  During the initial 3 months of training, we intern at different locations so that we might get a good idea of the full spectrum of people we might be working with after training.

Will you be serving with other Americans?

-During these first 3 months I will be around other Americans pretty much every day.  I have four other groupmates and I already feel connections with all of them.  However, that will make it that much harder to leave them after training.  The Peace Corps determines where we all serve after training.  It's possible that I could end up in the same town as other volunteers, but it's also very possible that I could be the only American for miles.  This is one of the many unknowns that I have gotten use to

Do you get to come home and visit?

-Unfortunately the Peace Corps does not fly us home for visits (which is completely understandable because of the costs).  However, they will fly my home if their is ever an emergency, or heaven fobit it, a death in the family.  As most of you know, traveling is not cheap and since my family would have to carry the burden of paying for my trip home, I highly doubt I'll be making it home much.  But I am allowed visitors if any of you need a break from the states :)

Will you get to travel?

Yes! We aquire 2 vacation days a month (after training), plus weekends and we are given the freedom to use them as we please. Of course their is some paperwork and we have to get it approved by our superiors, but that is how it is with any job, right?  I am hoping to travel as much as I possibly can! I will definitely be asking for $$ from Santa and on birthdays so that I can save up and see everything I want to see!

Are you scared?

-More like terrified.  Previously, I did not have much opportunity to travel (as opposed to my new PC friends who have seen the world already).  Actually, I hadn't even been on a plane since I was 18 months old! So, of course I was and still am a nervous wreck with all of these new changes.  Traveling has always been dream of mine and this dream happen to coincide perfectly with joining the Peace Corps.  I decided long ago to never let fear stop me from fulfilling my dreams.  So, yes.  I was a nervous wreck about traveling to a country that I knew next to nothing about.  Not to mention being away from the family and home I'd always known! I knew that now was the time to do it and that I had to be brave.  I have moments every day where I am scared and feel alone, but then I just remind myself what I'm doing.  This knowledge gives me peace and comfort that I've never known before.  The fear is great, but knowing that I'm living one of my biggest dreams is greater than the fear.

Well those are the main questions I can think of right now guys.  If you have any that I didn't answer, please don't hesitate to comment or send me an email.  It means a lot to me that you guys care to know about it! I hope this helps you have a better understanding of why I now live in Ukraine. I know a lot people don't understand my decision, but my hope is that they will respect it. Thanks for listening everyone!

Oh Baby, it's a wild world

Dobre Dien!  I know some of you might have been worried about me making it to Ukraine, but you can rest easy.  I made it in one piece!  The past week has been one of the busiest, and most exciting weeks that I have ever had.  If I were to tell you guys every detail, I would have to write a novel.  So, I'll give you a detailed Cliff's Notes version.

Last Sunday I had to say goodbye to my family in Birmingham.  It was by far the toughest and scariest thing I've ever had to do.  I knew that it was going to be hard, so I didn't want a lot of people to come to the airport. After the hard and tearful goodbyes, I headed to my gate to wait for my first plane ride since I was a baby.  I was suppose to leave for D.C. at 5:00 p.m., but because of some problems with the plane, we were delayed.  We finally got off the ground (in a different plane) around 7. The experience was everything I hoped it would be! I was like a kid at 6 Flags.  I honestly had to resist raising my hands in the air.  We then landed in Charlotte, N.C. where I had about 35 minutes to catch my next plane.  It wasn't a pretty sight to see me and my carry on's running through that huge airport trying to make it to the gate.  But I made it :)

I made it to D.C. around 11 p.m. and it turns out my friend Lydia, another PCV, had plane troubles as well so we were able to meet up and take a taxi together.  I think it's important to note that I immediately fell in love with D.C., and especially Georgetown where we stayed.  It was everything I hoped it would be, and I plan on it being one of the first trips I make when I get back.  Back to my travels though....

When we arrived we ran into some other PCV's and we all hit it off.  It is so amazing to be surrounded by people with similar interests and shared desires.  The next day we started orientation.  Their were 106 of us, so we had to be split up to get anything accomplished.  Orientation was long, but educational and fun.  Every one of us comes from such diverse educational backgrounds, yet we all have the same dreams.  I made lots of new friends and found so much common ground with so many people, but I won't bore you with it all.

We were in Georgetown until Friday.  We left in the evening for Frankfurt, and let me tell you.  That plane ride was lonnnnng.  I feel that I have definitely made up for lost time with that one.  On the way there, I couldn't help but constantly stare out the windown and wonder about what was to come.  My emotions were a mixture of so many feelings, but I ultimately felt at peace with myself.  It was a feeling I'm not going to forget.

