Camp Bereg: Day 2

Hello hello! I'm backkkk with another blog update...I'm itching to write about the environmental conference I just went to (and today's first bell ceremony!) but I refuse to blog out of order right now...which means I have to finish my Camp Bereg posts! So, without further ado, Camp Bereg: Day 2 (Aug. 17)

For day number of 2 of camp, we had a lovely game of capture the flag for our morning activity. We didn't get to go to the beach because it was too windy, or too cold, or some other random reason (sometimes the kids didn't want to go to the beach, so the camp doctor makes up a reason why we can't). We split up into two teams and started trying to explain the game. The kids at this English camp have a wide range of English skills, but overall they were pretty impressive. I had not played Capture the Flag since elementary school I'm pretty sure, so it was funny to try to remember the rules. In case you've forgotten:

1. There are two teams

2. Each team makes a flag (at least at our camp!)

3. The "field" (aka boundaries for the game) is split up into 3 chunks: 1 for each team and then a middle neutral ground.

4. Each team's flag is hidden on their side and surrounded by a spray painted circle. This is the "zone"--if a member from one team makes it to the other team's flag, they are safe inside the circle.

5. If members of a team go onto the other team's territory, they are in a position to be tagged and taken to jail.

6. Getting out of jail requires having a teammate run to the opposite team's jail and tagging one of the players who is currently in jail. Then, they are free to go back to their side.

I think that is all of the important rules. My team took themselves very seriously...putting on pink paint on their faces like football players :) We had 3 older boys (all conveniently named Dima) who fully understood the object. One of them guarded our flag, and the other two went to try to capture the other teams flag.

One of the Dima's--this one's job was to guard the flag.  Hence the greenery for camo :)

The other 2 Dima's

At one point, the pair of Dima's decided to play a little trick on the other team. They walked up the big ramp on the front of the camp building and then waited until 2 ladies walked out heading down the other side. They awkwardly squatted behind the two ladies and walked down the longggg ramp to appear on the other team's territory. It was a surprise attack and was hysterical. I definitely wish I could have gotten it on video.

Team 2 getting some plans underway...

Artiom, Karim, Maksim--3 of the boys who were part of the Pink Elephants team with me!  Not sure of the girl in the background...

One of my little jewels--Uliana.  Isn't she beautiful? 

English shirt.  Enough said.

Some of my team in jail... :(

All tuckered out after the game!

Adam, one of the PCVs at camp, was trying to capture my team's flag when he tripped (or maybe a kid pushed him lol I don't remember..) and got a pretty awesome scrape/cut on his leg.  In Ukraine, they put this green stuff (maybe iodine like? for disinfectant?) on minor cuts and scraps that stays on for a few days.  Adam was lucky enough to receive some. It literally looks like someone took a green magic marker and scribbled it all over his legs.  

It was a hot morning playing capture the flag, but my team eventually won :) victory! We then had a break before lunch and got to cool down a little. After lunch, we had an excursion to a GIANT, old castle. Super, dooper cool.  There were so many picture opportunities it was a little overwhelming...so I decided to compile a little video of the pictures.  It was a beautiful day with very little cloud coverage, making it perfect for some photo shoot sessions.  The Ukrainians thought so as well.  Here in Ukraine, Ukrainians take lots of "glamour shots" that PCVs have dubbed as Ukrainian poses.  We may or may not have mimicked some of them...hope it makes you laugh.  The fortress/castle is over 600 years old and pretty amazing to look at in person.

Camp Bereg: Day 1

I figured since I didn't get to do any blogging while I was in Sergiivka (too many things going on!) at Camp Bereg, I would start at the beginning.

I arrived in Odessa on Tuesday morning around 5:30 am...I found the place at the train station where you can leave your luggage for a small fee (12.5 greiv, aka under $2.00), so I checked my hiking backpack there and headed to McDonald's. One of my friends Kym (she was in the Kozelets cluster--my link cluster) was on her way to Odessa too...but her train got in at 9:30 am, so I had a couple of hours to kill. After my breakfast of coffee and a MakToast (a hamburger bun turned inside out that is then grilled with cheese in the middle), I skyped with my parents since it was night time in OK. After that, it was time for some Odessa exploring! I had already been to Odessa earlier during the summer but had yet to see the Potemkin Stairs in the day light, so I looked up how to walk there on my Iphone (thanks for the wifi McDonald's!) and was off.

