Я Говорю по-Українськи Мова.

Here's a quick peek at what I have been studying over the last three weeks... the Українськи Мова, aka the Ukrainian language. I am adding a few words to my Ukrainian vocabulary each day - slooooowly but surely.

still overwhelmed.

-
Though Jessica and I have been able to visit the Internat twice while taking classes at THNPU, today was our first official day of work. It was also Miri's first Internat visit as well (tomorrow already marks her one week anniversary in Ukraine!). I can only speak for myself, but I am fairly certain that both Jess and Miri are feeling what I'm feeling right now - multiple conflicting emotions, especially the overwhelming sort.

The three of us met at THNPU, as it is a fairly central location from our host families. Oksana Pysarchuk (our former tutor and an overall delightful girl!) was able to tag along for an hour or so - this is always appreciated as her ability to translate comes in kinda handy... We could hear various sounds of laughter, yelling, and crying as we came around the back corner of the Internat - I turn to Miri and say, "Welcome to chaos." Within minutes, all four of us had been swarmed once again by girls of all ages. I was led to a bench, with girls literally all over me - two on my lap, one on each arm, another climbing up behind me. On the other side of the courtyard, the same scenario was unfolding for both Jess and Miri while Oksana was talking with staff.

The girls were called inside to eat lunch (обід) at 1, which gave us a small window of time to take everything in - nice to relax for a minute or two, at least! We talked with a young girl named Улана (Oolana), who lives nearby. She spends a lot of time at the Internat, playing with the girls, and was a huge help to us today in terms of communication and explanations. Hopefully we will be seeing her often. After their lunch, most of the girls head to their rooms to sleep. We spent the rest of the afternoon outside at the Internat park with some of the older girls, playing volleyball, and dancing - Луба (Luba) was an especially impressive interpretive dancer.

We left to catch our bus back into Ternopil around 3, our heads spinning. The three of us (Oksana had left earlier for class) feel that this week will be quite low key, as we'll familiarize ourself with all of the girls and their needs, as well as the staff and the facilities... Hoping to get a better idea of what the girls need most and how we can best serve them in the weeks ahead.

seeing as I have a final tomorrow... I'm posting.

-
I have just one day left as a student at THNPU. All that is left of my life as a Ukrainian university student is our final exam tomorrow morning, which is made up of a two hour written test as well as an oral interview with our professor Laryssa. Obviously, I should be cramming for this. Which is why I felt the need to update my blog... as always, I would rather do anything but study.

Consider this just a brief update on the past few days:

Saturday
- a day trip to Кам Янець Подільский (Kamyanets Podilsky) I posted a few photos the other day, but they hardly do the scenery any justice.

Monday
- Class until 11:30, and spent my afternoon between a doctor's office and a Ukrainian hospital. I had hurt my ankle last week and kept walking on it... didn't think that it was anything to worry about. Turns out it was sprained. (This, of course, is the edited version of a much longer story! Which may or may not be posted later...)

Tuesday
- Took the train from Ternopil to Lviv to meet Miri, another student from UW who will be working with Jessica and I at the Internat until August.

Wednesday
- An average day at the універсітат - classes, another test, tutorials, and another hour of Пусанка! Afterwards Alison and I bought bus tickets for our upcoming excursion to Івано-Франківськ (Ivano-Frankivsk).

Thursday
- Laryssa prepped us for our final tomorrow... I'm nervous...! Ira and I took the bus downtown to check in with the doctor who had assessed my ankle on Monday. I came home and had a gloriously long nap, ate dinner, and had a surprise call from my mom (Slava's reaction was priceless). Jessica just walked in the door, I'm assuming she is here to make me study for tomorrow... or at least procrastinate with me.

Thanks for reading! *

remember my purple пусанка fingers?!

look closely!

Кам'Янець Подількийю

overwhelmed, to say the least.

Truthfully, I should not be posting anything right now - I should be studying for my Ukrainian test tomorrow morning. But since I'm being truthful and all, I'll admit that I am having an incredibly difficult time focusing on vocabulary and verb conjugation. My head is still spinning, in a variety of ways, from our first Internat experience.

Jessica and I boarded the bus to a small village just outside of Ternopil. Our tutor Oksana (an amazing help!) accompanied us, acting as a translator/mediator between the two of us, Irina (the fourth or fifth Irina that I have met in my two weeks in Ukraine!), and the girls who swarmed around us constantly.

Several girls immediately latched onto the two of us, before we even walked into the courtyard. As we were given an introductory tour, both Jess and I had at least one girl holding our hand or clinging onto one of our arms the entire time. We will be returning tomorrow morning (after we write our tests) for a 'concertka' that they are hosting. We have one final week left of classes at THNPU and will be working at the Internat daily beginning in June.

a closer look at... the facilities.

Here is a quick "life lesson" for you today... It is amazing what kind of conditions you are able to adapt to in a rather short amount of time. As you can see here, these are the restroom facilities that we visit on a daily basis at the 'universitat.' The toilets on campus are merely holes in the floor.
After being initially grossed out... we dealt with it. I was impressed with our ability to suck it up (and squat! ha ha).

