readjusting to life

Well being home has been fun. My family is crazy as ever and i love it so much. Last week there was a Ukrainian christmas performance at the temple visitor center! It was so great to hear people speaking ukrainian again, and the costumes were quite a hoot. The lights were up as always for christmas season and the temple was spectacular. [I get to go with the youth to do baptisms after christmas :) i cant wait]

We've been busy getting the lasts of shopping and baking done. I love this time of year, my mom makes so many delicious goodies. Peanut butter cups, pepermint cups, fudge with or without nuts, chex mix, chocolate cookies with christmas red green and white chocolate chips, oatmeal craison chocolate chip, sticky popcorn. Its fabulous.

I'm starting to make the rounds and visit all the people here in VA that I need to see before heading back off to idaho for school [which i am so excited about because of snowboarding and living with my best friend Chari]
I am always happy with how many people there are who really care and want to keep in touch, its a good habit to have.

Its nice to be driving again, I love driving its very soothing for me. Although I did love walking and metroing everywhere in Ukraine, great exersize and rather enjoyable and good people watching of course.

Im pretty sure ive adapted back here already unfortunately. I wish i could go back to ukraine for a little but that was a part of my life that has passed and now I need to move on and keep working hard and alertly living life.

oh and my mom, sisters and I got pedicures. all red [for christmas] and we got cute designs on our big toe, they got snowflakes and i got a snowman, they are all so cute.

home again home again lickety split

Well I made it back to the USA! i left my6 host familys house in ukraine 3AM on wednesday morning and I got back to the house at 630pm -just in time for dinner :) mmm

Its taken a bit of readjusting to things here but everything seems pretty much the same except for minor things here and there. There are so many things i have noticed and appreciate; nice toilet paper, spicy/flavorful food, family, understanding people, driving, internet, stand up showers... the list can go on for a while but being back here im back into the busy rush and fast paced life. Im putting pics up on my facebook since we got wifi!

I really miss ukraine and all that I got to learn and experience there. what an amazing culture i got to get to know, im so grateful I recieved such a great oprotunity in my life.

Its crazy how little time I've got left out here, its already the last thursday!
Yesterday we went to the opera, some Masquerade thing. it was beautiful. and friday is our performance that weve been practicing with the kids for weeks, they'll be doing a lot of christmas songs and are going to be so cute. Even the 4 year olds have the words down.
I hope to write again once more before heading home but who knows how time will go. I sure love it here though!
On saturday night were going to a discoclub place. and tonight we discovered a university place that plays english movies on thursdays and tonnights is Its A Wonderful Life! - thats right, thats right.

Im off to teach, love ya!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Yesterday was Thanksgiving day and what a marvelous day it was! I woke and got to shower, put on a favorite dress and go downstairs and make blini with the host fam, mass amounts of blini. I was soooo full already.

Then TGD was at a family from the branch's apartment [who work for the embassy and are from RESTON va] they have 3 lil boys 1 3 5 who were so much fun to play with. We went over early to help and play games and the boys had put the alphabet up on the wall [the huge roll of sticky paper stuff AK has] and we wrote what we are thankful for by each letter accordingly, it was so much fun! Then I got a surprise from bri's mom, an envelope full of cards, pictures, resese' pb cups, and [ew the infamous cat tissues] It made me sooooo happy. Thank you all for all the love! I have the cards up on my windowsill, the pictures on the wall, and the tissues well we dont need to discuss those. Anyway, thanks mom for letting me get a bit of home for thanksgiving which i am very grateful for. Dinner was delicious, turkey, potatoes, sweet potato casserol, stuffing, ham, green beans, corn, cranberry sauce, old people salad, we had everything which was quite a pleasant surprise! [if i thought id been stuffed before, boy was i wrong] I made sure to wear my indian headband that my class made this week and then made some for the boys too, their indian names were Turkey Leg and School Boy...hahah. Then they slipped out that they have an american line! and we could call our families for free! AWESOME, i am so grateful for that! so I rang up mums cell and got to talk to dad and mom and uncle bob and then emma for a bit! it was great to hear you all and I love you soooo much.

