Passwords Galore!

Hello everyone! Apparently Peace Corps Ukraine has a policy whereby all volunteer blogs must be password protected, thus the abundance of protected posts. If you want to know the password, just ask me – jlmack63@gmail.com.

*Please note that some of the posts will have a different password; these ones are for my close friends and family only. Sorry!

I stayed with a…

I stayed with a host family and took my dinners with them. These were awesome affairs—wine, cheese, meat, chocolate. They took no pity on me. They bombarded me with French, and from snatches of body language, from a smile or a frown, I deduced what I could. I went through entire dinners—and even engaged in conversations—during which I understood only snatches.

We spent those evenings talking, our gestures making up for a paucity of shared words. But I knew, in some unnameable way, that they were good people. And from that, I could tell how two people with no shared language could fall easily and deeply in love; how the way a man expresses longing, or a woman expresses possibility, could be like discovery; how an entire person could be, to another, a long, dark country.

Substitute “wine, cheese, meat and chocolate” for “buckwheat, meat jello, dried fish, and cabbage rolls” and “French” for “a bastardized mixture of Ukrainian and Russian” and this quote=my life.

Camp Model United Nations

Dear Family and Friends,

As you probably know, I love being a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine, but I particularly like Summer. The weather is beautiful, fresh fruits and vegetables are cheap and easily available, and Summer is the season for my favorite activity as a volunteer – summer camp!

This year I am excited to be working at the very first Camp Model United Nations here in Ukraine (it doesn’t hurt that it’s by the sea in Odessa). This unique camp will teach information regarding human rights, United Nations procedure and global issues to youth (ages 15-19) from all areas of Ukraine. If you’ve talked to me about my service at all, you know that I think the biggest impact I can have here is to open the eyes of Ukrainian youth; to convince them that they can change the world and that exploring other places and ideas is worthwhile. That is why I am so excited to be a part of this camp.

However, I need your support to make Camp Model United Nations a reality.

The total cost of the camp is $9442.11 and will fund food, lodging, and materials for campers and staff. Peace Corps Volunteers and Ukrainian counselors are donating their time to plan and conduct the camp, but it takes more than enthusiasm to house and feed kids for a week. Please consider contributing:

• $10 to purchase training materials for one camper
• $37 to equip campers with MUN manuals to conduct their own conference
• $105 to sponsor one camper for the week
• $280 to provide transportation for campers to and from the training center

Remember, all contributions can be made online and are tax-deductible.

Thank you for your support of Camp MUN and of my Peace Corps service. The grant must be raised by July 10, 2013, if the camp is to happen as scheduled. I hope you are able to make a contribution. Consider it an early birthday present :-)

 Love,

 Jordan

 Donate here: https://donate.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=13-343-047

May is the best month

Hidy ho, friendly blog readers.

Sorry about the ridiculously long delay. I am pretty much terrible at this blogging thing these days, and not for any particularly good reason. Either (a) I’m doing nothing, in which case there is nothing exciting to report, or (b) something is happening, in which case I’m too busy doing that thing to settle down and write a blog about it.

But in any case, here I am. A lot has happened in the 6 months (more?) since I updated. To streamline, let’s use bullets:

• Seroga finished fixing up the new house and we MOVED OUT OF T. SHURA’S… woot woot! I am still SO happy just to be living separately. She is still just up the street and we go to her house to shower (no facilities for that here) but I finally have my own space, my own kitchen, my own schedule. It is glorious. I even planted little cherry tomatoes, broccoli, iceberg lettuce, etc and eagerly await their growth into deliciousness.
• I had some sort of mystery disease, characterized by me coughing/hacking like someone dying of emphysema from the beginning of December to maybe March or so. No joke, my doctor tested me for both pneumonia and tuberculosis. I have never been tested for so many Oregon Trail diseases, ever. But it was negative so I just got some cough syrup and it sort of went away as winter went away. I think my body is allergic to cold.
• I went to America! For a whole month! It was truly a month of shameful indulgence, in which I: ate pretty much ALL THE THINGS;  got a ton of clothes from my mom, sister, and aunt; flew to Idaho to visit my grandma and papa; went to the movies constantly; drove a vehicle YAY; spent tons of time with my too-cute-for-words niece, including trips to the zoo and Disneyland;  went to Vegas and enjoyed Cirque du Soleil, buffets, my first gambling experience, and another round of Thunder From Down Under. It was, needless to say, an excellent month. It was hard to come back, especially logistically because the Kiev airport was closed down for heavy snow (on March 23!) and I ended up having to spend the night in Amsterdam, getting rerouted through Paris, almost not getting on that flight, and having my bags lost. PHEW. By the time I got back to Mala Vyska with my bags in tow I was just so relieved that the ordeal was over that I barely had time to think about how hard it is to readjust to Ukraine. Of course, I did adjust, and all is well now.
• I finally went back to school after an enormous break for the Christmas holidays, my horrifying mystery disease, and my trip to America. I was so happy to see the kids and I know they felt the same way about me. Things at school are easier, probably because I work with my counterpart about 4 hours a week now instead of 14. It makes things less strained. Also, thanks to an incredible organization called Books for Peace, I was able to get 4 enormous boxes of ESL textbooks from America. I got everything – textbooks, workbooks, posters, CDs with texts and songs, etc – for all different levels. It is so exciting to have new materials to use, especially ones that don’t have grammar mistakes in them.
• I saw my friend John quite a bit. I went to his house in Lviv Region for the week of American Christmas (because Ukrainian Christmas is January 7 so December 25 can be pretty depressing for Americans) then he came to visit me here in Mala Vyska in early April. He’s a great guy and I’m glad he was randomly put in my training group in Peace Corps. Unfortunately, he is leaving Ukraine in June :-( We were talking about his travel plans after COS (close of service) and came up with a super exciting idea…
• We are going to Italy! We will leave together from Kiev and spend 4 days in Milan and Lake Como. I am, of course, SUPER pumped. We already have hostel reservations and such. As always, I’m doing this on the cheap but I don’t care. Italy in June! Woot!
• And, last but not least…. Seroga PROPOSED! I can’t say it was a total surprise (subtlety is not a Ukrainian art) but I am happy anyway. The ring is silver with three rows of tiny itty bitty diamonds all around it. I think it’s gorgeous, although definitely not like an American engagement ring. We started the process of getting him a Fiancé Visa so he can come back to America with me at the end of the year and we will have 90 days to get married. It will not be a big thing, probably just my immediate family and a few close friends (like, 2) but I am excited nonetheless. When I came to Ukraine I had prepared myself for 2 years of single-dom… I guess that’s not how this story turns out though. I know there are a lot of challenges ahead, but what is life if it’s not an adventure? I’d rather try and possibly fail than not try at all for fear of failure. My biggest adventure yet is just around the corner.
• Last, but not least, I decided to finish my Masters Degree. I started it in 2009 and already completed 24 of the required 40 credits before I left to join the Peace Corps. Since it is an online degree, I can obviously do it from anywhere but I DO need an internet connection, so I waited until I felt like my living situation was stable and internet-having before I enrolled again. I also wanted time to reflect on it and be sure I wanted to finish. So anyways, I made the decision, submitted the paperwork, approved the financial aid, and enrolled in 8 credits for the Fall Semester. In Spring 2014, I should FINALLY get this Masters in Library and Information Science and be able to add that to my resume. Actually having had a job in the past + Peace Corps + Masters Degree = me finding a decent job when I get back? I hope so.

So that’s that. phew.

I’ll try to update more frequently so I don’t have to be as wordy next time.

Until then, do-pobachennya. 

Giving Thanks

It’s the last day of November and I can’t believe how time has flown. Two of my best friends here are leaving Ukraine in just 2 weeks and it feels like we all arrived here yesterday, knowing nothing and missing home. Now, for all of us, Ukraine is less a mystery and more a second home. I may have chosen to stay for another year, and I’m glad everyday that I did, but I am coming to understand that this year wont be like the 2 preceding it. Without Shannon and Michelle (and, eventually, John), it just won’t be the same. Also I’m realizing that extending my service here may have postponed the inevitable but it’s still going to happen; one day, relatively soon, I will have a ticket on an airplane to return to America and I’m probably never going to feel ready for that. I have really dug deep in Ukraine and created a whole new life for myself – one that I really enjoy. It’s hard to accept that that life will come to a sudden end relatively soon.

