peacecorpsliz's TravelStream™ — Recent TravelPod.com entries TravelStream™ news feed for member peacecorpsliz on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/peacecorpsliz en-us Copyright ©2012 TravelPod.com Sun, 06 Mar 2011 10:14:35 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com Peace Corps Staging and Training — Mironivka, Ukraine http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1096726320/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1096726320/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1096726320/tpod.html Sun, 06 Mar 2011 15:14:35 +0000 Liz's Peace Corps Service in Ukraine
Mironivka, Ukraine

Over a hundred new faces and names, rain, tears, fears, excitement, books full of new rules, sitting and listening, taking notes, a new alphabet, three flights, and finally my first time online since I left home. Exactly one week ago I flew from the USA-- not being able to imagine where I would be in a week. Now, here I am in Mironivka, a small town 2 hours south of Kiev. The week has been full of slow transition to being a Peace Corps Trainee and new information. I feel happily overwhelmed by all my e-mail and encouragement, and everything new I have learned.

The new information I have found out about my Peace Corps position: First of all, I apologize for lying to all of you...I am NOT actually training in Kiev. My cluster group of 5 volunteers is training here in Mironivka until Dec. 23rd.

We just arrived yesterday, and I met my host-mother, Nadia, last night. She seems extremely sweet. I'm not sure how I understood everything she said, but I found out a lot of information. She has a daughter Lena, who is 23 and works in Kiev during the week. Her husband died 5 years ago from a heart attack. He was 61, and she is 48. She teaches Ukrainian Literature to secondary school students. She has a beautiful Siamese cat, Box. She doesn't smoke or drink and she had a gentle sweet personality, so I feel very lucky.

My cluster of volunteers will meet everyday except Sunday for language training, and this week I will meet with my Ukrainian teacher who will be my counterpart. I am excited, and pleased with how organized the Peace Corps programming is in Ukraine. I already have lots of language materials, and I feel so much support from the facilitators.

Peace Corps told us that my group is the largest Peace Corps group in history, and that Ukraine is the most organized Peace Corps country in the world. 70% of my group will be sent to rural villages where there have never been any Americans before us.

The country is dark and damp right now, and I still feel some jet-lag. However I am doing quite well and feeling fine. My brain is taking in so much. There is a lot of grey, browns and black, but I see beautiful colors here too: the yellow glow of the moon peaking behind the pine forest, the marigolds (Ukraine's national flower), the profound blue eyes that so many Ukrainians seem to have, orange-shiny chestnuts along the sidewalks and bright red apples hanging from the trees.

This is a country where feeling is more important than anything else. The most important thing Peace Corps has given all of my fellow Group 27 volunteers is patience, which is making me stop and think about the feeling of my experience. Right now, I am in love with the country, even if I only know 5 words and feel quite awkward most of the time. I feel as if I could not have asked for a better posting.
]]> Less than 24 hours! — Omaha, NE http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1096054260/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1096054260/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1096054260/tpod.html Sun, 06 Mar 2011 13:49:30 +0000 Liz's Peace Corps Service in Ukraine
Omaha, NE

I feel as if I am standing in line for a roller coaster ride. The line keeps getting shorter and shorter, and I start to realize what I am about to do. My body starts reacting in ways I can't control. I feel light-headed, giggly, excited, strong, and anxious. There is a part of me that wants to quit and run away to the merry-go-round, but I've waited two hours in the line for "Incredible Hulk," and I know I am going to love it! There is no backing out.

These past few weeks have been just what they have needed to be. I am surrounded by transition as fall arrives, getting my Starbucks black apron certification, having my last day at work, attending my good-bye party, packing and preparing my room, sending cards and letters, having my photo taken, spending lots of time with my family, and trying to savor each moment despite half of my mind already being gone to Ukraine. This is a sweet crazy time, and I have a lot of wonderful memories to bring with me.

In this moment I feel so wild. I can't hold still, and I just wish somebody would start strapping me into my seat!
]]> 4 weeks to my departure! — Omaha, NE http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1093809600/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1093809600/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1093809600/tpod.html Sun, 06 Mar 2011 13:47:44 +0000 Liz's Peace Corps Service in Ukraine
Omaha, NE

Yesterday I came home to find two big Peace Corps packets waiting for me. I finally received my "Staging" materials, and the information about my pre-service time in D.C. and flights. My Peace Corps assignment is feeling more real as each day passes, and my emotions are escalating.

