Mountain Man

Hello everyone,

I am back from my camping trip!  It was awesome.  We hiked all day every day around the beautiful Crimean Peninsula mountains then spent a day and a half camped on the Black Sea.  Lots of exercise and lots-o-Russian.  Thankfully, there was a great guy named Igor there that spoke some English which really helped.  Igor, if you are reading this, thanks again.  The trip started at someone's house where we finished packing up our backpacks and organizing 10 days worth of food (probably around 50 pounds with water) then made our way on foot to the train station in my city.  It was raining and a bit cold which was not a good sign for the start of a 10 day camping trip but Igor assured me that he always has great luck with weather - thankfully his luck ran true.   We took the 90 min electreechka  (slow, cheap, low range passenger trains to and from major hubs) to Donetsk.   We arrived in Donetsk in the early evening and chatted outside the Вокзал (train station) until it was time to get on the overnight train to Simferopol.  We were in platzcart (3rd class) and everyone thought it was hilarious that I did not fit in the tiny little bunks.  lol  Many photos were taken with my feet hanging off the end of the bed.  Then, in typical Ukrainian fashion, we proceeded to crowd around one of the small tables and have a nice meal.  I brought a small amount of cognac as a thanks for allowing Amy and I to go on this trip so we all toasted to the start of our adventure. 

There were 9 people in total all with varying backgrounds and ages.  Everyone got along fine and we all had a great time.   We had a priest with an extensive military background, a blacksmith/karate instructor also with strong military background and his wife, a computer programmer, an industry/factory safety coordinator, 2 blacksmith apprentices, and 2 crazy Americans (Amy and I).  At times, it was difficult to communicate with my limited Russian skillz but we made it work out just fine and when we couldn't communicate, we would sit back and absorb the absolutely beautiful scenery (I took over 300 photos).  It was nice to be away from all modern amenities/electronics/stresses and just be out in nature doin our thang.  At times, it was tough:  hiking at night down steep and slippery terrain (I didn't have a flashlight cuz it broke), hiking without any trails through thick forests, hiking with little water to drink (we had to find our water), hiking for over 12 hours (usually only 8 hours), sleeping in below freezing weather (turns out my sleeping bag is not that great and when we woke up our water was frozen), sleeping with 3 people in what seemed to be a 2 man tent and me being extremely tall, Amy got sick and I had to carry some of her stuff in my already heavy bag, etc...  It was well worth it though - many great memories, awesome times, and I got to know some very cool people. 

Towards the end of the trip, we hiked down from the mountains though a small town on the way to the sea (Black Sea = 10 km away).  It was around 10:00 pm, pitch black, cold, tired, and we had been looking unsuccessfully for hours for flat enough terrain to make camp for the night. To my astonishment, the group sent the girls to go up to a random house and knock on the door for directions.  I guess they would be less threatening than the guys.  I was surprised once again by the Ukrainian hospitality we received.  We woke someone up late at night and they were nice enough to spend time with us and explain were we could find a suitable camping place.  It was great and just in time.  I didn't feel like I could hike another inch.  And the next morning, when it was light out and we could actually see, we awoke on a hill next to a beautiful little lake/reservoir nestled between sheer cliffs with the small quiet little village down a short distance from where we camped.  I bathed in the stream then took off with my camera to explore the small town.  I walked around the village greeted only by stray dogs, grazing goats, and the occasional sleepy villager.  After walking for a while, by pure coincidence, I ran into a few other people from our group at the local магазин  (store).  it was 11:00 am and the only store in town still had not opened for the day so the people from my group were waiting patiently outside.  Supplies were purchased and we made our way to a little house that had a garden and some grape vines in order to buy some veggies and wine.  Once again, I was surprised to see that the owner of this house gave us (random strangers) wine and veggies without payment and said it would be fine if we paid latter (guess nobody brought money).  Trust and honor go a long way here.  We then packed our backpacks and made our way to the sea.  On the way we pass dozens of vineyards until we arrived at our campsite surrounded by the black sea on one side and a vineyard with an old Turkish watchtower on the other.  Beautiful.  We proceeded to pitch our tents one last time, barbeque some chicken, cook some borsch, drink some wine, relax on the coast, and swim in the sea sometime after midnight.  The next morning we walked down the coast 6 km to the town of Marskova and explored another small town.  It was one hell of a way to end a fantastic trip. 

I arrived back in my town on Wednesday.  Since then, I have been working on finalizing some of the details of my project to start a volunteer center in my city.  We will find out early November if it will be funded or not.  I really hope it gets funded - it could really help my community.  I spent most of the weekend in Donetsk with Amy and other volunteers.  My cluster mate Kim was in Donetsk to meet with people about starting a computer lab for the blind in her community. Very cool project.  It is exciting to hear about other people's projects and to see what they are up to.  We found an Irish pub in Donetsk and caught up on life then went to a Turkish restaurant for some fantastic food (though I felt a little sick afterwards).  Very pleasant weekend and after sleeping in a tent for ten days, my tiny little bed is that much more comfortable.   Earlier today, I met up with some of the people from the camping trip and someone's wife gave me a Russian lesson.  Very helpful.  I need to devote more of my time on my Russian skillz.  Anywho, I hope everything is going great back in the states.  Miss you all. 