The city was absolutely deserted this early in the morning and I LOVED it. I walked around like a tourist and didn't care. The walk itself was about 3 km one way. I passed so many stores that I wanted to shop in...good thing they were all closed because I'm sure I could have done some MAJOR damage :)

The streets were deserted...

What kind of cars are those you ask?

Very expensive ones...

The view from the top of the stairs...

And the view from the bottom of the stairs. My knees hurt SO bad for the rest of the day after walking up and down the stairs.

I liked the fact that they had unique drains :) weird, I know.

Around 9 am, I headed back to the train station to meet Kym. We then headed to McDonald's for her first breakfast, my second :) They were serving fries by this time...so I couldn't resist!

We had a bit of an issue finding the correct place where to catch our marshrutka to Sergiivka (the town 2 hours south of Odessa where the summer camp is)...so it took a phone call to my clustermate Jamie to find out exactly where to go. We finally found the right area and got on our marshrutka. It was a typical summer ride in a marshrutka: cramped, sweaty, and smelly. BUT, we've gotten used to this (pretty much), and it is always MUCH better to have a friend along for the ride. When we finally saw the Black Sea, I squealed with delight just because I was so glad to finally be there. However, the guy sitting next to us must have thought that I had never seen it before...because he then pointed it out every 20 yards when a little patch in between beach houses could be seen. Super creepy.

Our marshrutka--this is a "nicer" looking one

Me and my bag--picture courtesy of Kym :)

We finally arrived at camp and I was able to take a breath, realizing that I didn't have to travel for the next week. We arrived when it was rest time...so let me take the time now to explain a typical day at camp:

8:00 am--breakfast

9:20 am--ferry leaves from dock and crosses lagoon to get to the Black Sea

11:30 am or noon--ferry takes us back across the lagoon

1:00 pm--lunch

3:30 pm--English lesson

4:30 pm--campers choice (kids get to choose what activity they do...sports, drawing, making bracelets, etc.)

7:00 pm--dinner

8:00 pm--evening activity (group skits, disco party, free time, etc.)

9:00 pm--counselor's are free

This is where all of the kids stayed--called a sanatorium. I've heard rumors that it used to be a resort, or that it used to be a school. So you can decide for yourself what it used to be! There are many wings throughout the building that different summer camps have reserved for their children to stay in. For instance, there was a giant karate camp (maybe 100-150 campers) going on at the same time as Camp Bereg (an English camp) with maybe 50 kids. There has also been a group of orphans that have stayed there all summer--they live in Chernigov (a big city close-ish to where I trained) during the school year. More about them later...

Here's a view from the second floor of the building looking out over the grounds. That is the lagoon in the picture, not the Black Sea. We took a 20 minute ferry ride every day to get to the Black Sea which is probably way off in the distance in this picture...

So, the first activity I got to be a part of was teaching my campers a dance that they would be judged later on. I got to camp when it had already been going on for a week, so I joined up with Nicole, another PCV, and the Pink Elephants (our 7 campers) to learn the dance to COTTON EYED JOE :) It was pure coincidence that I found the Pink Elephants who actually needed another PCV...and that they were doing a country dance. I may have gone a bit pom coach/dance teacher on them, but they did incredibly well during their performance :) If you didn't get a chance to see the video of all of the dances that night, check this blog post to watch it! I guarantee a laugh...and if nothing else you'll get to hear me die laughing at parts.

And that, my friends, was my first day at a Ukrainian Summer Camp. I'm sorry it's taking me so long to get these posted but being out of town doesn't make the process easier!

PC Country Director Visit...

This morning, I woke up at 7 am to Skype with Mitchell to plan our Eastern Mediterranean cruise! Two hours later, we hung up (9 am my time, 1 am his time) and I started getting ready for a full day of Ukrainian adventures.

1 hour into the skype call...on the phone with Brenda on Travelocity.

I had to be at the center where I work at 10:30 am for a birthday party. My counterpart's boss, Natalia Constantinovna (who lead the camping trip I went on), was celebrating in true Ukrainian style. I stopped at the store on the way to pick up some chocolate (the go-to birthday gift here in Ukraine). We had realllllllly good cake and candies were passed around. To top it all off, we had a nice, juicy watermelon.

