maybe I get to go to school tomorrow!

I think we'll have school tomorrow, thank goodness! I feel as if all the free time we begged for during PST has been delivered in one big lump.

I've continued reading books and writing letters in copious amounts, but the letter writing tapered off when I got sick of writing "It's X degrees today. We don't have school again." I also visited the used clothing stores in town and bought two sweaters for 3 hryvnia each. The lady who worked there asked if I was Polish.

Yesterday was Marina's 50th birthday. When I asked if she was going to have a party, she said, "No, just a couple of friends are coming for a visit." I think we had 8 or 9 people who stayed the entire afternoon and ate large quantities of food...I'd hate to see an actual party!

Prayer requests: that I can find a church; that school will get started again; that I'll be less homesick (I think school starting will help with that one...)

mail call

Today was a happy day...I think it was the first day that mail has been delivered to this town in a while. Maybe not. At any rate, I got Aunt Donna's long underwear top and picture CD, the packet of menus from Mom and Dad, a letter from Aunt Rebecca, plus a packet from Peace Corps that included a lot of Christmas cards which had been languishing in Kyiv (from Aunt Rebecca, the Bretts, Amy, and Abby). So I am overwhelmed by love and mail. Tifanni also is here visiting me, and keeps reading Newsweek aloud to me while I'm typing, which means I'm definitely typing with a distracted mind.

Tif wants me to add that today is Day 114 that we've been in Ukraine. I'm sure this has a profound meaning. But she hasn't told me what. She says it's for me to discover and call her about it. Which we generally do, anyway. Every day, much to the detriment of our phone bills.

Other than that, I haven't taught since last Tuesday, which means I've been going stir-crazy. I've been reading a lot...sci-fi to Shakespeare to sonnets (poetry, but I wanted alliteration) to Scripture. I've done laundry, written letters, updated my new planner with important dates and addresses, and REALLY REALLY want school again on Thursday.

Pronounciation helps: it's "h'reevnas", not "hereevnas". And the Ukrainian word for "teacher" is uchetl, pronounced "oo-CHET-el".

Oh, and in response to those people who are requesting a book, it may well come at some point. When I got bored on Saturday, I tried to dream up plot ideas for a non-Ukraine novel, but they all seemed rather stupid, so after an hour and a half I gave up. Perhaps, with the way I keep writing letters, the Collected Letters of Sally Jo Behrenwald may be the new bestseller in a few years. I've considered trying a couple of creative non-fiction pieces about life here, but I may be too close to it all to do it justice.

snow, cold, and internet

Apparently, the library's Internet does not work on weekends. However, the post office has Internet that is both cheaper and faster than the library's. I hate to ditch my darling librarians, who visit with me and smile when I come in, but this is an awesome connection!

Haven't had school the last two days. Nelya called me yesterday...apparently there was school and only a handful of kids came. I'm not sure why I was told not to come in if there wasn't school, but as it's been -25 C or lower most of the time, it's all good as far as I'm concerned.

My best story of the week: Thursday was some sort of Orthodox religious festival having to do with Christ's baptism. So my host mom, a friend of hers, and I go down to the river around 5 pm (when it's pretty much dark), and they strip down to their underwear, kneel on the ice, and pour three buckets of river water (one for the Father, one for the Son, and one for the Holy Spirit) over each other. Keep in mind it was at least =25 C. Then they got dressed and we went home, as I refused to be doused. More than anything else, this incident has reminded me that I live in a foreign culture.

in the bleak midwinter

It's -20 degrees Celcius today. If it gets down to -25, we won't have school tomorrow. When Marina tells me the temperature, she just says, "20." She doesn't even bother putting the "minus" in. Wow. No snow, though.

Monday was a rough day teaching...students didn't want to pay attention/weren't listening/couldn't understand my accent. However, after school I went to the post office and found I had a letter from Aunt Rebecca and a belated Christmas package from Jason. This did wonders for my mood. (Mom, don't freak out that your package hasn't made it yet, okay? Tif says that air mail packages are generally 2-3 weeks in getting here, no matter what the post office told you.)