I am excited enough to feel like a kid on Christmas morning as I tear open the envelopes of information about my assignment. I am anxious as I think about all the unknown adventures I will experience. Will I learn to love cabbage? Will I get sick? Will I make friends quickly?

I feel like a selfish American as I justify standing in the hot shower a few moments longer, or using every luxury appliance I can (blender, food processor, washing machine, curling iron, car, espresso machine). Then, there are moments of sadness as I look into my grandmother's soft eyes or hear my brother tell me that he'll miss me. Two years is a short time, but I know that a lot will happen.

Since I graduated from college in May 2003, my life has changed drastically, and I haven't even been living outside of the country. My friends have scattered around many places including: Greensboro, New York, Vermont, Philadelphia, Hawaii, Washington DC, Spain, Oregon, Virginia, etc.

Recently a friend reminded me that people are always changing, and life is constantly weaving our threads apart and together again. If this is true, I should not fear being far away from family and friends. I am not really leaving anything behind permanently. All I have to do is keep reminding myself that this wisdom is true.

I have more support, faith, and strength than I could ever ask for, so this is going to be a great 27 months! Now, all I have left to do is pack and enjoy my last month of comfort here in our privileged USA.
]]> 6 weeks to my departure. — Sokal, Ukraine http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1161893460/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1161893460/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1161893460/tpod.html Sun, 06 Mar 2011 13:41:55 +0000 Liz's Peace Corps Service in Ukraine
Sokal, Ukraine

I would like to dedicate this entry to Ira K.! She deserves an award for her dedication to reading PC Volunteer blogs. She reminds me when I need to update mine (thanks, and sorry it's late and long), but more importantly she is a great Ukrainian young woman and friend.

So... 6 weeks left!!! Maybe you expect some cliche like, "it seems like just yesterday that I was writing an entry 6 weeks before my departure TO Ukraine." But actually, it doesn't seem like yesterday at all.

Goodness! The past month seems like a year. And in these two years, I've experienced enough to make me feel 10 years older. Many unexpected things have happened from revolutions to weddings, supermarkets and women telling me they're expecting (congrats, Sally and Inna!).

But the most surprising is that volunteer experience far exceeded my expectations. I've made it to the end without feeling like I want to leave. I really love Ukraine, and want to thank my family and friends (and readers like you), Peace Corps Ukraine and Sokal for being patient and supporting me.

However, I am still left with the question, for example, how to evaluate and explain these two years? I just finished writing my official DOS (Disclosure of Service) and site history for Peace Corps. These documents included the hours I've worked, # of children and teachers I worked with, organizations I assisted, a long contact list for Sokal, projects I helped start, grant money received. However, I finished reading what I wrote, and it feels empty. It doesn't explain how meaningful Ukraine has been for my personal growth.

I've learned how to stand strong and alone as a woman in our crazy and unfair world. I've learned how flexibility and positive attitude can make all the difference. Laughter and smiles are clear in any language. I know how to take care of myself, and not feel scared or lonely. I've shaped my life goals, and understood what I want and need to be happy.

I also learned that some people are unhappy, negative, drunk, confusing or just plain nasty. Sigh, that's life. Likewise, terrible things happen daily: mistakes, denied travel visas and shattered dreams, unexpected death or deafness, a small girl with a rare tumor who cries daily in constant pain, families who can't afford medical care, cancers, kidney failure, miscarriages, wars and uprisings, theft, sexual assault, people living abroad illegally who send money home, cheating, dishonesty, selfish leaders, beatings, nepotism, racism, men coughing up blood on the sidewalk, parents smoking cigarettes while carrying infants, AIDS/HIV, etc.

And there are many items I would have listed as "tragic" 2 years ago, but not today (for example, lack of "necessary" utilities, bribery, poverty, disgusting toilets, strong body odor, walking miles in the freezing cold, thirty people stuffed in a sixteen-passenger van). These things don't seem so "tragic" anymore, just a way of life for many people.

