three emails and one angry email.

Over the last three days I have gotten three emails from people that I have never met from BYU-I. They all expressed concern for me over in Kiev. One of them even was asking my boss to send me and all the other teachers home as soon as possible. When I saw that I got really frustrated. They had NO right sending that email. They are NOT my parents. They should NOT tell me what to do, especially when I don't even know them. They do NOT know the whole story in what is happening here. To let out some of my steam I wrote an angry email to one of the people. The email asked what my honest opinion of the situation here in Ukraine and I just merely responded and I quote,

"my honest opinion of the situation is to stay the heck out of my business. If you would read the news you would know that the real danger is 12 hours away by car. You should have sent this email about a week ago when people where actually dying on the street in my town by the snipers on the roofs.

have a great day :)

Darla Holland"

Of course I never sent this but it felt awfully good to get it out there. no matter who read it. But for everyone that is worried about me, I AM SAFE. I am safer then I have been in a couple weeks to tell you the truth. Things are looking up for Kiev and the country as a whole. There have been some major changes that have happened and they are looking good. Even though things are tough now I have faith that they will get better. I know they will, it just might take a little more time. 

There really isn't much news other then that. Russia looks like they are backing down, maybe? we hope. But then again it’s Russia... and I have learned they don’t do things that normal countries do. I have had the same dream for the past three nights about us getting evacuated out of the country. It’s always messy and we always take a different way of transpiration, first plane, train, the bus. We somehow end up in Poland every time. Dreams are funny that way I guess. it's probably just my over active imagination running at high speed.

hanging out with durnk men

First day of spring was yesterday! YES! The weather should start to warm up soon. Fingers crossed. To celebrate this time of year a lot of Ukrainians go to parks to eat, drink, and be merry. So we did the most logical thing, we did the same. We went to a huge outdoor museum on the out skirts of town. it was full of old buildings that they collected from around the country to put in the park. We spent most of the day walking around and enjoying everything. It was about 15 minutes outside of the city so there were no high raises, no large buildings, just fields, lots of fields. it was hard to believe that we where not even that far from the city yet it felt so much like we where in the country.

During this time of celebration Ukrainians eat a lot of what they call "pancakes" but these are not pancakes that we are used to back in the states. These are crepes that they eat with loads of different things stuffed inside them. I had a crepe with ham and mushrooms inside, which was amazing! it tasted really great, but it was also freezing outside so it warmed me up a little. I also had this mushroom soup that was great as well! With all the food I ate I only spent about $2.50. Something I love about Ukraine is that the food here is cheap. No matter where you go, it is all affordable, even if you go to a sit down restaurant for sushi it's only going to cost you $10. Yesterday was cold, really cold with the high of only about 29 F and so the hot food was great. I also was super smart and forgot gloves so I loved holding the food to try to heat my hands.

Not only did we eat great food but we also got to ride a carriage around the whole park for only a dollar for each person that rode with us. I love that some things here are so cheap, it's fantastic! It was relaxing just to sit down see what the park had to offer without walking around the whole thing by ourselves. It was really huge and I don’t think I even saw all of it.

 I guess normally the first day of spring there is still snow on the ground so it was odd that there was nothing even though it was cold. A lot of our group left at two but I and a few other people stayed until four. We decided to rough it and look around some more even though we were all freezing. When the rest of the group left we walked around a little and ended up hanging out with some slightly drunk Ukrainian men. There was a bit of a language barrier but it was really kind of fun to see how they partied and seemed to forget what was going on in their country, just for a little bit. They kept on offering us Vodka and we kept on refusing however they did give us pancakes witch was cool. They were really funny, all seemed to flirty and I don’t think I’ll forget that memory any time soon.
 

Needless to say it was great to enjoy life and good friends after being under house arrest last weekend. Because sadly I don’t know how many days I’ll have like that in this country

the men that we partied with :) pretty cute if I do say so myself.

 

carriage ride with the whole group!

 

more of us

The Russians are coming

things are changing by the minute here and it's crazy. I never thought I would be in a situation like this in my life. as most of you people would know Russia has invaded Ukraine. so fart there has not been any deaths but I really have not been following it for the past two days because I have been busy. there has been no word from the US embassy but I am worried in what will be the out come of this.

