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