Український!

purple писанка fingers.

Our hosts at the 'universitat' have been amazingly gracious thus far, going above and beyond in order for us Canadians to fully experience everything that Ukrainian culture has to offer.
The generousity of our host families is obviously communicated (especially through FOOD!), our tutors have made learning a foreign alphabet and new language much easier, and each afternoon, activities are arranged for us once tutorials are completed.
So far, our afternoon activities have included Monday's boat ride and initial tour of the city, Tuesday's aerobics class and physical training (it was bizarre, hilarious, and grueling), Wednesday's pysanka - писанка - instructions, and Thursday's "mystery" concert (of which I will post pictures and video clips later... if I have the patience to load them!).

писанка (pysanka) is a Ukrainian tradition of painting eggs with beeswax, and there are distinctive traditions within each of the regions ('oblasts') throughout Ukraine. On Wednesday afternoon, a local pysanky artist (pysankist?!) came to the universitat to explain and teach us about this craft. I was fascinated by the deeper meanings behind the colourful designs, and am looking forward to this form of arts&crafts each Wednesday this month.

The process of drawing on eggs is extremely delicate, done with beeswax using a bobby pin or other small surface... very time consuming. I don't usually enjoy things that will consume large amounts of my time; I have a tendency to buzz about and accomplish a few different things at once, probably in an order that would not seem logical to anyone else but me.

So - in this typical 'Jen' fashion - I thought it would be much more 'efficient' (read:faster) if I used my finger in aiding the spoon to scoop my little egg out of the jar of dye. Key word there being DYE. It just so happened to be the purple pysanka dye, the darkest of all the dyes. I dyed my pointer finger писанка purple!

Our pysanka instructor thought I was ridiculous... she kept asking me questions (probably along the lines of, 'What were you thinking, you impatient little Canadian?!') but eventually gave up, laughing. I'll just have to slow it down next week and take my sweet time... 'patience is a virtue.'
(Note: Slava also laughed at me. But then she pulled out these magical lemon ('lay-mohn') salts, scrubbing my hands, and all that is still left of the purple pysanka dye is along the edges of my fingernail.) Also, Jessica had her camera... when I'm able, I'll add pictures of our писанка creations as well as my dyed finger.
PaPa! (bye)

nazarycik.

late 'nich' adventures with Slava.

Slava has a sister.
And her sister (I have yet to learn and/or remember her name yet! Terrible, I know... but in my defense, I have had an awful lot to learn in the last four days!) has a grandson, Nazarycik.
Nazarycik has a love for the telephone, and Slava usually gets a call from Nazary (nickname) once or twice a day. She has put me on the phone with him a few times, especially since our eventful afternoon of soccer and my 'tato,' Mr. Rogers. Last night (8:30ish?), she gave me the phone with Nazary excitedly questioning me. Slava then got out our trusty Ukrainian/English dictionary, pointing to a question: 'I would like to extend to you an invitation to my home.'
Laughing, I say "Nich?" (Nich = night). Slava is taking off her apron by this point, putting on her sweater, ready to head out the door. I say "Pa pa" (bye bye) to Nazary... we are off for a visit. Igor (pronounced 'Eehorr') picks us up near the bus stop and off we go, ready to enjoy an evening of fine company.

By the time we get to Nazary's apartment, it is about 9:00. Slava's sister has been cooking (Ukrainians are ALWAYS cooking!) and Ollah, Nazary's mother, has just gotten home from work by the looks of it. Nazary greets me with a handshake, a hug, and broken English - "Hallll ooohhhh Jenneeeeeee furrrrah!" Meanwhile his Grandmother (for simplicity's sake, I'm going to refer to her as 'Babushha' until I discover her name).

Babushka has prepared us a feast. Ollah brings out a bottle of wine ('vah NOH') and five little glasses, about twice the size of a standard Canadian shot glass. Yes, this does include one for little Nazary... after we clink our glasses together in a toast (which happens multiple times over the course of this evening), he sips his little portion of wine, wrinkling his face as if it were poison (yet of course, still begging for more when we are poured another glass!).

We ate bread (slathered in butter and healthy helpings of cheese), a mystery meat (quite delicious, whatever it was), what appeared to be macaroni salad, a salad made up of mixed greens, potatoes (I think I've had potatoes at least twice a day since Sunday), kielbassa, and tort (aka... cake!).
"Yiste, yiste, yiste!" Everytime I paused, Babushka and Slava insisted that I "yiste" (EAT!) much more, no matter what kind of actions I made to portray that I was absolutely, ridiculously STUFFED from "yisting" so much.

Nazary and I played, despite my sleepiness after consuming so much food (and just being wiped out from the daily events, generally speaking). Not surprisingly, he had a mini foosball set, soccer style which kept us entertained. I scored one goal for every six (not exaggerating this!) that he scored on me. I was trying very hard, and was getting embarassed at my inadequacy... We also worked intently on a puzzle, and he helped me practice my Ukrainian alphabet - an excellent little tutor he was.

