My Birthday

I find myself always thinking that how my mood is during my birthday will affect how the year ahead will be. While you may think that this is inanely stupid, I've found it to be relatively true. So, yes, it's a superstition, but I take it seriously.

My host mother called me from work before I left to go to Russian lesson and made sure that I'd have a good day. A volunteer is leaving town soon, as she's finished up her two years, and she invited us over that night for dinner, so there were no real birthday plans for me, but it was okay.

Lessons started off and the next thing I know, my LCF was blindfolding me with my scarf and spinning me around. Then the class directed me around the room to find my present. After I found my present, there were a variety of tasks written in Russian on the packing material, such things as having to tell a funny story (in Russian, for me, proved to be impossible, but her the anecdote of when during training, I told our cluster couple that I had some cookies from my Aunt and Uncle and wanted to share them with them. When in the evening I went to their room and was invited in, only to find them naked and in bed. I was embarrassed to say the least, but they were jovial about the situation. Before I left my room, I told my other clustermate that I was going to the couples room, and she prompted followed me and was likewise surprised by what she found), and dancing. It was a great lesson. Actually, all of that lesson was a great day, we mostly tried to talk about site visits and the towns and universities we'd be teaching at, as well as talking about our host families.

However, it wasn't a great day for others, but it was okay, we went out and got some food and then bought more food to say goodbye to this volunteer that we had all come to really love and appreciate. She's actually on her way home today, if not there already, and it's weird to think that she's not in K--- anymore. She probably thinks so too, that is until she gets her first hot shower.

But that was a nice and laid back evening, sipping champagne and picking over the stuff the PCV didn't want to take back. I got a bunch of books and some knitting needles. A PCV in my site city asked me what hobby I wanted to learn while I was in Ukraine, because, I'd finally have time to learn it. "Knitting," was my response, and so I'm on my way.

I got back later than anticipated and just went right to bed. The next day we had a training in the small town and had to get up early. The training ended rather early for us, and so the link group invited us to watch a movie. They selected 'Blazing Saddles' because I had never seen it before. After that, 3 of my cluster ended up in the oblast center (the married couple was off at a support group meeting in Kyiv) and decided that since we had just met a current PCV in that city, we'd call him and see if he could tell us of a good restaurant, or come out and meet us. Sure enough all the PCV's in town (minus 1, I guess) were getting together that night and sure, he'd meet us. So it was a good evening and we left to get home at a decent hour.

When I arrived home, my host brother ran to me and brought out a Kyiv Tort, the most famous cakes in Ukraine. They had a few friends over and I ate some guhluptsi (sorry, the trans might be off, they are awfully tasty cabbage rolls stuffed with meat, onions, carrots, and rice), and gave me some presents. Yeah, I felt bad about coming home so late since they obviously had done some stuff up for me, but I didn't know.

So, all in all, it was a good birthday. A relaxing time. I look forward to the year ahead.