Cherkasy Oblast

What could be more cute than to have these kids present you with traditional Ukrainian bread? This was my welcome to the village of Chornobai in Cherkasy Oblast. It's about three hours from Kyiv via a combination of metro, "mashrutka" (a type of mini-bus that picks people up at designated stops), and car. I conducted a workshop on interactive methods of teaching polite phrases with a group of about 32 teachers from both Chornobai and smaller outlying villages.

As village teachers often do not have a lot of contact with foreigners and have varying levels of English, they can be a bit afraid of attending workshops. At the beginning of my workshop, I announced that it would take about 90 minutes. A handful of teachers immediately announced in Ukrainian that the last bus was leaving in an hour. I assured them, in English, that they could leave early if they needed to. Well, we moved into a circle for the first "get-to-know-you" activity and threw a teddy bear (well it's really a stuffed dog) around, "Nice to meet you; nice to meet you too" as many of the teachers had neve met each other. We moved to a dictation activity, and then a pair-work speaking actiity.... well 11 o'clock rolled around and I asked, "Does anyone have to leave now?" No one moved a muscle. All the teachers who had said they needed to leave early stayed till the last group-activity and then excused themselves thanking me. I asked the organizer how they were going to get back to their villages considering they had missed the bus. She said, "They will hitchhike along the road." Wow, I felt honored that they had stayed and enjoyed themselves enough to hitchhike back home! They had even used a phrase we had practiced during the workshop, "I'm sorry I have to go."

I also was treated to meeting the 7 and 8-year-olds, university students, the flute-playing ensemble, and the organizer's daughter-in-law and grandchildren. While at the school, I had asked why the older girls at the school were dressed up in such fanciful clothes (school play? celebration? dance?), I was told that this "uniform" (the boys wear suits) is the one that 10 and 11th grade girls choose to wear to school. Apparently, these particular uniforms are modeled after the ones worn in the 1960's. My Ukrainian colleagues concurred that they used to wear uniforms just like these back when they were in school.

Khmelnytsky Oblast

What is an "oblast" (pronounced OH-blahst)? Well it means region in Ukraine. As they don't have a direct translation, people usually use it when they speak English as well as Ukrainian. So we visited two cities in this western oblast. The namesake of the region, Khmelnytsky, is a small city that seemed quite pleasant and friendly, but is recognized only for having one of the largest flea markets. I presented at the department of Business Foreign Languages there. Down the road a ways, in the same oblast, is the much more famous and touristed Kamyanets-Podilsky with it's larger than life picturesque fortress dating from the 16th century (rebuilt from a 10th century structure). I took this photo with a digital camera! That's how beautiful it is!!! Really!

The train from Kyiv to Khmelnytsky takes 4-and-a-half hours, then you take a bus for 2-and-a-half more hours to Kamyanets-Podilsky - land of the charming 'old town' and castle. There is a 'new town' connected to the 'old town' that is much like an ordinary Ukrainian town with shops (see the clerk with her abacus... you do know how to use one, don't you?), industry, traffic, and people going to work. Our hotel was in the 'old town' which seems to be under restoration as much of it was destroyed in WWII. It will be a lovely historical area when they are finished. I presented at a Pedagogical University in the 'new town'- very active audience! Afterwards, one of the student-participants led us on a tour of the 'old town' and fortress. For one hryvnia (local currency) Joe and the "Cossack" tried to see who could get a bulls-eye... guess who got close? Right, that would be Joe (he's the one in the foreground).

As for my health, if you were wondering, my doctor called me while I was there to report that my blood test showed that I have 'mono'. Hmmmm. We are going to get a second opinion because I actually feel much better. Now, back in Kyiv, Joe's the one 'under the weather' with a severe head cold. He's keeping the Thera-Flu coming!

To conclude, I am currently in the midst of the busiest period in my professional life yet! Having just returned from giving workshops out-of-town, I will give two seminars on "How to Teach Business Writing", travel to a small village on Friday to talk about "How to Teach Polite Phrases", TESOL-Ukraine will be held over the weekend (two more presentations), and Monday I'll head to the Aviation University for a workshop on "Moderated Discussions in US Universities". Yikes!