Obama gave a speech to Russia a couple nights ago warning that if they invaded Ukraine there would be consequences but so far America has done nothing about this. I knew we wouldn't do anything though. it's just the way the president is, kind of cruddy when it comes to foreign affairs. this makes me frustrated though, more then it has in the past. this already fragile country is starting to crumble under the ground it's standing on, starting with it's Hryvnia witch has already started to sink even farther down.

when I saw stuff like what is happening here or in other countries on TV back in the states I cared about it but I didn't, if you know what I mean. it's hard to explain, like it didn't really apply to me so it's not like I followed it religiously. However, now that I have been here and have lived though a lot I have a knew desire about international affairs because even though sometimes our country feels like it is the only one that matters all countries are connected and I truly believe that everyone should have a right for the pursuit of happiness.

I am hopeful, I am hopeful for Ukraine's future but on thing is for sure, it's not going to get better in a blink of an eye but if enough people care and try to make things better, it will get better.

Tchaikovsky

Lavra, add that to the now overflowing list of places we cannot see in Ukraine. One of the oldest and most historic churches in Kiev is now off limits, the reason being, it’s Russian orthodox and is unfriendly to Americans and Ukrainians a like. They support Russia and are upset that Ukraine wants to be part of the European Union. I find it sad that churches are now starting to participate in this bickering between the two sides. Churches are supposed to be helpful in times like this but yet they are picking sides. I don’t think it’s right. It’s sad really.

For the most part things are starting to turn back to normal where I am at right now. People go to work and carry about their normal life even though there is a war threating to break out in the midst of all of  this. We are able to go on adventures before classes again and enjoy being outside. However we still can’t be out at night and we can’t visit anything in the center of town (were there is protesting still happening). Sadly the center has the most history out of any of the other parts of town. I really hope to see the center soon. if not I might have to get 'lost' and go myself. I think I would be ok.  

On an adventure we took yesterday we stumbled upon a museum of the most famous composer in Ukraine’s history. The tour was free and it was in ENGLISH! It was broken English but I was just greatful they put in the time to tell us about the composer and his life. At the first floor there was information about where he grow up and his family. The second floor was his house and there were all original furniture and items that belonged to him. We were able to look as long as we liked and take at many photos as we liked. It was amazing! There also was a piano in almost every room. I got to play one in his sitting room. To fit the mood I played Yann Tiersen’s Comptine d'un autre été. After I played the song the tour guide said that this piano was played by tchaikovsky himself! Amazing! knock that off my bucket list! We also got a CD of his music for free and a post card, for free! The guides were so kind and I would easily go back and pay money to go there again. It had to be one of the best adventures so far! just think, we stumbled on this all by mistake as well. it makes me want to get out and get lost more other because you don't know what kind of amazing things you might find. 

on most nights after dinner my family likes to watch films with me. I enjoy this most of the time but sometimes I almost fall asleep during them because we put them on late sometimes. I force myself to stay up though because I don't want to seem like they bore me, I just get really tired. Most of the time they pick out the films but sometimes they ask me what I like. So last night we watched the movie the hunger games. I told my host dad about this book a couple weeks ago and said that I really liked it and the film was good as well so last night he wanted to watch the film. Not a good choice. The government is rich and powerful and makes it’s people work to the grave, the president is evil and has loads of money and it’s about the people overthrowing the government. it sounds so much like a Ukrainian's life right now. I didn't even think about it until half way through the film. 

Normally after the film we talk a little more, sometimes about the film, sometimes about other things, no matter how tired I am or they are. I could be practically falling asleep on the couch but they will still be talking to me. They are so funny.  but anyhow last night  after the film all they said was that it was good and then we all went to bed. I’ll chalk that up to being one of my opps moments. I don't think they liked the film to much.

the piano it's self was beautiful.

peace corps

Even though they are changing the government, parliament, and at some point even the president,  you would think this would solve a lot of the problems that needed to be fixed. You would be surprised to find out that even though the protesters are getting almost everything they want everything is not ok, it's still not safe here. Because of these resent changes it has put friends against friends, kin against kin, and east against west. I just got an email from the US embassy saying that all Peace Corps people have been sent out of the country. I have a gut feeling that we will be soon to leave as well. I really don't want to leave. I have made great friends and memories but if this is what I need to do I will.