Tuesday went much better. As an amusing follow-up to my last tale of the 8th form, Misha had made a very shamefaced apology to me on Monday (the poor kid refused to look me in the eye), prompted by Nelya, who I think had lectured him so much he'd cried. (Me, horrified: Was Misha crying? Nelya: It is good for Misha to be sad. It will help him in his future life.) On Tuesday, we wrote classroom rules. Misha's suggestion? "Respect the teacher." :)

While waiting for the librarian's break to be over so I could use the Internet, I wandered downstairs to the kids' section, where I found works by Mark Twain, Jonathon Swift, and Astrid Lindgren in Russian. I asked the librarian if there were any books in English. She said no, and asked me if I was Polish. Tif and I are collecting a list of nationalities that we've been mistaken for. Many people seem to think that we are Ukrainian or Russian until we open our mouths, based on the number of times we've been asked for directions in Kharkiv, but I have also been asked if I'm Latvian and Tif's been mistaken for Australian.

a full-fledged schoolmarm

I am officially a "real teacher". I did not come to this conclusion because I have taught nine classes over the last two days. I did not come to this conclusion because of all the students who smile up at me (or just look confused) and call me "Miss Sally" or "Missis Sally" (depending on if they understand the logic behind the titles). No, I am a real teacher because one of my eighth form boys drew an unflattering portrait of me, complete with frizzy hair, a mean look, and "Salli" written next to it. It's my initiation into being a spinster schoolteacher.

Frankly, I wanted to bust out laughing once it came into my possession. (He wouldn't give it to me, and as it was being passed around the room it got dropped and I grabbed it.) It's just so cliche, drawing a caricture of the new teacher! I had hoped to keep it, but when I showed it to Nelya, she confiscated it and told the director (principal). I think Misha made a poor choice, to use my mom's terms.

I love teaching. Seriously, I felt like Laura Ingalls or Anne Shirley or Christy Huddleston this week, starting the semester at this small rural school (okay, not very small, but there's only 300 kids total in 11 forms). I hear "Good morning, Miss Sally!" all day long. Novelty hath its charms, so everyone is waving their hands to be called on. My country studies classes are attracting kids from other schools (children of teachers at my school). My third form is wild and my fourth form is angelic (but I think I like the third form a little better!).

Hyrivnias is pronounced "hreevnas" or "hreeven". It can also be pronounced "greevnas" or "greeven" if you want to sound Russian. :)

new hat and friendly librarians

It's a pleasant sort of thing, when you walk in the library and the librarians recognize you, smile at you, and let you use the Internet even though you forgot your library card. It almost makes up for the dreadfully slow connection.

I thought school was starting on Monday, but it turns out that it was "Christmas observed," so no school. I thought it started on Tuesday, but it didn't, for reasons I don't know. It started today, but today's my day off, so I don't start school until tomorrow. Basically, I keep changing the dates on my lesson plans.

I think...and this may not happen...that I have fifteen regular classes of English per week, ranging from 2nd form to 10th form and having most groups at least twice, plus three extra sections of what's known as "country studies". Basically, I teach about American culture and history, designing my own curriculum. It has me pretty excited.

I bought a new stocking hat. My first one, I bought for 3 hyryvnias at a church rummage sale, and while that was extremely cheap, it had a habit of working its way up my head and looking very pointy. So today at the bazaar, after complaining about the hat for several months, I bought a new one. Black, pretty, and tight-fitting enough and round enough that I will never look pointy again.

Tif and I completed our hair-cutting experience quite well...honestly, no one's commented, so I suppose the bottom two inches made no difference anyway. There's supposed to be a big ceremony here when a child turns one and gets his/her first haircut. We dispensed with that. But it was fun anyway.

Raising Ebenezer

This is primarily for Mom, but some others may find it interesting as well...http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/001/23.62.html.

Basically, it's an argument as to why old hymns shouldn't have their lyrics updated. As a purist, I have to agree. :) My personal pet peeve is in "Alas, and Did my Saviour Bleed," where "for such a worm as I" was changed to "for sinners such as I". Theologically speaking, both are true, but I think that "worm" is a more effective term because a) it's in the singular rather than the plural, reminding us that we individually are sinners, and b) "sinner" is often used too casually, and "worm" reminds us of the abundant grace offered to us.

