Ira and Daughter Alesya in kitchen

Here is pic of Ira and her daughter at the kitchen table.
We've been having oatmeat with bananas and instant coffee in the morming. Ira steps
out to get pastries which is our downfall.. The week was so great--I got to teach the 2 Friday groups since Barbara was heading to south Ukraine on the overnight train. Then we heard that
there has been a swine flu scare. Keep in mind that I have not heard or seen any news for a month. Barbara decided not to go because of the flu thing.

Ira's girls have been down this week, 14 and 16
they are so great practicing their english with
me. They are typical teenagers--love to sleep.

In God all things are possible...I'm aware of my
need for humor and laughter. My humor is
clearly not understood here. Believe it or not
there is a thrift store on the was to the office--
is anyone surprised?

A FRIEND THAT TALKS IN ENGLISH

This is my friend Vitalek who was assigned to keep an eye on me after the conference--We've had some great times--We've explored a huge park near by and we've gone to the "forest" to hike. We created a fire right in the center of the woods with no barriers --no nothing--I think I was babbling about the Cedar fires--it was a very strange feeling.

Unfortunately there are no "locaL attractions"--the city has about 300,000 ppl--no Sea World. I enjoy going to the market-it's about a half hour walk-very comfortable.

Today I had the morning to myself--Ira's daughters--Oxana

and Svelte are down from Kiev--they are 14 and 16 and very beautiful. I walked to the office and had a meeting with the Pracs for a couple hours then at 6pm Barbara gives a lecture.

My class is called MAKING GRACEFUL CHANGE--3 weeks long. I'm researching going to Moscoe in mid November for 5 days so stay tuned!

AMERICANS IN YALTA, UKRAINE

This pic is one of our "crew" from American.

Things you didn/t know about Lori of the Ukraine--
I look forward to having instant coffee with milk anytime I have coffee--where is that Starbucks iced latte?
I have to have help going to the postoffice because I can't read any of the signs and they don't speak any English here. (In Kiev it's easier to get around because more people speak English)
I'm getting much better about getting around on the computer...I'm so proud!

THE DOOR FROM HELL

Did I mention that Russian and English do not come from Latin so there is NO...NO correlation between these 2 languages. When I said before I know a little Russian--I know 2 words "yes" and no and I hav'ent added any new words. And the shopkeepers don't think I'm cute and they don't smile---anyways..2 nites ago I was getting ready to hit the hay and I decided to close the bedroom door--only to learn that I couldn't get it open--it was completely jammed-wouldn't budge. I had a screwdriver (thanks to that Bob Sheets influance) and tried to take the door off--I am an American. No luck. In the morning finally my roommate came for me and couldn't get in. As I was removing the doornob-with my screwdriver , I started to yell to her I was in the bedroom and couldn't get out and then I din't hear anything. Next I heard all this sound and clanging--it was so loud--I was scared to death-I didn't know what was going on so I kept
pounding on the door and FINALLY I guess the guy got into the flat and was able to get the jammed door free....boy do I have an exciting life!!!

Starry-the Bee Keeper and Barbara

BRINGING YOU UP TO SPEED

So I've been here almost a month! When I first got here we toured for a few days then went south to Crimea--a resort on the Black Sea. This is where the conference was being held. So there were workshops (I did one) speakers and activites. We ate all our meals together in a "mess hall." Breakfast was always some kind of cooked cereal, pepperoni, corn and peas--very strange.The ukraine people were incredibly warm and outgoing. We sang songs, put skits together and had a ball.

A high point for me was the view from my room (see pic) and swimming in the Black Sea--it was very powerful. At the conclusion we all took the 17 hour overnight train ride back up to Cherkasy(where the center resides). I said bye to everyone as they were leaving for the states later that day.

IN COMPUTER WASTELAND

I've been out of touch because I was taking my mid-term for my World Religions class all week then Wammo! I lost the file somewhere in the ethers. I had to shift gears and put all the information back together in 12 hours. It was such a bummer. I had good tech people helping me but we never did find it.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

I'M A YEAR WISER....Imagine that! I had my birthday yesterday--it started by roomate Ira
leaving a container of pastries with raisins, chocolate and goo---I couldn't count as high of the calories--off the charts. I studies here at the house--I'm taking a course for my ministerial license--World Religions--then to the Center. Rev Barbara started the SOM community 9
years ago--she has office space and a few rooms for teaching. The staff is getting things back together following the annual Conference in Crimea--South Ukraine. They had another foreigner pastry for me and singing and flowers and a very nice gift. Later that day we had 2 classes-Unexpected Income and The Power of Love--the interpreter did'nt show so I powered
through 2+hours of Russian--who knows what was going on! It was a great day!

Very few people speak English--the first 2 times I walked to the grocery they had their
security people following me. Barbara and I both felt some cold/flu thing coming on so we both layed low today. She's having folks over for lunch tomorrow-soup for sure. We haven't
talked about how we'll be working together---probably tommorow....That's all for now!

It was a beautiful day here! As soon as I'm able to get my pics downloaded I'll ad them to the blog. I was on the computer a big part of the day then walked over to the office--40 min. Tonight was Foundations class--their 3rd class--the level that the student share is very deep. I get the feeling that "life is rough and then you die" here in Ukraine. These students are really trying to
look at things different--from the positive side and understand the possibility of things being another way. Will meet with Barbara and learn what next step is...

UKRAINE ADVENTURE

I'ts been raining in Cherkasy. This is the town I will call home. I'm starting my blog today even though I've been in the Ukraine about 2 weeks.