::Change::

"All changes, even the most longed for, 
have their melancholy; 
for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; 
we must die to one life before we can enter another." 
::Anatole France::

I am sorry to have left this blog so forgotten!

After living in Ukraine for 18 months, I returned to the US on December 14, 2012 and stayed with my family to celebrate Christmas and New Year's. In January, I moved to Arkansas to begin the next adventure! I am back in school taking pre-medical courses. It'll take around a year and a half to finish up all the pre-reqs, but then I'll be applying to medical school!

My life has been changing, and it is time that this blog changed with it. I'm still figuring out how this will work, but I'm planning to update this blog to my new adventure as a post-baccalaureate pre-med student. I'll leave all the posts from Ukraine able to be found, but they may be moved.

I'm thinking right now I'll be of course updating on life as a pre-med, but also sharing stories from Ukraine and things that are important to me.

If you have any ideas of what direction you think my blog should go, let me know what you'd like to hear!

-ej

::Thank You, America::

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, 

one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and 

justice for all."

I currently live in a place where the 4th of July is simply that...July 4, 2012, a day like any other. Even our American-style Independence Day party has been delayed until the 7th of July (crazy, I know!) for our Ukrainian friends and contacts.But the significance of the day is not lost on me. This is the second Independence Day that I have spent as an "expat;" an American living abroad. And I hope it's not my last.

If I was given the choice to live anywhere in the world, I wouldn't pick the United States. My dreams involve living abroad as much as possible. God has given me a heart for missions, and more specifically foreign missions. I want to live abroad, whether its full-time missions or vocational ministry. I would love to live in the United Kingdom, in a jungle in Nicaragua, on an island in the Pacific, in New Zealand, in a hut in Ghana, in the mountains of Tibet, everywhere in the EU, and all over the world.

I really don't plan on living the rest of my life in the US. In fact, I pray for God to give me opportunities not to live in the US.

The fact that I currently live in Ukraine qualifies me as an "expatriot," by the literal sense of the word: a person living in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing. And most likely, I will be an "expat" again in the future. However, I've never liked the term "expatriot," because it sounds like I've renounced my allegiance. My allegiance has not changed. Despite things I don't like about America, there are more things I am grateful for including freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom to assemble. I can travel around the world and know that the US government will do what it can to protect me as a citizen.

I am proud to be an American.

Traveling opens my eyes to make me that much more grateful for freedom. So, as I celebrate this 4th of July while living in a country that only recently gained its own freedom, I want to say thank you.

Thank you, America, for all who have ever fought for my freedom, especially my own friends and family.

Thank you, America, for giving me freedom so that I can live all over the world. 

Thank you, America, for giving me the opportunity to live in Ukraine. I am so grateful to live here.

Thank you, America, for giving me opportunities in the past to travel to Nicaragua, Mexico, England, Ghana and Italy. Places I dream about seeing again.

Thank you, America, for fueling my dream to live and travel all over the world.

But most of all, thank you, America, for always welcoming me back home.

(credit to Bethany B)

Happy 4th of July.

::Three Days in Donetsk::

"A group is a bunch of people in an elevator. A team is also a bunch of people in an elevator, but the elevator is broken!" ::Bonnie Edelstein::

Last week, the five of us AIMers had to make a trip to Donetsk to fulfill part of our visa process. In order for us to remain in Ukraine, we must be registered. We were hopeful that all would be smooth sailing, but this is, after all, Ukraine. Instead of a quick one day trip, we were there for 3 days and on the third day we actually had to start the process over. We are still waiting to hear the final word on our registration.

The trip was at times very frustrating, because we never knew when we would get the ok to go home. We didn't take much stuff with us, so we made do with the little we had. We also had a whole lot of down time. In this case though, boredom bred creativity!

And so, without further ado, I present to you the world premiere of "Three Days in Donetsk"!
(I highly recommend you watch it full-screen!)

Please comment and let us know what you think! :)

-ej

::EURO 2012- Kharkov::

"Souls and bodies we'll lay down, all for our freedom,

And we will show that we, brothers, 
are of the Cossack nation!"
::Ukrainian National Anthem::

This month there is an international championship soccer tournament going on! Have you heard of it? Probably not, if you live in the US. It's the European Football (aka Soccer) Cup! And Ukraine is co-hosting the matches, along with Poland!