Natalia Constantinovna is in the turquoise outfit playing the guitar. These kids are all a part of the "Image Club" at my center. I have yet to actually figure out what the club is for. I know some of these kids from my camping trip, but I've gotten to know some new ones the past few weeks when they've had a summer day camp at our center. We've had "English" time where they ask me questions about the U.S., what I'm doing here, etc.

I managed to snag a group picture for her birthday! I'm not quite sure why the kids are all wearing white and black today. That is not their normal attire. However, today is flag day (apparently), which is why the gifted me with the Ukraine pin as seen above. I'm also shocked to see how many kids are smiling with teeth in this picture...that's a first!

After leaving the center, I headed to lunch to meet the Country Director of Peace Corps Ukraine, Doug Teschner. There are 8 volunteers that live in my city and only 2 of us were able to join him for lunch, but I'm glad I had the opportunity to do so! He was in Kryviy Rih (south of me) this morning visiting a summer camp going on right now that some of my PC friends are at (Camp Lead I think), and was on his way home to Kiev and would be traveling through K-grad on the way. So, Jasmin and myself headed to Kurchma for some traditional Ukrainian food with the PC Country Director.

Jasmin, Lydia, and Doug--eating at Kurchma

Since my work was not too far away from where we had lunch, I took them over to see it. What I pictured as a short tour quickly turned into an extravagant ordeal involving my counterpart, her boss (Natalia Constantinovna) and the director of the Center for Creative Youth. As some PCVs say, I got Ukrained (meaning you never will know what's going to come at you next).

Doug and I standing outside of my building--the sign is in Ukrainian which I cannot read. That was a tad bit embarrassing when asked what it said :) Oh well, he knows I speak Russian!

from l to r: Jasmin (fellow K-grad PCV), Olena (counterpart), Doug (PC Country Director for Ukraine), Anna Pavlova (Director for Center for Creative Youth where I work), ME!, Natalia Constantinovna (counterpart's boss...and kind of like my other counterpart)

The only person I planned on Doug maybe meeting was my counterpart Olena. But, lo and behold I couldn't find her in the building. So, when I saw Natalia Constantinovna, I introduced them and they started to talk...and it was quickly decided that we would go visit with the director of the Center for Creative Youth where I work and that Olena would be called as well. Before I knew it, we were having multiple pictures taken on multiple cameras (my camera, Doug's camera, Olena's cell phone) and then on top of all that, a professional photographer showed up out of nowhere (he's been taking pictures of the kids all week at their summer day camp). It was hysterical to say the least. To top it all off, a lady magically appeared with a ribbon tied in a bow that the ladies pinned on Doug for flag day. Jasmin and I were giggling to ourselves at all of the events that unfolded in a matter of 10 minutes. Only in Ukraine...

I'm still trying to get my posts ready from my trip down to Camp Bereg...bear with me! I have been exhausted after a week at camp, a less than perfect night's sleep on a train, and fighting a slightly sore throat. Tomorrow is a GIANT holiday in Ukraine (yes, two holidays back to back)--it's their Independence Day. I have to be at work at 9:30 am...and then there are activities until 10 pm. Then on Thursday morning at 4 am, I will head to Kiev for almost a week where I will be attending an Environmental Conference with 6 other PCVs and some Ukrainian university students as well. I'm stoked to learn what things they have to teach us--random side story and then I'll quit.

Ukrainians do not know or understand what a reusable water bottle is. I have two reusable water bottles with me here: this one and this one. I use them both every day. The insulated one keeps water cold for 12 hours. Uh-maze-ing. When I took them on my camping trip, I think every person on the trip asked me at some point what my water bottle was. They thought it was special...or magical...or something only the crazy American girl uses. Since I've been doing English club at the summer day camp at my center for the past few weeks on and off, I (of course) take a water bottle with me. The kids that had not seen it before were SO perplexed by it. It still amazes me. I really want to do some type of project at my Center with Environmental awareness since my eyes have been opened to the fact that these kids have no clue what a reusable water bottle is. Hoping and praying that something great comes out of the environmental conference that I can do at my site! I've rambled enough now. Toodles :)

FIRST CARE PACKAGEEEEEE :)

I felt like a kid on Christmas morning walking home with my first "banderol"--aka package--from home! I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face. Truly.

