ABCastle tours

Ukraine is very rich in history: the territory been passed from government to government and has been the location of many a battle. Thus, there were many a castle to see. Here is a description (written by classmate Chris Dusk) of the fortresses we visited on our first field trip in Ukraine:

Ukraine Trip – Chris Dusk

May 22 – Castles

                  We visited a number of castles today. We set out from Hotel Ternopil. Mykulyntsi was our first stop. It was essentially an empty shell of a castle. We took pictures from a distance, but didn’t visit it closely.

We then headed to Terebovlya. This was another shell of a castle, but one that I would never want to try and attack. There was a fairly steep climb to get to the castle itself, and the castle would not have been easy prey. The view from the walls was excellent.

                  Next, we went to Krywche. All that was left was a couple reduced sections of wall and some towers. The view was incredible though.                 

                  Next, we went to Okopy. There was nothing left of the castle but its two gatehouses. However, there was a vantage point where you could look out onto the meeting point of Dniester River and Zbruch River. It was a beautiful view. From there, you could look out onto what had been the borders of Podilya, Romania, and Poland. It was fantastic.

                  Then we went to Hotyn. The castle is absolutely incredible. There is an outer wall that surrounds an encampment area and the main fortress itself. Just outside the gate is a monument to Petro Sahaidachnyi who led Ukrainian and Polish troops to victory over a massive Turkish army at Hotyn. The castle itself is incredible. The walls reach 40m high; 60m at the towers. Inside the castle is interesting. You can see where they had access to the river for resupplying and all of the internal buildings. We then went around the castle, along the riverfront. The view of the river and bank, and the castle was incredible. Many pictures were taken.

                  Finally, we went to Kamyanets-Podilski. The castle itself was quite interesting. It wasn’t quite as imposing or impregnable as Hotyn, but it was beautiful. It had a large interior area, but several towers and tall walls. We went into most of the towers and saw the well, powder rooms, and various other areas. The castle was quite interesting and absolutely beautiful. Then we went into the town it protects. The town’s defences were still mostly intact and the town itself was well maintained/restored. All the old buildings were in good shape and it looked like we had walked through a time portal to several centuries ago. The town was absolutely incredible. The view of the castle from the town was excellent too.

Update Email

This is an email I sent about a month ago. It's my most recent update and, since most people reading this blog probably got the email, I'm adding it just really for my own benefit to recap before writing the second half of blogs.

Hi all,

I am sending you this email because you’ve shown interest in my Beyond Borders experience. Since I have recently passed the half way mark, I figured it is about time I let you know what I’m up to. I hope you will enjoy the glimpse of Ukraine I am sending you in the descriptions below and the related https://picasaweb.google.com/111885642834451600425/AGlimpseOfUkraine?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm4hveB4on6kAE#. If you would like a more entertaining version with day-to-day rtials, thoughts and funny stories, please visit my blog, http://jlvanden2011.blogspot.com/

Strong roots make for a messy transfer.

My first week in Ukraine is characterized by motion sickness, projective vomit and heartache.

I knew learning a language and alphabet to match would be difficult but I significantly underestimated this challenge. The Ukranian alphabet contains some letters that look and sound like English ones, some that look but don’t sound like (backwards) English ones, and some symbols and sounds that were totally new to me. When looking at a written page, it seemed like the Ukranian letters danced around, daring me to read them and translate the meaning of the string of sounds. When, on my first day of school,  I was bombarded with new symbols, words, reading (school was much more intense than I expected), plus new food (a normal amount but less than I am used to), and a very crowded bus, it seems pretty reasonable that I felt nauseous. I hadn’t been in Ternopil for 32 hours and I was already projectile vomiting all over my bedroom floor! My physical symptoms kept me up all night and my heartache over being away from loved ones kept the tears rolling. I did make it though the night, though, and got myself to school the next day. I seemed to have missed that ‘honeymoon’ stage of cultural adaptation to Ukraine as I was ill and homesick for most of the week. However, I pushed on, hoping this placement would get easier and knowing I would complete it either way. This is when I really noticed that both running and listening to music are my preferred coping strategies. I continue to cherish the ways that hobbies, such as sports and music, are able to unite people globally.