Before long, it was nearly midnight - and Slava and I needed to walk back to her apartment. I trusted Slava, assuming that we would be safe tramping through the dark streets of Ternopil at this time of night. I offered my arm to her like a gentlman would (please, no laughter) and off we went. We passed many iffy-looking characters, I prayed for our safety. We were back at the apartment within half an hour, and enjoyed our little adventure through the neighbourhood (although Mom, I promise I will not make that journey by my self anytime soon!). Slava had chatted my ear off, and I interjected with one of my 12 Ukrainian words whenever possible. A beautiful friendship is blooming :)

glimpse of Ternopil, just for you.

Ternopil, day III.

Pryvit! (Prih VEET!)
This is Ukrainian for "hi," and we have officially started our language classes at Ternopil's Pedagogical University.

Yesterday, Ira (Iryna) met me at Slava's in order to help me out with Ternopil's bus system... she is a professor at the university, so it was convenient for her to show me the ropes. The ride to the university (or 'universitat') is about 25 minutes, and to ride any bus it costs H 1, 50 (one and a half hrivnya... equal to about 30 cents or so Canadian?).

At 12, we met with the rest of the professors and staff who are involved with us Canadians, as well as our tutors. After announcements and orientation, we had a larrrrrge lunch in the cafeteria and our tutors spent the rest of the afternoon with us, showing us the sights of Ternopil.

One highlight was a boat ride around Ternopil's man made lake... it was H 6 (6 hrivnya, or about a buck Cdn!)... If any of you know the Lonely Island hit song, "I'm On A Boat" well, I was enjoying myself... wearing my flippie floppies while you all be flippin' copies. Haha (Carly, I know you're reading this). We also went downtown, where there are plenty of shops, bars, cafes, etc. as well as a theater. The churches here are incredibly beautiful, from what I've seen so far - it is quite a different landscape than those back home.

Olga, one of our tutors, took the bus home with us and helped us find our apartments (they all look the same!). Ira had written my address down for me, but as my luck would have it, I left it at home. In my room. On my dresser. Thankfully, she had been on the bus already earlier that morning so she remembered where I had gotten on... and I arrived home to Slava with no problems at all, along with Jessica.

Slava's sister was visiting with her grandson, I think that his name is Nazarycik (they each called him something different... so it's kinda hard to play the name game just yet). He's four, and we're buddies now... He looooves soccer, and found a small toy soccer ball that I had packed, which provided us with a solid two or three hours of entertainment.
Another favourite of his was my note for the day (aka the 96 Notes Project). Today I opened a card from Trevor, and it featured Mr. Rogers... Nazarycik kept asking "Tato? Tato?" From what I've gathered this far, 'Tato' is the Ukrainian word for father. I pressed the buttons on the outside of the card, and Mr. Rogers says things like "If you are a human being, you are fancy too" and "Where ever you are in the world, know that you are very special."
Nazarycik runs to get his grandmother and Slava, and all three of them admire the card of my 'tato' ... Mr. Rogers.
I tried to explain that no, this was not my tato! But gave up after they seemed to like this idea, and that I couldn't argue in Ukrainian yet anyways.


Anyways - I must sign off, it is about 2:10 here in Ternopil and we are supposed to meet our tutors at 2:15. I will post more as I am able... again, thanks for your thoughts and prayers, they are hugely appreciated. Much love!

arrived alive!

Hi all - this is a quick update... I have arrived safe and sound in Ternopil, Ukraine and am exhausted. I am unsure as to how reliable the Internet is here in my apartment, so blogs and updates will most likely come in random spurts (just a heads up!).

Jessica and I survived a nine hour flight from Toronto to Vienna, and managed to reunite with Ruby at the airport before our departure! We also spent the first half hour or so unpacking and repacking our baggage, until it was under 23 kgs (I fully believed that I was packing pretty lightly for three months. Nope.). Anyways, we managed to survive the parental goodbyes, I was too excited to be all that sentimental (I mean that in the best possible way, Mom & Dad!) Turns out the girl beside me on my flight (Kristina) was born and raised in Odessa, Ukraine - she was friendly and gave me good advice about who/what to watch out for.

We had a few hours in Vienna before flying on to Lviv, but sadly didn't manage to get out of the airport... The plane to Lviv was tiny and only about half full, giving us plenty of sleeping room (hallelujah! - it was much needed rest).
I was nervous about going through customs in Lviv, mainly because all of the security gaurds/officers were scary, stern, solemn Soviet fellows (kinda intimidating). Turns out it wasn't a problem at all; as soon as we collected our baggage we were met by Olena, who will be our language professor as of tomorrow, along with two of her students (who spoke wonderful English - a relief by that point).

Originally we were supposed to be taking a train from Lviv the rest of the way into Ternopil, but Olena had managed to rent a bus as she was collecting some students from Saskatchewan as well. It was dead silent the entire trip - all 8 (I think) of us were passed out, sound asleep. Our host families then met us at a central station in Ternopil.

