Ukraine Week 1: A
Thrilling Adventure Begins!
This week was an unforgettable experience, filled with firsts I'll always treasure. I am grinning ear to ear about my adventure!
The highlight of my week was crossing the globe to the other side of the world for the very first time. The excitement was indescribable as I stepped off the plane. I can't wait to experience more.
My host family, Vova and Tonia, has been an absolute delight! Vova, in particular, is a culinary mastermind, whipping up delicious Ukrainian dishes that never fail to impress me. Despite not speaking English fluently, he's managed to say a few phrases I understand, including "Bon appetit," "good morning," and "it's good." His willingness to cater to our every culinary need is touching. Whether we're craving a snack or a full meal, he's always happy to oblige.
I'm also incredibly grateful for my roommates, Roxi, Rachel, and Olivia. We've quickly become like sisters, sharing laughter, stories, and memories that I'll treasure forever. I feel like I've hit the jackpot living with such wonderful companions. Unfortunately, not everyone has been as fortunate - I've noticed that some of the other girls are feeling quite lonely. It's heartbreaking to see, and I hope they soon find their own sense of belonging.
I love our yellow house! The backyard is filled with fruit trees, and we've been indulging in fresh honey from our very own beehive.
Teaching has been an adventure so far. While it's been chaotic at times, it's not what I expected. I've been teaching older kids, and sometimes I feel like they're more knowledgeable than me! However, it's been great because we have real conversations all day. Our main goal is to get the children to talk, especially the little ones. To achieve this, we often need to repeat phrases for them to mimic. One of my favorite moments was when a clever girl told me, "Teacher Mallerie, why do you keep saying 'say this' and 'that'? I'm tired of it!" It was hilarious! The kids are adorable, but they also have a lot of spunk.
My teaching schedule is Monday to Friday from 3 pm to 7 pm. Before each school day, a local teacher brings us snacks from the street market. Half the time, I'm not even sure what I'm eating, but so far, everything has been delicious! The kids adore playing Simon Says - it's their absolute favorite game.
I've fallen in love with the artwork from the kids on the walls.
Getting to school is quite the adventure, as I ride bus 472. Let me tell you, Ukrainian buses are a unique experience! The ride can be quite intense, but it's part of the fun of living abroad. Since my house is right near the bus stop, it's convenient, but unfortunately, the bus itself is tiny and cramped. It's more of a mini bus. The driver, however, is a master in his skill. As soon as someone gets on, he hits the gas, expertly navigating the manual transmission while sorting change and handing it back to passengers all while avoiding obstacles in the city streets. It's always an exhilarating ride.
The other day, an already full bus pulled up to our bus stop. People were pressed against the walls and windows with not an inch of space to spare. My roommates and I squeezed on just in time for the doors to close. We were squished, as we bumped along the road with foggy windows and all started laughing hysterically. I couldn't believe how tight it was! And just when I thought there was no more room, he picked up even more passengers. It was utter chaos! I was laughing so hard that a lady kept speaking Russian and poking me with her elbow - it was madness!
This week, we had a hilarious experience at the Lavra, one of Ukraine's stunning cathedrals. We desperately needed to use the bathroom, but since it costs money to use the facilities, we went on a hunt for a free one. And, believe it or not, we found one! It was a squat toilet, aka a hole in the ground. Well, there's a first for everything! Of course, there was no toilet paper, we were supposed to provide our own which we didn't have... After our, ahem, unique experience, we headed back to the cathedral to meet up with the rest of the group. As we approached the gate, the guard asked for our tickets to re-enter. We were frantically searching for them when we realized that someone in our group had used their ticket to...ahem...take care of business. We burst out laughing and couldn't stop for about 5 minutes before we could explain the situation to the guard.
Ukraine has some truly breathtaking cathedrals!
I included a picture of a delicious but ridiculously expensive meal we had. We had no idea how much it would cost until the bill arrived, and to make matters worse, they charged for water abroad. A custom I take for granted in the USA! I'm still getting used to ordering food here - there are no pictures and everything is in Russian. I usually point to something and ask if it's good by holding up my thumb or if it's bad by putting it down. It can be challenging, but I wouldn't change one thing.
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