Feeling the Love

Hello to everyone!

This past week has been rather mellow. The school has still been closed due to holidays and let me tell you, there are more holidays in the month of January than I even thought imaginable! It's wonderful being able to celebrate and to given the opportunity to be fully emerged into the traditions set for each holiday. I have been attending school everyday to continue my tutorials with students participating in the regional Olympiads. I am tutoring a 11th form student and a 9th form student. They are both brilliant and I find myself improving my english as I study and break down the language I have spoken all my life. As time progresses in Ukraine, I am finding more and more beauty in language. The more I am challenged and forced to communicate in Ukrainian, I am beginning to find a whole new level of appreciation between the interaction of human beings. Ukrainian is one of the most beautiful languages I have ever heard which also makes me driven to improve. Besides tutoring, I have been progessing in settling in and discovering different parts of Kivertsi I had not been exposed to before. I am loving the town more each day.

My beloved site mate has returned from the states. Her name is Kate Schmidt and she has already been living in Kivertsi for a year now and teaches at a different school in town. She is from Chicago, Illinois and we are always finding ourselves laughing and having a great time whenever we hang out together. I am very fortunate to have a site mate that is very much like me in terms of humor and light heartedness. I am truly blessed, it is a great outlet to have when Ukraine starts to get the better of you. I helped her move her stuff back into her apartment which was quite the adventure. The buses here in Ukraine are always packed and try to imagine two people trying to get onto a packed bus with a 50 lb hiking backpack and a 20 lb school backpack. The Ukrainians on the bus were not even phased by the efforts which made for an even funnier situation, it was a moment in which I wished I had a video camera to capture the process. It was rather comical.

I have recieved some amazing pacakges from home that have only made this transition that much smoother and the battle with homesickness that much easier. Bradleigh Cameron sent me the most amazing backpack and treats. My father sent me a OSU beanie which I find myself wearing everywhere. Oregon is alive and thriving here in Kivertsi. Carli Godard and Hayley Buckbee sent me so many goodies that I found myself teary up at their thoughtfulness. They sent me some chocolate, a book, a couple movies, gloves, warm socks, cheetos!, nutella, candles, tea, very endearing letters and notes, everything was just so thought out, it honestly brought a few tears to my eye. I can't express how much all of those treasures meant to me, I don't think any of them will ever understand just how special recieving those gifts was. Thank you again to all of you who have been so supportive and have shown me so much love while being thousands of miles away from home.

Today, I taught a couple 9th forms and a couple 5th forms. I taught one 5th form class the "itsy, bitsy spider" song, hand motions included. It was the cutest thing trying to watch them manuver their hands like so. They eventually caught on and I couldn't get them to stop singing it! I taught the other 5th form class "mary had a little lamb" and they loved that as well. I found myself signing autographs after class and being given a bountyful amount of stickers that I eventually had to start sticking on my hands and on my sweater. They were so sweet. I had a couple 7th form students make me bracelets! They asked me one day what my favorite color was and sure enough, today they came and surprised me with a couple beautifully, threaded bracelets. It was amazing but frustrating that I couldn't express my gratitude as much as I would have like to. I hope my smile said it all because it was huge and full of true gratitude. I have felt so welcome at the school and the students have begun to take me in as their own. The teachers only continue to be supportive and appreciative of my efforts. I have bonded with more than just the english teachers. There is a french teacher named Tammara, it was her 55th birthday party that Ben and I attended, who never fails to give me a hug and a huge smile everyday she sees me at school. She is wonderful and I hope that as my Ukrainian improves, or my French, we can converse on a deeper level and create a lasting friendship. I always look forward to seeing her at school.

Tomorrow is another big holiday here in Ukraine. It is the day of "epiphany". I am not quite sure about the details yet but there will be a large celebration at school as well as in my home. My host family has been wonderful by including me in their festivities and my host mom, Tonia, is a delicious cook. She is also rather healthy compared to most other food I have eaten. She is the first Ukrainian I have met that uses olive oil instead of sunflower oil. What a rare find that is indeed.

I miss you all dearly, I'll keep you posted.

Much love.