Then we headed back via metro [very funny to see the newbies who dont have their legs yet getting jerked around] and  made it to our host house. Vierra had cooked a chicken and we helped shred carrots and cabbage for some funky salad stuff they always eat here. We tried to eat more and were stuffed to the max by the end of the day! and then of course we had tea to tap it off.

What a memorable thanksgiving! I am so grateful for my family, friends, people in general, truth... the list goes on and on. Thank you all for being such great examples in my life!

Sadly though this morning I was hoping to skype with the fam [in cape cod] and their internet is down. Its quite the bessing i got to hear some voices though yesterday and i'll be home before we all know it, Crazy. 

Happy Thanksgiving from the one and only Ukraine.

circus

on saturday we went... to the CIRCUS! its was so fun. I couldnt stop thinking about Earl from hotel new hamsphire when they brought out the bears. The whole animal part was a bit unsettling, them doing tricks that are so not natural AND the fact that the people had whips and tasers. they had camels, porcupines, dogs, bears, tigers, lions, warthogs, i cant remember them all- it was quite the experience, i havent been so a circus in a long time. I took lots of pics though of course. They had a lot of dancers and singers, only 2 clowns, and a bunch of acrobats and stunt and trick people. needless to say, it was exciting. The place was filled with kids.

Teaching has been going great lately, and all the contentions at home have vanished... well not all but a lot. Vierra taught us how to make Blini yesterday morning which was delicious of course- kinda pancake/crepe things. Shes teaching us some squash grape honey cake thing this week too.

I leave this friday for a weekend vacation to some other part of Ukraine with castles. We get back monday morning- only 5 of us are going so it should be pretty fun!

Heres a play by play of the vacation that was 2 weeks ago *a little late*

Saturday oct 25-26 sunday [24 hour bus ride across the boarder to Poland]

Sunday oct 26 [Poland] Auschewitz
-We bussed out of the city to Auschewitz. It was a very sombering experience and sad to read how horrible a past occured. There are two different camps because one got too full. The real gas chambers are still there in pieces from being destroyed, its so sickening. The train tracks going through had roses all over them.
-took the shuttle to Aushewitz and stood under the 'work is liberating sign' what a horrible and false declaration.
-Each barrack is a museum dedicated to different groups of people. I went in Poland, Jewish, and torture. They were so powerful. Its all in three languages, Polish, English and Hebrew. It was quite a feeling to be in such a terrible place where so many people were slaughtered and to read hitlers disgusting words that so many people were naively blinded into believing. What a terrible time.
- back to Krakow for dinnger. I had some potato perogies [sp?] that were delicious! and tomatoe and pasta soup.

Monday oct 27 Poland [krakow]
-walking tour of Krakow... dragon legend, cathedrals, main castle. the pope's house, cloth market, Mary's cathedral where a trumpeter plays each hour but cuts off because he represents someone who was shot doing it centuries ago.
-souvenirs, amber is a big thing there. I got a rose flavored doughnut! all because of the article you sent me mom! i actually got 3, they were DELICIOUS and quite the experience.
-took the bus over to Prauge.

Tuesday 28 Prauge

Wednesday 29 Prauge

Thursday 30 Prauge

Friday-Saturday 31/1 Chez

back in good ol Kiev

Last night we had a pasta party with all of our teachers and multiple types of pasta mixed together. It was delicious! we also had homemade oreos and ice cream. then watched enchanted [which was suprisingly hilarious]

Teaching has been so great lately, i love doing it and am going to miss the kids so much when its over. Yegor, hes 4, fell asleep on my lap yesterday when we were playing marbles- it was so cute.

I got my classes figured out for next semester and register on monday morning at 9 aka midnight in idaho.

