First Time for the "First Bell" (plus the launch of my modeling career)

Tuesday, September 1: First Bell Celebrations



The first of September marks the first day of school across Ukraine. Except, rather than having actual lessons, it is a day to celebrate the new academic year. We met in the Palace of Culture where we recognized students with achieved high grades last year, introduced new teachers (my school has two new teachers), awarded teachers for their work in methodology of teaching, and observed a concert. Believe it or not - I actually forgot to put the battery back in my camera, so I wasn't able to capture any memories at this event (but the event was extremely similar to all of the other school concerts I've attended in Ukraine).



Here's a picture of me with Olya (left) and Sasha (right). Olya is in the 11th grade (so it's her senior year), attends a different school, and is my neighbor. Her family has been so welcoming to me since I've lived in Novoukrainka! Sasha is now in 9th grade and I am very close with her family.



After the concert, our teachers hosted a retirement party for Vaila. We started the party at noon and I finally left after 6pm! I left with a full stomach and in need of a nap...




Vaila's retirement party even had traditional Ukrainian singers...




Here are some of the other English teachers (from left to right): Lena, Tania, Aloyna, and Lena


AND NOW - THE LAUNCH OF MY MODELING CAREER...

Between the Palace of Culture celebrations and Vaila's retirement party, Aloyna, Lena, and I went to the park to "make some photos" of ourselves. We had a good time and it certainly reminded me of those senior pictures that are in storage somewhere at Mom and Dad's...

Please Note: Lena and Aloyna took just as many "model" photos as I did (most likely even more), I just didn't post 'em.

Oh yeah, time for the serious face...

Ok, here are some random photos from a couple weeks ago...

Independence Day celebrations in Kyiv:

My bed on the train:

Looking down the hallway of one of the train boxcars:

I went to Yura's birthday party (Yura is in the blue shirt and is Sasha's dad).

A couple weeks ago, Lena and I attended an In-Service Training with Peace Corps in Kyiv. The training focused on how to plan and implement volunteer service projects, with particular emphasis on how to motivate and involve community members.

Last week there was a concert at the Palace of Culture to thank teachers for their work. Here are some short videos of the students dancing.

The first week of school went by fairly quickly for me! I met some of my new 4th graders - it will be fun to teach these students, and they seem so eager and excited to learn. However, they will definitely require more preparation on my part (especially visual support) for learning English.

After the first bell celebrations, a family waited outside to tell me about a new volleyball league! I was so excited to learn that there are a group of people who play INDOOR three times per week - and it's FREE! So, last night I went to my first game. There were six other men, but they seemed happy to let me join. After almost two hours of playing intense volleyball (I was digging so many hits...ahhhh!), they wanted to make sure I was planning on coming back. Yes, yes, I assured them. (Even though today I'm suffering... my back is stiff from hits and serving, I think I jammed my left wrist, and my right knee injury is flaring up again...remember, from the sledding accident last January. Oy Oy Oy...you'd think I was getting old or something...) Oh, but here is a picture of the indoor gym we played in:

Well, it's 7pm and I have a train to catch in fifty minutes! I also need to drop off an umbrella that a store clerk let me borrow because I didn't have an umbrella and I needed to walk home. We had never even met before, but she was so kind to let me use it! I'll be traveling to Lugansk, which is in Eastern Ukraine. It's a fifteen hour train ride, so wish me luck! I'm taking a book that has received great reviews from friends, my iPod, and some chocolate :).

Thanks for reading and take care!

Love Nat