I had been doing my best to enjoy the Ukranian culture since I arrived, but it was the Sunday that brought to life for me a huge positive aspect of Ukranian culture: religion. Here, the church is packed more tightly with people and emotion  weekly than the Air Canada Centre would be if it saw another NHL  playoff game. No matter the religion, this is refreshing thing to see coming from a community where religion is often a cautious topic and where places of worship are seldom full. Gatherings like that make me happy because they are an opportunity for people to set aside their own daily struggles to connect with others, forming community. Community is something I value and miss deeply so it was a relief to find that community does exist here too.

 Stadium: Where I run, work out, and feel community

Doing okay

At first, I tried really hard not to be a tourist – I just wanted to jump in and live the Ukranian way. However, I really am a foreigner and people feel the need to treat me as a guest. Even in school here, I was enrolled in a Ukranian language and culture course so naturally my days were filled with culture-crash-course activities like the traditional sightseeing and crafts. It was useful to learn the history and how this culture came to be but somehow sport seemed to be left out of the culture aspect. Thus, I (the personal trainer in me) took it upon myself to take note of work-out regimes (many on outside monkey bars), and watch the locals play soccer. I’d odd for women to join in to any sport here so I managed to stay on the sidelines and do my own thing -while thinking about and appreciating the recreational sport available to women in Canada. The soccer field is near a set of monkey bars so I had (and still have) the luxury of enjoying  spontaneous high-bar routines. It seems like soccer and gymnastics are Ukraine’s version of pond hockey.

Survival Ukraine

Beyond Borders is more than a field term. Besides fundraising and logistical preparations, I was required to take two Religion/Humanities courses for emotional and intellectual preparation. Throughout the year that these courses took place, I was reminded to let the experience be what it is – to not try to change things and to just accept, understand, and learn the culture through experiencing it. Well, I really wanted to learn about the culture by experiencing it – I wanted to get my hands dirty, to share the successes and turmoils of daily Ukranian life. After a few weeks,  I realized that it is  impossible for me, a Canadian – and thus an educated, wealthy guest in Ukraine – to truly be treated equally. I also struggled trying to find a healthy diet, organizing a time to exercise, and wondering if I was spending enough time with people to understand their lifestyle (or if perhaps the luxury of internet at my home as cutting into socializing time). Then, I came to the conclusion that I will not live or understand fully the life of a Ukranian people because I could never meet them all, experience what they’ve experienced or have the matching mindset that has been passed through generations. It was about the third week in when I decided to do what I need to in order to stay happy and healthy, while being engaged in whatever experiences that come my way. My courses have advised me to know and partake in cultural norms but I think I took that statement to the extreme. I don’t worry about fitting in in Canada so why should I believe I need to fit in in Ukraine? I bring what I can to Ukraine by being myself and will take whatever lessons crop up.

"Divchatas"

Lessons that have cropped up (not emailed)

Detail actually is important:

I am usually a big picture person that would rather know the main idea and figure the rest out on the fly. I cook without measuring tools, rarely match my shoes to my outfit, and would rather derive a formula than memorize it. In Ukraine, a culture where rules are still usually dictated, things are to be done the way they have been and are supposed to be. For example, no matter their income or activity, people are supposed to look respectable – right down to their high heels or freshly polished loafers. The crafts, whether they be meticulasly waxed easter eggs or beaded clothing, only come together after hours of detail-work. After seeing these masterpieves that can only come out of the extra care and time of detail-work, I am learning to appreciate these little touches.

Communication, trust and time are essential to relationships:

It has been a struggle to make friends here because of the language barrier but, though time and other methods of communication, I have become friends with a few people. Even though we cannot all converse, noticing how they react to different situations has helped me get to know them and I trust when I can predict these patterns. I have had ample time to get to know people here and trust many to act to their personalities but it is the lack of verbal communication that really stalls the process. I truly cherish the relationships that I am a part of at home and recognize communication, trust and time as important building blocks for them.

                                                                                        Tutors and Field Trips

On the way to the Carpathians

Kamianets-Podilskyi, L’Viv, Kiev and the Carpathian Mountains are a few of the various sights and cities I have visited with my tutors and classmates this summer. Through our gallivanting experiences, I have discovered that what I like most about travelling is the natural and athletics-related activities, the food (as long as I don’t get sick from it), and the people I encounter. My tutors, classmates, and I have become friends through sheer time spent together and I enjoy growing closer through discussions, humor and shared experiences.

Internat

Luba helped me find my Centre of Mass :)

Internat is the reason I am in Ukraine and I am excatic to have funally begun volunteering here! After travel preparations, and then the language training with culture shock and very little information about my placement, I am relieved to be doing what I have looked so foreward to.