I'm living with an older woman named Slava - who speaks absolutely NO English... I guess this just means I'll have to work harder at learning Ukrainian?! I was picked up by her son Igor (? not entirely sure if that is actually his name) and his wife Ira, who teaches at the pedagogical university where our language classes will be held. It was a relief/comfort to be able to speak English with Ira... she acted as translator between Slava and I, and as overwhelmed as I am right now, that aid in the language barrier is something that I am incredibly thankful for.

Not going to lie - I lost it once I started unpacking here... Just started bawling. I can't communicate with Slava, I'm thirsty, I can't call home just yet, and I have no idea where I am or how to figure out this language as the alphabet is entirely new/foreign to me. And, I already missed Jessica... I'm thankful that we have our own host families, as we will each have our own individual, unique experiences over the next few months - but I just needed a hug at that point, and I'm pretty sure that I would have scared Slava and company if I had asked for one. I cannot WAIT to shower and sleep, I'm a dirtbag after all this travel and am smart enough to realize the beauty of sleep... Good night!



----------


Side note #1: I am now 7 hours ahead of y'all back in Ontario ... and will probably be getting a phone in the next few days. Will keep you posted.


Side note #2: I managed to collect more than 96 notes... more than one note per day that I'm abroad. Yes, Jesse, the 'Jump Rope for Heart theory' came through... thanks to Steve Boesveld on having faith in my notes. Ha.


Side note #3: Your thoughts and prayers are INCREDIBLY, undeniably, overwhelmingly appreciated! I am grateful and blessed to have so many awesome people encouraging me in this crazy adventure. You all mean the world to me, thanks for the support this far!

'your mountain is waiting.'

In a few hours, I'll FINALLY be en route to Ternopil, Ukraine.

Rather than try and sort out all of my mixed up feelings and overwhelming sense of excitement right at this very moment (which would be nearly impossible), I'm sharing the wise words of a wise man... Dr. Seuss. Fitting, no?

Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
Dr. Seuss

Congratulations! Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes,
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You’re on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets, Look ‘em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
You’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.
And you may not find any you’ll want to go down.
In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town.

It’s opener there in the wide open air.
Out there things can happen and frequently do
to people as brainy and footsy as you.
And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew.
Just go right along. You’ll start happening too.

OH! THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!
You’ll be on your way up! You’ll be seeing great sights!
You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.
You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.
You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.


Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.
Except when you don’t... Because, sometimes, you won’t.
I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true and hang-ups can happen to you.
You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You’ll be left in a Lurch.


You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.
And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.


You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they’re darked.
A place you could sprain both you elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?
And IF you go in, should you turn left or right…or right-and-three-quarters?
Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind?



Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.
You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.


The Waiting Place…… for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to goor a bus to come, or a plane to goor the mail to come,
or the rain to goor the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a Yes or a No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a sting of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.


Everyone is just waiting.
NO! That’s not for you!
Somehow you’ll escape all that waiting and staying.


You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing.
With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you’re that kind of a guy!



Oh, the places you’ll go!
There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored.
There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.

Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.
Except when they don’t.
Because, sometimes, they won’t.
I’m afraid that some times you’ll play lonely games too.
Games you can’t win 'cause you’ll play against you.
All Alone!


Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.
And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance
you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.


But on you will go, though the weather be foul
On you will go, though your enemies prowl
On you will go, though the Hakken-Kraks howl
Onward up many a frightening creek, though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.
On and on you will hike and I know you’ll hike far
and face up to your problems, whatever they are.
You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know.
You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go.


So be sure when you step.
with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.
And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)


KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby
or Brayor Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea,
you’re off to Great Places!


Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So…get on your way!

it's the final countdown.

As always - I've been procrastinating. I haven't had a problem keeping up with this blog until recently... between finishing exams, submitting overdue assignments, working at the bistro, moving back to Caledonia from Waterloo, and finalizing Ukraine details, I've hardly had time to breathe, let alone blog.

So this is me checking in... I'm taking it day by day - of which there are only four until D-Day --- DEPARTURE!

Despite all my running around, that to do list of mine is still far too overwhelming. Somehow I know it will all fall into place in the nick of time. At this point, I'm not even worried... I'm beyond excited and am thinking back to a conversation I had with Joanne, about being a ball of restless, impatient energy. As if I'm on the edge of something bigger than I can understand right now, on the cusp of some major (yet positive) changes. I have high expectations for the unexpected, for what is to come in the days and weeks ahead!

I'm ready.

quote of the day, v. IV

'Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved,

clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,

humility, gentleness and patience.'

- Colossians 3:12

[Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and especially patience are characteristics that will benefit all of us as we depart for our placements in the next few days... All the best!]

Photo Credit: Adbusters

thank you, ruby ku.

Last week, I made the mistake of meeting Ruby at Starbucks/Chapters to catch up. Since then, I've been unable to focus or concentrate on my exams and overdue assignments (not that I was concentrating all that well on them in the first place).
We talked about partnering social action with various aspects of design, creative forms of consulting, and becoming 'social consultants' (Google that, I dare you... spoiler alert: there's nothing relevant!).

