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Tak!
That is rather like " Just say Yes!" and it is presidential
candidate Victor Yushenko's slogan! From what you have written most of
you have been following what is happening here on American news which I
tend to suspect either sensationalizes or is rather superficial
coverage. I would hope you followed BBC or maybe even China Daily News
which both really get it.
Am I proud, am I amazed, am I glad Oh yes!!!! This has been another week
of a joyful, extremely peaceful, standing up of Ukrainians to the Kuchma
administration and to Putin and forcing them to their knees. Ukrainians
will not give up their right to elect whom they choose. They did not
ignore the corruption, the attempt to draw them back into the fear and
passivity of the Soviet era.
I told you about the rally here in Korostyshiv last week. This weekend I
experienced Kiev and learned from PCVs all over the country about what
they have seen and experienced. It is the same even in the east where
Yanukovich is supposed to have such a strong hold. Every day thousands
gather in Independence square if even for a few minutes to show their
solidarity. Some come go from Korostyshiv and other towns every day.
Sometimes whole train loads come in for a day or the weekend. No one has
struck; nothing has been shut down; there is no litter, nothing has been
broken or destroyed. Buses are provided to get on and get warm. Cards
for 50 griven ($10) assure a person of hot food and a place to get warm
all day. People sing laugh, wave flags, share, look at each other, dance
and shoot off fireworks. It seems everyone in Ukraine is wearing
something orange--ribbons, scarfs, jackets, arm bands, leg bands,
ribbons braided in their hair, face paint.
Buses, metro cars, marshurtkas,--handles, antennas fly the orange.
Perhaps to you that might seem like nothing but you must really grasp
that this goes entirely against Ukrainian culture as it has been up to
this time. For almost 2 years our experience and learning of the culture
is that you do not stand out; you do not stand up to authority, you do
not protest, you do not reveal your beliefs. But you see the young have
had over 12 years of independence; they have been learning what it means
to be a Ukrainian, a responsible citizen in a democracy and they are the
ones that are bringing their parents dressed in leather coats, their
grandparents dressed in furs, their friends in jeans---all sporting
unique and individual displays of orange to the squares to the rallies.
The metro escalators, wagons, were packed body to body, chin to
shoulder, leg to leg and everyone was smiling and almost no one PUSHED.
They were a sea of orange.
I am so fortunate to be here. This really is history in the making and
Ukrainians are winning. It is hard not to go join in, but it is not our
celebration; it is not our rally, it is theirs and I would do nothing to
mar it.
I guess you can see I feel very good. I had two meetings at PC
headquarters. I stayed with Wini in her new Kyiv apartment. It is
beautiful!!!. She has shower, continual hot water and a washer. She
rides the metro to and from work and there is a bazaar and a supermarket
right next to her complex. Oh yeah she is happy.
Hope you are all at peace and happy. Take care.
I love you
Hello All,
This past week was busy as busy goes around here. I was invited to
School #5 to speak to all of my colleague, Tamara's biology
classes--forms 7-11, on Monday and Tuesday. She wanted me to explain
about the science books that I had gotten for them from a program called
Darien. She had received about 20 books and some National Geographics on
environment, insects, wolves, etc etc. They were really great donations
and ranged in level from 7th to 12 grade. Tamara will put them in her
new Ecology Cabinet (a room dedicated strictly to displays, books, etc
about the environment that students can use for study and research. She
and her ecology circle students have created a wonderful room and the
books are really welcome as they have no such books with wonderful
pictures, etc. That took about 15 minutes and then she wanted me to talk
about the trip to India. I did and related it to the environment. Most
of the kids at #5 understand English, but student Katya did a beautiful
job of translating when they didn't.
Tamara and her students are working on developing a project for which we
are going to apply for a grant to get a computer and all the
accessories, Internet, VCR/DVD and TV and water testing equipment to
expand the cabinet but also the student's research into the water
pollution here in Korostyshiv. I will help them get all the forms etc
and Therese is going to be the PC sponsor as I can't do it as I am too
close to COS (closing out of service.