Before I began volunteering at at Internat, this is the extent of the information I knew about the organization:

-         Internat is an orphanage for disabled women and children

-         Some live there because they have no parents, some parents do not have the resources to take care of their children, and some girls are unwanted by their families – particularly due to their disability.

-         The placement is extremely emotionally draining

-         The girls like taking pictures

-         I would need to jump through a lot of hoops to do anything out of the ordinary with the girls

-         Not everyone would be pleased that I am there

-         The goal of this Beyond Borders placement is to bring a little light, hope and fun into the lives of the women/girls there

I was not sure which ages I would be most involved with or which abilities/disabilities I would encounter, but I kept an open mind by preparing for the worst while hoping for the best. I was excited, nervous and curious about what my experiences would be – would my daily activities include helping with hygiene or leading summer camp?

 Well, Internat is a cleanly place with gardens, a playground, shared bedrooms, gym class and decent food. Some of the residents struggle with activities of daily life whereas others appear to be normal functioning individuals. Although I don’t always agree with their techniques, staff and residents take care of discipline issues. My roles is to simply be a mentor and friend.

I wouldn’t say living at internat is ideal for these young women but , from what I have seen, it’s better than I imagined. I hope that as Ukraine develops as a country, so do its resources for social services. Until then, I will help the days pass and teach/learn what I can thgough sports, crafts, and general quality time.

Week at camp

  Some of the older girls were allowed to go to summer camp this past week and, since camp has been such a huge part of my life, I was really excited for these girls to have this opportunity.  

 Walking the Stations of the Cross at Zarvonisky

I was also excited because Brieanne (my Beyond Borders classmate) and I were also welcome. The camp turned out to be a Greek Catholic overnight camp close to the Zarvonisky (Mother of God) Cathedral. All week, we did crafts, played games, worshipped, ate well and napped. Our time at camp was a fantastic opportunity to get to know the girls on another level. At Internat, there is a group of older girls who often keep to themselves, but they were totally in their element as leaders at camp! One of the highlights of my week as seeing one of these girls, who is usually quiet, let loose and enjoy herself as a leader at mass, mother-hen at dinner time, and fun-loving kid during the rest of the day. This new environment seemed to freshen up the girls and leave them smiling. It was amazing to see that spark of excitement in their eyes!

On a more personal level, I am happy to have learned more about my own religion through my experience with this one.

Camp was great, as always, and it’s the people who made it so. Thank you!

Coming Up

I still have ~ 4 weeks until I go home and have much more to experience! Coming up, I hope to make ‘goop’ and play more outside sports with the girls at Internat. Outside of Internat, Brieanne and I are planning a trip to Poland to renew our visas. I would also like to visit the Black Sea, if possible.

I enjoy traveling, especially because it reminds me how sweet home is. I hope you are enjoying what Canada has to offer!

Take care,

Jess V

Braids

Here in Urkaine, I can’t help but notice how everyone seems to have their own style and how that’s perfectly okay. For example, if I wanted to wear a semi-formal dress to school one day followed by short-shorts and other ‘beachwear,’ and traditional Ukranian outfit the next, that would be perfectly fine. Additionally, people in their fancy dresses don’t think twice about hanging out with beachgoers or those who look like they’re wearing their grandma’s Sunday best. I think people in North America could learn a lot from this boldness – embrace yourself and stand out a little. We’re all different anyway and we all go through different phases and moods so we might as well show it.

What unites all these looks is the care taken to acquire them, from fantastic shoes on their feet all the way up to the many species of braids in their hair.

I’ve never been one to wear stilettos up loose cobblestone hills but these women do it with ease – and have the calves to prove it. (Maybe I should open up a physio practice here – I’m sure I could have a career’s worth of knee, ankle and back ailments to keep me busy!) The braid are a little bit more functional: with practice, they don’t take too long and they keep your hair out of your face. However, I think I originally overrated these braids . . .

At the orphanage (that’s not exactly just an orphanage) - Internat – the girls enjoy having their hair braided and doing the braids. Since I’ve never had my whole head braided, I asked if they wanted to braid my hair. Now, I won’t call that a mistake because it was definitely a learning opportunity, but I will say that it will not be happening again. Brace yourself - here is the resultant blackmailing fuel, for your viewing pleasure:  

Half Way

Yesterday marked the half way point of the overseas aspect of my Beyond Borders Experience. I specify the 'overseas' portion because my experience with this program began long ago and what I have learned through my involvement will last far into the future. I do plan on posting pictures and giving a quick summary but I will be leaving for summer camp with the Internat girls so I don't have time to do a quality update now.
Stay tuned!