The contents:

twin size t-shirt sheets so that I no longer have to wake up on the questionable mattress (Ukrainians don't believe in fitted sheets for twin size. Weird)

Reese's Pieces and Pretzel M&Ms (which I may have already eaten two packages of)

Crest Whitestrips (I've never drank so much coffee and tea in my life before)

Clif bars

CRUNCHY peanut butter :)

OU fuzzy slipper socks (I've been needing something to walk around my apartment in...and I didn't even tell my parents about that!)

Clippings from the Norman Transcript and the McFarlin Newsletter

OU 2011 football schedule!!!!!!!

and last but not least...ZITS cartoons, which is a hysterical cartoon that we think is modeled after the Frost Family.

Thank you thank you mom & pops for this lovely assortment of goodies. It turned a bad day into an absolutely GREAT one. And, I did all of the translations on my own! It may have taken 3 or 4 trips back and forth between one cashier window to the next, but I finally got it right!

In other news, I am working on my posts from my week at Camp Bereg. They're not quite ready, but I did put together quickly this video that is of a dance competition one night. Hope it makes you laugh :) Some Ukrainian kids have some pretty wicked dance moves.

Off to the train station now to meet my counterpart to try to buy my train tickets to Kiev for Wednesday night! Wish me luck :)

It was bound to happen sooner or later..

Well, I missed my train last night. As super embarrassing as it is, it actually couldn't have been at a better time. I wasn't going to a conference or to a meeting where I had to be in that city by a certain time. I was going to Odessa and then further south to Sergiivka where I will be helping out at Camp Bereg. AND, most other cities in Ukraine are sold out of tickets going to Odessa...it's a big hot spot during the summer for vacations. However, with my central location in Kirovograd, a lot of trains come through here on their way south to Odessa. 6 to be exact. I was also pretty lucky because it was a relatively cheap ticket (I think it was 60 or 65 griev...less than $10 USD)...AND, the lady at the ticket counter last night refunded me 25 griev even though my train had already come through.

Here's how the night went down. I thought my train left at 10:25 pm. Nope. It left at 8:25 pm. I misread the ticket (even though I probably checked it about 25 times in the past few days to make sure that it was for the right day and time). The other options for leaving from my city are all after midnight (or even at 2 or 3 in the morning) which is why I chose the "10:25" train. I was planning on leaving my house at 9 pm which would give me PLENTY of time to get there. The city marshrutkas were still running then, but not all of them. So, I ended up taking a marshrutka to the center of town (for 2 griev=25 cents) and then taking a taxi for 20 griev (a little over $3 USD). Oh, and I forgot one little anecdote: it was RAINING. Lovely. I finally got to the train station at 10 pm (after standing in the rain waiting for a marshrutka that would never come). I was ready to crash on my bed on the train. When 10:20 pm rolled around, I stood up and put on my backpack and headed to the doors that lead outside (into the pouring rain). They always announce over the loudspeaker (inveryfastRussianthatisreallyhardtounderstand) the arrival of a train...and it never came. Trains here are notorious for being on time, so I wondered what happened. I eventually asked a lady if she knew about it and she informed me that it was her first time at this train station. Her husband was helpful though and told me that I could go talk to the lady in information.

Upon speaking to her and explaining that I do not speak very good Russian and that I missed my train, she told me to give her my ticket and that was when she refunded me my 25 griev. I kept asking if any of the other trains coming through that night going to Odessa had seats, but she said they were all sold out. I asked when the next train coming through going to Odessa that HAD seats would be and she told me 5:48 am or 8:25 pm. I never remembered seeing a 5:48 am train to Odessa online but I knew the 8:25 would probably have some. I couldn't buy a ticket then though (no cashiers open), so I went home (and found a cheap taxi driver that I will be calling from now on! See, something good happened from this...).

After laughing and talking to a few people about it last night and today, I'm accepting the fact that this was bound to happen sooner or later during my time here. And I really lucked out with when and how it happened. I've been trying to get a picture of my ticket to load, but it won't for some reason, so no pictures today! Sorry folks :)

I went back at 7 am this morning to buy a new ticket...came home...and crashed for 3 more hours of sleep. It was raining and the perfect morning for a little snoozing.

One of the things I'm most excited about going to camp for: my trip to McDonald's by the Odessa train station. I would NEVER eat at McDonald's in the states. Ever. Maybe on a mission trip or choir tour when it was the only place that would house 50-150 rambunctious kids. But even then, I groaned about it because I never wanted to order anything off the menu. Yes, their fries are delicious...but they're HORRIBLE for you. And yes, the McFlurry's are great...but again HORRIBLE for you. I don't care about that stuff now. Because it's like I get to eat a little America, and you can bet that I enjoy every bite of it. Let's just say it's a good thing that Kirovograd doesn't have a McDonald's...because I know i would eat there more than I should. And yes, it is almost weird that k-grad doesn't have a McDonald's because most cities of this size do in Ukraine.

