Wow, so many things have happened since I last wrote. I am
sorry I have been so neglectful these past weeks, to say life has been a
whirlwind of events and adventures would be a huge understatement! I will do my
best to recap all that has happened!
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| Map of Ukraine showing where everyone in Group 43 is going |
I guess the biggest news is that I am now an official Peace
Corps Volunteer! We had our swearing-in ceremony in Kiev the last week of May.
It was so awesome to see my fellow Group 43-ers and spend some quality time
with them before being shipped off in opposite directions all over the great
country of Ukraine. The weekend long retreat included meetings and seminars as
well as allowing us a chance to be introduced to our counterparts (Ukrainian
representatives from where we will be working who act as our liaisons to our
communities). We made sure to take
advantage of the down time and had a great weekend celebrating all of our
accomplishments and preparing for the huge adventure ahead. While there I was
lucky enough to be voted in as the Youth Development representative of the
Training Advisory Group! I am so excited and honored to be a voice in helping
shape the incoming Group 44’s training! Swearing-In retreat was such a blast
and made me realize how much of a community Peace Corps really is and how lucky
I am to be a part of it all!
After swearing-in at the US Embassy in Kiev, I was the first
one to depart to my new home! My site is in the city of Shatsk (шацьк) located
as far north and west as you can go, right near the borders of Poland and
Belarus. My assignment is at the Shatsk Forestry College located in the middle
of the town. Shatsk is a BEAUTIFUL area surrounded by forests and lakes, with
Shatsk National Park about 10 minutes outside the heart of the town. It is a very popular summer destination for
many Ukrainian and Polish citizens because of its beauty. I am so lucky to call
it home! While at the Forestry College, my assignments include working with the
environmental club as well as bringing in the arts to the college. I know, how
perfect right? My first semester includes teaching yoga, American music, an
American culture seminar, healthy lifestyles seminars and working with the
environmental protection organization…let’s just say no complaints here! Over
the next two years the college wants me to start a drama and film club as well
as lead a career seminar and a leadership club. I am SO excited for what is
expected of me and what these next two years in Shatsk will bring! I truly
don’t think a better match could have
been made!
The lake I go to just about everyday, no big deal
Of course it hasn’t been all smooth sailing. My housing
situation still isn’t finished, so for the time being I am living in a
dormitory. It isn’t a huge deal, just a little different than what was
expected. The only inconveniences are
sharing the one shower with the other residents (yes, ONE) and having the
electricity turned off at 11:00pm every night.
The other hiccup was that about a week after arriving my counterpart
received another job offer and had to resign as my counterpart. I am so
thankful for the time I did have with her seeing as how she handled my
registration into the country which is a HUGE stress and a mess of paperwork
and dealing with Ukrainian bureaucracy. However, I am confident my relationship
with my new counterpart will be just as successful. He has a very laid back
approach to things, so I am sure we will get along just great!
What else…oh, the EuroCup! So Ukraine and Poland hosted this
year’s EuroCup and to say it was a big deal doesn’t even begin to cover it! Between
preparing for hosting the event as well as having Ukraine playing in the tournament,
soccer was all anyone was able to talk about for about 3 months straight.
Sitting in the cafes and watching the games allowed me a chance to meet a ton
of locals as well as get a better sense of the community and integrate a little
bit more! It was such an exciting and entertaining time and I am so happy to
have been able to take a part of it!
About two weeks after
arriving in Shatsk, the college was the host of a Peace Corps led summer camp
called CAMP ACT (Action Creativity Teamwork). Peace Corps Volunteers from all
over the region I live had been working their buts of the past year planning
this camp and they were sweet enough to save me a spot to work in it!! Meeting
all of these INREDIBLE volunteers and working with such amazing Ukrainian
children during Camp ACT changed my life. It was without a doubt one of the
best weeks in my entire life. The passion and general energy these volunteers
had just showed me what being a Peace Corps Volunteer is about and what I can
expect my next two years to be like. I am so lucky to have had the opportunity
to work camp and meet these volunteers who are now some of the best friends I
have ever had in my life. It was without a doubt the PERFECT way to kick off my
Peace Corps service!
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| The best staff ever! Region 5 what up!! |
So now it is summer and my days consist of going to the
lakes to swim, sun tan and read. My evenings include studying some language and
watching Game of Thrones (literally the best show ever. If you haven’t watched
it yet, reassess your life). I am learning to cook a little (thanks Val showing
me the ways of cooking fried rice),
outlining some lesson ideas and planning some future trips I would like to take
in my down time (helllooo Prague, Budapest, Istanbul…)! To say I am happy
doesn’t even begin to cover what I am feeling. For the first time in my life I
am not stressing over the future or what I will be doing in a few months…I am
just LIVING. And I am LOVING LIVING. Sure, the language is still kicking my
butt, but it hasn’t stopped me from making Ukrainian friends who don’t speak
any English or buying food from the bazaar. I have learned and grown so much
these past months in Ukraine. Thank you to whoever is reading this blog and
sharing this journey with me. It’s going to be an exciting ride. Hell, it
already HAS been an exciting ride! And the most exciting part of it all is -we’ve
only just begun…