L'viv

Remember that saying about saving your money for a rainy day? Well, L'viv is known as The Rainy City. . . and our first stop was a Chocolate factory. Let’s just say I’m my mother’s daughter.

Okay, so I’m being a little bit dramatic. It’s not like I spent almost $50 on chocolate and had to count my pennies for lunch . . .or carry my bag with two hands so the bottom didn’t rip out . . . ;)

I honestly felt like I was at the grocery store! At least my gift shopping is finished J And believe you me, it’s going to make it home!

 













Besides the chocolate products themselves, the whole set-up of the factory was really neat! Downstairs, there was a café where you could sample the chocolate (straight, melted in a cup or as part of a coffee or treat), and a glass section where you could watch the workers form delicate artwork out of melted chocolate. It was clean, happy and so fairy-tale-like that I felt like I should be keeping an eye out for Oompa-Loompas! Upstairs was more of a zoo than a fairy-tale. The walls were lined with delicious, beautiful chocolate in all sort of fun shapes while the isles were stocked full of the world’s most wide-eyed chocolate lovers. By listening to the conversations and accents, you could tell that people come from all over the world for a taste of L’viv handmade chocolate.

Once we had safely exited the chocolate factory, we stopped by a graffiti contest in the town square. Here, people had large canvasses and ware paining graffiti on them. The are was spectacular, plus we got to make our won contribution to a mural for the public. It was neat to see the artist interact and to be a part of it myself. This is one of my favouite parts about travelling! To me, travelling is not so much about the experience that everyone talks about, it’s about having my own experience and contributing to that of others. I really like to feel what the city is all about and community events like this are what makes that possible. Plus, being a part of this graffiti contest and seeing things like  an impromptu break dancing contest in Kiev give me all sort of ideas for once I return to be involved in my own community in Canada.  

Carpathians

I feel like I’m getting to be a seasoned traveler as I continue to write about these amazing weekend getaways. It seems like there is a new adventure planned for us every weekend.  This week’s (June 11-13) excursion was one I’ve been looking forward to for a long time - a trip to the Carpathian Mountains! It was a time of seeing monuments, shopping, perfecting my napping technique, experiencing the outdoors and bonding.

Like every weekend getaway this summer, we spent a lot of time stopped at many monuments. By and by, I am very impressed with Ukraine’s dedication to its history and the reminders of it. Like I mentioned in an earlier blog, the Ukranian people seem to celebrate a lot. Along with festival-like celebrations, they celebrate through making anything possible – whether it be a face with make-up, straw, music or history - into a work of art. I suppose monuments are used to celebrate history or remember a lesson learned. Due to the abundance of monuments we saw and the language difference that made it difficult to decipher the significant of these, I do not remember all of the ones we visited. Key themes that seem to be monument-worthy are Ukraine’s independence, family, famous artists, and Ukrainian people travelling to other countries.

Each time we stopped, there were shops, toilets and beer.  By then end of this trip, it became habit that I would find food, water and a toilet at every stop (while trying to avoid the shops), Brieanne would shop (Kalyn, speedy gonzolas, would do both), and Chris would sit and have a beer while waiting for us. (Just as a side-note: beer and ice cream are fair game at any hour of the day . . . or morning . . .)

As we learned while repacking Kalyn’s bag at the airport, these may not have been the best habits to have but, as Brie would say, “It is what it is.”

For this trip, I was absolutely exhausted. We didn’t do as much hiking as expected because it was so wet outside but I was very tired anyway . . . so tired that I didn’t mind the long car rides because it meant I could nap! I now have a very handy napping position: rather than trying to find something to élan on and having my head bump and squish against the window at every pothole, I look very ladylike by simply folding my hand in my lap, crossing my ankles, squishing a sweater between my ear and shoulder and closing my eyes. Presto – I’m gone in less than 60 seconds!

This weekend’s field trip was great because it was right up my alley. Rather than coordinating through the maze of busy subways and busses to see famous buildings and places, we were there to take in the peaceful awesomeness of nature on our own two feet. It was too wet for us (ie. For the old and injured) to hike up the mountain we planned but we did get to stay at a house in the mountains, take a short walk up one hill and a chairlift up another, plus visit a waterfall.

