Февраль

There's not much to blog about this week so I won't go into any details...

Just counting down the days until our first trip!

Please enjoy a few pictures in the meantime...

Ae and I at home in the flat

Kiev Group 1! 

From Left: Tiff, Brit, Christina, Anna, Anna [ah-na], me, and Derrik

Parents day... yikes. We survived our first with flying colors!

Pazhata Hata's! 

(Delicious Ukrainian Cuisine...my new favorite place to eat)

Next weekend the fun begins (drumroll please!)-- we are finally going on our first trip! 

L'viv, HERE I COME! 

We are taking a night train Friday after classes...

 (my very first real train, I might add... something I have always had on my imaginary list of things to do in my life)

...and spending 4 glorious days there. 

Can't wait!

Пoка пока!

Language Barriers

I really wish I knew Russian. Every single day of my life. I am learning, but not as quickly as I would like. I still only know the very basics.

I thought I was doing pretty well with the language, until I went to get a haircut last week. Yeah, when you sit in that chair you sort of realize that your limited knowledge of Russian really isn't going to get you anywhere when it comes to having an actual conversation with someone. I sat in the chair, completely silent, formulating in my head exactly how enlightening that potential conversation would be, with my limited vocabulary of course. Da Svidanya! I can count to fifteen. adin, dva, tree, chetiree.....How about I recite the days of the week? Should I ask you to pass the juice?  Excuse me? Thank you? Chai? Seerniki? You're welcome! To health. Open the window. Close the window. Please? Sorry! Nice to meet you. Dirty Swindler....Goodnight. Hello!

Yeah, my vocabulary stinks. But hey, you gotta start somewhere. 

Anyway. Next realization: this language barrier thing sort of means that I can't really tell her how I want my hair cut to pan out. Didn't take me long to realize, there's no stopping her. She's just gonna keep chopping. 

And chop she did. She just kept going and going and going. I decided that I didn't mind. Just laughed inside at the whole situation and my ridiculous inability to speak Russian.

An hour later...

Well.

Yes.

I now have short hair.

I like it though. :)

In other news:

• I recieved a gift recently. A full on real-Ukrainian-fur scrunchie. BIG WIN.
• My host family continues to be more and more hilarious the more we get to know each other. The other night, as we were sitting at the table, we just started making ridiculous faces at each other. I'm so glad laughter is a universal language.
• Went to a dance concert Friday. It was called something along the lines of Baron Minkhousen, a production of modern dance. A love story. So many interesting costumes, and gorgeous Ukrainian music. My first Ukrainian performance! Brava.
• Liver? Not nearly as gross as I thought. Just pretend it's steak, get it down. Move on with life....
• I've been trying to find Finding Nemo in Russian for my host sister to see. (Want to know how to say "just keep swimming" in Russian? ha ha) I still haven't found it, but I did end up finding Surf's Up, (of all the random movies to find in Ukraine). Watched it with Zr yesterday, she loved it. I have missed movie nights. 
• Free oreo samples at the megamart. The joy.
• I have now experienced the real side of a Ukrainian winter. Holy COW it's cold. When we got here it was unusually warm, so we all just sort of breezed through the days thinking we were pretty tough stuff for living in Ukraine in the "winter." Yeah, we had no idea what was coming to us. These last few days it has cooled down to absolute frigid freezing bitter biting COLD, and it is going to get colder still.
• Actually found some peanut butter. A Teeny tiny little jar? Fifteen bucks. 
• Valentines day rocked. We went to the lock bridge, also known as the Love Bridge (not sure how to say that in Russian). Everyone locks their name and the name of their significant other onto the bridge. I think they cut off all the locks about twice a year to make room for new locks, because there's just a whole lotta lovin' out there. I put one on there, too. But despite the dire temptation to put something like "Kaitlin + Nephi" or "KJ + My Gideon" (hope you caught the sarcasm there...) I wrote something on my lock that had nothing at all whatsoever to do with romance or the manly men in my life. Sort of tied in with Valentine's day, but it was more of a commitment of sorts; a commitment to change a certain aspect of my life for good. Here are some pictures:

Ours.

The girls at Mariinsky Park

Zr loves wearing my hats!

