Archive | Ukraine RSS feed for this section
Things I've Kept: Funny Student Papers

Things I've Kept: Funny Student Papers

By on April 9, 2010 in Soviet Travel, Things I've Kept, Ukraine

I was sitting in my room in Ukraine when I started hearing my flatmate laughing pretty loudly. After it didn’t stop, I had to ask what was going on because who likes to be left out of a funny moment?
It turns out she was grading papers from her English students, and one student in particular was giving her quite… Read more

April 9, 2010 · Read full story · Comments { 8 }
Memories from an Overnight Train to Odessa

Memories from an Overnight Train to Odessa

By on October 20, 2009 in Soviet Travel, Ukraine

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… Read more“, I explain the feelings that go along with choosing this form of transport in the former Soviet country; feelings of coldness

October 20, 2009 · Read full story · Comments { 7 }
Chest X-Ray, Anyone?

Chest X-Ray, Anyone?

By on March 22, 2009 in Australia, Soviet Travel, Ukraine

If you’re new around here, don’t forget to subscribe to my feed in a reader, or subscribe via email. That way, you’ll be able to hang out with me all the time. *smiles*… Read more
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

March 22, 2009 · Read full story · Comments { 7 }

Bribes: The True Ukrainian Experience

By on March 5, 2009 in Soviet Travel, Ukraine

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 actually just “money set on top of the table in an envelope”.
One of the… Read more

March 5, 2009 · Read full story · Comments { 3 }

Fat, Unhealthy Americans

By on February 24, 2009 in Soviet Travel, Ukraine

“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?”… Read more
If you haven’t guessed it already, this is material I have to teach. At first I laughed a bit. Now, I find myself getting angry. The amount of

February 24, 2009 · Read full story · Comments { 21 }

Photos Updated: Pics from Odessa!

By on February 21, 2009 in Soviet Travel, Ukraine

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 such… Read more

February 21, 2009 · Read full story · Comments { 0 }

I can't believe I did that!

By on February 13, 2009 in Soviet Travel, Ukraine

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.
This year, the company wants… Read more

February 13, 2009 · Read full story · Comments { 13 }
Is Odessa in Ukraine?

Is Odessa in Ukraine?

By on February 9, 2009 in Soviet Travel, 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 brightness of the sunshine perked us all up like a… Read more

February 9, 2009 · Read full story · Comments { 6 }
I might be jinxing it, but…

I might be jinxing it, but…

By on February 3, 2009 in Soviet Travel, Ukraine

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 look at… Read more

February 3, 2009 · Read full story · Comments { 4 }
Setting Goals Part 2: Start something.

Setting Goals Part 2: Start something.

By on February 1, 2009 in Soviet Travel, Tech & Gear, Ukraine

My nickname around this part of the world has become Artsy McCrafterson… Read more. 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 from just around our apartment. Interesting

February 1, 2009 · Read full story · Comments { 5 }