Because I could go outside yesterday (freedom! YES) I went by myself to some underground markets and got some hats for a great price of only about $10. I plan on doing so more shopping soon but I'm just enjoying not being under house arrest. I plan on going out early today as well and just walking around even though the weather is kind of dismal and cold.

Being here has given a new meaning to, live life to the fullest because you don't know how long you have. I feel like this in Kiev, live, try new things, don't regret because you don't know when we'll have to go.

Next update will be soon

Darla

off house arrest!!!

After a long 5 days of house arrest I am glad to say it has been lifted and we are going to teach again today. Hopefully things will go back to normal soon but my head teacher has reason to believe we could be placed back under house arrest... that will be a day.

There were times when I thought I was going to go home. I guess that is still a possibility that we could still leave but it got to the point where I was making back up plans. I was talking to my friends in England and my friends in France also putting in job applications in Italy. If I had to leave the country I was going to try my hardest to stay in Europe for as long as possible.

On Friday the house arrest was kind of lifted. it was more like temporarily lifted. I was allowed to go with my host family to the park as long as I was back before dark. I then was able to go across town by car to another coordinators house witch we had dinner out altogether. it felt great to be out again and be with friends face to face! Sadly the house arrest was put back on when we got back to her place so me and Marilee where stuck on the other side of town with no way back for the night and another day. so needless to say we spent the whole weekend over there. It was fun but I was glad when I was able to go back to my host family. 

The president is out of office! There are photos of his house that is going around online. It just makes me sick to see all the money he stole from his people to make himself and his family rich. He had no right being president and I am happy to say that he is gone. Ukraine has the right for the pursuit of happiness and the freedom we enjoy. I hope that someday soon they will have all of this.  

Out of this whole weekend I learned patients, and how to deal with problems calmly. I also learned to rely on the Lord and understand what ever happened, it was all part of his plan and I should comply with it instead of being my stubborn self.

            Things have gotten better; however things are not completely well. There are still protests going on in the center. Not many people can say that they were in a middle of a revolution in a foreign country for their internship. This is one of a kind and I will never forget this moment in my life. It has changed my outlook on a lot of things. I have already learned so much. I would never change this experience for anything.

 Till next time,

Darla

update status

Things have not gotten any better here. At first today we were going to teach and I thought it could be improving but I was sorely mistaken as the early morning faded into mid morning. In fact they have gotten much worse then things that had happened yesterday. It has all gone south. All the teachers have been placed under “house arrest” again but this time I’ve been talking to friends and family to make time past faster. Thank goodness for Skype! but I have been in my room talking on the computer and watching shows.

Some of the things that I have heard that has happened during the day today. There was a drive by shooting that happened just 20 minutes away from where I live. Some unknown people burnt down a building where injured protesters were (a make shift hospital of sorts). Young men called Tatushiks walk around doing small crimes because the police are not doing anything. The metro is still shut down. people are under the belief that they are transporting weapons through the underground.  as if this was not enough, now they have blocked off all roads across the river and have started to shut down roads around the town as well. I am officially locked into the city. I can't leave even if I wanted to.  

My host family has been clearly upset by this whole thing as well. My host brother, Colia, the 3 year old, has been acting odd since last night, throwing tantrums and crying fits without a reason. I believe he knows what’s happening as well and shows his fear in a different way then all of us.

For weeks I have said to my friends and family, “I feel safe”. However within the past couple days I have not been able to say this with much confidence.

 It’s really sad for them because here I am a foreigner in this area and I can go home whenever I want to. My home is safe. This however is their home and the government is crumbling right under their feet.  It’s scary to see them for the first time, not know what tomorrow will look like.

One thing is for sure, there is no bright light out of this tunnel anytime soon.