Briana was chosen as christinas favorite and now sleeps in our host sisters room with her. AND we found out yesterday that tiffany is being switched to another family which makes us go from 4 in our squished room to 2. weird but cool, itll be cleaner and quieter and we all still see each other quite frequently, itl just be less contentious.

right now im waiting for emma to get on and skype with me! ahhhh yes!

i love you all! ukraine rocks

poland and prauge

Hey! so we got back from vacation last saturday. Poland and Czech. They were both AMAZING and soooo beautiful. I dont have my notebook of what i did with me so i will have to re-update this later.... here are some pics though...

Parents week went great! they all told the lady how much they liked me and how much fun the classes were. Phew, what a relief.
today we are having our Halloween party- we've been making a jackolantern pinata all week long and we are sooo excited. Candy and games and dancing and facepaint all day long. it should be a blast. I'm dressing up as a train Conductor because my favorite song is I've been working on the railroad.
last weekend i spent the night in Boyrka which is a small town outside the city where more ilp teachers live and teach. It was so much fun and we walked through the woods. Its autumn so the leaves were BEAUTIFUL.

I got to skype with MK and kelli this morning and it was soooo exciting. oh and grandparents the other day too. i love you guys!!! its so great to be able to be in contact so often.

On sunday i went and saw the construction site of the temple. that was great and there was real grass from the church parkinglot next door. it was so fresh and comfy to lay down on.

i have a new addiction- guava juice. oh and i found the market where you can get mp3s for 12 hrievna which is like 2 bucks. and they have every album by the artist on the one disc. its great and legal here :)

I love you all. ukraine rocks.

pic update

ok so sorry its so late, but here are some pictures of our house...
well this is actually the driveway/sidewalk from the alley to our house...

tah-da!

a typical lunch at school...

the ballet... we saw romeo and juliet and swan lake...

more to come... im off to school.

This week is parents week... i get to have the parents sit in my class *ill make em participate* on wednesday and thursday. AND on wed. Steve, the head huncho of ILP is watching me teach. ahh so i am a bit anxious and stressed but itll go fine because I got to pick our theme this week so were doing Outter Space and I am making alien masks for arts and crafts and UFOs for kitchen with crackers nutella pretzels and star cereal. yes, it will go well.

ukraine rocks!

Vacation Hungary and Austria

We left for Budapest on Saturday the 27th? and took the train, we slept on it and got to the boarder at 6 am and then rented a bus that we used all week. Went through the boarder passed coustoms and got stamped. then we drove for hours and made it to Budapest, Hungary.

So much happened over the week we were there that i didnt exactly write journal form i just listed bullets of the main things i hope to remember so I'm going to do that and then expand a bit more on some for your comprehension.

Sunday: arrrived in Budapest
-Hero Square where there are statues of all the kings and rulers. one of my pics is there and the guys name was Beth....something or other so i was stoked :)
-nearby castle/palace with a statue titled Annonymous
-massive sand drop grain clock that takes the whole year for all the sand to fall and they flip it at new years
-Parliment (gorgeous and i believe is the biggest parliment and has 3 different buildings connected or something)
-Buda Hill, Matthias Cathedral, Martzipan musem mmmmm delicious. GREAT VIEW here
-Roman Aquaducts on the way to our hotel (Monte Cristo) in Obuda

Monday: first day of exploration BUDA side
-breakfast at the hotel of cereal yogurt and bread cheese and tomatoes
-we took a bus and then metro and wandered around up on buda hill again
-Labryth caves underneith buda hill/castle
-Met James from St. George Utah... we were lost and he heard us then came over to talk and one of the girls i was with is from sg too. He stayed with us for a LONG time. he was backpacking throuhg Europe and just got to budapest so didnt know much directional wise but pretended and liked to take control and ask people to get us going places. People are so nice and helpful here though unlike Kyiv.
-Statue park. a collection of fallen communist statues. WAY on the other side of Buda in some random neighborhood place. we took tons of buses and made friends with so many nice people who "happened to be going that direction and could take us closer and closer" it was so nice.
-at Statue park there was a lady from VA who works for Fairfax county public schools! she didnt care to talk more though.
-back the Pest but realized we didnt need to cross the bridge, James left and we walked across the bridge as the Sun was setting. GORGEOUS!
-walked around lost on the buda side but found a tram place and met two girls who took us to a general central travel area or something. They were nice and one is going to study in Austria and was excited we were headed there later in the week.
-figured out a place we'd been before and ate Gyros cause we didnt feel like going back to the hotel yet
-went to the metro to get some transfer cards for the way home and found a girl in a BYU sweatshirt and this guy started to help us out. Rocky, from SLC. Hes an RM who served in Hungary and was just back for a coulple weeks to be back. He helped us find an easier route home and we decided to meet tomorrow so he could take us to where we hope to go since he knew the place. Awesome!


