The Lightyellow Journal

The regular disclaimer: The views expressed on this website are my own and in no way reflect those of the U.S. Peace Corps or any agency of the U.S. Government.

The Entries
August to September 2004 - Getting Ready to Leave ~ October to December 2004 - Training & the Orange Revolution ~ January 2005 - Arrival in Chernomorskoe ~ February 2005 - Settling In ~ March 2005 ~ May 2005 ~ September and October 2005 ~ January 2006 - Bird Flu and Other Stories ~ February 2006 - On the Train ~ September 2006 - Final Projects ~ November 2006 - The End

November 2006 - The End

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Last Update from Ukraine

Yesterday I had my last haircut in Ukraine, and Sveta cut off the last remnants of red from when I dyed my hair two years ago, at the end of training. Somehow I'd forgotten that there was any of it left, and when she announced that it was gone I was surprised.

And now the red is gone, I guess it's time to go back to America.

I can't believe how quickly the last two months passed. One minute I was celebrating the opening of the Resource Center and scrambling to get materials together for meetings with the regional English teachers. Now here I am, Resource Center complete, meetings finished, and various piles of belongings (sorted into packed, to be packed, for new volunteer, for teachers, for anyone who will take it) scattered around my living room, waiting for me to deal with them.

Today was my last day of school; tomorrow is my last visit, when I'm going to say goodbye to the teachers. (I think they're planning something, although I really have no idea what. I just hope that whatever gifts they give me are small. One of my friends got 4 bottles of wine and a set of teacups--and her bags were full before that! I don't expect that much, though.) Two of my closest Peace Corps friends are now officially RPCVs (Returned Peace Corps Volunteers).

When I first arrived, people here asked me if I missed home, and I always said No, which was the truth, though I felt a little guilty about it. I mean, sure, I missed home--but not in the aching, desperate way that they expected me to miss home. But now when people ask I say yes, I miss home. There's something about knowing that I'll be back soon that makes me miss home more than before.

But first I have to survive the goodbyes. They officially start tonight, when I have my goodbye dinner with my host family. I feel like this is my first real goodbye; saying goodbye to my classes hasn't felt real, because I've still been around school, and seen the kids in the halls. Even today, saying goodbye to my favorite class, I said, "But I'll be in school tomorrow, too, so maybe I'll see you!"

I hate goodbyes. I don't want to dwell on it.

On Sunday I leave Chernomorskoe. Overnight train to Kyiv, one day of paperwork in the office there, and I leave on Tuesday. Amazing how the time has gone. This is probably my last post from Ukraine, but I'll write a note or two when I get back to reflect on the experience as a whole. I don't feel that I have the perspective to do that now. Everything is a jumble, with too many conflicting emotions.

I'll leave you with a quote:

How did it get so late so soon?
It's night before it's afternoon.
December is here before it's June.
My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?
-- Dr. Seuss