"What did you do today at 8 am, Lydia?"

I went to the gym and worked out...for the first time in at least a year.  And tomorrow, I will pay for it.  

Gym membership doesn't exactly sound like Peace Corps, I'm aware of that.  Honestly, it sounds more like Posh Corps, a name we sometimes joke about PC in Ukraine.  However, I have a few valid reasons to try the gym out (go with me here): 

1)  The fact that it's just after 5 pm and already dark, makes your mind play games on you.  I need something to fill my time.

2)  A fellow K-grad PCV had a membership to the gym but has bad knee problems.  He still had some prepaid time to go, so really, I'm doing him a favor by using it.  (cough cough, thanks Фил) 

3)  I thought I would give it a whirl, try it out for the month and a half that's already paid for, and see how it goes.  

4)  The gym has a shower.  An honest-to-goodness shower with all the hot water I want.  Enough said.

5)  Gyms in Ukraine have personal trainers that tell you what to do...and it's required.  

6)  Look at number 4.  That's enough reason to go.  

I've never had a trainer before in my life, so this was a whole new experience for me.  His name is Sasha, and he happened to be wearing a blue USA shirt today.  The front desk girl told him that I know Russian, but to speak slowly to me.  He asked where I was from and then pointed to his shirt as part of the question.  Then, we got to work.  He put me on the bike for 10 minutes on random intervals while he went to help someone else.  I did ab machines, leg machines, a few arm machines, a couple free standing exercises, and 10 minutes on the elliptical too.  It was well over an hours work out, and my body is already sore.    

The gym has just about every machine you could want.  There may only be one copy of everything, but there's enough variety that you're not going to just stand there (at least during the time periods I'll be going).  A trainer comes as part of your monthly package whether you want it or not, so I will most definitely embrace it while I'm here!  Some days I might not use him, but he was fun and remembered the other American's place that I had taken :)  

Started working on my HIV/AIDS grant today.  I have never written a grant in my life, so the entire grant-writing process seems pretty overwhelming when you're staring at lots of blank pages...kind of like the Peace Corps application was.  But, HIV/AIDS is a very big problem here, and part of that is because of the lack of information.  Wish me luck and say a little prayer.  

I ALMOST forgot today's movie clip.  Legitimately, almost didn't remember to post it.  I can't get the right video to load, so you'll have to click on the link here.  It's a good one, I promise :)  Although the scene isn't necessarily Christmas-y, it's one of my faves.  In fact, my future husband can surprise me with something like that at our wedding too and I won't be mad...

Hope nobody had a case of the Monday's today :)