Circus on Water

"цирк на водI" (pronunciation= tsirk na vodi) means "Circus on Water" - and that's just what we saw last week. Everyone knows that the circus is a big deal around these parts, not to mention the 'Moscow Circus'. This year it was an extravaganza on water, actually a type of shallow circular pool. The retro nature of the main building, the live musicians in the bandstand, cotton candy, and coat check rooms took me way back (to even before I was born, maybe). I really didn't know what to expect... but I was hoping they weren't going to torture animals. To Joe and my surprise, the acts were very choreography-based with dancers and contortionists in the most outrageously creative costumes I'd ever seen. Cirque de Soleil - eat your heart out! There were a few animal acts with small dogs and seals, and one with some giant snakes and an alligator. But overall, it was not your standard-issue circus. Quite the unusual experience.

The "Circus in the Street" continues with no news on the political meltdown yet. Foreign mediators are supposed to step in. Although I see pictures of all the demonstrators, and we actually saw a few "cheaters" demonstrating during the Easter weekend (they were officially supposed to take the day off)... the whole ordeal isn't affecting us much. I had two groups of teachers "graduate" from different training courses, one even on Good Friday, and not one teacher was missing or late. Crazy! Even a revolution can't keep them away. I guess it makes me feel good... However, my regular walking path has recently been packed with about a hundred huge buses that have bussed villagers to the center to demonstrate on behalf of this side or that. It is 'rumored' that they were paid 20 USD each to jump on the bus, come to Kyiv, and wave a flag around. Lucrative, considering what they usually make. Honest... well that's another question.

On Thursday, bright and early, we are headed for the Western part of Ukraine again. This time we are off to Kamyanets-Podilsky and Khmelnytsky (they are very near each other). I'll give two workshops in each town. I am looking forward to it (day train, of course)... now if I could just shake this stubborn sore throat I've been having... time to pop another anti-biotic, Claritin, and Strep-cil.

He did it!

We just woke up this morning to read that Viktor-West decided to dissolve Parliament. Viktor-East is challenging the decision which will be taken to the Constitutional Court. What will it mean? See Time article for more info.

A Tale of Three Politicians

Once upon a time in Ukraine, there was a lovely golden-haired woman named Yulia who chose to wear her hair up in a twisted braid, much like Princess Leia. There was a man named Viktor and another man named Viktor. We shall call them Viktor-West and Viktor-East. Viktor-West liked the United States and Europe. Viktor-East preferred Russian ways and customs.

Well, all of these people somehow ended up on the same playground. Viktor-West decided that he would run for President; Viktor-East also decided to run for President. Before the vote, Viktor-West started to look awful – something was happening to his face and skin. Lo-and-behold he found out that someone was poisoning him. Not a moment too soon, he got medical treatment and started to recover.

Viktor-West managed to recover well enough to continue to run against Viktor-East in the Presidential Election, and the people voted. Viktor-East won… or did he? Some people said, “Wait this election was rigged, crooked, unfair. We are going to demonstrate because we want to have a re-vote.” Our friend, Yulia , was one of the leaders of this Orange Revolution and everyone wore Orange and waved Orange flags. Well, the people were allowed to re-vote. Viktor-West was the winner this time and became the President. There was a lot of speculation about who poisoned him. This crime is still unsolved. After a while, the Parliament appointed Yulia as Prime Minister. Something happened, and at some point, Yulia was dismissed from her position.

That left the Prime Minister’s position open and guess who was appointed by the Parliament? Viktor-East. So now, Viktor-West works with Viktor-East as the leaders of Ukraine. Yulia started her own political party, visited the U.S., and got lots of attention for being pretty and pro-Western.
Now there are demonstrations of tens of thousands of people. On Sunday, the Chicago Tribune reported that 70,000 had gathered Saturday in “Independence Square” in the heart of downtown. Each party is represented. The fuss? Well, Viktor-West has the power to dissolve the parliament which would allow people to re-elect the officials, thus making Viktor-East's position precarious. Viktor-West says he’s serious this time… we’ll see what happens. For many, this is the time Ukraine will decide whether it will embrace the values of the “East” or the “West”.
Photos of Yulia Tymoshenko and Viktor Yanukovych courtesy of Wikipedia
Photo of Viktor Yushenko courtesy of WorldPress.org