No Longer A Tourist (though I really never was...)

Now I've really been slacking. Its been what...almost 3 weeks since I last posted? Dang. (Sorry Mom.)

Well Ill start with the most basic of beginning conversational topics-the weather. As soon as October started, the cold came with it. The high temperatures usually reach 40'F (or maybe we'll get a warm day of 48'F) and the lows either below or at freezing. Im able to see my breath at 4 in the afternoon! Its absolutely ridiculous and honestly frightens me a bit. I mean, what will November bring...let alone December??!!

Normally cold weather wouldnt bother me so much, but the problem is its a 20 min walk to the metro every morning and then after a 30-40 min train ride it takes a good 15-25 min walk to wherever Im going...unless I have to take a connecting marshutka (bus) to my destination. And I ride the trains at least 3 times a day, usually more. So there's no jumping in the car and jumping out into the warm building like back in America.

The metros, bless them, are always warm though thanks to the trains and hoards of people riding them. And I mean hoards! The trains are ALWAYS busy and unless youre at the top of the line you'll rarely get a seat. When I think back to the trains in Chicago...they seem like a ghost town in comparison. A typical metro ride will consist of being pushed into the train then for the rest of your lovely journey, your squashed between a 30yr old business man, a hooker with sharp heels (that youll be lucky not to have come in contact with your own feet at one point), a super tall 25yr old guy listening to his music, and a babushka with her bags of vegetables digging into your side. But I have to admit, I still consider trains to be one of my most favorite modes of transportation.

Oh and while we're on the subject of the types of people you'll encounter on the trains, Ive noticed something about the older men here. Theyre very touchy with the younger women. Not in a 'necessarily' bad way I guess...(depending on what level of a feminist you are). For some reason they feel that they have the right to grab you with both hands by the waist and physically move you out of theyre way. Or, if your hesitating to get on a train because youre afraid its so crowded that the doors will shut on you and break some bone in your body (we've witnessed hands being broken, and heard rumors of ankles), the men will grab you and push you on in front of them, making the decision for you. Im not a top level feminist, but I AM pretty high up there...and this, this pisses me off.

Ive gotten some questions about what my school/teaching situation is like, so I'll clarify things a little bit for all of you. Im in a group of 9 girls, including our head teacher Michaela, who was a teacher in Kiev last semester like I am now. There are two other groups like us in Kiev. In my group, we teach at two school in different parts of the city. Mary and I teach at central by ourselves (with Gabby teaching there with us on Tues & Thurs). Everyone else teaches at Nivky school. In two weeks though, Mary and I will be moving to a different office building to teach at which is apparently bigger and nicer than where we are now. We also might be teaching new kids and possibly loose the ones we've been teaching. Which makes me extremely sad! I've really gotten attached to the adorable little boys we teach... But yea, hope that answered a couple questions.

Life at home is as interesting as ever. Riah continues to yell at me in a never ending stream of Russian, whether she is happy OR annoyed with me. Though she has taken to petting my hair when she is really delighted with me, so now I have this urge to get her to pet my hair all the time...
The other day I was on the balcony getting something out of my suitcase when I turned and accidentally knocked a pot of compote (homemade juice with fruit in it) onto the ground. She didnt seem very happy about it, or at least that's what I inferred because she started yelling at me louder than usual. Then 10 min later she sat me down for dinner and I ate my normal amount of food, but when she gestured to ask me if I wanted more and I said no thank you, she got that annoyed look in her eye and put the rest of what was left of dinner on my plate, then yelled at me to eat it. I took it as her version of a consequence of spilling the compote and forced myself to start eating it. I was seriously sitting there trying not to laugh though at how ridiculous the whole thing was. I was like 'How the HECK did I get myself into this situation? Im sitting here in a flat in Ukraine, being forced to eat a ton of food by a babushka as a punishment, waiting for her to walk out of the kitchen so I can run to the balcony, open the window, and dump the rest of the food out and down 15 floors to the ground below. I CANNOT believe this...'
It really was amazingly funny. Unfortunately, Riah didnt go out of the kitchen. (Though I dont think I would have chanced it anyways because of what would have happened if I got caught.) And so I finished the food, after which Riah seemed to forgive me because she started petting my hair again.

Ill have you know...Riah's food is pretty decent. I eat most all of it. There have only been a FEW things Ive had to throw out the window because theyre simply impossible for me to eat without having them come back up. There's a grassy area with trees below the window, and though it really isnt THAT often that I throw food out..the pigeons seem to know to congregate there.

Im not allowed to wash the dishes. At first I tried to sneak doing them, but Riah caught me once and yelled at me so intensely I haven't tried since. Is it really that bad that I want to clean my dishes so that a 70-75yr old grandmother wont have to?? Im thinking no, but Ive found that following her rules is definitely the better way to go about helping her and keeping her happy and pleased with me.

Well I'd better get going...there's about 10 minutes time left for me to use the computer. (Im at an internet cafe lol...)
I dont think Ill get another post up for a couple weeks because this Friday Im leaving on a trip around Europe! We're going to Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Dresden, and Lyviv. It's a long needed vacation from teaching English every Monday though Friday...and when I get back there will be only a month and 21 days till Im back in America! Crazy huh??
I love you Mom, Riley, Grayson, Hannah, and Dad!!!!!!! And all the rest of my lovely family and friends out there!!!!

Sorry no pictures (since Im at an internet cafe) so Ill leave a song/video for ya. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv2OyI0nXEE&ob=av2e
Ugh never mind, I lied. Its not working. But I refuse to be beat so Ill just leave up the link.

Till next time...