Kharkov, where I have lived for the past year, is one of the host cities of the EuroCup. It has been at times something laughable to imagine Ukraine hosting such an important international championship. Streets were torn up, buildings torn down, and ambitious projects started that had no chance of finishing in time. I even heard of a small village near Donetsk (another host city) that was closing its streets to visitors because they were so unprepared. Some of the changes here in Kharkov include English signs and announcements in the metro, new high-speed trains to the capital Kiev, and more miltia (police) than ever before.

However, as the fans began arriving this month, I have been happily surprised at the changes I've seen in the people of Kharkov! They have been so welcoming to foreigners. Smiles come more easily, and I have watched Ukrainians willingly struggle to communicate in English to help the fans. It is truly inspiring! There's been positive news reports, especially about Kharkov like this one: "Foreign Guests Blown off Their Feet in Ukraine".

I am so proud of the people of Ukraine! Experiencing the EuroCup, even as an outsider, has made me sentimental. Right now the world gets to see the best of Ukraine, and seeing through their eyes makes me love Ukraine more than ever!

Thanks to the EuroCup, I can share with you a few glimpses into my home: Kharkov, Ukraine.

A commercial for Ukraine during the EuroCup:

"Switch on Ukraine"

Here's a music video filmed completely in Kharkov!

"Welcome to Kharkiv!" by Anastasia Blinkova

And a short, funny commercial about Americans and the EuroCup in Ukraine:

"Euro 2012 Couple"

With Love from Ukraine,

-ej

::Orthodox Easter::

"Where, O death, is your victory? 
Where, O death, is your sting?"
::1 Corinthians 15:55::

As Orthodox Easter was a week ago, I thought I would share a post about Russian and Easter. If you weren't aware, Christian holidays fall on different days in the Orthodox calendar. When my Ukrainian friends ask me about when Christmas or Easter is in America, they identify it as from the Catholic calendar. Now I haven't done a lot of research into why these calendars are misaligned, but basically Orthodox holidays (including Christmas, New Year's and Easter) all fall exactly one week behind when they are traditionally celebrated in America.

For our worship assembly on Orthodox Easter, we invited families with children to come celebrate with a few American Easter traditions including an Easter egg hunt. For most Ukrainians, this was the first egg hunt they had ever been to! It was so much fun!

Ukrainian traditions for Easter are different. One thing that you hear everyone say is "Christ-os Vos-kress!" (Христос Воскрес!) It means "Christ is Risen!" On Easter, you can greet everyone this way, whether they are Christians, friends, religious, or even strangers, and they will reply with the phrase "Va-i-sti-nu Vos-kress!" (Воистину Воскрес!) meaning "He is Risen Indeed!"

Another interesting thing about Easter in Ukraine is Pas-ka! Easter bread/cake! It doesn't exactly have an English counterpart, so you can call it what you like :). As a friend explained to me, the word for Easter is only one letter difference from the word for Easter bread: Пасха (Easter) and Паска (Easter bread).

The bread/cake is in the shape of a giant cupcake (although they vary in sizes), usually with frosting and sprinkles on top. They are sold everywhere in the days before and after Easter, although every different Paska I tried was rather dry with raisins. Perfect with a cup of tea :). I really like them! If you're curious, here's a Paska Recipe.

Traditional Paska

Many Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter by waking up before the sun and lining up at a cathedral to have the priest bless them with holy water. A common sight on Easter was women in skirts with their heads covered by scarves (required for entry into an Orthodox church) carrying a basket full of Paska cakes. The priest would sprinkle holy water on the Paska to bless it, and then some of them would take the Paska to a graveyard and leave it on the grave of their loved ones.

I was personally given two different delicious Paska cakes from friends (one even home-made by her mother!). For me, celebrating Easter in Ukraine was another wonderful insight into Ukrainian culture, which is intrinsically Orthodox. Experiencing traditional holidays is definitely one of the most amazing things about living in a foreign culture.

Христос Воскрес!!!