We arrived in Frankfurt Germany, and we were immediately rushed into the commotion of a busy European airport.  I have never seen so many different nationalities in my life.  It was definitely a sight for this small town girl. Unfortunately, I had my first bad traveling experience.  As everyone in the world knows, airplane security almost anywhere is pretty intense.  Besides it being super busy in Frankfurt, security was also super strict.  Not only did I get an intense pat down from a female security member, I also had to throw away my aluminum water bottle, because I forgot to dump out the water that was in it.  So, one of the first things I'll be asking the fam to send is a replacement. Other than that, it was smooth sailing.  However, by that time I was more than a little tired and the super scary security did not help.  I stayed positive though and made it on the next flight to Kyiv.

Landing in Kyiv was an amazing experience for me.  It was almost a sense of homecoming.  As we were landing, I thought to myself that this would be my home for the next two years.  It was odd because at the time, it was a place I knew next to nothing about.  Not to mention the fact that I didn't know a lick of the language or the people.

But that was one week ago, and now it's a completely different story!  After our arrival, we were whisked away by some of the friendliest and most patient people I have ever met in my life.  The Ukrainian Peace Corps staff is compose of many Ukrainians who made such an effort to make us feel at home as soon as we arrived.  I think they succeeded as best they could.  We were taken to a business center and hotel where we were to have a brief 2 day orientation.  During that orientation, we were told which language we were going to be learning, what cluster, or group we would be in, and to which oblast (kind of like a district) we would be going to.  Once again, God was on my side in all the decisions that were made in regards to my life for the next two years.  I am learning Russian, which was definitely a little bit of a curveball. For those of you that don't know (I didn't a few months ago), Russian is still a widely used language since Ukraine was a part of Russia for such a long time.  So, the Peace Corps has a small number of individuals who learn Russian instead of Ukrainian, so that we may work with the large Russian-speaking population in the country.  Also, I was assigned to live in a small village named Rad. Sloboda.  It is in the Cherniv Oblast, which is in Northern Ukraine.  The village is kind of like a suburb and I am very close to the Cherniv, which is a very big city. My group is made up of myself and 4 other people. They are four amazing individuals who all share the same desire and dreams that I myself possess.  I am looking forward to getting to know them better through the next 3 months. We are all in the same boat, and it's nice to know that I have other people that I can talk to when it all becomes to much.Now, about my new home and family.

To say the least, I was so nervous about meeting my host family.  I was worried mostly because of the language barrier and the horror stories I had heard about outhouses and strange food.  A few minutes before my new family came to pick me up, my amazing tech. trainer, Veca, told me that my host family had 2 daughters who both spoke English! Excited is not the word to describe how I felt at that moment! But anyways, I was picked up by one of the families nephews, Meesha, in his car that was blaring loud and exotic music.  He was exactly as I pictured a Ukrainian man to be. Tough looking with a good laugh and strong sense of being.  The ride home was short.  Before I knew it, I had arrived to a beautiful house that is bigger than my own in the states!  I was immediately welcomed by Sveta, one of my new host sisters.  She welcomed me and helped me with my bags.  After that, I was met by my host mom, Olah, and other host sister, Tanya.  The first thing that struck me was how amazing beautiful they were! In Ukraine, it is custom to take your shoes off when entering someones home and put on houseshoes.  Since I didn't have mine out yet, Olah immediately offered me hers.  That gesture let me know that I was in good, caring hands.  They showed me to my incredibly homey bedroom where I was able to unpack everything (I never want to see luggage again).  The room is beautiful by the way.  It is very spacious, with large windown and bookcases (how perfect for me!).

Later that evening, Meesha's wife, also named Olah, arrived along with their 5 year old daughter, Sonya.  The night was spent eating amazingly good food and my answering questions about my life in America.  By the end of the night, I already felt at home :)

The past week has gone by quickly, and that's probably because my every waking moment is devoted to working.  Monday through Friday, I have language training 4 hours a day.  On top of that, we have technical and cross cultural training twice a week for 4 hours at a time.  We also have been visiting different organizations that we will be working with over the next 3 months.  (I completely forgot to mention that I am only here to train for 3 months.  After that, I will be shipped to my new site, which could be anywhere in Ukraine.  That site is where I will live and work for the next 2 years.).  Everyone has been so welcoming and friendly.  My village is small, and comforting.  I already know where everything is, and I am also able to recognize the faces of my new neighbors.  I can sense that they are all curious about their new American visitors, especially the children.  Every morning, the children all try to impress me with their English by telling me "Hello" and "Good day".  They don't have to do to much to impress me though, as I am amazed at their sweet demeanors and openness to me already.

I know I've left out so much, and also that most of you still have no idea what I'm even doing over here.  I promise that as soon as I can, I'm going to devote an entire post to why I joined the Peace Corps and what my job is over here.  I thought that it was more important to let all of my wonderful friends and loving family know, that as of now, I am happy and safe :)

I am in a strange, yet interesting new world where the possibilities seem endless to me.  Every day brings forth something new and amazing to experience.  And every night, I go to bed thinking that I finally feel that I am exactly where I'm suppose to be.  Until next time... Paka!!!

P.S.- I ended up writing a novel anyways, but I had a lot to catch you guys up on! Thanks to those who hung in there and made it to this point :)  Also, please forgive my spelling errors and typos.