The Whole Reason We are Here!

I figured I would put some pictures of the kids on, because, that is what brought us here. So, here they are.
YEGOR The Big Brown eyed Teddy Bear
VIOLA the Crazy Cat!

ALICIA the I Don't Want to do that, I have my own idea kinda girl

ASIA (Pronounced Awseeyah) Our Little Innocent Princess

NIKITA the Little Kung-Fu Master

Happy Halfway Day!

We are finally halfway done! We are on the downward slide! And I miss you guys so much! My Bestest Oldest Sister in the whole wide world recorded a video of my niece that was so stinkin cute! So, if you want to see it just click on the 8 feet of fun blog link to the right here. It is so stinkin cute! Anyway! I LOVE ALL OF You! Now no worries! Last weeks mishaps are completely in the past! This week has been going a lot better! I think it is just because we have come to the realization that everything is crazy here and we are just expecting it to happen! And the fact that my parents are coming in four days makes everything bearable! WE even got a heeping plate of cauliflower, brussel sprouts, carrots, and beef yesterday! It ROCKED! And, our host grandma used all of the oil on a dish that she prepared for stas. So, NO OIL!!!! YAY!!! And for breakfast, we had a way yummy rice pudding because the power was out, so all that she could use was the gas stove! It was sweet! Shower by candle light! I am just glad that the water was warm and not orange this morning! Well, I thank all of you for the strength that you give me! Thank you for all that you have inspired in me! Learning lots, Karli!

The Dacha!

We got to go to our host families summer house this weekend! And it was so perfect! We had a bbq and was secluded from the smoke and garbage of the city! It was wonderful! We picked over 300 grapes. took over 420 pictures! And got to watch the sunset over the river. it rained for about 10 minutes and then it was clear. and glorious! I loved it!

Every day Breanne and I wake up thinking . . . “Well, at least today can’t be as bad as yesterday”, and every day we go to sleep finding we were wrong

This was probably one of the roughest weeks of my life (I agree; Breanne), and I am so glad it is over. But, the neat part was, with how bad everything really was, there was always something just as sweet as it was bitter. For instance, we were fed ground up deep fried liver (sickest thing I have ever tasted) at the school after a long day of running around and catching kids to try and grab their attention for a split second. Tangent: (everything is in oil here, even if it is not cooked. It is said that you don’t receive vitamin A unless the oil is there to bring it out, so, our cauliflower (deep fried) our salads (slathered in oil) oh, the salads don’t even have lettuce, our pasta, (basically deep fried), oh, I can smell our breakfast right now, smells like blini (pancakes)! Cooked in half the bottle of oil! Excellent! The best part is, that when you say thank you for the meal, they reply with the phrase, “for your health”. I think I think that my body is the weakest it has ever been in my entire existence (true; Breanne), it practically hates me right now; I just can’t wait to get some real vegetables one day, so to all of you kids . . . EAT YOUR VEGETABLES! THEY ARE SO IMPORTANT TO YOUR HEALTH! (Oh and on top of this week, two of the teachers from our school ended up in the hospital. One teacher with tonsillitis and the other with a stomach virus and an inflamed pancreas. So, who gets to take over their kids? Breanne and I. we taught 11 hours one day! We have done the work of four teachers everyday this week! I am pretty sure I would not still be here if it weren’t for Breanne! Okay, tangent over, the double fold into good. One of the sweetest men in the world and his wife came to Kiev this week to help us with our teaching and to see how everything was going. He was the director for our program and seriously one of the happiest, intelligent, loving men on the face of this planet! He helped us realize our true potential, he calmed our worries about what wasn’t happening with the kids, he made me realize how much I actually have learned, and that there is a brightness of hope in the future! What a great couple! So, they came to our school, helped us with our teaching, helped us improve immensely, and then fed us the best pizza (okay, maybe not as good as the pizza that Stephanie and I make) But, it is claimed to be the best pizza in Kiev, and I am a believer of that statement! Then he fed us ice cream with melted peanut butter, fudge sauce, bananas, and whipped topping! GLOURIOUS!!! (Why not, eh? We are already eating a ton of garbage anyway; why not make it tasty garbage instead?) But, he completely lifted our spirits and made everything seem like such a small moment that will make such a huge impact. Oh how grateful I am for the ability to endure and for others to show you how to endure well. This experience has been such a blessing already, and I have grown immensely! (To bad that is not just spiritually speaking . . . curse the oil!) But, seriously! Life is so grand! And we don’t realize how blessed we really are! To all of you that have influenced my life, I thank you deeply! I love you all! And thank you for all of the time and talent that you put in to living each day! “Vashe Zdorov’e” (to our health)
(Dido; Breanne)

