The goodbye life

My former roommate (Molly) and I used to talk a lot about how our lifestyles- that of international workers- are just full of goodbyes. It's such a neat life for the majority of the time. There are so many priceless experiences and incredible people that filter in and out and make an impact on your life.

The wretched part is saying goodbye.

There's no real permanence of people physically being present. My life is so at that point. I've spent the past 8 weeks forging relationships that are unlike any others I've ever made. I've spent every waking moment with approximate 342 other like-minded people. We all have the same purpose and share many of the same struggles. We've all been through the same classes and experiences here. The hard part is knowing that I may never see many of them again. Yes, we'll stay in touch, but most people eventually lose touch.

There's no way to solve it; it's just the way it works.

The neat thing is seeing how the Lord is faithful to use those relationships to build and strengthen...even if it's only for a season.

love you, FPO friends.

The petri dish life

Communal living is so fun for a while.

Then, the stomach bug starts making the rounds.

I was feeling fine and dandy all day Monday. It was a really good day, actually. Monday night, I got off campus for dinner with a friend and had a great time. Approximately an hour later, I thought I was dying. I proceeded to die for the next NINE HOURS. At one point, I actually just made the decision to "sleep" on the bathroom floor. It was absolute misery. Thankfully, I am now on the upswing. Unfortuntely, my roommate is now down with it.

I'm so good at sharing.

Washington D.C.

Yesterday, we went to D.C. I love D.C.! So much. However, yesterday wasn't a sightseeing day; it was a cultural experience/ project day. Here are some pictures from our outing:

Stop #1: Kabobs and Rotisserie in Sketchtown, USA. It was soooo shady in that part of town, but the food was good. The menu was kind of Mediterranean-meets-Middle Eastern-meets-Indian. Such an experience.

Stop #2: St. Nicholas Orthodox Church. Totally different part of town. It was on Embassy Row, in fact. Unfortunately, no one was there. We couldn't get inside, but we did turn into creepers and press our faces to the windows to see. I have never seen anything quite that elaborate. There were floor to ceiling murals and ornate woodwork. There aren't any pews in Eastern Orthodox churches (worshipers stand for the service), but there were a few wooden chairs with signs reserving them for the elderly and disabled.

This picture of Jesus (we think) was over one of the side doors. Let me know what you think.

Mini Ukrainian lesson: Prince Volodymir introduced Orthodoxy into Ukraine, following his political marriage to an Orthodox-background princess. This plaque says: "Saint Vladimir, equal to the apostles, grand prince of Kiev."

My group: Amy, Mary, Mary Ann, and me. We all happen to live in the same quad, as well. Mary and Mary Ann will also be in Ukraine, just not in my part of the country. Prince Vladimir is in the background here.

Ok. If you know me, you know why this was a great moment in my life. I really am doing "V for victory," not a peace sign.

Stop #3: There's a story here. We left the Orthodox church, seeking the metro. Unfortunately, we missed a turn somewhere that caused us to walk the ENTIRE length of Embassy Row. Such a neat experience to see all the embassies and flags. We passed the Islamic center. I'm not sure if you can see the massive row of flags; I love flags, so it was cool to try to identify them. It was also a neat prayer opportunity.

It was a long and full day, but a really great outing. I'm tired today though...

Lessons of ALL kinds.

We're in training, right? We study about cultures and languages and different methods of communication. We listen to speakers talk about cultural anthropology and the importance of prayer, how to eat foods we don't like and how to travel safely.

Globe fountain...I don't think you can see Ukraine from this angle.

We also learn other kinds of lessons...

That's right. Flushing squatty potty here on campus. F.A.N.C.Y.

It's your lucky day.

Yesterday, some friends and I visited a Greek Orthodox church in Richmond. It was such a neat/different/unique/cultural experience. To make it even more neat, we were there on a church feast day. It was really different.

* The Orthodox Church puts a major emphasis on 2-dimensional icons. This church had icons that were taller than an average door. Very ornate.
* There's a wall facade that the icons are painted on. The facade goes about 2/3 the way up the height of the building. It's on the platform and separates the congregation from the highest part of the platform where the priests assemble the items for the Lord's Supper. It obliterates most of the view into that part of the sanctuary.
* Incense is HUGE in the ceremony. It's pretty intense.
* The music is beautiful. The visit to this church reinforced the concept that I've learned about the emphasis on aesthetics in Orthodoxy. The whole experience was truly beautiful. I felt like a fish out of water; I had no clue of what I should do or when I should do things. Part of the ceremony was in Greek, which I didn't understand.

Thanks for reading! Information overload... sorry!

Loooooooooong week

It's been a really long week. I still have several hours to go before it's all over. This week has operated on the following schedule: 8-5 Monday through Friday and 8-4 today. You may note that today is, in fact, Saturday. I'm so tired.

We're getting great training this week, but it's taking the life out of me. There's been lots of hands-on activity and intense discussions/ lectures. I'll be thankful to go back to a normal week next week. However...we do get shots again. Bummer.

Sorry that I haven't updated much this week; I've been pretty exhausted. New lesson on Ukraine coming soon...

The results are in...

That's right. The results on my Meyers-Briggs personality instrument are in, and I am a...

ESTJ.

Extrovert: derive energy from being with people
Sensing: concrete, like facts and details
Thinking: task-oriented, problem-solver
Judging: like a plan and lists

*For the record, I was almost off-the-chart on Judging. I do love a good list!

Moving on. Here is your Ukrainian fact of the day:
* Ukraine is divided into oblasts, which are kind of like states, kind of like counties. Here's what the country looks like all divided up:



* My city, Poltava, is in the Poltava Oblast. It is, in fact, the capital/ seat of the oblast. Neat, huh? Here's how my oblast is broken down:
Please don't ask me how to pronounce those words.

Awards

Special awards go to Karen Tidwell and Amanda Pennington.

Mrs. Tidwell figured out that salo is pork fat. Yes, Ukrainians like to eat pork fat. They spread it on bread like butter on toast. The prize for getting this? If you come visit me, I'll acquire some salo for you to eat and round out your Ukrainian experience.

Amanda gets the "my biggest blog fan" award for commenting on EVERY post I've put up so far. Impressive. And, I miss you.

My face is really obscured, but it's good of Amanda...that's all that matters, right?

Halfway point

This week, we are officially halfway through training. That is really unbelievable to me. It feels like the following:
1. I've known these people for MUCH longer than four weeks.
2. we just got here.
3. I have so much more to learn.
4. I'm going to be leaving for Ukraine REALLY soon.

Those last two are especially true. In less than two months, I'll be in Ukraine (probably freezing). That thought is simultaneously crazy and very much sinking in. I'm both excited and unprepared. However...I'm not sure there is a way to be fully prepared. I think I'll just to move and then adapt.

Here are some Ukrainian facts:
1. Crimea, the region in the south of Ukraine, is the Crimean part of the Crimean War. "The Charge of the Light Brigade" anyone? Yep. That happened in Ukraine.
2. A popular dish in Ukraine is salo. Any guesses as to what it is? First one to get the answer wins a prize.
3. Borshch, which is traditionally associated with Russia, originated in Ukraine. It's usually served with smetana (sour cream). It's good. You should all come visit and give it a try.
4. Alcohol is very prominent in Ukrainian culture. In fact, kvas is a soft drink made from beer. It's that common.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?