-ej

::A Support Request::

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."
::Galatians 6:9::

I have been here in Ukraine for 9 months! It has been quite the adventure! It's hard to believe that my commitment is half-way over. As such, I am looking ahead to the next 9 months, and I am in need of support for a visa renewal trip (my current one will expire in May) and eventually a flight home. I need $2500 total.

Here is my support letter with more details about the work:
(if it's not loading, click to read it on Dropbox or Google Docs)

You can even donate quickly and safely online below:

Raise Money Online

Every little bit really does help from $5 to $50! Thank you so much for your help and your support! If you'd like to receive my newsletter, let me know!

Where God leads, He provides.
-ej

::Out with the Old, In with the New::

"Christmas is over. Do not despair but rather be glad. We had a good year, now let's have another. remembering all the good times that we had. Oh no more lights glistening, no more carols to sing, but Christmas- it makes way for spring."
::Relient K::

Well, I guess it's about time for a new post!

We celebrated Thanksgiving the American way, sweet potatoes and pie included. It was wonderful to take a day to remember everything I have to be thankful for, including being here in Ukraine!

Ukraine doesn't celebrate December 25, but rather January 7 is Christmas day in the Orthodox calendar. The big holiday for Ukrainians is New Year's! A family meal, presents, Grandfather Frost (aka Santa Claus), and New Year's tree (aka Christmas tree) are all part of the New Year's holiday.

For us missionaries, we shared food, fun and gifts on December 24th. My family sent some gifts that I then opened Christmas day after skyping them the night before. Despite being my first Christmas away from my own family, I enjoyed celebrating with my friends here who have become family to me.

New Year's was quite a big celebration for all of us with friends here in Kharkov! We counted down the New Year's, greeted the New Year with hugs, celebrated with sparklers, watched fireworks all around, and played games until 5am before calling it quits! It was quite the party, and a great way to bring in 2012 here in Ukraine!

Here's a few pics from the last of 2011:

 The Sky Highway over Kharkov

 Me & Canaan at the Halloween Party

Christmas gifts sent from my family!

 In Kharkov's Freedom Square

 The 2012 New Year Dragon in Freedom Square

Happy New Year to all of you!

-ej

::I AM WHO I AM::

"God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' God also said to Moses, 'Say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.''"
::Exodus 3:14-15::

I have been blessed to help lead a girls' Bible study with Olivia on Saturdays, and we just started a new study on the Names of God. I got to make the cover page for our notebooks with many of the names the Bible uses to refer to God. It was a fun project to work on as well as a good reminder of Who God is, so I thought I'd share how it turned out.

Servant of the King of Glory,

-ej

::The Black Sea::

"For whatever we lose (like a you or a me),
It's always our self we find in the sea."
::e.e. cummings::

A few weeks ago, our team went on a retreat to Crimea and stayed in a camp near Yalta, overlooking the Black Sea. It was beautiful!

Here is a video I took of us in the taxi from Simferopol to Yalta, trying to find where we were staying. Our taxi driver did not know where it was, nor did the lady he stopped to ask. The funny thing is that we were actually just barely down the hill from it when I stopped filming, we just didn't know it.

And a few pictures!

a Superhero :)

our Superhero poses

the Black Sea

Caleb on a boat ride

in Yalta

a castle known as the Swallow's Nest

-ej

::Trust Me, You Don't Want the American Cookies::

"If you give a mouse a cookie, 
he's going to ask for a glass of milk."
::from the children's book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie::

Every Monday night, we host an English movie night with subtitles for whoever wants to come. We usually have a good crowd of Nigerians, Ukrainians and Americans. On the way home from the guys' apartments tonight, some cookies called to me from a bakery window. They were larger than most "store-bought" cookies sold here in Ukraine, and looked truly like sugar cookies! Now, I have been here long enough to know that everything (especially FOOD) is not as it appears, but I was willing to give these cookies a try.

So Jordan and I stop, and I look to figure out what they are called in Russian: "AMERIKANO." Seriously, I spotted the only "American" cookies! I ask the lady for three of these "Amerikano" cookies, and she tells me (in Russian), 

"They are NOT SWEET. They are BAD!" 