Conor's Noteworthy Noteables:

1.  Ten day camping trip in Crim   -  unforgettable. 

2.  I now have 2 Russian tutors.  Now I just need to find time to use them and study.  lol

3.  Still learning how to work with the ever-present extreme cultural difference. 

4.  My new friend from the camping trip is helping me find faster internet in my apartment!  Awesome.  I might actually be able to skype with people soon.  Cross your fingers. 

5.  Found a couple old coworkers from Fidelity on Facebook.  Shout out to Tanner and John F**^ing Carlquist.  lol  (inside joke).  Tell everyone hi for me. 

6.  Halloween party next week in Karkiv!  Over 100 volunteers!  Private club and hotel.  Awesome~!

It is late and I have to get up early tomorrow.  Peace!

***Like always - click on the photo to see the full version***

Camping for 10 days. - No new posts for a while.

Hello all!

Right now I am sitting in the only place in my city with WIFI while I wait to depart on the camping trip.  I will be going to the Crimean Peninsula with an NGO from my community that consists of "veterans of the USSR Airborne, Special Forces, the KGB, the Interior Ministry, Afghans, combatants and other arms." Should be awesome! Wish me luck.  I just wanted to let people know that I won't be posting  until I get back (probably almost 2 weeks). 

I hope all is well in the US.

-Conor

Just an everyday thing.

Hello everyone,

Well, this week was more low-key than normal which has been nice.  Now that I have submitted the first draft of our project, some of the pressure is off.  I still have a lot to do in order make this a successful project but at least the overall project plan is more or less complete.  Now we are concentrating on getting all the lesson plans organized and finishing up as much paperwork as possible before I go on my 10 day camping trip.  It has been interesting trying to work together with my Ukrainian counterparts.  The culture is just so different.  I feel obsessive compulsive for always trying to organize everything.  How do things get done without a clear-cut plan with specific details and due dates?  I guess we will find out.  lol   I am constantly trying to keep the "American" in me from getting out.  I need to learn to do things how Ukrainians do things because after all, I live in Ukraine now.  I have also been warned by some of the PCVs that have been here for over a year and from PC staff that if you try and do things like you would in the US, you will probably fail.  So, this is me going with the flow with faith that things will get done eventually ...gulp...

I have also been teaching a couple different English clubs in my community.  It has been a lot of fun.  My adult class now knows most basic greetings and some basic words so next week we will start to put things together into sentences and attempt to have some simple dialog.  It is fun to see everyone learn and attempt to speak.  I have over 20 people in my adult class varying in age from 13 - 55 and 7 kids in my young class with ages ranging from 5 -10 years.  I think I do a pretty good job of keeping everyone entertained and learning though it really helps to have a Ukrainian friend there with me to help when people don't understand my Russian.  This friend has been great and I really appreciate the help.  I have also been going to Karate 2 or 3 times per week.  It is fun, I get some exercise, practice my Russian, and I have made a few friends.  I try to accept all invitations to do anything at this point in order to meet as many people as possible. 

Other than work, I have been doing a lot of thinking about life, relationships, and the decisions we make.  You never know which decisions you will look back on many years down the road and think - That decision shaped my future.  Because of that decision, I am now doing this or I became that or whatever.  Obviously, joining the PC was one of those decisions and it was obvious from the beginning that it would be one of the important "forks in the road" of my life but there are many decisions that seem insignificant at the time that end up becoming a defining moment in one's life.  I guess I have been thinking about this because of all the different roads my old friends have taken in their lives, my bro thinking about getting married, my sister giving birth to a beautiful baby girl that I have yet to meet, and me a million miles away from everything in a small city close to Russia.  Who knows how everything is going to play out in the long run.  Life is an adventure, the least we can do is enjoy the ride. 

Conor's Noteworthy Noteables:

1.  It is starting to get cold here.  As I type this, I have my winter coat on and a couple blankets  lol.  The weird thing is that when I lived in Wyoming, it was probably colder.  The difference is that in Wyoming and other cold places in the US, you are usually only cold in transit and once you are inside you are relatively warm.  Here, there is no escape.  It is usually just about as cold inside as it is outside. 

2.  I need a new bed.  My back hurts.  Why do I feel like I sleep in a tiny crib instead of a bed....oh yeah...Peace Corps...right, I signed up for this. 

3.  I can now comfortable speak to most people about basic things.  It is hard to gage how much Russian I am learning at this point - I kinda have to have faith that I am learning through being surrounded by Russian 24-7

4.  I need faster internet.  I can only skype from a bar in town because it is the only place in town with free WIFI. 

5.  I finally feel like I am somewhat in a routine (as much as possible in Ukraine).  Only took 6 months.  lol  I still don't know what the day will bring until it is already here but now not knowing is expected.  : -)

6.  I have not been taking very many photos lately but will try and change that by next post.  At the very least, I will have tons of photos to post after the camping trip. 

Donetsk

Found someone my height!

Gas Mask Con

Khartsizsk Day

Blast from the Past.  Guatemala 2006

Ukrainian Countryside