Also worked on getting our environmental poster exhibition ready and
maybe MAYBE, we will get it up tomorrow in the first school--#2. Hope to
set it up in each school for 2 weeks each. Also worked on my project for
the trash cans and on reports for two of the PC groups I am on.
Wini and I took the train to Vinnytsia on Friday evening. Alice had a
wonderful homemade soup and wine for us when we got in. Saturday
morning, 3 other PCVs from V came over; we had brunch and then made
Christmas cards, ornaments etc under Alice's creative direction. At
5:30, we headed over to the only male PCV left in V, Brian's apartment
for dinner and a movie. It was so much fun. Brian had all the
ingredients for each of us to make our own homemade pizzas and our own
salads. Then we had chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce and
peanuts. While Brian washed all the dishes, we 6 women drank beer
and wine. When he finished the dishes he popped corn and then we watched
Seabiscuit on his laptop. I had seen it 4 times (I use it for my movie
club) I enjoyed it as much as ever and it was great to see and hear
other people's reactions.
Left V about 10:30 by train for Kyiv; picked up the marshrutka at the
volksal (train station) and was home in 4 and a half hours after a
comfortable pleasant ride! Like I said no more buses unless
it absolutely the only way I can get somewhere. The bus trip from V is 4
hours of hell!
I and Wini will spend the weekend of 25th in Vinnytsia to celebrate
American Christmas. I plan on spending the weekend of the 1st with the
Drahalchuks as that is Novy God, New Years, and the Ukrainian time for
trees, lights, gift giving and good food. I wasn't here last year and I
really want to spend this very important holiday with them.
Wini, Alice, I and two other "mature" volunteers are going to
Krakow the 2nd and return on the 6th. We will probably take the
overnight Polish train from Kyiv to Krakow. We will stay in an apartment
there and the trip should not cost us very much. Time is running out for
our travel out of Ukraine. The last 3 months of service, we may not
travel out of country and February 27th is coming up fast.
Again, please do not worry about sending me anything for Christmas
although some of you already have. Send money to Carol for Masha's
educational fund.
Am working on web pages of India trip and will let you know as soon as I
have them done.
Love you much. Keep warm.
Dobray Outra!
(Good morning)
As I am writing this I know that it is 6:30 (MST) right now Sunday
morning so I can say that to most of you. It has been snowing all day
here and it is a very wet snow. I never took the plunge and went out as
I have enjoyed just being holed up in my apartment this weekend. It is
the first time in a long time. We have had almost no winter to speak of
although it was below freezing most of this past week.
Not a lot going on at work. I finished up getting together an exhibit of
environmental posters made by students and it is now up in School #2.
Waiting on ecology club and teacher from School #5 to get all their
material together so we can finish writing up grant application. Have
worked on a couple of projects for PC groups that I am on and that is
about it.
Wini and I are going to Vinnytsia to spend this coming weekend with
Alice for American Christmas. We will come back on the 26th--the new
election day. Parliament has passed some good reforms for the whole
process and if this time the election is fair, the new president may
have a fighting chance to get them firmly implemented. The entire
election committee was fired and new people appointed. The prime
minister (the lackey candidate) was thrown out but he will still be
running for office of course.
Four of us are planning on going to Krakow January 2-6th. This will
probably be our last time out of country as we are fast approaching our
last 90 days and we can't travel out of Ukraine. I am trying to get all
the train tickets etc. Alice got us an apartment to stay in. Should be a
good trip even though cold. Besides the city, we plan on spending a day
at Auschwitz and Birkenau.
I actually got all my pictures of India organized, resized and laid out
on my web site. You can look at pictures, but I haven't published the
text yet. Started on it today and my goal is to have it done by the
first if not sooner. Tomorrow I am going into Kyiv and pick up a CD that
has everyone's pictures on it. I have seen some of them and they are
wonderful. I will add some of the better ones to my site.
Therese and I started a Lord of the Rings marathon on Thursday night.
She had never seen it and since Carol was so good to send it to me, we
had a great time drinking wine, eating popcorn and watching it. She
leaves tomorrow for the States to spend Christmas with her family. The
new volunteer will arrive in Korostyshiv on the 27th so I am glad I will
be here in order to greet her and spend some time with her. She will be
living with a family for 3 months and that is good at this time of year
with the holidays. She will be teaching English at School #5.
