This is sort of a new position for me as I never saw myself as a blogger. So many people list "blogger" as a profession (really?) that I was hesitant to start writing. But since I was moving far away from home and this was an opportunity to share my experiences with my family, friends, and coworkers, I decided to go for it.
So, this is my official Peace Corps Ukraine Blog. When I first arrived in Donetsk, Ukraine as a Group VI Education Volunteer almost twenty years ago (June 1996) there really wan't an active online community. In order to communicate with family and friends I actually had to write a letter by hand or pick up a (stationary) phone. There was no searching online for photos, cutting and pasting, nor tweeting. It made the process more intimate but nowadays the Internet makes interacting with family more inclusive and fact-filled.
The reasons why I returned to Ukraine as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer differ from when I first arrived as a regular two-year Volunteer. For one, I'm more focused and experienced. I have worked as an English/ESL teacher in New York City for over ten years so I know what I'm looking to do professionally. Second, I feel I have more to offer. I'm no longer an immature 20-something looking to hang out and goof around. I'm now an immature forty-something who wants to get more of a cultural experience and not to be afraid to try the things I didn't try before. Finally, the events of the last few years have made me want to come back and help. I feel Ukraine is important to the future of Europe and I think we need to do more to bring the country further West. After Donetsk, my old city, feel into chaos, I knew I had to find a way to come back. And thanks to Peace Corps here I am. I am not only here to train teachers at Ivan Franko University here in Zhytomyr; I am also here to bring back a greater understanding of Ukraine and its people to the United States. I hope this blog can be a small part of that.
Please enjoy reading this blog and feel free to comment on what you read. And please pass the link along to friends and family. I will make it as interesting as possible.
And now for the disclaimer: The content of this website is mine alone and does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or the Ukrainian Government.
It was really great)
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