Friday, July 24, 2009




all is well here still, get to see Liz today!!!! We will be hanging out at my host familys place for the week since its the only place I am allowed to travel to away from my actual site.  

All is well at my site, i am still living and kinda working at the summer camp.  The second group of kids (160) have been there the last few weeks and when I return there will be the third and final group.  I get a lot of time to talk with kids, read, and study.  Its been a great place to hang out at, I would be super bored if I was living in my apartment.  Speaking of which my apartment has a ton of work to be done in it so it is probably best I am not living there.

 Looking forward to September when I actually start working.  I plan on having a sports club/fitness club/healthy lifestyles club, an english club, and a chess club.  Not exactually sure what I will be doing during the school day itself but I will find that out soon.  People here continue to be great and helpful!

 Miss my second wedding last weekend, my cousin got married.  Can't wait to miss my sisters and another cousins as well.  Def is hard being away from home and missing these big family get togethers.  Attached is my favorite three pictures from my summer camp.  A lot of people say that Eastern Ukraine is not beautiful but I have enjoyed it.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Hello Everyone, 

Sure maybe a few of you are wondering where I have been.  I have moved (kinda) to my perminent site and today is the first time I have been able to get internet.  I will be living in the East of Ukraine, a 15 hour train ride from Kiev in a city called Pryvilla.  Well a small village would be more accurate, a town of 9,000 people.  People knock the East for being the industrial part of the country and not as beautiful but I love my area, there is a river at the edge of town and trees as far as you can see in every direction.  If you look for it on a map it is on the southern border of Harkiev and Lugansk Oblasts.  I am in the Eastern most oblast, I can see Russia from my house.  (stole that joke from an 80 year old lady, but I find it funny).  I mentioned kinda above because until August 25th I will be living in a summer camp on the outside of my town.  Its been a town of fun so far! I basically just hang out all day and do whatever I want.  I get to eat with the kids at the camp and have my own big room.  The camp is huge, right now there are 160 kids, and they stay for 3 weeks.  They will be followed by 2 more groups for 3 weeks each.  Most of my stuff is in an apartment in Pryvilla so its been kinda frustrating trying to get back and forth when I need stuff, but considering that I get to practice Russian with people a lot, don't have to cook, don't really have to do anything but play all day- I will take it.

  Russian language is coming along, I tested at an intermidate high level when I was in Fastiv 2 weeks ago, which was really excited about.  However that apparently doesn't mean much because I feel like I don't understand anything now.  I keep studying everyday, but its hard battling with accents, fast talkers, unfamiliar topics, and the stress of wanting to understand.  The people at the camp have been great but I really wish I could be more of a help, its amazing how big of a language plays in culture.

  Pryvilla seems pretty nice so far, only having been here a little bit. I got to spend time with the mayor which was fun, and my co workers and director at my school all seem wonderful.  

  Liz is coming to visit in 3 weeks which I am beyond excited about.  We will head back to Kiev and to Fastiv for a few days to spend time with my host family there.  I am slowly making a list of things that will be requested from America, top of my list is 2 baseball gloves and a baseballs.  If there is anything else that you want me to have please contact Liz ha.

  I got a second phone with a new number if you need to get a hold of me +380 99 2618604.

Well I think thats all I got now, its been pretty interesting being unconnected from the internet for several weeks.  I never understood how people could go with out the news everyday but once you go cold turkey you quickly realize how none of it really matters.  Well I miss you all, hope all is well.

Peace

Bob