Tuesday: Pest
-met rocky at the train station. rode the oldest subway in Europe
-House of Terror. The building where Hungarian tramatic events and tortures took place. The headquarters where all their evilness was planned and carried out durring the Wars. It was very sombering. What a scary and sad time of life. Its amazing how much hope and dedication people had to hold on to life and endure so many attacks and such brutal torturing. What guts people had to not give in to the communism and to stand up for what they knew to be true only to be silenced by death. Very touching and emotion filled exhibit.
-Great Market. Big marketplace filled with meat fruits bread pastries and then souveniers all over the top floor...
-H+M. yeah we went to one but there was this really cool hip old lady who was decked out in the styles of today. it was funny because its total stylish hippy wear so of course she got into it.
-breakdancers. well they have them in every major city but so far the best ones we've seen were these guys. Dave, maybe you'll be that cool someday, work on your moves and then travel through Europe on the money you make from the people :)
-hike up hill, statues, PHENOMENAL view of pest from buda. You could see the city for sooo far and up the Danube. it was breathtakingly beautiful.
-restaurant with authentic Hungarian food (gulash and pancake things and fruit soup and fried cheese and all sorts)
- so happy, couldnt stop smiling

*Budapest was Amazing and it was so cool to meet so many nice people. It was so funny that there were multiple random people from Utah. There is such a great feeling being there that is hard to describe. the people are nice friendly and feel obligated to help, they actually smile at you and want to help, the atmosphere is jolly, the food is wonderful, the air is way cleaner then kyiv. nobody could stop smiling which was a great feeling after never smiling in Kyiv. not many people seem happy in kyiv though im sure thye are they jsut dont show it as frequently*

Wednesday: Vienna, Austria
-woke up and drove 4 hours to Vienna, Austria.
-St. Stephens cathedral, a palace, Maria Teresa statue, the summer palace, some government place. We didnt have much time and no free time to explore so I spent most of the time taking pictures rather than listening to our guide... so im not quite sure what everything was that we saw.
- i got Shots the ice cream treat that i used to get in England :)

Thursday: Eger, Hungary
-we had to pack up to leave already :( but we stopped in a beautiful little town called Eger
-walked around and saw some castle. went swimming in a thermal bath called caves which was not as cool as it could potentially be but it was fun to go swimming.
-then on the bus and went back to the boarder and BARELY made it to the train with 3 minutes to spare. it left at 10 and we slept again and made it back to kyiv 2afternoon friday.


It was a beautiful trip and the weather was warm and sunny almsot the whole time. It was great! not exactly as i expected it to go but thats partially what made it so enjoyable.


Conference was GREAT so far, im on my way to the next 2 and then the last next week. I LOVE YOU ALLLLLL

address

Igor Vavilor
(for Beth Wise)
PO box 68
Kiev, Ukraine 03035

THIS IS MY ADDRESS so you can send me love if you please. i really dont mind if you dont though so its all good.

i just got back from vacation in Hungary and Austria (weve been gone a week) and dont have much time on here right now but will update tomorrow monring ok? well you dont have a choice much do ya haha. ok i love you all!