To the right is Ruby's interpretation of me and a few of the random things I would love to pursue (a small sampling, if you will). From this scrap of paper came some serious ideas and inspiration for the future - which is why I felt the need to share this here. Taking time out on a Sunday night in the midst of exam and piles of 'to do's wasn't a mistake, I'm looking back at it as a step forward.

this matters. and here's why.

"I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbour. Do you know your next door neighbour?"

- Mother Teresa

In a nutshell, this quote is why service learning matters to me. How many of us actually know our neighbours? I hardly know the two girls in the apartment upstairs apartment of my own house, let alone the family who recently moved in next door, or the other students living on my street. Neighbourhoods are not what they used to be. It seems that our communities are more private than in the past, and that people are too busy to make deeper personal connections. For example - we no longer chat with the tellers at the bank; we have ATMs that are more convenient. We can ignore the cashier at the grocery store; the self check-out is a faster option.

Service learning, according to the Beyond Borders brochures, aims to prepare students as global citizens in a globalized world, effect social change, and make use of our abilities and education in service to others. But this final reflection requires me to answer 'so what?'. Those ideals are positive, but don't say much about what I've learned this term or why I'm a participant.


I'm a big fan of lists. And so, inspired by the infamous top ten lists of David Letterman, I will convince you of the value and importance of service learning.






top ten reasons why service learning matters:



1. 
   
   it holds us accountable. Service learning allows us to (pardon the cliche) "practice what we preach." Through service learning, we are taking ownership of our education by applying what we have learned in a wide variety of circumstances.
2. 
   
   it encourages (and requires) dialogue. Through service learning opportunities, we enter into relationships with others. Asking questions, searching for answers, we are constantly in conversation.
3. 
   
   you don't actually need a passport. Turns out, you don't have to travel overseas to participate in service learning. It can be as simple as spending a few hours a week volunteering with a local organization (i.e., the Working Centre).
4. 
   
   mutual empowerment. We are not sent to various international placements with a plan or a solution, to push our Western way of living onto a developing nation. We might not be all that helpful. Through building new relationships in a new culture, we are all on the same footing.
5. 
   
   endless possibilities. Service learning is not tied down to any one location or action, it does not have an agenda, it does not have an expiry date. It could be ten hours, or ten months, it could be a lifelong process.
6. 
   
   it is frustrating. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. It means you're tackling something strange and unfamiliar, and in the meantime, new skills or ideas are likely developed. "It is when you are frustrated, that you really learn." - Joanne Benham Rennick.
7. 
   
   it lays foundations for the future. Talking to Myroslaw was encouraging for Jessica and I, because we are building on success of the past. Five years ago, there were no volunteers at the Internat. Since then, numerous alumni have spent their summer months caring for the girls of this Ukrainian orphanage. In five more years, who knows - the university students of Ternopil may be in partnership with the Internat, working towards minimizing the strong stigma against the disabled. We may not be able to see the impact of our actions, but each individual action is a small step forward. Change is not impossible.
8. 
   
   exploration of the unknown. We live in world full of beauty, creativity, and diversity - Henry Miller said it best: "Develop an interest in life as you see it, the people, things, literature, music – the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself." –Henry Miller.
9. 
   
   the lost art of facilitation. Facilitation is an idea explored in Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed, and is an incredibly valuable skill to possess. We do not use the skill of facilitation nearly as much as we should, and we're really not that great at it. We do not practice it enough to become good, not to mention great, at it. Service learning opportunities allow us to develop facilitation skills throughout authentic education experiences.
10. 
    
    in the end, it all adds up. I've previously written about the power of our ordinary actions. Throughout the fall term, Scott warned us that we would not really have a significant impact on the communities that we will be serving this summer. I beg to differ. While things may not be profoundly different once we leave in August, I still think that whatever we accomplish in our various placements, no matter how small or insignificant our achievements are, will be worthwhile. If it only serves to teach us a lesson that we will carry with us, or if our visit only gives a disabled child the chance to venture outside of the Internat for the first time, I'd say that alone is a small victory. Baby steps... baby steps!

to the great unknown!

well, guys - the end is near.

yet the end of this semester brings beginnings and new adventures.

we will be sent off into the world in mere weeks.

we have no idea what we're in for.

but, we've come this far...

together, we have survived Plagues and Pedagogies,

presentations and pancake breakfasts.

---

I hope and pray that:

... we all remain safe and sound throughout our placements

(Katie, invest in a leash for John. Don't lose him.).

... our eyes remain open to absolutely everything about our

new surroundings. Be fully present!

... we experience enough frustration to learn,

grow, and stretch beyond our limits.

... we experience enough joy and excitement

to make all those frustrations well worth it.

... we are amazed by how big this world really is.

... we remember that we're all in this together.

we've been head faked by Joanne.