That's all for now-- Happy Valentine's day! :)

Rebel

I already mentioned that one of my most favorite things in the world is listening to the music that people play in the metro. Accordians, trumpets, clarinets, violins, saxaphones, violins, banduras... you name it, they play it. This one stopped me dead in my tracks, though. These talented manly men just whipped out their violins and began playing a piece very dear to me-- one that my mother has always played on her violin for as long as I can remember. I know you're not supposed to have cameras inside the Metro stations, but... heck, I didn't care. I turned around, grabbed my camera and started filming.
Fact: Upon hearing this, I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach with homesickness.
Fact: I am the world's worst camerawoman.
(Excuse the two moments where I bend down to give them some cash)
Fact: It is short because I sort of chickened out.
Mom, this one's for you. :)

Free Ones

Well, I promised that I would try and write at least one blog-post a week. So here we go, Sunday night has rolled around. I rock at procrastination. 
Go me.


This week was extremely difficult for me. I was struggling with trying to teach 3-year olds and 9-year-olds in the same exact classroom-- when they are on such different levels and the little ones always seem to wreck havoc wherever they go. I plan simple lessons, the older kids get bored. I plan more "exciting" complex lessons, and then the little ones can't figure it out at all (down by the banks? Button Button who's got the button? Too much.) I was planning so many lessons, putting so much time into them, only for them to turn out a total disaster because here is Mark grabbing the pencils and throwing them across the room, Sophia climbing on the table and jumping around, Diana barking like a dog, Zurab screaming "I want to play hide and seek!" Igor demolishing the glue sticks... and me, trying to control 7 kids at once. I was so frustrated, I was homesick, I was exhausted. 


(Jess, you remember the post you wrote about "free ones" not too long ago? I always seem to remember that when I am having a bad day. :) This happened to me a lot this week--and it made me think back to your words...)
Particularly, Monday.
 It was one of those days where you just don't want to wake up, you take forever to just get out of bed after the alarm rings and you drag your feet the whole morning. 

But I knew this attitude wouldn't get me far at all. The day would already be hard, why was I making it harder by having such a pessimistic, drag-your-feet attitude? I said a prayer that I would be able to cheer up and have optimism and hope for the day... and even just to get through it. And of course, the Big Man Upstairs was looking out for me. He always seems to do that. No matter how pessimistic or ridiculous I am being, He always seems to find a way to get me to just... look up. And on they came, free ones, one after another, in almost perfect time, as if it wasn't real life at all but some broadway play with perfectly timed entrances and scenes and dialogue.

1) As I was walking the half-hour walk alone to go take my 40 minute trip by metro to the school, the clouds opened up for just a moment. The SUN literally SHINED ON ME. It wasn't just some sunlight in the distance, no, it was actual sunlight right there shining right smack on the middle of my face. Thank you, I thought... thank you thank you thank you. It was there just for a moment, and then retreated back into the huge grey clouds, but that moment was all that was needed to spark something in me.

But of course, that was not the only thing. I kept trudging along.

2) Next thing I know there's a girl walking my way. She looks right at me and just smiles. I was so taken off-guard, because this NEVER happens. I haven't seen someone smile at me in public at all since being here, yet it happened just then as I moped along.

3) After I got on the metro, an older man started playing an accordian and another man accompanied him on his saxaphone. It was so festive and genuinely Ukrainian sounding, It couldn't help but cheer me up. Accordians hit me close to home, as my dad plays the accordian every year on Christmas Eve. And if any of you have ever read The Book Thief, well-- enough said.

I gave the old man 50 Kopec (basically nothing...) and he stopped walking, turned towards me and just smiled, thanking me graciously. Two smiles in one day?

4) Christina, my head teacher, suddenly called me and said she'd be able to come help me as I taught, so I wouldn't have to supervise all of the children alone after all. 

5) I arrived at the school, started the attempt at teaching. Snack time rolled around. As I sat there reminding the children English Only! No grabbing! Hands to yourself!, feeling a headache coming on and a sick stomach, one of the little boys walked over to me and pulled out this huge chocolate candy bar. He is new to the program, and doesn't speak English very well, but he handed it to me and said, "For you, Miss Kait." 
Just wow.
.....Thank you.