Theology moment over. Wow, that felt good. :)

quick update because I have internet :)

Life is going well...Tif and I are currently in an Internet club in Kharkiv using the fastest Internet we've had yet in this country, and for the same price all the slow stuff costs. :) We're spending the day in the city, and then having a slumber party at her host family's house and trimming each other's hair (cheaper than going to the barber and more fun).

In other news, I start teaching next week and am very excited about it!

a Sally with Internet is a happy Sally

Well, I've been to the bank four times and I'm not sure if I have an account or not. However, apparently Peace Corps was able to wire money to them and I got it, so I no longer am subsisting on three hryvnas.

New Year's Eve was a lot of fun. One of the teachers at school who's my age invited me to spend it with her and her husband, and we had a good time talking and trying to discuss the differences between US and UA holidays. Liz called me at 7:15 am UA time to wish me a happy New Year...I was pleased, although possibly incoherent. On Monday, Tifanni, our coordinators, and I went to the circus in Kharkiv, which was a lot of fun. Tif and I are going back to Kharkiv on Friday by ourselves to explore the city.

I have spent a lot of time lately explaining that I learned Ukrainian rather than Russian. Although Russian is the primary language here, I've decided to keep studying Ukrainian for now, as most people understand it and I don't want to let the three months I've already studied it go to waste. However, I plan to start on Russian in the summer. Peace Corps keeps telling us about PCVs who ended up fluent in two languages by the end of their service...maybe that will be me. It could be useful in the long run, post-Peace Corps as well. (Is there such a thing as post-Peace Corps? Inconceivable!)

For Tina and Aunt Donna, as well as othe people who are interested in sending me books/DVDs, etc.:

Yes, Ukraine has technology for VCRs and DVDs. Also, I can play DVDs on my laptop. If you want ideas on what to send movie-wise, Mom can give you good suggestions. Tina, as far as books go, anything by C.S. Lewis would be great...hmm, what else...basically, anything thought-provoking and Christian is good. If you're sending books, try M-bag...I'm not exactly sure what it is, except that it's relatively cheap and takes forever to get here, but it's the best way to send books, I've been told. The post office can probably explain it. :)

a Sally with Internet is a happy Sally

Well, I've been to the bank four times and I'm not sure if I have an account or not. However, apparently Peace Corps was able to wire money to them and I got it, so I no longer am subsisting on three hryvnas.

New Year's Eve was a lot of fun. One of the teachers at school who's my age invited me to spend it with her and her husband, and we had a good time talking and trying to discuss the differences between US and UA holidays. Liz called me at 7:15 am UA time to wish me a happy New Year...I was pleased, although possibly incoherent. On Monday, Tifanni, our coordinators, and I went to the circus in Kharkiv, which was a lot of fun. Tif and I are going back to Kharkiv on Friday by ourselves to explore the city.

I have spent a lot of time lately explaining that I learned Ukrainian rather than Russian. Although Russian is the primary language here, I've decided to keep studying Ukrainian for now, as most people understand it and I don't want to let the three months I've already studied it go to waste. However, I plan to start on Russian in the summer. Peace Corps keeps telling us about PCVs who ended up fluent in two languages by the end of their service...maybe that will be me. It could be useful in the long run, post-Peace Corps as well. (Is there such a thing as post-Peace Corps? Inconceivable!)

For Tina and Aunt Donna, as well as othe people who are interested in sending me books/DVDs, etc.:

Yes, Ukraine has technology for VCRs and DVDs. Also, I can play DVDs on my laptop. If you want ideas on what to send movie-wise, Mom can give you good suggestions. Tina, as far as books go, anything by C.S. Lewis would be great...hmm, what else...basically, anything thought-provoking and Christian is good. If you're sending books, try M-bag...I'm not exactly sure what it is, except that it's relatively cheap and takes forever to get here, but it's the best way to send books, I've been told. The post office can probably explain it. :)