In Randy Pausch's memoir, The Last Lecture, he asks his audience to pay close enough attention to figure out the 'head fake.' Now, I don't exactly read Sports Illustrated every week, or even visit tsn.com regularly (with the exception of the recent World Figure Skating Championships held in Los Angelos!). But from what I understand, a 'head fake' is a term associated with basketball, something about tricking your opponent - acting as if you are going to throw or pass the ball one way, but in the end, choosing a different direction than expected.

To the class of 08/09 - Joanne has used this trickery and deceit on us as a class. She has 'head-faked' us. She had sent us all the RS 383 syllabus back in December, before the winter semester had even started... sending us into little bouts of worry, as we only had about four or five actual classes - and she expected us to complete a minimum of 18 hours of volounteering!? Didn't she realize that we were busy students with heavy workloads?! AND what on earth was this 'blogging' she spoke of!? All of it was utterly bizarre; it was a course outline that was unheard of as it did not have a required textbook, regularly scheduled classes, or even any scheduled midterms or exams. No final? No structure? What was she thinking!?

Despite the fears of disorganization and pure chaos, and only attending five classes, RS 383 has been something else. Having been forced to read Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Scott Kline last fall, it is ridiculous that noone saw through Joanne's slick scheme earlier. After reading Marissa's latest epiphany, it all made sense! Each of the required RS courses of the Beyond Borders program applied Freire's theories of authentic education. Rather than simply 'depositing' information into their students (the general 'banking' method seen in the educational institutions of today), both Scott and Joanne made use of the interactional teaching/pedagogical learning approach that Freire writes of.

Some key concepts that are found within Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed include:

1. "Authentic education will involve dialogue between the student and teacher." This broadens our world context and prospective, and is more than just a deposit of new information.


2. "The importance of mutual respect and cooperation." Joanne allowed us to take ownership of this class, as we explored the Working Centre and the various volounteer opportunities found there, as well as through the presentations and discussions regaring our placement organizations and host countries. As a class, we took accountability for sharing our experiences (thanks to our handy blogs) and throughout fundraising ventures together.


3. "Radical interaction." This actually took place, on different occasions (ask Ruby for footage of Joanne letting loose WITH... yes, with... her students - the SJU Formal was a night to remember).


4. "Liberation from an objective relationship to a subjective relationship." In an objective relationship, there is no dialogue or engagement, things are defined for you, whereas in a subjective relationship, there is conversation, mutual dialogue, and actions that take place in a beneficial process.

As for the 'head fake,' we were all expecting a typical class with regular readings, assignments, and lectures. Scott and Joanne would tell us what we needed to know, and we would memorize the theories we were taught. Yet the unstructured format of both the fall and winter RS classes taught me more than I've learned in past lectures and average classes. I value the lessons learned regarding respect, cooperation, interaction, dialogue, and engagement. I can see the benefits of authentic education, and the powerful impact that relationships can have on our communities.

why service learning matters.

· “Faith without deeds is dead.”

· What’s the point of learning if you are not going to USE it?
· Responsible citizenship

· Action = good, reflection = better...
· Humanity – connections – relationships

· ‘Working towards a more peaceable world’

– Beyond Borders tagline

· What we OUGHT to do (Ought vs. Is)

· Morality
· Calling, purpose
· Sense of duty

· ‘Once you know what justice is, you have the obligation to act.’

· Idea of a social contract, norms, values...

· Belonging (greater sense of community?)

· Tasks of ethics (describe/prescribe)

· Taking time to understand a problem, better able to arrive at an appropriate solution... ?

· Engaging in dialogue, finding your own voice. allowing others to do the same

· Solidarity

(a note to Joanne... these are some initial thoughts and ideas, please do not consider this my 'final!' Thanks/dyakuju.)

because it's good for us.

quickly checking in before I call it a night...
so much to do, so little time! (see list above. yiiiiiikes.)
forty six days til departure. eeeeeeee!

I met with Ruby this morning to film (as if she doesn't have enough on her plate right now - she is putting together a video for the BB program...!), and we both realized that we're grateful for the eight-months-plus of preparation that we gain through our classes at St. Jerome's as well as the seminars.


By this point, most of us just want to board that plane and GO. Myself included. But looking back, I think that the coursework of this program really is an important ingredient (I can hear my class groaning as I write this... uh huh), providing us with the tools for making sense of, and making the most of, our volunteer placements abroad this summer. We have been challenged and surprised this far - without leaving home. Personally, I've come a long way since Scott intially terrified us with lectures on lifeboat ethics, The Plague, and the dreaded Pedagogy of the Oppressed... and am trying to find the proper words to describe the growth (academically and otherwise) I've experienced over the last few months.


Simply put: think of those lectures and readings as Buckley's cough medicine... tasting nasty but working like a charm, doing their job to make us better (responsible) students and citizens. (How's that for a plug?! ...SJU Development Office - watch out, here I come!)

through our ordinary actions...

Somehow, I managed to finish reading Jean Vanier's Encountering 'the Other' over the past weekend (mind you, it is a mere 62 pages long). Various chapters focus on concepts of trust, forfeiting power, disabilities and inequalities, fear, listening and communication, peace, celebrating differences, as well as reconciliation and change.