чудесные сярпризы (wonderful surprises)

Someone loves me! Man alive! I can't even believe it! There is modern civilization somewhere in this solar system! Я люблю вас! (I love you)

Well, on Saturday we went to a place called Lavra. We got to go into this church and then into the tombs of the important people in the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine. We got to wear knee length skirts and scarves on our heads and then we got to there worship service, and listen to the church bells chime, it was very interesting. Man, I love our Gospel! It was a very good time.

More Pictures!

Well, Europe has various ways of getting around the country through many underground systems. This is one of them, under the Chainbridge in Budapest. We had a ton of awesome foods as well! This is practically dough spiraled around a rolling pin and baked! Than caked with coconut, sugar, chocolate, or nuts! So Good!!! Then Me at the church in Eger. And then me holding all of the many for one of our excursions. It may seem like a lot, but really, 1000 Florins is about dollars. Anyway, I am a Hungarian Millionaire! Then, a picture I took of Budapest in the Evening! It was such a Gorgeous place! If you ever get the opprtunity to go there . . . GO!!! It is so worth it! How fun! Well, Until next time! Thanks for Reading! :)

Pictures!

This is our group at the Parliament Building. Then our Anonymous Architect Sculpture in Budapest at a castle. Then me in front of the Summer Palace in Vienna. And me sitting on a fountain at the palace doing what I do all the time! Taking pictures! I took over 1600 last week! The Last one is of the teachers in Kiev One in front of the biggest church in a place called Eger (Hungary). Sweet times!

The Train!

My first European Train! And it felt exactly like Anastasia! The best part was, the lady coming around and giving us towels had man legs! Her leg hair was at least as long as my dads! She was awesome! And probably a bit less muscular! No one beats my dad! Sorry!

Tourist Excursions

I don’t think they noticed, but we were not from around those parts. ☺ Which was too bad! Because Budapest was awesome! It is probably one of the most enchanting cities I have ever been in.

Last Saturday, 27 English teachers started out on one of the craziest excursions experienced in this four-month session! We climbed aboard a train going from Kiev to a little place called Chop at two in the afternoon. After arriving sixteen hours later, we climbed aboard a bus, which proceeded to take us 6 more hours away from familiarity. But, the end destination was far more enchanting than any of us could have ever imagined! We arrived in Budapest, Hungary at our 3 star hotel. Which, if I say so myself, was one of the nicest places I had laid eyes on in weeks! We had our very own beds, that when sat on actually recognized that you were there and sunk in a little! Feather pillows with clean pillowcases and real sheets! Some of the rooms even had the luxury of having carpets! Now, I don’t know about you, but, I think that we were previously prepared to think that this place was the most luxurious place we had ever been to! And we, yes we, had the solemn opportunity to inhabit such a magnificently accommodated place of residency. It was divine! Everyone woke up with no complaints, other than having to tear themselves away from their glorious slumbers. But, only to wake up to a served breakfast of the fluffiest breads, the tastiest jellies, honey, cereal, real milk! an assortment of hams, cheeses, tomatoes, and plain yogurt. It was so delicious! Needless to say, none of us were hungry in Hungary!

Our travels within Hungary included: Millennial or Heroes Square, The Royal Palace, a Castle, the Chain Bridge, Parliament Building, St. Stephens Cathedral, a Jewish Synagogue, The House of Terror (a Holocaust Memorial), a Marzipan Museum (everything was made out of confectionary candy), An Underground Labyrinth, and a lot more. It was so beautiful! We will have to have a Ukraine party when I get back and look at all of my pictures and eat all of the recipes that I have learned! Plan for around Christmas! It will be glorious!