Merry Christmas from Ukraine!

I spent a wonderful holiday with my Ukrainian family and another PCV who is living in another oblast. I cooked and baked my way through the weekend and although it was exhausting, it turned out to be the perfect holiday. Being away from my family would have been incredibly hard if it weren't for the people I have come to know and love here. I am truly blessed.

Veronica, Julia, me, Josh, and Natasha. (Max had not yet arrived)

Miss Mouse enjoyed herself as well!

How can I explain the Unexplainable?

It was a sad day for for Americans when the news of the Sandy Hook School tragedy hit the headlines. I found out about his event a little later than most and even though I am not at the moment in the vicinity of my countryman, I mourn no less. I was asked about this even on Saturday in book club and again I spoke about it at English club yesterday. People were naturally curious about how suchs things could happen in America and why.

After all the time I have been in Ukraine, telling everyone how fantastic our country is...how lovely are our people...I could think of nothing to say. A rare moment indeeed as I am always ready to talk.
I remember saying it was not the first time such a tragedy had occured in our county...or in other  countries and that I could only attribute these actions to mentally ill minds.

I simply cannot conceive of ever wanting to do such a thing...or even contemplating doing harm to another person. It is just...unthinkable to me. I have watched the news from my computer, seen the faces of the families and the community, and watched our president speaking to those families in Connecticut. President Obama was distraught with the immensity of this heinous act and overcome with such emotions he could not speak because you see, he a father first.

Were I home in New England right now I would be thinking...2 hours. Just a short 2 hour drive in the car and I could be in Sandy hook. It is that close...and I am so far away, but not in spirit. I will be thinking of those families and the community for a long time, I think.

Hello Winter!

I have been neglectful in recording in this journal and I apologize...it's just that nothing exciting has been happening and therefore, I have little to report that is of any great interest to my readers. Today was rather interesting in that the temperatures were in the negatives all day. At the moment it is 10 below zero (F) on my balcony...it's really windy so the wind chill is figured in. (All you New Englanders reading this know how important it is to have that figured in...)

So, having to get anywhere today without freezing my face off was the challenge. At one point I had my gloved hand over my face trying to keep my nose from falling off. So, here is a photo of me and Veronica after English club today...we are in front of the library. I have fur trim around my hood and I look rather hairy but I can assure you my hair is still short and sassy.

I received a care package from home last week (thanks mom!!) and as always the peanut butter was the main thing. Yum! I'm in heaven. My mom also sent me a solar seasonal ornament as well and it's pretty silly but since I am the queen of silly, I adore it. I call it my "metronome man" because it mimics the movement and sound of a metronome and if it's really sunny in the kitchen it goes like crazy! Miss mouse likes this too...

I'd like to say thanks to my girl Manette back in RI for helping me to apply for jobs at home....I don't have a lot of faith in the postal system here so she has been kindly going above and beyond what a friend should have to do...she's been taking my documents and images from Drop box, printing, and burning disks and then mailing everything all over the USA for me...you rock Manette! Thanks!!!!!

One last thing I wouldlike to mention is that I'll be home in like...5 or 6 months! I still can't believe how fast my Peace Corps service went. I am getting excited about returning to my life in Rhode Island...it's time for me to return to the pool, the studio, and my family.