RLOPCUkraineBlog: Running

Once again, posts are getting fewer and further between. I guess this is a good thing since it means I am very busy in my final ten months of Peace Corps Response in Ukraine. I had hoped to post once a week but the time and inspiration were not always there. But after I began clearing out photos from my phone I found some pretty good shots...and inspiration.

This past October I went to the small town of Berehove, which is on the border of Hungary (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berehove) to run a 10km race/fundraiser that was started by another Peace Corps Volunteer many years ago. Like any good Peace Corps project, this one has long outlived the service of its creator and has been carried on by his organization. There is now a new PCV at the same site who encouraged others to come, support here site and run in the race. I was very happy I went as it was one of the best trips of my PC service.
As with most trips, travel was overnight on a train. After twelve plus hours on the train I arrive in Mukachevo, another small city in the west of Ukraine. From there it was a one hour plus trip to Berehove with a marshrukta full of other PCVs. Everyone on the mini-bus was staring at the crowd of noisy Americans who suddenly invaded their tiny part of the world. As we rumbled along the road several locals starting chatting with us and we responded in our best Ukrainian. Despite their surprise, these Ukrainians were more than willing to tell us where to get off the marshrutka, perhaps a bit too willing as they gave us the wrong information. Just as we were crossing the street, heading towards the empty field we were told to cross (this just did not seem right), a young woman came running off the bus to tell us to hop back on. Crisis and/or possibly new adventures averted! We traveled down the road a few more kilometers until we came to the right spot.

Berehove, was unlike anything I have seen in any part of Ukraine. The key to this was that the area bounced between Hungary and Czechoslovakia in the pre-World War Two period. When the Soviets did finally encompass the area into the USSR, they apparently left much of it untouched. At least in the immediate town there are small cobbled and dirt streets lined with one floor houses. There are fewer Soviet-style apartment blocks that popped up when Stalin brought in his decorators. The city square also retains its Central European feel with its open spaces and non-Soviet style buildings. There is also an artistic feel which was reinforced by the array of umbrellas which hung over the central square. The other oddity was the linguistic and cultural vibe. No longer was this a battle between Ukrainian and Russian; rather, it was a battle between Ukrainian and Hungarian. Despite the years of separation Hungarian is still strong in this region, so much so that the town has been given its pre-Soviet name of Beregszász. Walking down the streets you could hear people communicating in their own version of Ukrainian with a definite Hungarian feel. Or, they just spoke Hungarian.

Regardless of the language, our hosts made us feel right at home. The PCV's host family lived in a beautiful house right across the road from a cemetery. Unlike many Ukrainians, this couple has extensively traveled so their worldview is a tad more broad than many of their countrywomen and men. They had a garden where they grew everything from sunflowers to wine and they had a coop full of chickens to boot. They make their own array of wines and alcohols which they were quite generous in sharing. I also discovered that they make their own pizza from products from their garden as well. After a year of subpar pizza, it was great to taste these awesome pies. (Yes, love was the main ingredient) Finally, they were kind enough to house at least seven very energetic PCVs for two days!
The race itself was a blast. It was not timed nor was it there for big prizes. People came from both sides of the border to run in a race that raised money for an organization that, amongst other things, works with Internally Displaced People (In this case, Roma). They had food and water waiting for the participants and we thoroughly enjoyed the races that took us through literally cow country. After the race we were treated to a concert by a local Hungarian singer who seemed to really get the crowd going. We then finished the day with a soak in the local hot springs, a visit to a local winery (there are everywhere!), and that famous pizza dinner.
If I was able to extend my PC service one more year, I would definitely return to Berehove for the run and, most of all, the people. My only regret was not being able to spend more time in the area, and to get over the Hungarian border. It is tantalizing to be able to climb a hill and see a new country just a few kilometers away. And that Budapest in only a few hours beyond that....Soon, in the spring. I guarantee.

Житомир and Beyond

(Adventures in Running)

The great thing about running is you can take it with you anywhere. Although I have retired (for now) from racing and despite the fact that I'm not as quite fleet of foot as I was in previous years, I continue to jog every week. Not only has this kept me relatively healthy (and thin?) but it has allowed me to learn about my new city. Whenever I feel complacent I lace up my sneakers and head out in a different direction looking for new sites or random graffiti, etc.

On last week's run, I headed out of Zhytomyr on the road to Vinnytsya. After running by the pack of wild dogs (one of many such houndish groups) I dipped down the road, crossed the river, and started ascending the Vinnytsya road. About two and a half miles out of town there is an old fashioned concrete sign spelling out the name of Житомир. It as been refurbished from the Soviet days with a patriotic splash of blue and yellow paint along with a sputnik on the upper left (see picture below). Besides this sign, the highway is filled with nothing but forest. It's another reminder of how provincial much of Ukraine remains.

I eventually turned back towards Zhytomyr before taking a left towards the village of Зарічанни. I followed this country road and ran over muddy sidewalks and unevenly paved roads. The puddles from the recent rains and the melting ice have yet to evaporate. As I continued down the road, I saw small houses with gardens and livestock, mainly chicken. Yes there are lots of chickens to be found off the beaten path in Ukraine. There were also many roadside crosses from (possibly) time immemorial. While this would cause people to lose their minds in America, it is actually a comforting connection to times past. It also shows the continued spirituality of the Ukrainian people.

I then made a hard right down an even dustier country road. I passed a beautiful church, a city hall, and a post office. As I ascended the road, the street became rockier. At the top of the hill there was a church and a cemetery. The quiet of the town mixed with the spirituality of the cemetery created a powerful impression. This was one of the moments that felt familiar yet very far removed from my life in America. And with this feeling in mind, I continued on the path, through the woods, and eventually back to civilization.