You don't move me anymore and I'm glad that you don't

Well, the business and general speed of things has continued throughout these past weeks.

Firstly, I had a horrible encounter with a mosquito last week leading my eye swelling up like a golf ball. Head to facebook if you're interested while my dignity doesn't cover facebook it covers the complete stranger land that could although probably isn't my blog.

Headed down to the carpathians this weekend to hit up a Half Marathon. Had a great time riding trains. I realise when I look back at these posts that I never really explain socialising in Peace Corps life, perhaps it's my own fear of looking bad or unprofessional or something. Either way, I had a great time meeting new people. And even more, as always I was happy to see Andy again. I can't help the feeling of comfort that comes over me being with my cluster pals. I think it's mostly that I just feel protected maybe we protected each other too much in training. All the same, it is how it is.

Well, the highlights of the marathon were in no particular order: being with fun people, having a great time and enjoying the weather. Oh and Shashlik.

My plans continue to mount up and I find myself not remembering what I'm supposed to be doing. My place is a wreck despite my huge clean out over easter and I have dishes and laundry that are waiting to be done. It seems every weekend from here to the end of school something has come up and I won't have those free days to do anything. perhaps it's my own fault for over committing myself when I had gotten behind already.

I've been having missing home days lately too. I think with the coming of spring and summer I feel mostly disconnected from the garden oddly enough. I miss doing things on the garden with my parents. After France, there was a new zeal in me to help them and I always tried to help with mulching and a couple beds or so every year. I miss not having something to dote on and take care of in the form of the green and oxygen producing. We rode through the Carpathians on our train ride back, I told Linnea a few times. I know that life would've been hard and my life is tremendously more "liveable" in a certain sense living in Lviv. BUT part of me yearns to live in a village and do some farming. Or at least some gardening. Joe has told me about his chances to get a plot, I find myself decidedly jealous.

Other than that, I've returned to teaching of course this week. Filling out lots of paperwork as the end of the school year comes. Journals that I'm never caught up on and other things as well. Had a great class with my 3rd graders today. As always, they make me want to be a better teacher and do great activities with them.

OK, that's about all here. I'm putting out the call for new music. If you can send me things using Yousend or just recommend new albums it'd be greatly appreciated I'm needing a change to spring me forward no pun intended!

loveandhugs

What do they do with the light in the morning when they wake up alone?

A post concerning Easter and other holiday-esque details

Easter in Ukraine is a magical time filled with busy markets, busy people and more importantly days off of school. My counterpart has returned and with her my hours have gone back to normal (A miracle). I love my third and first forms as per usual and have been making headway with both groups. I know they're learning I just wish they'd talk more! We'll see what happens.

1. A box of books arrived from the United States (awesome) I'm working on a safety project and starting some grant work for my school. And hopefully, keeping busy doing other teaching stuff as well!

2. It's staying light til almost 8oclock at nite making my life that much more enjoyable. Oh yeah and there has been sun and warm weather.

3. An actual talk about Easter. What perhaps are you wondering are the Easter traditions that I so wonderfully experienced? Well, let's start with the fact that on palm sunday they don't use palms but willow branches. Accordingly, I bought a bunch from a baba selling by one of the churches and am now proudly displaying it in my house. I also bought many pysanky or Ukrainian Easter Eggs (think of the ones that most people think are russian in teh states but are actually ukrainian). I have a collection of about 5 or 6 and I'm hoping it will grow with me as my time here does. But of course I'll have to wait until next Easter (my last) to get more. I'm thinking of buying 15 next year (a hefty investment at about 120grv assuming the price is the same. Not much for the states only 15$ but still) I want to bring some back with me to decorate wherever I may live in the coming years. So, Good Friday I went over to Linda's to watch a processional from the church near her house. They have a representation of Christ on a cloth and to symbolize taking him down from teh cross to put him in the grave they process through the neighborhood. Thanks to Linda I got a prime location for watching on her balcony! Then, I hung out with Scott, Matt, Jordan and Linnea. Linnea and I made a spaghetti dinner enjoyed the many joys of bazaar shopping on Good Friday and bought a Pasca or special Easter bread with frosting and raisins inside. THe nite was wonderful, as it's always wonderful to have friends around and just enjoy time and life. Saturday Linnea and I shopped and enjoyed the center of town and then relaxed at my place until it was time to go out again. We rode the tram back towards center and saw tons of people lined up outside the churches with their Easter baskets waiting to have everything blessed. From what I can tell and what I've been told this is what happens. You fill a basket with eggs, salt, cheese, bread, sausage, pasca and a candle and go to church. A lot of people in villages go to church at 3 or 4am and wait outside to have everything blessed. Here in Lviv, we saw them on Saturday nite around 7pm or so. The priest comes around and blesses your food and there you have it. On Easter Sunday, I headed to the architectural gardens with Linda, Robin, Jim and Linnea and we watched an amazing version of leap frog, I bought a painting we walked around the park it was fantastic and filled with people. Then of course, we met up with Scott and Matt. Monday I took advantage of my day off and cleaned my place top to bottom. I was supposed to do this spring cleaning before Easter, but unfortunately only had time after. Such is life.

3. the week
I headed back to school on Wednesday. I was feeling ill from the weekend but enjoyed a "surprise" Easter lunch with the directors and administration at my school. They have been so welcoming and nice to me it's hard to believe that I've landed in such a great situation. Then on Wednesday nite, I had a great dinner with Dan, Lesya and Scott. I had made a baby blanket for them (Lesya's expecting any day now). We had a wonderful dinner, great conversation and played a board game. It was nice to have company as it always is. On Thursday I was feeling pretty bad, but made it through the day. Friday, at my vice principals urging I took a sick day, but felt better in the afternoon. It was Scott's birthday so I went to join him in center for dinner and had a great time with him and Matt celebrating. Finally, I had some holobtsi on Saturday. I have been craving them since training and enjoyed every moment! I also got to hang out with some other volunteers. And came back home to enjoy a nice quiet evening at home.

4. Other stuff
I've been walking every Sunday with Linda, unfortunately today I couldn't make it out feeling gross again. It's been great to have someone who has walked this whole city over and over show me where to go. All in all, I'm going to be really sad to see her go come July, and I hope that our new volunteer will be just as fun!

I'm going to finally get on top of starting projects, calling the person about trading English for Ukrainian and getting to the yoga studio this month. I feel like I can hardly keep my head from spinning on week days some times, but I really do need to get out and start having a week life outside of work and home which is actually work too.

I'm, as always, more than excited for summer and everything that awaits. I'm thinking about a couple of trips, a friend from my French immersion camp may come and visit so I may take her around Ukraine. I need to go see my host family. I'm hoping to go and visit Joe and Andy at their sites. And I'm hoping that I can go and see two of my friends, Matt and Scott coach at a softball camp over teh 4th of July week. Enough trips for the summer add in enjoying Lviv saying adios to Linda and all that and it seems like it'll fly. Plus there's the added bonus of canning!!!!

Love and hugs!!!