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Archive for the Ukraine Category

Memories from an Overnight Train to Odessa

Memories from an Overnight Train to Odessa

I have been recently writing about the ins and outs of overnight trains in Ukraine on HubPages, and I was reminded of one specific ride from Kiev to Odessa. See, in the article "Overnight Trains in Ukraine", I explain the feelings that go along with choosing this form of transport in the former Sov ...

Brooke vs. Ukraine | October 20, 2009

7 Comments

Chest X-Ray, Anyone?

When talking to my mom the other day on Skype, she asked me how my trip of a lifetime was going. The interesting part was that she wasn't asking about traveling around the world. She was asking about Australia - a place that has struck my fancy since I can remember. I made it here; I made it happ ...

Brooke vs. Australia, Ukraine | March 22, 2009

5 Comments

Bribes: The True Ukrainian Experience

Once you explain the meaning of the word "bribe" to a Ukrainian person their look of misunderstanding quickly changes to the "oh-yeah-i-know-that-because-it's-normal" look. Bribes are everywhere in Ukrainian life. These actions are so blatant that what we might know as "money under the table" is a ...

Brooke vs. Ukraine | March 5, 2009

2 Comments

Fat, Unhealthy Americans

"Most Americans aren't in good physical condition because they don't exercise enough." "No matter how unhealthy it maybe be, Americans love fast food." "Who do you think is healthier: Americans or Ukrainians?" If you haven't guessed it already, this is material I have to teach. At first I ...

Brooke vs. Ukraine | February 24, 2009

19 Comments

Photos Updated: Pics from Odessa!

As much as I love using my big camera to take photos, I just don't do it enough. There's something about the hassle of taking it around with me, or the fact that people stare at me sometimes when I'm using it, that makes it not so popular. This is why the party cam (pocket point and shoot) became ...

Brooke vs. Ukraine | February 21, 2009

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I can't believe I did that!

Every year for the past few, I have taken part in scoring standardized tests for Illinois schools. This is a temporary (usually only a month long) job, but it helps me save a few extra bucks. I recently got another offer for this April, which I was ecstatic about... until I read the fine print. ...

Brooke vs. Ukraine | February 13, 2009

11 Comments

Is Odessa in Ukraine?

Pinch me! Confusion was the overwhelming sensation of the past weekend when some other teachers and I made a quick girls-only trip to the southern seaside city of Odessa. We all basically endured a 9-hour sleepless train ride to get there, but that didn't matter once we arrived because the brigh ...

Brooke vs. Ukraine | February 9, 2009

4 Comments

I might be jinxing it, but…

Ever get so frustrated with something not going your way that you just kind of crack like an egg, spill all over the place, and then lack the substance to sweep yourself up? After a while, the mess starts to smell a bit like uhm... rotten eggs, and eventually it gets so bad that you just can't even ...

Brooke vs. Ukraine | February 3, 2009

4 Comments

Setting Goals Part 2: Start something.

My nickname around this part of the world has become Artsy McCrafterson. I have a knack for making something from nothing, and I LOVE doing it. This is nothing new for me, but for Tanya... well, she seems amazed at all my little creations. She actually said I should start a crafting portfolio fro ...

Brooke vs. Random Posts, Ukraine | February 1, 2009

6 Comments

My Life as a Teacher

I believe I told you all a while ago that I would be sharing more information about my working life here in Ukraine, so I have finally decided to make a post dedicated to doing just that. For starters, my job is really not difficult. The Ukrainian teachers here focus on the grammar, while the Am ...

Brooke vs. Ukraine | January 30, 2009

5 Comments