One of my link-cluster mates, Kym (who went on my first Odessa trip), is also going to camp with me tomorrow. Her train get in 3 hours after mine...ha, so I'll be spending 3+ hours sitting in McDonald's basking in free wifi, air-conditioning, and most importantly, feeling a little bit at home :) I can't wait. In the mean time today, I think I will watch a movie or some tv shows...my apartment is clean, my fridge is cleaned out, and I don't know what else to do with the day. I made another batch of zucchini bread (thanks to Catharine's great recipe) to take down to the folks that are already at camp. I'll get to see one of my cluster mates, Jamie, who actually lives in Sergiivka. Good times will be had with Kym and Jamie around--multiple laughing sessions are sure to ensure. But, until then...happy Monday!

Way-Back-Wednesday #10: Stephanie is getting married!! :)

So...I know it's not Wednesday. BUT, I had to post this blog entry before this weekend when ANOTHER friend is getting married...and that is none other than one of my old roomies, Miss Stephanie Ponder :)

Meet Stephanie and Chris. Aren't the cute?

(great engagement pictures by Esther)

This is probably my favorite of their engagement shots...like a fairytale! But, we're here to take a trip down memory lane. SO, without further ado, some awkwardly funny pictures of the wonderful bride-to-be! {SIDENOTE: If I were not in Ukraine and were at home with my picture albums, I could find some real gems of Stephanie and myself in high school. However, I am, in fact, in Ukraine and that is not possible. So, pictures from 6 years ago will have to do.}

Allison, Steph, and Lydia--Roomies for quite some time!

I think this was the first football game of the season in 2006...

And this was the COLDEST football game I think we ever experienced at OU. We were all wearing 3 or 4 shirts underneath our hoodies...still had to show Sooner pride!

Winter 2006 (don't worry, I was getting ready for a Christmas party. I don't normally wear Christmas bows in my hair and a jingle bell around my neck...)

Spring 2007

My 21st birthday celebration--roomie pic!

Allison's 21st birthday

MUG Bible Study party

Steph came on the Spring Break trip to Mexico in 2008 :) loved having her there!

Taylor, Gracie, Taylor, Lydia, Kendall, Stephanie, Ruthie--about to go shopping in Nuevo Progresso, Mexico.

Ah yes, and our annual Tacky Christmas Party--2008 :) cute bows girls. (this was before bows were "in" again)

Typical...

Annual Christmas Party 2009--Steph changed up her outfit...now sporting red tights! :)

Bekah, Elizabeth, Stephanie

Rockin' out...guitar hero style. I am so excited to see the wedding through pictures since I can't be there in person. You will make one beautiful bride, Steph :) love you dearly!

Skypin' it up :)

I'm totally copying one of my friends idea (thank you Matt Brady!) for taking a screen shot whenever I have a skype date with people back home...or here in Ukraine because that's fun too :) I'll randomly update skype pics...so if I forget to take our picture while we're skyping, remind me please please!

My big brother...caught off guard. :) I don't have any pictures of me skyping with the 'rents...will have to do that soon!

Jeremy and Tina--my brother and sis-in-law!

The one and only Kym Starno and Matt Brady, when they were in L'viv for the weekend. This was the weekend that Catharine came to visit me! So we had a little PC skype date...super fun.

Miss Kendall Haney :)

When I was on facebook last night...I saw that Catharine updated her status to the fact that she NOW HAS A KITTEN :) She's been on the hunt for one...and in Ukraine, if you see one, it's kind of an unwritten rule that you can just take it. I texted her and she called me laughing because the make-shift litter box she made for the kitten was not turning out to be a litter box. The kitten wanted to sleep in it. Go figure. So, we decided to skype so I could see the little thing. This was the first picture I snagged of it...its better side, no?

Trying to get a scale for how big it is...

I think it looks like a Button. What do you think? :)

And to end the night, a skype session with none other than the McFarlin Youth Directors...They're in Dallas right now planning the calendar year for youth events. Wish I was there!

Scott and Tino...a love/hate relationship.