<3 Beth

Time has been FLYING by, another week gone already. quite a bit has happened... nothing too exciting though. Teaching has gotten easier and i love the kids so much. This coming week we are doing Weather as our theme... sun rain snow fall stuff like that. im excited to make rain stick shakers on tuesday.

its already cold outside and im layering tons haha. itll only get colder so i try to appreciate how "warm" it is each day compared to how i know it will get.

we made it to church today, its quite the trip. I got to give the opening prayer. the ward is so tiny but refreshing because everyone speaks english :)

weve been eating a lot of nutella lately which is delicious of course. and also we make slushies of the raspberry juice which is still amazing.

Queen was here doing a free concert for aids awareness but we didnt get to go because it was on the otherside of the country and i had to teach till 7 so that was a bit disapointing.

Saturday we went in Saint Sophias Cathedral. it was gorgeous, its green and white with golden dome rooftops. I am always so amazed with how old things are and how much they have endured. history is a beautiful thing. the art and moasics were amazing. AND there is a prince burried there name Isalov or something.... the Wise. so everyone was excited for me and i pretend hes my ancestor although iknow hes not.... he founded Kiev's first library, cool.

On the sad side of things Briana got an email from her Tyson and they are breaking up... over email, while she is here in ukraine. AND Tiffany got an email saying her brother was hit by a car and in intensive care. it was pretty intense but im pretty sure will all be ok. Its interesting because there has been quite a bit of tension between the 4 of us, those two are messy while linsday and i are clean etc you dont need to hear about that stuff BUT its interesting because now something massive has happened effecting the both of them and its deffinately becoming a lesson for us. We are learning great patience in dealing with them everyday already and before jsut tried to just leave and avoid them before but now we are the only ones able to be there and comfort them so its a lesson in being humble and the ability to put things aside and try to help regardless of issues and animosity. I'm usually good at it but for some reason ive been letting things get to me lately. i guess this is like a reminder of sorts. This is quite the trip for building up independence and personality through our service and helping out but i dont think they like it when i talk like that. thingsll get better in a couple of days.

I really like it here. its still pretty when its cold and gloomy out. Im pretty sure im going to have some intense reverse culture shock when i come home... :)

at the end of september were going on our first vacation... Hungary and Austria. im pretty excited for that!

I love you ALL and Ukraine is amazing!

<3>

ha well i wish i had written on tuesday right after teaching but i have been extremely busy getting ready to teach and making lesson plans etc...

it was pretty difficult at first, i was so anxious and couldnt remember kdis names and wasnt able to keep things going and the kdis talking. i felt like crying after the second day but things are getting much better.

i am starting to enjoy the time in the class rooms much more rather than constantly looking at my watch and counting down until rotations and the next group of kids come into my room.
the kids are so cute and i love it when they speak b/c of their accents. my favorite girl is Lada, shes in my basic reading class and is so cute. shes tough and has spunk and is one of our smartest kids. shes so cute.

this week we made it America week. monday was the flag then statue of liberty, fireworks, cowboys and indians. next week were doing fairytales. i do shop and drama for the other kdis that come through my rotation but for my basic reading group i am teaching them consenants and the sounds to get them ready to read. then on MW i do maitenance kids instead so they are older and stay till 7 not 6 and they can read and write but dont speak well because they havent been in ILP before. it is more elementary level so i feel a bit incapable but i am trying my best. i really love the little kids though, they are adorable.

i had raspberry juice today and it was DELICIOUS. we buy food at the supermarket that looks familiar but we eat lunch at the school and get traditional ukrainian food which is a nice mix.
tomorrow were going swimming in some river...it might be a bit polluted but it'll be so refreshing.

it was our host mom Vierras birthday the other day so we got her 4 roses and a wind chime. she LOVED it and tried to hang it from their chandelier. it was so funny. she tries to feed us so much, i was going to the bathroom at like 10 before getting ready for bed and she made me come sit at the table and made me eat like 10 bleanies... pancake type things. theyre good but not THAT good. it was fun though. she is so nice.
oh and i played soccer with my brother Sasha, it was so much fun and well im a bit rusty but i gave him a run for his money. we squeezed through the fence to some field with a smashed gravel rock type stuff in the back of what i thought were apartments but realized is a school. it was so fun.

my pictures keep failing when i try to upload so im a bit peeved. were at a pizza place cause they have wifi... its not the same but pretty good. OH we were at this one pizza place with english menus AND the missionaries were there! it was so funny so we takled a bit but they had to leave.

ummm well i love it here. time is going to fly so much!
UKRAINE ROCKS!!!!!!!

