"Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost"

No matter where you are... the first day of classes is a drag! Try first day of classes where you can't understand your teacher and there are 4 of you in the class so it's like all eyes are on you at all times! The Russian language is a tough one to learn, but thankfully we have Kyla, our own personal teacher so we will be pros in no time! While we are here we decided to volunteer in an orphanage to play with the kids... obviously. Or, so you would think. When Kyla and I got to the orphanage we were told we would be scrubbing floors and walls... who are these people?! I get that they need help... but we love the kids... not the buckets and mops! At any rate, we spent a couple hours cleaning in pretty cute outfits I must say, and never saw 1 child! We were pretty sad, but we cleared it up and from now on we are playing with the kids, so crisis averted! 

Kyla in our cute cleaning uniform, looking good :)

We also were SO happy to find the post office today, Nonika especially.. she apparently has someone special who needs to be written every week, lucky guy ;) So I grabbed a few postcards to mail home to my best friends! Nothing better than mail. Later monday night, Anna, our coordinator, and I went for a walk around the city centre square and just talked then she took me into a beautiful old cathedral. She is the best coordinator that I could ask for. She is so sweet and is so willing to do anything that I or anyone else here needs, she is wonderful! 

A fantastic moment in the last couple days was when we got THAI food. I know, you're thinking Thai food in Ukraine? Weird? Sounds weird, but it was so good you would not believe it. I think we are definitely hooked. And so much food for so little, the food here in Ukraine is unbelievably cheap compared to home. 

We LOVE Thai food 

Wednesday was the first day that we took the metro and busses and everything all by ourselves. You could say we are getting pretty grown up or something like that, it's no big deal really. Nonika, Kyla and I got all the way to school today without getting lost once so it was a big accomplishment because their system can be confusing! Then I got to the hospital without getting lost and I almost got back without getting lost. I guess the good luck wore off and something bad had to happen! I got on the metro from the hospital and then got on bus 180, the bus that is supposed to go back to the front of our building. But I rode the bus and never saw my stop then we got to the final stop where everyone HAD to get off. I had no clue where I was, and great I don't speak Russian so I was pretty hopeless. I called Oleg, one of our coordinators who tried to direct me home, finally I had to stop someone on the street and give them the phone so he could explain it haha! It was too funny, but eventually I got home, turns out I was really close from the bus stop but the bus didn't take its normal route.. gotta love that. One day I'll get it! 

Today was my first experience at the hospital and I loved it. The doctor I am working with, Anastasia, is wonderful and speaks amazing English so it is so fun to be around her. She loves showing me things and teaching me whatever she can and is willing to let me help her with some procedures such as intramuscular injections, insulin shots, helping with the preemie babies, recording EKG's, doing vitals, etc. She even wants to move to Canada, so I love her even more! Unfortunately their health care system is in despair and doctors barely make minimum wage in state hospitals. They do not have modern technology and rely on equipment and some techniques from pre-Soviet times. After the hospital today I met Nonika and Kyla in the centre of the city and we went to this little pie shop that Nonika has been raving about for the last 2 days, and it was awesome. We definitely found a hot spot, we will probably keep it in business. They have all sorts of pies, cherry, cranberry, chicken, and RABBIT. We had a couple of rabbit pies and a chicken one. They were both so good, and the rabbit was especially tasty, I highly recommend it!

I've had a fantastic week so far and this adventure only gets better as time goes on! Love you all! 

Rabbit pie!!

Love this girl!