Week of Surprises.

Hello again.

Well, I am starting to sound like a broken record but....this has been another crazy week.  It is hard to get into a routine when nothing ever goes as planned and things tend to pop up out of nowhere.  Sorry I did not post on my regular day (Sunday).  Lots of crazy personal crap...So....lets catch up. 

 

 

The week started as they all do.  Me alone in a small city in Ukraine - just trying to figure things out, learn the language, and help however I can.  I have been working on a grant to start a volunteer center in my community.  It is coming along slowly but surely.  With the language barrier, it can be tricky to work out some of the finer details but I am used to that at this point.  We have worked out most the details so I know what the plan is however how we are going to execute the plan is not clear at this point.  Come-on Russian skills!  Get better already!    I had my first English club this week.  It was supposed to be for around 10 kids around the age of 10.  Things never go as planned - I had probably 25 people show up with ages ranging from 4 years old all the way up to 55.  I couldn't help but chuckle at this.  It went fine - we just went over simple greetings and introductions and I gave the little kids some candy at the end.  Needless to say, I now have 2 groups.  lol  It will be interesting to see who shows up tonight.  Word may have spread like wildfire and I may have even more people.  yikes.  It will be fun tho. 

 

 

So, between working on the grant and the English club, I have also been going to a Karate club 3 times per week.  It is fun and I get some much needed exercise.  Every Sat, Mon, and Wed at 7 pm.  Good stuff.  It is organized by someone I met the night I met all the army guys (previous blog). 

 

 

Since the title of this blog is named "week of surprises"  -  let me explain:  The English club was surprise #1 then the next day I was sitting in my office working on the grant when the head of the education dept walks in my office to inform me that i will be giving a 30 min presentation to 30 teachers from 30 different schools in the area and that I will be giving this presentation in 2 hours.  It turns out that the English teachers from 30 schools in the area are all meeting today and they want me to discuss the differences in education systems of the US & Ukraine.  Crazy.  So I frantically grab my friend Google and start searching for any and all relevant information.  I knew many cultural differences and some educational differences but it is difficult because I don't know the Ukrainian education system.  I am a Community Development volunteer and do not work in a school.  The presentation went great and I will be traveling to many different villages in the area over the next 4 months to visit English classes, help students prepare for the English Olympiad, and be a judge at English competitions.  That will be really fun.  I gave all the teachers my phone # so I might be very busy soon.  I said I would be happy to visit their classrooms or just meet with them individually to practice their English over a cup of tea.  I also found someone that is willing to be my Russian tutor - Awesome!   I need all the help I can get. 

 

 

So that was surprise # 2.   Surprise # 3 happened the very next day (Friday).  I was in the office working on the grant when the vice mayor called me and said, "Conor, the town newspapers will be interviewing you in 1 hour - good luck"  Lol  Just kidding.  He did not say good luck.  He assured me that it was only for information about me, Peace Corps, and my current activities in the community.  Lucky for me, I had someone that spoke some English to help me out.  I think it went ok.  I will try and get a copy of the article and post it on the ole' Blog.  The next surprise happened in Kiev but that one is personal.  Lets just say that I now know how the people of Hiroshima felt when they saw a large bomb fall out of the sky.  Surprise # 5 happened yesterday (Tuesday 9/21).  I was again sitting in my office trying to catch up on work on the grant because due to all the surprises, I felt I was behind.  Again, the vice mayor calls me up and says, "The media is here and they want to interview you"  I think to myself Dejavoo - was the last interview a dream?  What gives?  So I ask him, "is it a different newspaper?"  He replies, "it is the local TV station"  I think...Wow...ok...what?...5 min....ok.   Lucky for me, I was dressed nicer than usual.  This particular interview was all in Russian.  I think I did alright.  I will hopefully get a disk with the footage on it.  I will post it if I can.  I thought it was great that the camera guy was someone that I met over a month ago and have had tea with him a couple times.  We will play backgammon one of these days. 

 

 

Well, I need to get going.  Unless there are any unforeseen surprises, my next post will be on Sunday (like usual).  Stay classy America

 

 

Conor's Noteworthy Noteables:

1.  Trip to Kiev.  Found an Irish Pub - no Guinness but they did have Murphy's Irish Stout.  Good enough.  Huge surprises in Kiev - it was good to kick back with an old Irish friend. 

2.  Random media interviews with no time to prepare.  I am getting used to it.  They went alright.  Hopefully I can put the video and the articles on the blog.   

3.  Met some really cool Ukrainians on the train ride to Kiev.  Very nice people and they spoke some English. 

4.  The grant is coming along just fine.  I really hope the grant gets approved.  It could really help my new counterpart, org, and the community.  Cross your fingers.

5.  It was my Dad's B-day on the 14th.  Happy Birthday Dad!  I wish I could have been there with you guys. 

6.  I was invited by the PC head of security to become a warden.  Meaning I will be the contact point / go-to-guy in my region if there is a countrywide emergency. 

7.  I keep trying to skype friends and family back home.  Erin!  I will keep trying.  Josh, you are next.  I can skype cell phones for cheap but I have to call from a WIFI café in town and can only be there around 5 pm my time which is 8 am your time. 

 

I will try to post photos when I have more time.