The small hill we climbed was just outside of the house we were staying at. I think it was once a ski hill as there was an old chair lift to the top and a valley on the other side. The view was amazing: lots of grass and tall wildflower blossoms gripping the rolling hills, yielding to a background of sky and mountains.  It was dusk and about to rain while we were up there so the sky was almost violet and full of dark grey thunderclouds. This view made me feel small as it reminded me of the power, drama and awesomeness of nature

The day we went to the waterfall instead of the mountain actually cleared up but that just made the waterfall more beautiful. Our guide joked about butting Niagra to shame (to which they didn’t come close), but they were formed by large, smooth rock. Like mortar, dark soil surrounded the rock and acted as a fertile base for dark green moss and trees.

 It was great to see some of the natural environment Ukraine has to offer and to have a chance to be active, exploring the rocks, trees and small paths.

As powerful as the sights were, it was the company that made this trip what it was. This was a trip for bonding as we saw our professor and guide in a new environment and light, and furthered our bond to a more relaxed friendship with our tutors.

Out tour guide is quite the character and I believe he is a geography and history prof at the Pedigocial University (where we took the Ukranian course). He’s middle-aged and missing a couple back teeth but that, his enthusiasm, humor, grey/balding head, and friendly brown eyes just add to his charm. It’s obvious that he’s very excited about teaching  and about doing it in a down-to-earth way enough to establish a personal connection – even if it can only be through eye contact and poking fun.

Our coordinator (Kalyn and Chris’ prof), Olena, is the overbearing mother of the crowd. She’s thin, cautious, and most times quiet – until she wants to get something across (at which times there’s no discussion and her bottom line goes). She’s also nice though, and from Kalyn’s experiences, a very fun, effective, dedicated teacher who values the experiences we are having.

Olena’s son, Bokton, is one of out tutors. He is 18yrs old and the typical smart-guy character. At first he seemed a bit awkward but I think it’s jus this stiff humor that makes him seem that way. Bokton’s favourite pastimes include studying, making fun of us girls, and talking to Chris about computer stuff. (I think Chris ended up being a role model for him  . . . poor guy!) Teasing is even more funny when people speak different languages because wit is unexpected and everything is a little more awkward in translation!

The girls, our tutors, are so funny!

After our trip to Kyiv, we’ve started to bond more and see another side o them. They’re so girly and fun – we joke and are sarcastic and they tease right back! In fact, I was just interrupted from writing because they came over for a visit giggling like little school girls. You see, there’s talk of going to the disco, but Alessa says, matter of factly “Olena will kill us.” Sometimes life here seems very free-spirited because people generally just do what they want but when it comes to superiors, a schedule is set and stuck to. Others are powerless and there is no discussion.

(For me, one of those people who always wants a reason for things, this is a difficult pill to swallow and I think a reason for not feeling totally comfortable here. I like to optimize (time, resources, etc) and often have new ideas so I have trouble accepting hard fast rules without  seeing the logic.)

The Ukranian lifestyle can also be very freeing:

Last night, Olia, the more quiet and traditional tutor, was awake until 3am. When asked what she was doing, she said she wasn’t dong anything – just sitting and watching TV, awake for no reason at all. I met an artist with a similar mentality: he is in law scool right now, but the lawyer stuff is really just to fund his art and travels. He wants to create, see the world and connect with people. This view on life is refreshing: At home, it seems musch more common to schedule and rest so we can be productive the next day and take part in all our commitments. Here, though, that’s irrelevant. In Ukraine, and what I’ve heard of Europe in general, you do what you want when you want and worry less about health or other repercussions. It’s like summertime in cottage country. This, I like!

That's all, folks.

My Birthday in Ukraine

For me, birthdays are a time for visiting with family and friends. Although I couldn’t be with family or close friends this year, I became determined to have a good birthday. This is what I did to make it happen:

1. Of course I skyped Jordan and my parents. I had internet issues again so was almost not able to do this but my computer was fixed just in time.
2. I made a birthday dinner (since I’m never quite sure what m y host family will feed me).
3. I bought myself flowers: yellow daffodils and tall white perennials to be exact
4. I went for a run.
5. I got cappuccino ice cream AND a chocolate bar (snickers)

I was also really surprised and excited to receive gifts (of Ukranian music and a scented candle) from my tutors and host family, respectively. When I got home from my run, I was also treated to a shot of homemade wine, made by my host family and Denise, their former Beyond Borders student. Thanks Denise!

Although it wasn’t a traditional birthday celebration, my day was quite good. Thank you to all who sent their love and birthday wishes also – you made my special day even better.