Two years in Ukraine have shown me ALL these things, except wars (although I have talked to people who survived WWII, which is pretty close). I return to America with the feeling that my skin is a lot thicker. Maybe I could walk across broken glass now? It won't hurt because I understand that there are some things that cannot be controlled or stopped. We live in an imperfect world, but my life in the USA is a pretty nice place (considering).

I can tell my skin is thicker because I feel pretty calm about coming home. In fact, I don't think I've ever prepared to make such a huge life transition, and felt so normal about it. There isn't much else to say.

The past few weeks have been nice, a bittersweet time: teaching, a weekend in Lutsk, a week in Kyiv for an HIV seminar, a visit from Sophie (a Quaker girl I met 5 years ago at a UN program in Geneva), a teacher's seminar at my school, conversations with Ben who is in the USA (and who reminds me how fast my experiences in Ukraine will seem exciting and distant) and lastly, gorgeous fall weather! "Babena Lito," it's called, "granny's summer."

My plane tickets have been purchased... on December 5th I'll arrive home. And, on December 29th, I'll move to a new city. 6 weeks until my departure from Borispil Airport, Kyiv, Ukraine.
]]> My Oma Came! — Sokal, Poland http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1164573780/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1164573780/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1164573780/tpod.html Sun, 06 Mar 2011 13:31:25 +0000 Liz's Peace Corps Service in Ukraine
Sokal, Poland

So you probably wonder how it's going for me... a trip to Poland, my last week in Ukraine and my 82-yr-old Italian granny came to celebrate with me. That answer is that it's great- VERY exciting, and wonderful.

Oma told me today, after my Peace Corps experience I have become a "super woman." She noted that I can teach everything. I can talk with people. She marvelled at how much I carried home today without a grocery cart (two 5-liter bottles of water). She said I am an electrician because I fixed the broken light in my hall. She couldn't believe I washed my dishes with no water (I haven't had water for 36 hours now). Really it amazing to have guests to remind you how much you've grown in another country. For me it just seems like a relatively normal week.

Well, except for that surprise call I got that my granny bought tickets to Ukraine! Oma arrived safely last Tuesday night. She's been doing great here. Nobody believes how old she is, and you can't imagine the respect people have when she (at 82) tries to speak in UKRAINIAN and talk about politics.

She is an incredible and unique person who has studied 11 languages, including Russian in her lifetime. But she also took the time to study Ukrianian for 6 months before coming here. What a woman!

She says she's "perfect," eating and sleeping well. I'm happy that she's happy because everyone in my family was concerned she might be "too old" for the trip. I cooked borshcht and pancakes with cheese/ raisins. She loves the milk, the yogurt and the beer (with a little sugar added). We took a marshrutka to Lviv and saw the opera. We went to see monastaries and churches today, and my grandma is meeting all my friends. I think she's having the time of her life, and everybody is thanking/ surprising me... so I am having the time of my service too. It's unbelievable.

I'm sure I'll never forget the last two weeks I lived with my 82-year-old "Oma" in Ukraine! Her courage and strength, and commitment to knowledge is astounding. It's so interesting to talk with her- about the war, foreign literature, operas! She's such an example.

My 6th graders put on a play "The Little Red Hen," from books donated from Evan-Moore (a US company that makes educational materials for elementary school teachers). The Ukrainian "boyfriend" is a gift from the kids at my school. Oma named him, "Ivanko." The weather has been sunny, which is strange for November. Global warming, I suspect.
]]> The End — Kyiv, Poland http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1165234020/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1165234020/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1165234020/tpod.html Sun, 06 Mar 2011 13:26:00 +0000 Liz's Peace Corps Service in Ukraine
Kyiv, Poland

I'm Kyiv now, all ready to fly home tomorrow. Everything has been going relatively well. I've never had such beautiful closure. Ukrainian people are truly the kindest, most thoughtful hosts I've ever met. Recently my life has been filled with surprise good-bye parties, gifts, many people wishing me such beautiful prayers, poems, songs, hugs from my kids, etc. So I should feel blessed not only on this journey home, but forever! The minutes are whizzing by now.

I said good-bye to my Oma last night, and the last memory I have was her kissing my face and saying, "Ooooo I am so proud! Dopobachenya!" I think she had a great time... everybody adored her spirit, strength and brilliance. She was a real superstar in Ukraine, and I think she enjoyed the admiration and stimulation people gave her. I did too!

