A New End and a New Beginning

Training is coming to an end. I taught my last classes this past week and said goodbye to the teachers and students I have been working with. This next week we have our exams - Language, Safety, Medical, and Policies and Procedures. After that I will be saying goodbye to my host family and friends and packing for my trip. I still don't know where I'm going to, but I will find out soon.

In a lot of ways what I'm going through right now is similar to what I was going through just before coming to Ukraine with the Peace Corps. I had to say my goodbyes, pack for a trip without knowing the destination, and prepare for a completely different life. All of that is just as true now as it was two months ago. My work, living conditions, and town will all probably be very different. The students at the University where I've been teaching speak English very well and even though they make mistakes they can communicate what they want to say and understand me very well. At some technical colleges where I may be teaching next the students may never have taken an English course before. That is a bit intimidating, but I'm sure I'll manage somehow.

Throughout training I have been very spoiled while living with my wonderful host family. Since coming here they have helped me with everything, from getting a haircut to showing me how to go places, to cooking for me etc. Their home is also very nice - computer, internet, hot water, etc. Very modern! My future living conditions will probably not be as nice. Odds are I will be living in the dorms with students. Internet and hot water in my room would both be luxuries. It won't be too bad, but definitely a change from my current situation.

Also, my next city will probably not be as big as the one I'm living in now. Chernigev is a city of about 350,000 people and is one of the larger ones in Ukraine. Most of the volunteers in the University teaching program will be in larger towns than volunteers in other programs, but we may still be in towns as small as 20,000 people. There are advantages to being in a smaller town, but it won't have all the things I've become accustomed to here. But these are things you adjust to.

There are many good things about leaving for my site though. I'm really looking forward to meeting new friends that I will have for the next two years. Besides that, I will finally get to start working in a community. I have been teaching and doing other things in Chernigev for the last two months, but mostly I have been the one learning how to teach, learning the language, learning how to live in Ukraine, etc. At site I will really be able to contribute which is the reason I joined Peace Corps in the first place.

It can be frusting to know that you've been in Ukraine with the Peace Corps for two months and really haven't done much yet. Really we've done a lot, we hardly even get any time to ourselves, but none of us came to Ukraine for the training. We are here for what comes next. It seems like training has been going on forever and we all thought it would never end, but now it is only a week away. Very exciting! I really can't wait to get to my new home. I'll post once more before I leave Chernigev, but after that the next time you will hear from me I will be at my new site!

PS

I have skype working now on my computer so if you'd like to chat with me send me an e-mail and we can set up a time. You can download skype for free at www.skype.com, all you need is a microphone and a webcam is a plus too.