December 27, 2007
Another Christmas passes and a new year grows close. I like this time of year, it makes me stop and think about my life; what’s different from the year before, what may be different a year from now, and am I happy with what is going on in my life. And while every day has its ups and downs, its struggles to understand a babushka (grandmother) talking to you in the street, or figuring out which marshutka (big bus-taxi thing) stop to get off on, or simply which class-room you are supposed to be in, I can honestly say that I am happy with where things are going.
Christmas is a hard time to be away from everything normal to you, everything comfortable, especially since Christmas is the one time when almost all our family is able to get together and see each other. This was the first Christmas I have been away from my family, and while I was sad to be away, its hard to be sad when your students are struggling through Jingle-Bells or Frosty the Snowman. My students all wished me a Merry Christmas (once they realized that Christmas happens in America on December 25th) and Christmas Eve I went to the opening of the Christmas tree in my settlement. It is about 20 feet tall and on a pedestal so it spins, and they had Father Frost and his scantily-clad helper. I was lucky enough to get calls from my family in Minnesota, as well as my host-family in Rokytne and my friend Joanna. It made it much easier to be away from home.
I have been able to ‘teach’ a lot since I have arrived in Lugansk. I say ‘teach’ cause mostly I just teach my students the lyrics to Christmas songs and make them sing or answer their questions about me, but it’s a good way to get to know them, so that’s nice. Yesterday I went into downtown Lugansk to meet the other peace corps volunteer who lives here, Brian. He is doing business development but is right now looking for a new group to work with. So we went to a cultural college to meet with the teachers and students, and we gave them an hour class on American Christmas and I read “the night before Christmas.” It is very interesting to hear what Ukrainians think of our traditions and to hear about theirs.
Today was the last day of classes at my school, and the students put on a wonderful concert/skits for the rest of the students and the teachers. The students love to sing and dance, it is very cool.
I think that is all I have for now, great to hear from all of. Love,
Seth
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seth;
how are you bud? have not written since we got back on saturday night, sorry, jet lag, getting back to work, the whole thing, kinda crazy.....sleeping in the evening and then not at night....how are you? how is work going? I liked your blog about christmas and all that. but mostly, how was your trip to the carpathians? I bet it was cool....tell us about it.
I have kinda slipped over the deep end here in re ski racing this winter. Your mom and I are going over to do the Dolimitelauf near the italian border not this weekend, but the next, the 19th to do the race there....then on February 9 we will go off to do the biela stopa in slovakia on the weekend of the 8th of Feb, then the next weekend we will head back down to the dolomites to do the gsieser tal lauf in the val de casies (last year roberto de zolt tied for 2nd place) then go up to ramsau to ski and then in March I am going to switzerland for 24 hours to do the Engadin, let's see if it actually works (fly to milan, drive to st moritz, spend the night, do the race, then return to milan and fly back to budapest; rather tight window.....
okay for now, hope you are okay, write us when you can.
dad
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