I don't tend to get weepy when I read the news, but then I started reading all the stories about Oksana Makar. I think her story touches on all the issues I care most about and a lot of the things I find most frustrating about Ukraine.
This is a good article summarizing the original events.
She put up a tough fight, but yesterday she died.
If you really want to read more, here are links to Persephone Magazine's coverage:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
You can also read the New York Times article, though I find its coverage disappointing and lacking.
This makes me so sad. Rest in peace, Oksana.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Нічого Цікаво/Nothing Interesting
Lately when anyone has asked me what I've been up to, "nothing interesting" has been my standard response. Mostly because it's about as accurate a response as I can give. I feel like everyday right now consists of waking up, getting ready for school, teaching, coming home from school, and then whiling away some hours before I can go to bed again.
Part of the problem is I'm teaching fewer hours this semester, and some of the classes I'm teaching, such as the 2nd form, don't need a lesson plan. My 11th form class has devolved into me baby-sitting those 24 or so students for 45 minutes, three times a week because they only have about four weeks of school left and they are beyond caring. And if they haven't learned English in the last ten years, I'm not sure it's going to happen in the last four weeks.
Next week is spring break. I've decided to stay home, and will only be traveling to Kyiv for my mid-service medical exam. After that, I have four weeks until the 11th form finishes, six weeks until the 9th form finishes (though I'm barely teaching them now), and 8 weeks until the Last Bell Ceremony. As excited as I am for it to be summer and for school to finish, I don't have any hard commitments for camps or anything else this summer. So, we'll see what happens.
I warned you, this post was going to be nothing interesting.
Part of the problem is I'm teaching fewer hours this semester, and some of the classes I'm teaching, such as the 2nd form, don't need a lesson plan. My 11th form class has devolved into me baby-sitting those 24 or so students for 45 minutes, three times a week because they only have about four weeks of school left and they are beyond caring. And if they haven't learned English in the last ten years, I'm not sure it's going to happen in the last four weeks.
Next week is spring break. I've decided to stay home, and will only be traveling to Kyiv for my mid-service medical exam. After that, I have four weeks until the 11th form finishes, six weeks until the 9th form finishes (though I'm barely teaching them now), and 8 weeks until the Last Bell Ceremony. As excited as I am for it to be summer and for school to finish, I don't have any hard commitments for camps or anything else this summer. So, we'll see what happens.
I warned you, this post was going to be nothing interesting.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Wanderlust
It's no secret that I love all things related to the Spanish language, and it's always been a dream of mine to spend some quality time in Latin America. While living in eastern Europe is almost the same thing, sometimes I need satisfy my wanderlust through others living the Latin dream.
Someone I know from Ohio State is currently traveling through South America and documenting the experience. If you want to see some very beautiful photos and read about the journey, check out La Aventura Project.
Someone I know from Ohio State is currently traveling through South America and documenting the experience. If you want to see some very beautiful photos and read about the journey, check out La Aventura Project.
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