So, by the end of the day, my mood was such a stark contrast from before. I was still exhausted, and still very much homesick, but I felt so much peace, and I was just in a good mood. (Also, I now had a chocolate bar. Enough said.) I had started out that day feeling so incredibly discouraged. But the Lord helped me to keep stepping along and to smile. I am so grateful for that.

In all, teaching has become easier. I am learning how to implement discipline without being the evil teacher who makes little kids cry. I am learning to be firm, to actually be an effective teacher instead of just a babysitter. And I have had to rely on the Lord completely through it all, because how in the world could I ever do this alone?
This is one of the most challenging things I've ever done in my life, but I am simply blown away by the growth I have experienced in just 3 weeks alone (Has it really been that long?) I learn something new every day, I find deeper resolve within me to be better. I see things that break my heart, people on the metro, homeless people, homeless animals. People with missing limbs, people just trying to make enough money to buy a little bit of bread to get through the day. But I see so much good out there, too. I am more perceptive to the little things. The young woman giving up her place for a Babushka on the Metro. A man helping another woman pull a heavy bag up some stone steps...just little things I never would have noticed before but things that seem to make my day go a little better.


Sorry for the cheese, that's another thing I've realized upon coming here- I'm just an extremely cheesy person, and there's no getting around it! But whatever. That's just me. So, here's to more of the "sappy hallmark-movie" sort of posts to come (as Michelle puts it!). 


Spakoyna Noche,
Katya




Oh, and by the way. I may have told most of you that I had made an exception here, and I liked the cat (my host family has a cat named "Poosha," or, translated, "Fuzzy")
I have recently come to the conclusion that, in fact, that was just part of the honeymoon stage.
As I sit here about to go to sleep and hear this little familiar noise in the distance... It starts to get louder and yes, there it is....Mweeeow! MWOAW! RAW! Screeeech in the distance, um, try every single night... yeah.....
I hate the cat.

Cheese fest

Love: The fact that I am not a picky eater. They put something on my plate and heck, I'm gonna eat it! I have never tried so much delicious food in my life.

There are only two exceptions to this: Cheese from Andora, and a drink that I cannot remember the name of-- but they make it from the sap of Birch trees and I kid you not it tastes exactly like CAMPFIRE. I had to gag it down. It was the most disgusting stuff I have ever tasted. I love the smell of campfire, yes, but when you have to drink it.... Niet, Spasiba! (No, thank you!). 

Love: The metro. It's weird-- you will be boxed in and squashed in a corner and pushed up against so many people that there is barely space to breathe-- but despite all of the people, it is so quiet. If they don't have anything to say, they don't say anything. Today a man just broke into song amidst the quiet, and whipped out a guitar. LOVE. When you transfer, there is always someone playing a violin or singing or rockin' out on a trumpet. I love listening to that.

Hate: The bus system. Sometimes, the bus just doesn't come. Actually, it is rare that it does. Don't depend on it, or you'll never get anywhere on time. It happens all the time: after waiting for 40 minutes, you realize ya gotta walk, and ya gotta walk fast. My new motto: Get over it.

Love: My host family. I love talking to them, even with the limited english that they know. They have such love for each other and it just shows. They are so interested in American traditions and love to hear about little things like what a "wedding reception" is. I love going back to that little flat after teaching-- they have been so welcoming and I feel so at home already. Every night they give me some kind of chocolate. They said when I go back to America, I will have to worry about watching what I eat, but while I am here, I should absolutely not follow those rules! I could not agree more. :) I walk about 6 miles a day anyway, so.... bring it on. Oh, Roshen....

Hate: The lack of sun. The sun doesn't really shine until about mid-March, so I've heard. I kind of miss it a lot.

Love: The languages. Russian and Ukrainian are so beautiful. It kills me that I can't understand half of what they say, but I am simply mesmerized by the sound of it.

Love: The children. Although they can be terrors at times, they will do something little like share part of their cookie with me at snacktime and just make me melt.

Hate: Being short on teachers. It is exhausting to teach on your own, when there should be at least 2 or 3 teachers and there is just you in charge of 6 or 7 hyper little kids.
Hate: Stray dogs. Everywhere.
Hate: Cigarette smoke. Everywhere.

Love: Oreos, and how absolutely excited everyone is about them! They are new to Ukraine, so there are Oreo billboards all over the place comin' out the wa-zoo.