We went to church today and it was a looooong trip to get there. metro bus and walking. I got some crazy blisters that popped and are pretty painful but that just means i get to wear my chacos for the next couple of days so its all good.
we made food for ourselves for lunch/dinner today... very american: potatoes, corn, bread and jam, and fanta. HA. it was good though.
tomorrow should be tons of fun. I love everyday so much. I never remember what i want to write once i get on here but im sure ill get some good stuff tomorrow, ive got a lot planned.
UKRAINE is the coolest!

Today was tons of fun. We explored a lot more of the downtown part of Kiev and Tania, our native coordinator took us around and told us a lot of the history of being here. it was great. OH i got some post cards so whoever writes me a letter will get one! initiative people :)

Lindsay and i have been learning some russian from our lil sis christina... manners like thank you and colors which have been very helpful when we are going around the metro. I am pro at the metro though and always knwo where we are and where we need to be etc... so Tania told me that i need to make them independent so i pretended i had no idea where we were and made them figure it out. let me tell you they were horrible haha. we went on the blue instead of green and then went the wrong way on the green line. then i told tehm and they were like ha well i guess thats a good thing to make us figure it out.

I'm really excited to go to church tomorrow... that should be a fun adventure.

We had more training today and I am so excited to teach! i get to have the basic reading level kids so they are about 7-11 and havent been in ilp classes but learned written english. We have to do imagination type games to get them more involved and speaking instead.

it was cold today and a bit rainy, but i had my umbrella. typical rexburg weather which is funny.

Im so grateful i get to be here and have this experience.
Ukraine rocks!

HEY! so i made it to Ukraine a couple days ago... wednesday afternoonish but havent had any internet because we dont have it at our house but my brother sasha which is alexander in english showed us the way to an internet cafe that is kinda close by today.
I've only been here 2 days but seems like i have done so much! it great being here and the weather has been super so far, even the drizzle today made me smile (which is not good because you are not supposed to smile here cause you stand out and especially not around men)

So it ends up that I actually live in a house rather than apartment like the rest of the girls EXCEPT they put 4 of us in it... me briana (washington) tiffany (utah) and Lindsay (texas and by far my favorite person). we all share a room and Bri and i even share a bed. Our family consists of Vera our mom, Vladamir our dad, Sasha 14, christina 7, and Evon 4. the kids speak more english than the parents but they try and its kinda funny cause we all make hand motions to try and help figure stuff out constantly. The stairs in our house are ocean blue and pretty. everything is run downish looking around the city and greyish with random splashes of color...mostly the playgrounds/parks. We metro EVERYWHERE which is easy for me and everyone has dedicated me as the leader to tell when to get off etc..
I love it here... we dont start teaching till tuesday but i am so excited! we are all spread out in different apartments all over the city and wont see many of the girls often. oh btw Lindsay and i are the coolest people in our group of teachers. we've been hanging out and exploring all over when T&B just go home to sleep or complain about EVERYTHING. it drives us nuts so we just go out and try to embrace the culture and discover as much as we can. oh and one lame thing is that since there are 4 of us we have to cook all our own meals in a little stove/kitchen by our bedroom so we wont be getting authentic ukrainian food all the time :( so far its been delicious though cause we've gotten to eat with the family for the first couple days. we had some bourche and some sauseage and salad stuff and all sorts but i have to go cause my hour is up at the cafe. i love all of you and UKRAINE is the BEST!!!!!