I am left with nothing to say! It's not everyday you get talked OUT of buying something by the salesperson. I stand back to regroup with Jordan. We decide to watch what other people are buying and decide to buy the same. However, these are little cookies, and the price is by kilogram. Well, I have no idea how many cookies are in 1 kilogram, AND I only had 8 griven (~1 dollar), not enough for a whole kilogram.

We try to guess how many cookies we can buy with 8 griven, but really, we are CLUELESS. And it's always easier when things are simple. We've been standing here for a while now, but an idea finally came to me. I muster up all of my Russian knowledge, go up to the counter with a smile on my face, and say this:

"I have 8 griven. I want lemon cookies."

"Is that all?"

"Yes! Thank you very much."

Although the cookies tasted nothing like American OR lemon cookies, I say that it was a very successful Ukrainian adventure! Because trust me, you don't WANT the American cookies! :)

-ej

::A Day in the Life::

"This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness." ::Lamentations 3:21-24::

***This post is meant to be long and give you an example of a day in my life in Ukraine.

Every day is truly an adventure in Ukraine, and I love it. Yesterday (Friday) was a very busy day for me, but a really good day. It seems I can make all the plans in the world, but they never go as planned. Some days I look back and think of what could've been done to make it more efficient or what I can do differently in the future, but really, it's just life in Ukraine. If it's not this, it's something else...that's the adventure!

I started the day off with a meeting with our coordinator, Dougle, at a coffee shop in the center of the city. We have been going through the book of James as a devotional, and then we just talk about whatever is going on. It's a good time for our team. Our Russian class starts at 10am at a university not too far from the coffee shop. Today was a perfect example of a typical Russian class for us. We spent the majority of time going over three questions which all translate to "Where?" in English, or more specifically "To where?", "From where?" and the basic "Where?" Each question has to be answered a different way. Yep, that's Russian for you.

After class, I met up with one of the missionaries, Katie, for coffee. We talked for a little over an hour, and then I headed off to get some lunch. I had in mind this Georgian place that sells what can best be described as grilled cheese croissants. They are SO yummy. However, after paying our teacher for the week of classes, I had only 5 griven in my wallet; the equivalent of a little over 50 cents. So I went looking for an ATM.

Some ATMs will only give out 200 griven bills when you pull out large amounts, but I knew of one not too far that would give nothing bigger than 100 (8 griven=1 US dollar). This makes life a lot easier, because so many places need close to exact change. An ATM a few weeks ago gave me 800 griven in all 20s, because it was out of big bills! It was great! So I try that ATM, but it won't take my card. I knew I had a 10ish minute walk to a different metro stop, so I figured I would find one on the way. The next ATM I tried told me it "Couldn't make the Transaction," and the third ATM was only in Ukrainian. I don't like agreeing to things I don't understand, so I kept going. Finally, right across from the metro was a line for a working ATM. I got my money and asked for a receipt. The machine then made me ask a second time as it told me "Consider Saving the Forest by Not Printing a Receipt!"

By now, I had long since walked past the Georgian place, and it wasn't worth the trip back. I was near a McDonald's (which I had eaten at for only the third time on Thursday), and a sandwich place I had tried only once before with a bad experience. But, armed with more Russian, I was ready to give it another try. I asked for a chicken sandwich, picked one of the two bread choices offered (having no idea what they were, just repeating one back), and watched as she began making my chicken sandwich.

She began by buttering the bread. Okay, I'm thinking, sure, butter on a sandwich can work. She layers on the chicken. A little processed, but very edible. Some other kind of meat. Must be more chicken? Cucumbers go on. Now we're talking. Common, and actually quite tasty on  sandwich. Cabbage. Not a big fan, but I can eat it. Unidentified, green slimy stuff. Uh-oh, here we go. More of it, slathered all over. Can't figure out how to tell her I don't want any more. Some funny black stuff. What is that? Mayonnaise-based sauce. Sometimes good, maybe there's enough to hide the other flavors.

I get it to go, pay and decide to take this sandwich outside and eat on a park bench. It was a really beautiful day. All of this took much longer than expected. I eat as much of the sandwich as I can so that it's not wasted, then buy orange juice and a Twix in the metro to get rid of the taste in my mouth. Next time, I'm just going to bring a list in Russian of exactly what I want on my sandwich.

