First of all, I love my roommates, even when they speak Italian to eachother and I have no idea what's happening. My roommate Barbara took me around the Kiev Center yesterday, and it was AWESOME. Have some pics to keep you involved while I get into the bizarre explanation of Today's events:
Today was INSANE. My boss told me to show up to class today at 9:30am with the books he sent me (very interesting, both in English, about Russian politics and world culture systems). I assumed that I would have class at 9:30 and that we would use these books. WRONG. I wait in the computer lounge for a while, because I showed up early. Then a woman shows me around the school, telling me where my class is. Once the tour is done, I go to my class, where no one is expecting me and the teacher has no idea what my books are for (This type of disorganization is so Russia, it must be an Eastern European thing). I sit it on the lesson, which turns out to be a test, and the teacher realizes that I understand everything that is happening. She gives me the test, I finish it before the other three students, and the teacher and I have a conversation in Russian about putting me in a higher level. I later find out that this class currently IS the highest level offered, but it was fun and the teacher was very nice, so whatever. Some grammar review is always good. Went out to lunch with my classmates (who were super nice and easy to talk to, all in Russian of course) and then hustled back to school for my 2pm meeting with my boss.
At my meeting I ask my boss about the books, which he thanks me for and takes away. I guess they weren't for me... I miss those books. Anyway, I meet another American intern who lives in Chicago --- the first thing he wanted to talk about was that he can't believe Americans elected Obama as president, since Chicago politicians are "the worst, the most corrupt" in America. "And a black man? C'mon!" I've never met anyone like this guy.
So this meeting with my boss was our orientation for teaching... which I realized, began in three hours. "Oh, ok, you want me to teach a class today? Cool. What? Two classes? Okay. Back-to-back? Wow, alright. How long? 2 hours? Each? Bring it Oooon!" So anyway, my boss basically told us that we should talk about travel (because it's interesting!), so I look through some teaching resources and find a few good worksheets. I plan some exercises. Not knowing anything about my students, and only having taught children in the past, I realized soon enough that perhaps these were a little juvenile, but my first class liked it. My second class had some troubles... but I think we can get through it. I love my students, they are all SUPER interesting, all adults except for two law students (which are not like any law students in America --- think more along the lines of Elle Woods from Legally Blonde, minus five years).
At 10:30pm I finally got home so I could eat some dinner, forgot how to speak Russian because I was so exhausted and had been speaking English all evening, and knew I had to write about it. This sounds like I had a crummy day, I realize this, but actually it was really awesome. I was so happy, all day long. Everyone here is incredibly nice, people smile (UKRAINIANS SMILE!), I made some new friends, my coworkers are AMAZING, I made a great dinner with the few ingredients I had (eggs in olive-oil and sour-cream macaroni&cheese with fried kielbasa), and plenty of people asked me to spend time with them outside of work! So cool! I have a list of people in my phone that I can call whenever I have free time, which is the BEST because when I finally do have free time, I'm not going to want to sit in my apartment by myself.
Oh, and I want to take a trip to Odessa before it gets to cold.
Love you all, I had a great day (...seriously, it was great!)
Sarah
