To Kyiv and Back
The trip to Kyiv was productive. I got some information needed for my classes and for some presentations.
We made our fourth month survey and distributed it.
I visited my TCF in her new training town and had dinner.
I met some trainees from the new group.
I returned some books and movies and took out others. I bought some books as well in addition to scouring the book shelves in the PC lounge and found some things of academic interest.
I got to visit with other volunteers and found out that rabies shots are long and complicated (thank God it was not first hand knowledge).
I had to fight to stay two nights at the hotel because of a new policy that apparently sprung up overnight and was not informed to the members (that's PC U for you).
It was also cold in Kyiv. I packed for N-- weather, even though Kyiv is much further north. I just assumed it wouldn't be that different.
It snowed.
The train ride up was uneventful. Mostly because we were to ourselves: 4 volunteers. The way back home involved me telling one older woman about me and who I was only to have her then tell my other coupe-mates verbatim what I told her when they were in the hallway and I was making my bed. I suppose that this was because a man close to my age asked if I spoke Russian. When I was listening to her retell my story that made me realize how elementary my Russian is, "I teacher. I live in N--. I lived in K--, Zhitomyerskaya Oblast for three months. I in Ukraine 6 months. I learn Russian 3 months." It was depressing. The man then wanted to speak English with me, which we did, but I was tired and needed to use the toilet before heading into bed. He took the cue and it was a subdued evening on the train.
I am now at home and it isn't as warm as it was when I left.
I feel myself running down again. This will be a continuous cycle here, I think.
We made our fourth month survey and distributed it.
I visited my TCF in her new training town and had dinner.
I met some trainees from the new group.
I returned some books and movies and took out others. I bought some books as well in addition to scouring the book shelves in the PC lounge and found some things of academic interest.
I got to visit with other volunteers and found out that rabies shots are long and complicated (thank God it was not first hand knowledge).
I had to fight to stay two nights at the hotel because of a new policy that apparently sprung up overnight and was not informed to the members (that's PC U for you).
It was also cold in Kyiv. I packed for N-- weather, even though Kyiv is much further north. I just assumed it wouldn't be that different.
It snowed.
The train ride up was uneventful. Mostly because we were to ourselves: 4 volunteers. The way back home involved me telling one older woman about me and who I was only to have her then tell my other coupe-mates verbatim what I told her when they were in the hallway and I was making my bed. I suppose that this was because a man close to my age asked if I spoke Russian. When I was listening to her retell my story that made me realize how elementary my Russian is, "I teacher. I live in N--. I lived in K--, Zhitomyerskaya Oblast for three months. I in Ukraine 6 months. I learn Russian 3 months." It was depressing. The man then wanted to speak English with me, which we did, but I was tired and needed to use the toilet before heading into bed. He took the cue and it was a subdued evening on the train.
I am now at home and it isn't as warm as it was when I left.
I feel myself running down again. This will be a continuous cycle here, I think.
posted by Molly | 4:43 AM
1 Comments:
You want really depressing? Your (typed) English is starting to sound like it has been parsed in Russian:
"Mostly because we were to ourselves: 4 volunteers."
But you are probaby tired. And I know from experience that this sort of thing fades faster than you can even notice once you are back where you belong.
Dont be too hard on yourself- I would imagine that the only languages harder to learn than Russian/Ukrainian are Chinese/Japanese. Or wierd dialects of Xhosa or Kwakiutl or something. Im sure you are doing fine with the talking and the introductions and the stuff.
Rabies shots, the old version, involve many many painful butt injections. Best remedy: Avoid all animals, especially wild ones.
-e
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