By the way, I met a PCV, group 25, who is teaching English in Vinnytsia
and she is from Edmond. Her name is Timber Massey--really nice young
woman.
Have a lovely day. I will write next Monday when I return from
Christmas in V. Love and Peace
Ya
blagadariu c rozhboctbo e novie god
I wish you a merry Christmas and a new year (roughly translated).
I
am heading to Vinnytsia today to spend Western Christmas with Alice and
Wini. I will return on Sunday the 27th. Sunday is also election day and
every one's hopes are high.
Christmas
decorations are and have been going up for about a week now. Roman
Catholic and protestant churches will celebrate on the 25th. Ukrainian
and Russian Orthodox will celebrate on January 7th. As for trees, gifts,
parties, that is all on New Year's Eve. Last evening city workers put up
the Korostyshiv tree. Like last year it is very beautiful. They will
decorate it all next week and then the lighting will be on New Year's
Eve. Glad I am going to be here for it this year.
Ice
is everywhere and only getting worse as more people walk on the
sidewalks. I have even seen Ukrainians slip. Kids are sliding all the
way to school and loving it. I got some Yak Trax from medical (like tire
chains for your shoes) Mine are florescent lime so they are noticed and
I don't care. They are wonderful! I would not be able to walk anywhere
without them.
I
did a lot of work on India web pages and will finish them up next week.
Will let you know.
Happy
Holidays
Well Christmas is past and New Year
is upon me and I am late, late.
Wini, Alice and I headed by express train to Vinnytsia on Thursday
night. Oh how nice that train is. Instead of 3.5 hours, we traveled in
real comfort, beauty and cleanliness in 2.5 hours. When we reached
Alice's apartment we had wonderful stew and lavash (flat bread); wine
and finished off the evening with cognac from Armenia.
Friday, Christmas Eve we spent at Alice's center with her wonderful kids
(Downs and Autistic). As is custom here for New Years, they were all
dressed in costumes. Father Frost came as did Baba Yaga (like a good
witch--Mom knew what she was doing all those Christmases!). The kids
recited and sang pieces they had made up; the kids danced and swayed to
the music playing on the keyboard. Oh how they love to dance and/or
sway. Their smiles, their joy was the highlight of my Christmas. I can
really see what a difference Alice and her center have made in them in
the two years I have been around. Afterwards we shopped for groceries,
headed home and ate and drank some more. Since it was Christmas Eve we
three sang every Christmas song and carol we knew and since we are the
PC Golden Girls we knew about a million.
Christmas Day, a lone male joined us--a PCV from Khmelnensky (Don't try
to say it. I still can't!) We baked two chickens; I made the
stuffing; Wini made mashed potatoes and gravy. We finished off the
cognac which was in a glass sword! We viewed the full moon and
called it a day and a great Christmas.
Next day, Sunday was election day. The train station was packed.
Everyone out doing New Year shopping! In case you have forgotten: New
Years is the day for decorations, trees, exchanging gifts and lots of
fireworks.
In Vinnytsia and Kyiv there are a quite a few tree lots. People out in
the country and villages cut their own.
Korostyshiv has a beautiful tree right in the center all decorated.
Since I got back I have been trying to catch up on Russian lessons, some
work obligations and getting web site India pages done. Today, I went to
Masha's school for her New Year's play and party. It was a lot like the
one at Vinnytsia. Masha was dressed as the snow queen. Got a lot of
pictures and Yura will put them on video tonight. She recited a poem in
English and one in Ukrainian for Father Frost.
Now, there is getting ready for Novie God! I am excited to spend it with
the Druhalchucks. The tradition is that we eat at 11 pm; open
gifts and toast with champagne at midnight then walk around the Yolka
(Christmas tree) in the square. All the snow and thankfully the ice is
gone as our weather has been very mild. It would be nice to have snow
for the walk as the moon is still pretty full. I still have some
more shopping to do and will finish it tomorrow.
Still planning to go to Krakow on the 2nd, but I will write a short note
on the 1st.
S novim godom Happy New Year !
Love you all
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