All by Myself!!!

Last December before leaving for our sites the PCV’s in my batch elected two Volunteer Advisory Council (VAC) representatives to voice all concerns to the staff in Kiev. Well…I, along with Aidan, was elected to this position by batch #37. Our first VAC meeting was in mid-February in Kiev. The train trip from Stakhanov to Kiev takes 15 hours. It was a looong train ride. However, it was my first train ride by myself. I was so excited! Well, to be honest, I was very nervous about this trip. But once I managed to find my train car, everything was downhill from there. I’m so proud of myself for possessing enough Russian to get from my town to the capital and back, alone. It feels like a small achievement.

My site mate, Pat, speaks Russian very well. He’s been studying for 5 years now. Sharing a site with him is a joy for many reasons, and it helps that he can communicate better with the locals then I can. But at times I feel so inferior and helpless—which leaves me humiliated. I would be lost without Pat for many reasons, not just because of his impressive language skills. He’s a good friend and it’s wonderful to share Stakhanov with him. I enjoy cooking and laughing with him on a weekly basis.

Pat has his English Club at his high school on Thursdays and I have mine at the college on Fridays. We help each other with these programs. And recently we have taken on a community English Club once a month beginning in April. We’re excited! English club is so much fun! The students really enjoy the experience and I love getting to know each of them better. I absolutely adore my students in Stakhanov. They make my job so easy with their eagerness to learn and participate.

I also enjoy traveling away from site occasionally, too. It was great to go to Kiev for VAC last February. The other VAC reps are wonderful people and it was wonderful to meet them all. The meeting centered around the growth of PC Ukraine. Right now we have more than 300 PCV’s in country right now. This time next year that number will jump to 600! It’s incredible! But the staff has assured us that they are ready for the increase and our new Country Director, Doug Teschner, also seems prepared to lead our ever-growing program.
While in Kiev, I managed to visit my friend Yulya. She was a foreign exchange student in high school nine years ago! Yes, she’s Ukrainian. And we have kept in touch all these years. It was great to see her and visit! I love how small the world is! Later that same day some of the VAC reps and our CD, Doug, went to the ballet. We enjoyed a performance set to the music of Figaro. It was enchanting! Pictures of the opera house can be found on facebook. I certainly enjoy my time here in Ukraine. I hope to learn as much as possible, see all the country has to offer and experience every inch of its rich and delightful culture.

More to follow…