So, with that in mind, and in honor of Thanksgiving (a holiday they do not celebrate here and so has gone un-commemorated by me this year) I decided to make a list of what I am thankful for (in no particular order and obviously not including everything because that would be impossible).

1. Having been born in America. My country is not perfect but I’ll take it. Being born in America, at least for now, is the same thing as being born privileged. I can travel where I want, almost always without a visa. When I get there, I enjoy the relative strength of the dollar. I can take advantage of great government programs like Peace Corps and state-run universities like Berkeley. I was not born into a country where sixth graders commonly smoke cigarettes, children are raised in an environment that stifles creativity and optimism, major corruption is a given, and the majority of adults struggle just to feed their families. No, I was born in America and I’m thankful for that. 
2. My parents. They have always been the best parents I could imagine –  loving, supportive, helpful, funny, and engaged in my life. Even when I have made choices that they don’t agree with (read: any time I have made a major life choice since I was old enough to make them) they have supported me in every way. I know they don’t love that I’m here in Ukraine or that I chose to stay another year, but they continue to be proud of me, to listen when I have a bad day, to send me well-timed packages of American goodies, and even help me pay my debt while I am here. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here (literally – I couldn’t afford to be).
3. My sister. I was not always a fabulous sister to her, but all that has changed. It has been a privilege to watch her grow from a little lump of skin and bones (albeit a cute one) into a curious and imaginative child then a beautiful and intelligent adult. She is the only person in the world who understands all the weird quirks I have and I am so glad that I get to have her in my life.
4. My niece, Riley. First of all, she’s the cutest and smartest damn thing I’ve ever seen. But more importantly, she brightens my day like no one else can. Sometimes, especially here in Ukraine, it’s just really hard to break out of a funk, but Riley does it for me every time. Whether it’s hearing her sing the ABCs or hearing about her trip to the zoo or the newest Disney princess movie, her little voice and enormous personality (and hair) make me smile every time.
5. My students. Before I came to Ukraine I wasn’t sure I liked kids and I was pretty sure I never wanted to have any. Now I know that isn’t true. Sometimes I want to strangle them (or just a few in particular) but it’s so interesting watching them grow up and learn. I have never felt so rewarded in my job as when I have a successful lesson. It has been my privilege to come to Ukraine and support those kids that don’t get any support from their other teachers, to encourage them to think creatively and explore the world of possibilities, and to be greeted by 8B knocking on their windows when they see me walking into school and dozens of tiny voices screaming hello or, when they forget themselves, dobry den.
6. The fact that I made the difficult decision to join Peace Corps. It was really hard, in the beginning. I wasn’t particularly happy in Chicago, but I was comfortable. Making the decision to leave all that and jump into the unknown was not something I took lightly and it definitely didn’t come easy, but I have been rewarded 1000 times over. Thanks to my participation in Peace Corps, I have grown so much as a person. I know that I can survive and do anything (literally) and I am not afraid anymore. I am much more patient and appreciative. Isolating myself from everything I knew made me understand myself so much better, both as an individual and as a product of my culture. I was forced to become an optimistic person… believe it or not, my Ukrainian friends/family make fun of me for saying “Everything will be OK” (все буде добре) so often. I like the ways that joining and doing Peace Corps has changed me and I am thankful that I had the balls to make that first, very hard, decision.
7. My boyfriend Seroga. Needless to say, my experience here in Ukraine just would not have been the same without him. But, more importantly, I am thankful just to have met him and had the opportunity to share my life with him for this long. He always knows how to make me smile, even when I’m angry. He makes me laugh everyday. He is hardworking and family-oriented. We understand each other in a way that is simple and easy and completely defies what you would expect in a relationship with someone who does not share your language or your culture. He is truly my partner in life – we do everything and make all decisions together – and I think we make each other better. He is definitely not perfect and we might not be together forever, but he is the best partner I can imagine and it’s hard for me to picture my life without him.
8. My computer and the internet. This sounds silly, but it’s really not. From where I am now, there would be almost no communication with my family or friends if I did not have email, Skype, or this blog. Peace Corps Volunteers in the past and in other, more rustic, countries don’t have these advantages.

