So, life has been as usual in Ukraine. More class and more celebrations. I was really happy that our old Ukrainian teacher, Ira, came back from the rotation (we had another teacher for 3 weeks while all the teachers rotated to different sites). She's super sweet and a great teacher.
In other news, we celebrated a tradition called hram on Sunday (5/23/11). What is hram? Well, thats a good question. I'm still not quite sure! I heard from James that his family told him that it's the church's name-day. Whatever that means. I've also read that it's St. Nicholas' day and not the Christmas one! Here's an excerpt form the website I found:
"Ukrainian folk tradition recognizes two Saint Nicholas figures: "cold Nicholas" and "warm Nicholas."
Cold Nicholas, the familiar winter saint, is believed to bring the first snow by shaking his beard. In Western Ukraine accompanied by angel and devil figures, he is celebrated with gift-giving as described above. As the patron saint of spinning, yarns and thread were brought to church to "add to his beard."
Celebrated in the spring, warm Nicholas, patron saint of farming, is said to walk the land to dry overly wet areas and dampen the dry. On the festival horses begin grazing in the fields, sheep are sheared, and buckwheat sowed. In port areas the festival focuses on Nicholas as patron saint of the seas. Cossacks, like the Greeks, take St. Nicholas icons when sailing the treacherous Black Sea."
Here's the website if you want to read more: http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/ukraine/
So, we celebrated one of those things on Sunday. The whole family came over for hours and hours of eating and drinking. It was fun, but I was very tired by the end of the night!
Also, I'm pretty excited because we are having our first site placement interview on Wednesday. We'll have a Regional Director come and interview us. The way it has been explained to me is that they will have our resume and try to match things that we can bring to our community to a community that needs/wants what we have to offer. So, hopefully I'll be able to be matched with a community that wants to have a French Club as well as an English one. We'll see! Only 3 weeks until I find out where I am going!
Time is flying by like crazy. I can't believe that I'll be done with training in three weeks. Hopefully I'll be prepared for like in Ukraine on my own by then!
Enough about me. Leave me some replies letting me know what's going on with all of you in the States. Miss you all!
<3
Erin
Thanks for the update. I am writing this from London. Wish you could be here to translate :)
ReplyDeleteLove,
Dad
Hi, Erin -- This comment is more for your last post on Victory Day. Don't know if I ever mentioned that my mom grew up as a tween during World War II in England. She would share wonderful (terrible?) stories of growing up during that time at the dinner table every night. Perhaps that's why I do what I do? I'm used to listening to others' stories.
ReplyDeleteIn any event, prior to my father's paralyzing stroke, after which she stayed home to take care of him, she and I would travel the world together. We returned to England and explored Dover Castle several times. That's where the first computer, The Enigma, was created, and where spy reports were received during WWII. They still won't show all the rooms in the castle. Some things remain secret to this day.
Nonetheless, it was her dream to travel to Dunkirk - where 'the miracle of Dunkirk' (Churchill) took place in May, 1940. British soldiers were ordered to retreat following an attack by the Germans. Churhill told any Brit - fisherman, sport boater, etc. - to travel to the English channel and rescue the soldiers stranded there -- and they did! My mother remembered hearing the reports on the wireless at the time.
My French was a lot better in those days. We ended up taking a hovercraft over the channel from Dover into Calais. My bad-French got us a train ticket to Dunkirk and long story short, we stood freezing on the beach (in July!) looking out on the history my mother had heard on the wireless all those years before.
Moms aren't so bad, Erin. Even when they command you to update them. :-) They just care and want to share with you. We all learn and grow from each other. I enjoy reading your stories. This one on the myths of winter and spring has fabulous imagery. Shaking snow from a beard...how cute is that story? Love it!
Keep on keeping on. I'm reading faithfully and loving every minute of your journey! Write because you have a voice and a story to tell. Don't worry so much about feedback from others. There is always someone you will touch with your words -- most of all, yourself. Think of printing out this blog when you are done and keep your words with you for many years to come. Then, pull out who you were (now) and compare it to who you have become (in the future). This is your journey. We are your support team and your guides, cheering you on. But you choose your path. Thus, I sign off with (yet another) poem to help keep you centered. Take care of you! -- Linda
The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost
TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Not much going on here, aside from the usual.
ReplyDeleteHi Erin,
ReplyDeleteThis is Leslie Kinsel, your Mom's "Girl's Weekend" Friend. I have been reading your posts and following your fascinating adventures. Please keep writing as we are all learning so much about this different part of the world.
Enjoy and stay well.
Leslie
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