The metro took me to some of the missionaries' home, where I was meeting Olivia to prepare for a Bible study I'm helping her lead tonight. I stayed for English Bible study, which was also at their place, and they even fed me dinner! It was wonderful, and I am so grateful. Cody, one of my teammates, led the Bible study in Mark and did an awesome job, then we ate sopapilla cheesecake. It was heavenly. An hour-long trip via the metro finished off my day, and I was home around 9:30pm for the first time since 8am. I love that tired feeling after a busy, but really great day. 

Every day in Ukraine comes with a new adventure, and I am so grateful to be a part of it.

-ej

::First Brownbag Letter::

"Why are trying so hard to fit in when you are born to stand out?" ::from the movie What a Girl Wants::

AIM in Lubbock has a tradition that every Wednesday at noon, the directors Kris and Pat read letters from AIMers who are on the field written to the new AIM class. It's a sack lunch day, so it is affectionately known as "brownbag." The new AIMers will write notes and encouragement and send it back to those spread out around the world. This week was the second brownbag for the 2011 AIM class, and I sent a letter. I actually wrote it last week, but it wasn't read until today. I thought I'd share it here as well.

Priv-yet! (That’s hello in Russian):

My name is ErinJoy, and yes, I go by both names together or even better just call me “EJ.” I am on the AIM team in Kharkov, Ukraine. The other day my teammate Jordan and I were coming home, and Jordan held the outer door open for a Ukrainian Babooshka (grandmother). She was asking something in Russian that took us a few tries to figure out, but she was asking if the door was open for her. We let her in, and Jordan told her we were studying Russian. As we walked into the stairwell, she said, “Yes, yes, I understand. You are the American girls living on the second floor, yes?” The most incredible part is that during this conversation, I had come to the realization that she was blind. I don’t remember ever seeing her before in our neighborhood, and yet this kind, old, blind Ukrainian lady knew exactly who we were.

The three of us girls (me, Jordan and Dawna) live in the most populated region of Kharkov. We live in a soviet-era 13-floor apartment building with 13 separate entrances, so you can begin to picture how big it is. And yet, as we befriend our numerous neighbors, it is clear that they all know exactly who we are. Our entire neighborhood talks about us. We are the “A-mer-i-kan-key”; the American girls who have come to live in Kharkov. We clearly stand out.

Being AIMers, believe me, we stand out, even in Lubbock. People don’t understand us. We become the “talk of the neighborhood.” We are doing something that is crazy in the world’s eyes. Paul gives this challenge: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2). Every day, we struggle against this world. We have to fight against the way the world wants us to be. We should stand out.

We have to be transformed, each and every single day into HIS image. As an AIMer, you already stand out as different. You have chosen a path that seems crazy. Always remember that the way we show Christ to the world is by how we live. It’s not the easy path. Some days I hate the fact that I will never truly “fit in” here in Ukraine. But I am not here to fit in. I am here to stand out and show Christ in my own life.

Don’t be discouraged when friends or family or even strangers don’t understand what you are doing. Continue to be transformed into the image of Christ. AIM is a great place for transformation. And when that stranger tells you, “I already know who you are…” my hope is that they don’t just see you, but they see Christ in you.

Still being transformed,

-ej

::A Trip to the Mall::

"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered." ::G.K. Chesterton::

Here's a little video Jordan and I made on a recent trip to Karavan, the closest mall here in Kharkov. We go to the supermarket there fairly often, where we can find many familiar or similar things to what we have in the states. There's even a McDonald's.

-ej

::June 2011::

"‎Say to those who are fearful-hearted, 'Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.'" 
::Isaiah 35:4::

I realized yesterday that I have failed to post my most recent newsletters on my blog! I apologize for this and will strive to keep them posted from now on. So without any further delay I present my June 2011 Newsletter coming to you in your choice of high or low resolution.

Just follow the links:

High Res Newsletter

Low Res Newsletter

If you'd like to receive the newsletter by email, please leave your email through Kontactr.

In the service of an AWESOME God.

-ej

::The White House::

"Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." ::From the movie Casablanca::

The other day during Russian class we learned how to ask and answer the question "where?" We have learned how to say we live "in" a city, for example: Я живу в Харькове (I live in Kharkov), pronounced something like "Ya zhvoo vHarkovye." In previous classes we've discussed where we've been, what state certain cities are in, and which US cities have metros. We've talked about the capitals of countries, including of the US. 