So I suppose those are the biggies.

Even (or perhaps especially) today, when I’m stuck at home with the flu and looking down the barrel of a long cold winter, its important to remember why I am so lucky to be living the life I am. And I really am lucky.

Chicken pesto sandwiches and french fries

I was watching TV this morning and there was a scene where some guy was eating what appeared to be a ridiculously delicious sandwich, accompanied by skinny fries. I immediately knew what my goal was for the day: make that sandwich. Now, thanks to the lack of any kind of sliced lunch meat and the extreme overabundance of sausage, that proved to be difficult, but I found a solution. Chicken pesto sandwiches.

4 chicken breasts

1-2 tablespoons vinegar

2-3 teaspoons dried herbs (I used thyme, rosemary, and an italian mix)

1-2 tablespoons mustard

1-2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/4 cup of oil

salt and pepper

First I marinated the chicken breasts in all that business (1 chicken breast is enough for about 1 person) for a couple hours.

Then I grilled the chicken breasts until done in a little bit of oil. They came out nice and charred but not burnt. I cut the breasts into smallish pieces and set that business aside.

bread

butter

mayo

pesto

tomato

cheese

Then I buttered one side of some bread and threw it on the griddle with the butter down and a piece of cheese on top, then the chicken. After the first side was toasty, I put another piece of bread (butter up) and flipped.

When those were done, I opened them up and added mayo, pesto (I bought it pre-prepared in a jar), and some sliced fresh tomato. YUMMY.

As for the fries, that was easy. I just peeled and washed some potatoes, cut them up like McDonalds fries almost, then deep fried them in pretty much a whole bottle of oil. I did them in several small batches and waited until the outsides were crispy, then salted them.

All in all, success was had and I even have some left over for tomorrow :-)

Protected: Life goes on

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Pierozhky z kapoostoyoo (baked pies with cabbage)

Yesterday I baked something from a recipe that I found on the internet, but the recipe was entirely in Russian (which isn’t even the language I officially learned), so I was really proud of myself. Additionally, it turned out really delicious so I decided to share the recipe here.

Margarine  - 200 grams

Flour – 3 cups

Eggs – 4

Sugar – 1 tablespoon

a pinch of salt

Dry yeast – 2 teaspoons

Cabbage – 1/2 a medium sized head

Butter – 100 grams

Milk – 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup

 

To make the dough you should mix one egg and the sugar together in a cup (as in a measuring cup). Once the egg and sugar are mixed, fill the rest of the  cup with cold water. Add a pinch of salt. Set aside.

Mix together the flour and the dry yeast in a big bowl. Add the margarine (softened) and use your hands to mix it together until you have even sized crumbles.

Mix in the cup of egg/salt/sugar/water until its all moist. Knead the dough, adding more flour as necessary until it’s a normal dough consistency. Put the ball of dough in a bag, and pop in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Now, to make the filling. Cut up the cabbage into very thin slices. Put it in a pan over medium heat with a pinch of salt and pour in the milk. Cover and let it cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is softish. At that point, at the butter and let it keep cooking for a few more minutes. The cabbage should, at this point, be delicious.

Then make 3 hard boiled eggs and cut them into little pieces. Add the egg pieces to the cabbage mixture and let it cool. This is your filling.

Now take out your dough. Use a roller to make small circles of dough, add about a tablespoon of filling, and fold them up (as you can see in this picture).

Then I just popped them onto a greased baking pan (it’s ok if there is no space between them – they should be all up in each other’s business), spread melted butter over the tops, and cook at 200 degrees C (about 390 F) for 20 minutes.

Honestly, these are really yummy. Before coming to Ukraine, I couldnt imagine a cabbage dish that would be this delicious, but it is. Or maybe I’ve been in Ukraine for too long.