Reflecting on these concepts could turn into a series of blog entries, as I've made more notes on this book than I have taken in certain classes this term. In short, I encourage anyone involved with Beyond Borders and anyone with an interest in social justice to read Encountering 'the 'Other.' (And hey, it's only 62 pages!) Vanier stresses the importance of relationships, of community, of encountering what we do not know. He beautifully writes that 'to live is to risk,' that overcoming fear can change our lives in unimaginable ways. As I prepare for my time in Ukraine, this is encouraging - I hope to embrace the bumps and pitfalls of this journey just as much as the excitement and the highlights. I fear that the truth is, no matter what I do, I will not be prepared for what I will encounter. This is just a plain and simple reality. All the awareness and research I could ever do between now and my departure will still leave me at a loss in Ternopil. I don't think that I can fully comprehend or realize how I will be changed by the time I return home mid-August.

“If people have a toothache, you don’t just pray for him or her; you take them to a good dentist. And Jesus says to us: ‘It’s up to you to do something about it,

but I will give you my spirit.

I’ll give you a new force, a new strength, and a new wisdom

so that you can break down the dividing walls of hostility.’

It’s up to you and me, but God will give us strength if we open our hearts to Him and ask for that strength. We hear about the presence of God in the stories that are told of people struggling to bring peace. God trusts us so much and loves us so much; He wants us to become men and women who can receive forgiveness and give forgiveness, who can receive wisdom and give wisdom. Jesus kneeling before his disciples is a revelation of Jesus kneeling at our feet saying,

‘I trust you, I believe in you, I love you’ and

calling us to stand up and to work for love.”

- Encountering 'the Other,' page 61.

Most of us have been drawn to Beyond Borders because, in some way, we hope to break out of the ordinary, out of of the comfortable lives that we have here in Waterloo. We hope to be able to make a positive difference in a completely different culture, as crazy and/or naive that sounds. Over the past semester, I have read about the works of Jean Vanier, of Mother Teresa, of Marc and Craig Kielberger, and of Shane Claiborne (founder of the Simple Way, author of The Irresistable Revolution). These individuals have also lived as 'ordinary radicals,' each having a profound impact on the lives of others.



As a class, we have been told (warned?) that we are not going to single handedly change the communities that we will enter into this summer. That our various experiences will more than likely have a larger influence on our own lives than the lives of those we will encounter in Ukraine, in Ghana, in Ecuador, or in Honduras. But part of me is (naively) hoping for something bigger, hoping that through our ordinary actions we will have opportunities to empower those around us to make greater changes.


Mother Teresa did 'small things with great love,' Jean Vanier humbly lived among the disabled and the broken, the Kielberger brothers continue to promote children's rights, and Shane Claiborne has spent time in Iraq, India, and Philadelphia passionately pursuing social justice and ideals of the early church. I think that we have more power than we realize, that small changes really do add up and eventually have a greater impact than we are initially aware of.

“Have we forgotten that Jesus is kneeling at our feet asking us to serve each other just where we are?”

- Jean Vanier.

quote of the day, v. III

"I know that God will not give me anything

that I cannot handle.

I only wish that He didn't trust me so much."

- Mother Teresa

undiscovered europe: ukraine

this video was put together by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Ukraine... definitely worthwhile and informative!

let me be naive.

Others involved with Beyond Borders may have questioned their motives and reasoning for applying by this point in the game. I honestly haven’t doubted my commitment (yet), while there are a few ‘what ifs?’ worrying me, I strongly believe that I will not regret my BB experience. I initially applied to the program because I had always wanted to participate in some sort of international exchange while in university, and it seemed like the perfect combination of education, travel, and service opportunities. In addition to a personal curiosity towards social action and justice (I’m an SDS major, after all), I figured I would learn more in a three month placement overseas than I could ever gain in a classroom.

I can safely assume that we all hope that our experiences this summer will make a difference, and that we will in turn be positively changed. Maybe even have a significant impact on a community that is not our own. I joke about wanting to save the world, and there is truth in that. I realize that I am just one person, I will only be a part of Internat life for a mere three months, and that I will not be able to overcome the intense social stigmatization of the disabled that exists in Ukraine. Who am I to think that I can move mountains?! I have high hopes, and I fear that they will come crashing down while in Ternopil.

I know better than to assume that I can single-handedly save the girls of the Internat, let alone the rest of the world. I know that I will become angered by and frustrated with the strong stigmatization existing in Ukraine, so strong that anyone with a disability is not to be seen in public. I know that my heart will break, while I am in Ternopil and again when I return home, for those who have been abandoned and who lack a family. I know that I will become attached to some of the girls more than others, and that there will be days when I will not want to go to my placement because of my frustrations. I know that I will feel like I am not contributing, that my time there is pointless. While I know it is going to help me, expecting the negative aspects ahead of time, I occasionally want to ignore this awareness – just let me be naive, let me go into this with the best of intentions and high spirits, intent on positive change. Let me be naive, assuming that my work will be valued and that others will find it beneficial.