So when our teacher asked in Russian something that sounded a lot like "Gdey (where) Casa Blanca?" I immediately answered, "In Washintgton," thinking that "Casa Blanca" meant "White House." Which it does; in Spanish! However, if you recall your geography (as I did not), Casablanca is also the largest city of Morocco! My teacher just looked at me and shook her said saying, "No, no, no." I also was very confused, because of course the White House is in Washington! It took me a few moments, but it finally dawned on me that I was trying to understand two different languages! My silly mind didn't even realize the difference.

Often when I am trying to speak in Russian, my mind finds Spanish words more easily than Russian, but that is changing the more I learn Russian. Spanish has given me a helpful framework to learn a new language. I seek to understand Russian grammar compared to Spanish, not English. And even though it can be difficult at times to not immediately go to Spanish in my mind (which is easier for me), it has been exponentially more helpful to have studied Spanish and some French first. I better understand how languages fit together, and for that I am grateful as I struggle through a much more difficult language to learn.

Russian is my focus right now, and I can see so many benefits of speaking to people in their own language. It is important to show people that we want to be here and that we care about them. We are not outsiders, but equals. It shows a respect for the culture and who they are. As I am able to put more and more sentences together, I look forward to when I can better communicate in conversation.

-ej

::Caught in the Rain::

"And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow." 
::G.K. Chesterton::

Today a group of us headed via metro from English worship assembly at one home to the Russian assembly across town, and when we surfaced, we were caught in a downpour! We called ahead and decided to wait out the rain, at least until it had lessened. We joined the crowd of Ukrainians around the metro exit, and I took a couple short videos of us for your enjoyment :).

Waiting in the Metro:

Walking in the Rain:

Thank you to each and every one of you who spend a few moments of your time on my little blog :). Feel free to say hello!

-ej

::North Star::

“Dear God, You’re the only North Star I would follow this far...for He is the saving grace of the galaxies.” ::Owl City:: (from his new song "Galaxies")

I have been in Ukraine over a week! It’s been an amazing journey already, and I’m so excited about what God is doing here. The missionaries have been so incredibly welcoming and eager to help and show us around. I am so blessed to work with and learn from a mission team who has God in the center of everything they do.

Our coordinator Dougle and his wife Lucy are amazing and prepared all we could need during this first week. I am so thankful that I didn’t have to immediately worry about switching terminals to fly from Kiev to Kharkov, finding an apartment, furnishing and supplying our apartment, navigating our way around town, keeping busy through jet-lag or finding food. They had thought and planned for all of this, and it took so much of our concern and worry away.

Here’s a few of our adventures & what I have learned in one week in Kharkov:
> 8 Hryvnia = 1 Dollar
> We buy our water from a water truck that comes by every day in front of our apartments.
> Our apartment key looks like it could open the wardrobe door to Narnia.
> There’s an ice-skating rink in both malls here, which are a 20 minute walk from my apartment.
> Apartment complexes typically have a very colorful and fun-looking playground.
> The bus routes are much more difficult to figure out than the metro lines. We rode a bus out for over 30 minutes before figuring out where we were and how to get back.
> Always take your shoes off at the door of someone's home.
> My macbook recognizes that I'm in Ukraine and now many websites have automatically changed from English to Ukrainian.
> 30 degrees is actually quite hot if it’s in Celsius, and you don’t have air conditioning.
> No more than 3 adults in some elevators, or you’ll wind up spending some extra time waiting for rescue. This is what happened to our guy teammates Cody and Caleb, one of the missionaries, and a neighbor who all got into an elevator together our first morning in Kharkov.
> Gathering as the Lord’s church is just as encouraging in Russian as it is in English.
> Washing machines typically can’t fit more than 2 pairs of jeans and a few shirts, and there are no dryers.
> Strawberries, “kloobnika” in Russian, are in season right now.
> I can now find my way to all of the missionaries’ 4 apartments, via metro, tram, bus or walking.
> Handing flyers out at metro stops can lead to some fun adventures.

We start Russian classes on Monday!

From UKRAINE,
-ej :)