My last memory I have of Sokal is seeing my friends Lena and Ira smiling and waving. Such AMAZING people, so I know we'll be in touch and I hope I'll see them again soon.

I feel good- normalno. Won't sleep much tonight since I have to be at the airport at 5am. The driver was shocked and told me I didn't have much luggage, but I feel like I have plenty. Two years of being a PCV is over, and I'll be home soon to start the next chapter (and next blog?!)!
With Love, dopobachenya for now,
Liz(a)
]]> Transition: Back in the USA — Boston, MA http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1169757300/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1169757300/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1169757300/tpod.html Sun, 06 Mar 2011 13:24:02 +0000 Liz's Peace Corps Service in Ukraine
Boston, MA

Well it wasn't really "The End." This is the real end, or on the other hand, this very moment feels like a beginning or extension, not an end. My new life schedule, obligation, challenges and joys are already forming here in the USA.

I flew back home on December 5th, 2006- my mom's birthday! I spent the following three weeks with my family. Highlights included: drinking lots of chocolate shakes (because I got two wisdom teeth pulled), teaching 8th and 9th graders about Ukraine at a local elementary school, celebrating Christmas with my family and their friends, seeing how much my brother has grown up and relaxing at home.

I also forced my family to watch "Irony's Fate," a traditional Russian classic holiday movie (like the "Christmas Story"), and they LOVED it. It's about a guy who gets drunk before New Years, and accidentally flies to another city (St. Petersburg instead of Moscow). Thanks to communism, a similar street, building and apartment exist in the other city... and his key even works too! So, a young lady finds him asleep in HER bed... and that's just the beginning of the tangled story.

On Dec. 29th, I moved to a new city! Only now, as I begin to settle into a new "normal" life, I naturally think about the bigger picture. The unimaginable journey that has led me here, and how many interesting pieces fit together. Two incredible things that come to mind are the small whispers of Ukraine I've seen all around me. My Chemistry professor is Ukrainian, and I spoke with him last week. His Ukrainian is perfect (since he came from mid-Ukraine and grew up when Ukraine was still part of Russia, this is a nice surprise). There are also other whispers... graffiti, people speaking Slavic languages, Ukrainian flags and churches. I never noticed these things before.

I'm still dating Ben (we were in the same Peace Corps Training group in fall 2004). Now we live only an hour apart, which is the closest we've been since we started dating last fall (2005). Things have gotten pretty serious, so thank goodness I can SEE him every week. Long distance dating just isn't the same thing. So, now we'll learn even more from each other (and the whole complicated experience of dating and romance). I'd say it's off to a charming start!

I moved into my new house in Somerville. I have 4 housemates (2 international law masters students, 1 post-bac premedical student- like me, and a college professor). They are all mature and intelligent people, and we all have international interests. I was a bit hesitant about sharing a house with 5 people, but I like my living situation a lot so far.

I started classes last week. I'm taking biology and chemistry introductory class. We have lectures, labs and discussion periods, which total 16 hours per week. So far, it seems to be an excellent program. This week I've relearned all the pesky details about significant figures in science, basic structures of atoms vs. ions, and more than I ever dreamed I could know about "natural selection" (and still learning more). It's really cool to be back in school actually!

Today I was talking to a freshman, and it made me realize how much I love being in a mixed group. I saw a little piece of myself in her eyes- even though that was 7 years ago! The education system in Ukraine doesn't allow for this type of intergenerational interaction. Nor does it encourage teachers to interact informally with their students (as both my professors already have). I've applied for several part-time jobs, and am joining a volunteer program at a big local hospital.

Reverse culture shock? Yes, but I'm not suffering from it. Of course there are a lot of differences I've noticed. Mainly, the insane pace of life in America. Everybody is extremely busy. What ever possessed us to want to do so much? Where are our priorities?

Certainly the cultural focus is not personal relationships. Now that I'm getting caught up with my US friends, I realize how significant individuality/ fluid space is in the context of American relationships. I'm grateful for it since for 2 years, I've been tuned-out to what my friends are experiencing, and I'm surprised to find out about moves, engagements, pregnancies, deaths etc. But, I also miss the sweet caring of my Ukrainian friends, who called because they remembered I would do something today, and they want to know what happened. Friendship in the USA is very "hands off" in comparison.