But – Myroslaw told Jessica and I that we are ‘building on success’ (...No pressure, right?!). Since his first visit to Ternopil a few years back, progress has in fact been made. Myroslaw is personally responsible for the existing partnership between the pedagogical university in Ternopil, the Internat, and Beyond Borders/St. Jerome’s University. He has been a source of invaluable encouragement and advice, for which I am incredibly appreciative (as is Jessica!). In the four years that BB students have worked in the Internat, social stereotypes have taken baby steps forward. Ukrainian students at the pedagogical university were stunned that Canadians had come to love the ‘unlovable,’ and according to Myroslaw, are slowly beginning to work together with the Internat staff. This is absolutely huge in a society where parents intentionally abandon their disabled children – simply for being born imperfect, 'defective'.

I only hope that I will make the most of my time and in Ternopil, that I will not be discouraged, and that Jessica and I will be able to assist the Internat staff. I pray that my heart will have enough room to fall in love with each child of the Internat!

the great divide.

WEST

· More likely to identify selves as ethnically Ukrainian

· In the past, has been under the political rule of Poland, Lithuania, Austria, and Romania

· Due to history, Western Ukrainians under a more liberal rule, a more tolerant political environment... therefore greater freedom to develop own political and social institutions

· Rural, less development

· Lower population density compared to the East

· Highly value ties with the European Union

EAST

· Throughout much of Eastern Ukraine’s history,

citizens were under the rule of tsarist Russia

· Eastern Ukrainians lived under a repressive political

system in the past (Russian/Soviet control)

· Left wing political systems in place throughout history –

Communist, Socialist roots

· Therefore more industrialized, urban

· Higher population density in comparison to the West

· Many people in the East continue to speak Russian rather than Ukrainian

· Maintaining ties to Russia is of higher importance (left wing tendencies)

let the countdown begin.

After meeting with Myroslaw Tataryn

(the dean and vice-president of St. Jerome's), Jessica and I now have a departure date set in place. We will be on our way to Ternopil in 62 days! The plan is to fly out of Toronto on May 9th, and we will stop in Vienna and Lviv before finally arriving in Ternopil to meet our host families on May 10th. Our language classes at the Hnatiuk Pedagogical University will begin immediately on the Monday (May 11th), and continue for three weeks. I feel that now that we know the 'official' departure date, a huge step forward has been taken. It's strange that having a set date makes the entire journey seem more realistic or believable; now we're able to put a deadline on those pesky to do lists and circle the date on our calendars as it is no longer up in the air. The trick now will be attempting to manage the anticipation (and nerves) for the next 62 days... trying to focus!

quote of the day, v. II

"...When we encounter, we come to know.
When we come to know, we are able to understand.
When we understand, healing and peace can really grow.
Peace cannot be imposed by politicians or churches.
Peace has to grow within each person if it is to endure.
Our society can only be healed when each person in it is healed.
That healing comes not from avoidance or seperation, but from encountering."

Jean Vanier, Encountering 'the Other'

This concept of encountering the unfamiliar ties in especially well with the basic themes of Beyond Borders, as several of us will be attending a lecture on the life and service of Jean Vanier on March 6th at St. Jerome's. A number of the placements offered through Intercordia Canada are within the various L'Arche communities established by Jean Vanier. L'Arche aims to build solidarity, providing a voice and opportunities to those living with various disabilities.

quote of the day.

"some stories don't have a
clear beginning, middle, and end.
life is about not knowing, having to change,
taking the moment and making the best of it,
without knowing what's going to happen next.
delicious ambiguity... "

- gilda radner.

first impressions... or lack thereof.

I finally began my volunteer placement through the Working Centre this past Friday afternoon. Rebecca has assigned me to Worth a Second Look (aka 'WASL'), a store run by volunteers and employees of the Working Centre. The goal is to minimize waste by reusing items in good condition, and provide affordable household items to the greater community.

Of course, this is a pretty simplified description of everything that they offer; I'd recommend clicking on the link and visiting their website for more information on their services.

I wish that I had experienced an incredible moment of clarity during my first shift on Friday, but to be honest, it was pretty ho-hum. Matt and Jessica are also doing their volunteer placements at WASL, and have had some time to reflect on their experiences there this far... I spent my first shift getting to know the store by re-stocking the shelves. No extended encounters with staff or customers took place, as I was put to work right away and quietly sorted through the incoming items.

As part of the Beyond Borders program (and preparation for the community service aspect of our placements this summer), we are required to complete at least 18 hours of volunteer work at the Working Centre this term. This is definitely a hands-on, learn-by-doing type of course, which is a refreshing change from the typical courses offered by universities today. I made a note during our first class with Joanne back in January - action is good, but reflection is better. I admit, this post is not full of introspection or even a deeper look at my initial WASL experience. Instead, it is more of a reminder to dig a little deeper in the future. To figure out why, and to quote the themes of past Beyond Borders seminars, to closely examine the stories that shape our individual lives and the communities that we are a part of.
I believe that experiences are what we make of them - how much effort you put into something typically determines how much is gained in return.