Can I get a spoon please?

When I think of "life saving objects", a number of things come to mind; Life boats, emergency floatation devices, cardiac defibrillators, seat belts and knee pads... but never in my life would I have thought an every day object so simple, would have such an impact on my short life, all in one weekend.

I love the irony in my life.


This is the story of "Ryan" the Travel Size Hairdryer and how it saved my life and blessed the countless lives of others.

Crimea: The most southern part of Ukraine. I heard it called the "medeterainian of Russia". As you can imagine, after a lonngggg winter in Kyiv, I was totally down for some hot humid play time on sandy shores of Simferopol.

This was definelty not the case.
Long story short- yes, use your imagination....
A small "cabin" (meaning metal shack)
Two wooden plank beds.
Two holy wool blankets.
30 degree weather.
18 layers of clothes.
1 Hairdryer.
2 best friends.

my life:]

Think Green.

Suddenly, it looks like a green leaf monster threw up all over the city! People said Kyiv was beautiful in May, but I had NO idea. It has completely transformed and become a rainy forest wonderland. I am in love. <3


Yesterday, on our day off, we had the intentions of going to an outdoor village museum thing. Well, bad news is..we never found it. BUT we ended up in the middle of nowhere in a small village in the rain..so it all worked out. 

         

 

              

 Tomorrow we are headed to Crimea on the black sea till tuesday! Ryan will be in kyiv when I get back. Im super excited. До свидания!

Feeling radioactive?

Organizing, filing and color-coding potential classes in various excel documents for 5 hours is not fun. I am a little stiff but this slightly painful experience has made me realize, my time here is really running short and it is almost time to go back to reality. Counting down has been my enemy. Five weeks to go. Woah. The last few weeks have been my most  difficult...minus that time I got my appendix out a while back. I cannot deny that I love it here because I really do. So far this experience has been so humbling. It literally has brought me to my knees everyday. I have been faced with the biggest trials of my life here. In light of the Easter weekend,  I have a pretty amazing friend who shared this quote with me;

Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.

But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come.

No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come.

Joseph B Wirthlin. October 2006 General Conference "Sunday Will Come"

Easter came, went and another week is gone. One week closer to home. More importantly, one week closer to sun and sand in Crimea:]

Five weeks to go. Post every week, I promise. 

Бабин Яр

[Babi Yar]

September 29th, 1941. 

33,771 Jews. 

5 minuets from home. 

I can't believe I have been living in Ukraine for three months and had no idea such a notorious, horrific event took place only a few miles from where I teach. 

Kikes of the city of Kiev and vicinity! On Monday, September 29, you are to appear by 08:00 a.m. with your possessions, money, documents, valuables, and warm clothing at Dorogozhitskaya Street, next to the Jewish cemetery. Failure to appear is punishable by death.'

– Order posted in Kiev in Russian and Ukrainian, on or around September 26, 1941.^[4

This massacre was considered to be the largest single massacre in the history of the holocaust. It is estimated that between 100,000- 150,000 MORE lives were taken at Babi Yar.  

Last weekend we had the opportunity to do a service project. Our branch was assigned to Babi Yar. I had honestly NO idea what happened there until a few days before we went. I am not sure what I was expecting. I dont normally jump at the idea to go see a graveyard or old catacombs.. I had no idea if I was going to be able to handle this. 

To my surprise, it was nothing like I thought it was going to be. Service is funny like that. What happened there was tragic, but we got to see a slightly lighter side of things in a very dark place.  The site had been turned into a beautiful park. It was one of the sweetest experiences I have had while in Ukraine. I cannot really explain it. Being there, seeing these wonderful people serve each other was touching. It made it very hard to fathom what really happened there. I could not believe what hallow ground I was standing on. It really makes me feel very fortunate to live in the time and place that I do. Life gets hard here for all of us. Half of the time we really want to stuff our kids into the closet and run for the airport, but it is bittersweet moments like this one, that really puts it all into perspective.  

I encourage all who have not, read up on this. It is very interesting but sad event in our worlds history. 

Helping Hands- Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints

"They were brought into the ravine and made to lie down on top of Jews who had already been shot …Ten by ten, they never stopped. "

Katchup.

Peanut Butter or Nutella?

I have recently discovered the wonder of Nutella. I found that the general population has been split in two. Peanut Butter or Nutella. Nutella or Peanut Butter. What I'm wondering is, why must the world compare the two? Yes, they are both made of nuts and generally spread on slices of bread (hunks, in my case) but they are completly two different substances and most important of all, they taste nothing alike. So why must I choose? Both are delicious and creamy (or crunchy, if you choose).

Now, because of my wonderful father and by the grace of customs, both nutella and a jar of Jiffy Peanut Butter are living harmoniously inside my cupborard... except sadly, I have been banned to indulge either for the next 7 to 10 days.

Speaking condiments, Katchup, another favorite that I am not allowed to consume in my current state. You see, Ukrainian doctors are mean. They rob you of your internal organs and then tell you that you cannot eat anything that might make and American, as myself, remotely comfortable. Hmph.Oh well. I guess its time to choke down some buckwheat start the next chapter. 

You would think that the word "ouch" would be the one word that everyone, everywhere would understand... the one sure thing that one could verbalize and the vast seas of The Great Language Barrier would be suddenly bridged... Well, sometimes "ouch" does not work. Here is what I learned:

INCASE OF "OUCH" FAILURE: Grunt, urhghh, ermmm, and ahhhh until someone gets the hint that you are in pain. Scream if necessary, run if possible.

I found this out the hard way this past week, so if you happen to find yourself in a Ukriainian hospital, it would be best to take my advice. But goodnews, they have wifi!

I was planning on posting about my recent trip to Lviv but this stupid thing called an apandectomy got in the way of my blogging time. Lviv was fantastic. One of the best weekends of my life I think.... but it was followed by the scariest Tuesday of my life. Long story short, it looks like a shark bit into my side..ok, not really.. but I am perfectly fine and headed back to evil doctor man today to take out my stitches. I hope my insides do not fall out. If they did, I am sure that they would end up on the menu of our favorite restaurant in Lviv- The Golden Boar. How would you like a slice of Britney served with "one  hunk" of bread? I would.