Love: The Woman Rule. If you can pull of looking like a Ukrainian or Russian woman, you will rule the world. They walk with perfect posture, and an attitude that says "I know where I'm going, I know what I am doing, don't mess with me." And you can tell that the men respect them. Ukraine was built upon the backs of these women, and I admire their strength and determination. I can already feel my posture improving, that's for sure. I still catch myself smiling at things, and it is hard not to make eye-contact with people sometimes when I am not focusing on focusing....I love to look at people's faces and especially their eyes, but that is something you do not do here. Eye contact is dangerous, and you just don't do it.

Love: The fact that everyone wears hats. You all know I have a chronic addiction to hats. I brought about 6 with me, and I know I'll be going home with a lot more than that. I love that I get in trouble if I am not wearing one.

Love: Colors. The buildings are all so colorful inside, especially the school. Blues, Purples, Yellows, Pinks, Greens: every room is a different color. You walk outside and everything is so washed out, and then you go in a building and are overwhelmed with colors. I love it.

Hate: Potatoes. Okay, not exactly, I really do love potatoes, and I always have. But when you eat them for every single meal, they kind of lose their appeal.

Hate: Jet lag. Yup, still have jet lag. 

Love: Superstitions. They think you'll get sick if you drink cold drinks. SaS asked me to put my cold cereal and milk in the microwave, and was so surprised when I said I liked it cold! They have never in their lives eaten a bowl of cold milk and cereal.

Wear slippers when in the house, or die.

Wear a scarf and a hat, or die.

Don't sit on concrete or your ovaries will freeze! (my favorite)

Love: The supermarket, And how unique some of their products are. Think you can't have enough of that booze? Try some beer-scented shampoo. Feeling hungry? Try the bread-scented shampoo over here. Yummy.

Love: The people. The more people I meet, the more I realize how very much the same we all are. We think we are so different, the Russians, the Chinese, the Africans, the Italians, the Americans. But it's just an illusion, because we really aren't that different at all.

It's amazing to me that I have barely been here a week and already I have learned so much, and changed my perspective on so many things! It amazes me to think that this is just the beginning, and I still have 5 more months to fill with these experiences. So, despite the hard things and rough days in between, I love it here.

Jet Lag

Priviet!

Well, I made it. It feels like this was the longest day of my life, but I am finally here, 26 straight hours of flying and delays and waiting in lines and getting the pat-down and getting my travel pillow searched for explosives and re-bookings and missing luggage later, I am at my new home for the next 6 months. My host family rocks, and I will tell you all about them later... when my brain actually works again.
In training, they warned us that there would be 4 stages of "adjustment" for us. They are:

1) Honeymoon
2) Horror
3) Humor
4) Home

I am DEFINITELY in the "Honeymoon" stage right now. :) I love everything I am seeing and even though this was the longest day and everything seemed to go wrong I was still pretty dang ecstatic about everything. I kind of really love this stage. Not really looking forward to the so-called "Horror" stage.... yikes.

I am too tired to try and say anything clever or go into the fabulous details so that's all for now... I'll post about it as soon as I get a chance.

I can't believe I'm actually HERE!!

Oh, and by the way, my Russian name is Ekaterina, and I am called Katya.
(I love that too. HONEYMOON. ha ha)

Do svidanya!

Thirty one little blue notes

Today, I went out to dinner with my grandparents at my grandmothers favorite restaurant. Before we got our food, my grandmother reached into her purse and handed me a small card that contained a donation towards my trip.  I was overwhelmed, even to tears, and as I sit here at 1 in the morning, listening to U2 and Angels & Airwaves whilst writing thirty-one thank-you notes, I am also overwhelmed with the same feelings. What did I do to deserve such kindness and generosity from so many people I know? I don't think I will ever figure that one out, but I feel like a little blue 4x5" card isn't going to cut it, no matter how heartfelt I try to sound in pen. So here another vain attempt, saying thank you to whoever is reading this, and anyone who contributed in my behalf. If you didn't get a card, I am sorry (ILP has been struggling with mailing me the lists of who donated what), but I hope that you all know how much it truly means to me. I hope I can spread the same kind of Christ-like love towards the people I come in contact with during these next few months, and for my entire life.  I am truly so blessed. Thank you.