I'm technologically behind. I'm still learning about Netflix, MySpace, Facebook, iTunes (EVERYBODY has iPods!), and the almost complete-coverage of wireless networks.

Consumerism is really nuts here...the prices! And, how much selection is really healthy? I'm not complaining about the raw spinach, apples, broccoli, blueberries and lettuce in the middle of winter But, recently it took me twenty minutes to buy shampoo. Overall, it's more comfortable to be back in my "native" country.

So, I'm not sure if I'll have more blog entries on Travelpod. I'd like to be an international volunteer again someday (maybe Doctor's Without Borders, Operation Smile, Peace Corps again, or another program). For now, you can find me on Facebook, or e-mail me through the Travelpod site. I'm always interested to hear about Ukrainian connections, since a little piece of my heart is still somewhere in Sokal.

So, that's it... THE REAL END. Thanks for following my journey.
]]> COS and First Bell — Yaremche and Sokal, Ukraine http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1157140980/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1157140980/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1157140980/tpod.html Sat, 02 Sep 2006 22:47:00 +0000 Liz's Peace Corps Service in Ukraine
Yaremche and Sokal, Ukraine

I just got back from the COS (Close of Service) Peace Corps Conference in the Carpathians, and today we started the new school year. My planned COS date is December 5th, so it seems suddenly that there's not much time left. It means I'll be really busy during my final semester. Days are getting shorter, colder... but I'm feeling pretty happy in Sokal, today especially happy! Everybody is excited about the grant project- me too. They are talking about who will be FIRST to do the training. I just love it- Lyubomir is doing a great job. Yes! Also, I love the "bell" ceremonies. It's so beautiful to see the WHOLE community lined up together- parents, kids with big poof balls in their hair, and stray dogs running around in the center. The local apple trees are full of red globes now, and I feel like I am walking in a crisp autumn story-book with green leaves and red balls. The only low point today was the liver-mayo salad. That was a mistake, but I thought it was coleslaw. (Added Sept. 2nd) My parents called me today, and I promised them I'd add this little story... the part where I went to the bathroom at the celebration, and there was no water in the bathroom- that's not rare. We couldn't flush of course, but more importantly we couldn't wash our hands, so we went back to the table to use some instant hand sanitizer= pour a little vodka on your hands! My dad mentioned that doctor's prefer something with at least 70%alcohol, but I think Ukrainian vodka probably kills most things. Regardless of my infallible hygenic practices, I still got a little oozy after the party last night, and got up 4 times to use the bathroom. I'm blaming it on that weird liver salad because there was definitely some globulous-gooey, eye-ball consistency thing in the bite I tried. Today I give two BIG thumbs DOWN to weird salads. The dancing was incredible though! I just love Ukrainian mood "nastriy" and party dancing- it totally makes up for the gooey liver, vodka-hand-washing and mayo. PS- Mr. Bryan "FashionMaster" Warf... if you read this, I would just like you to know that I wore my glittery gold-white Ukrainian (but made in China) "ELF" shoes- the ones you thought were a joke- and I looked fan-sparkle-tastic. =P
]]> Sokal to Oregon! — Salem, Oregon, United States http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1155808260/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1155808260/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1155808260/tpod.html Fri, 18 Aug 2006 21:00:47 +0000 Liz's Peace Corps Service in Ukraine
Salem, Oregon, United States

On my way to Salem, my flight from Warsaw was 2 hours late, which was a miracle!!! I met my parents in the airport on August 6th for an hour. We didn't plan the meeting, but we were both going through Chicago on the same day. If my flight had been on time, I would have missed them by 7 minutes- so I was ecstatic to hear about a delay. But, I was overjoyed to finally get to Oregon the next day (after over 50-some hours of travel), and my week with Ben and his family was even more wonderful than I imagined. We did a lot in a week. Some highlights: drank good coffee, dined at several good restaurants, ate a 5-course meal at a cooking school in Portland, hiked at Silver Falls, visited Bryan Warf and co. in Eugene, took a boat trip in Portland, visited downtown Salem's "Acid Ball," rode the Salem Carousel, saw "An Inconvenient Truth" and "Da Vinci Code," tasted Oregon beers, toured the chilly coast, looked at art, watched shooting stars from a hot tub, played Clue, cooked borshcht, played croquet, made smorz, looked at photos, went shopping for some random requests I had from Ukraine, drove past TALL trees, and most importantly... we visited and had fun! I liked Ben's family a lot. Their beautiful home is in the country, overlooking a valley. The first night, I woke up really early, and I almost felt like I was in Sokal because I could hear dogs and roosters. Glen had planted a neat garden that produces berries throughout the summer. Ben's mom and dad celebrated their 27th anniversary on August 10th. They make a good team- Glen is really supportive and sweet, and Deanna is full of creative and artistic energy. I think that they- like my own parents- are adjusting to life with "launched" kids. It is a redefining time for couples, and it felt special to talk with them about their lives and memories. Talking with Deanna made me miss the immediate openness between American women- it's so special, and I long to spend more time with my creative friends at home. Ben's brother, Adam, also really impressed me because he managed to spend a lot of time with us despite the fact that he just started a new job with a crazy schedule and is moving soon. Their cats were the most confusing members of the family since they are practically identical, their names differ by one syllable (Mollie? Millie? I never got them straight, sorry). I concluded that the Whites are really nice, sincere people, and I feel like I know Ben a little better too now. I found out August 8th that my former student, Oksana, was accepted to study on scholarship at a university in Poland- congrats! In a flash I was back in Poland... and 8 hours later in my Sokal apartment. The strangest thing is that neither being in the USA or coming back to Poland seemed strange. Two different cultures- two different worlds- and I could adjust to both of them despite some interesting paradoxes. I know it will be tougher now because I feel like there is a part of me in both countries now, but visiting the USA helps me think realistically about moving to Boston in 4 months. I'll miss the people- Oksana, Lena, all my Ira's, Natalya, and so many others. It's hard to believe my service is ending. Next week I'll go to my Peace Corps COS- Close Of Service- Conference, and school starts September 1st. There is a lot to do here in 4 months, and now I just hope for peaceful, fulfilling closure to my service in Sokal.
]]> Crimea — Simferopil, Yevpatoria, Yalta and Sevastopil, Ukraine http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1153943760/tpod.html http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1153943760/tpod.html#comment Travel Blogs http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/peacecorpsliz/ukraine-2004/1153943760/tpod.html Tue, 01 Aug 2006 06:41:32 +0000 Liz's Peace Corps Service in Ukraine
Simferopil, Yevpatoria, Yalta and Sevastopil, Ukraine

I just returned home from a week adventure to Crimea, and spent over 24 hours on a train with windows that would NOT open, and NO air conditioning. It was the most sticky, miserable train ride I've ever had. I tried to console myself imagining how much worse it would be if I was a wartime prisoner being shipped off without a place to sit, or a toilet. But that thought didn't make me feel better. I drank all 4 liters of water that I brought with me, and went through a whole packet of wet wipes. At least I was reading a good book- "The Blind Assasin" by Margaret Atwood (a series of stories intertwined about a 1900's family that deals with wealth, wars and the depression). The journey was worth it (yes, Crimea is THAT awesome)! All that travel for 3 days spent on Crimean beaches, 5 nights with Kathleen (a wonderful 61-yr-old volunteer) in Simferopil, and lots of bonding with Natalya and Ira (my Sokal friends). We strolled through the palace where Stalin and Roosevelt made huge decisions which have shaped the USA's relationship with the Middle East. I got a little bronzed (hopefully nothing cancerous) on the beaches of Yevpatoria. On the final day, we rested at an ancient Greek/ Roman port, Chersonets, near Sevastopil (the military city). We climbed and swam through the ruins! It was marvelous. I learned a lot about Crimea. It certainly feels like Russia. A higher percentage of people in Crimea want to be part of Russia than Russians! There seems to be a LOT of corruption and ogliarch control in Crimea, and it is hard to know how the people are being manipulated by the owners of the businesses and military. I thought that Michael Moore could have a lot o fun making a documentary film about the Crimean government, but then he'd probably wind up with a volcano face like Yushchenko- or worse). I saw Muslims, and Tatars. It's sad what happened to the Tatars, but I admire them for moving back to their land. It will be interesting to see the future of Crimea since so many treaties will expire in the next decade. They may decide to become an independent country. Whatever they do, I hope they do it peacefully. I am glad I visited while I had the chance.
]]>