A Week in Lviv, Part One

Last week I was lucky to spend some time in Lviv, the nationalist and spiritual heart of Ukraine. It is hard to describe the reaction of people in Zhytomyr have when I mention "Lviv". Their eyes light up and they become very spiritual. Words are spoken in whispered tones followed by a smile and talk of chocolate, coffee, and beer. Although feelings may be different in the more Russian-speaking East, Lviv is definitely in the hearts and minds of the people in the West.

So why is it so special? As I mentioned, it is the heart of the Ukrainian Nationalist movement. When you come to Lviv, you best speak Ukrainian. If you can't then try some Polish or even English but do not, NOT! speak Russian. This is especially true in the climate of war and intense feelings of animosity towards Russia and Vladimir Putin. As it is, Lviv has seen ownership change hands a few times in the Twentieth Century.  It was Polish Lwow from the end of World War One to the Soviet/German division in 1939. After the Germans were evicted at the end of World War Two, the city was renamed Lvov as Ukraine became ingrained as a member of the USSR. Only with Ukrainian independence in 1991 did the city fully become known as Lviv.

If you have spent any time in Krakow, Poland then Lviv will feel very familiar. Ignoring the Soviet-style architecture, you will see an ancient city with modern trappings. There are numerous churches or varying faith that you pass by as you weave through cobblestone streets. There is also an arsenal and more than one former monastery. But the main point of attraction is Площа Ринок or Market Square where you will find the town hall and dozens of restaurants and shops. When i arrived the Christmas/New Year market was still open so the streets were filled with the sounds of sellers, shoppers, musicians and the smell of smoked meats. Since Lviv chocolate and coffee are very famous, there were plenty of places to drop in for some caffeine and sugar. I was most impressed though by the amount of restaurants serving everything from above average burgers to game meats all for a very friendly price. And let's not forget the beer. Much improved over the last twenty years. 

Hopefully this will not be the last post on Lviv. There was so much to see and experience that it cannot all be shared in one post. So enjoy the pictures below and feel free to ask questions or post comments while waiting for the next post.

 The Incredible Opera House

 Christmas/New Year Tree at the beginning of the holiday market

 "The Wave of Ukrainian Revival" next to Taras Shevchenko Monument

 Taras Shevchenko Monument Under the Moonlight

New Favorite - "I 'some sort of symbol' Lviv" Sign (Courtesy of Phone Company KyivStar)

New Class Puts Spin On Old Lessons

This post is a mix of two English Club meetings at Gymnasium #1 in Zhytomyr. If you view some earlier posts on this blog you will see a lesson with students at Ivan Franko University where they view a Norman Rockwell painting and then create a dialogue based on what they have deduced from the painting. It gave students the opportunity to use their imaginations while engaging in nonacademic conversation. You will also view another lesson from the Window On America group where they read Jamaica Kincaid's poem "Girl" and then write their own poem called "Worker". Compare these two earlier lessons now with the students and teachers at Gymnasium #1. The only difference is that the students were asked to create a poem called "Student" where they wrote about the things teachers said to them.  I must give these Gymnasium students and teachers much credit for their high level of participation and the fact that they are coming in over their winter break. That takes commitment!

New Year's Spectacular

In a previous post I have discussed my work with the Gymnasium #1 English Club. As part of my work with Zhytomyr's Ivano Franko University I work with students at a local high school. Once a week I hop on the trolleybus and make may way to the other side of town to meet with the students at the local gymnasium. As the holidays have approached, the level of activity in the club has dropped off significantly, but with good reason. For, on this last meeting of 2015, I was invited to attend the gymnasium's holiday performance. I'm glad I went!

As you will see from the pictures and (hopefully) videos below, the students worked extra hard to put on a good show while having fun in the process. It seems like every class got in on the act with students from all grades singing, dancing, and reading poetry. One the highlights for me was the boy with the guitar who played "Jingle Bells". Not only was his playing excellent, but the audience began to sing along in English. Next, there was a play that somehow involved Batman and the Joker (a Comic-Con Christmas?). I didn't always know what was happening because I'm still learning Ukrainian but it was fun to watch nonetheless. Finally there were the Eight Formers singing "Last Christmas" completely in English. As an ESL teacher I must give high praise for anyone who gets up in front of an audience and sings a song in a tongue other than their own. It was a wonderful kick-off to the New Year's festivities.     

Jingle Bells Sing Along (with slight accent)

Christmas/New Year's with Batman, Joker, and Friends

The Emcees 

More Holiday Singing

Last Christmas 

Opening the Window to America

Every Sunday, I attend a literature discussion at the local library's Window on America Center. Windows on America (http://www.woa-ua.org/en/) is a program throughout Ukraine that is supported by the US Embassy. This resource center allows anyone with an interest in American culture and/or the English language to come by and attend discussions, watch movies, use computers, hear lectures, etc. Sunday night is set aside for a literature discussion that is usually moderated by David and Linda who are other Peace Corps Volunteers in Zhytomyr. But since they are away for the holiday, I was asked to stand in. Here is what we did.

I first asked the participants to read the Jamaica Kincaid poem "Girl". This is a different sort of poem in that it is a list of short commands given to a girl. We don't know who this girl is and we also do not know who is the narrator. But buried somewhere deep in the poem are two instances where the girl responds to the narrator. This is an excellent tool for language learners in that readers must work together to read and discuss the poem. Also, the sentences are very short, punctuated by semicolons so students with weaker language skills will still be able to participate. From a cultural standpoint, it allows readers to discuss things like parent-child relations, gender roles, growing up, and responsibility. When reading and discussion is complete, then the fun really begins. Today I asked the participants to work together in groups and write a similar poem called "Worker". They had to come up with ten things their bosses have said to them. They also have to respond two times like the girl in the poem. I think they did an excellent job!

Girl by Jamaica Kincaid

http://www.my-island-jamaica.com/girl_by_jamaica_kincaid.html

English Club - Part One

A Picture Tells a Thousand Stories

My primary assignment at Ivan Franko State University Zhytomyr (http://zu.edu.ua/) is to work with the Pedagogical Department to improve the training of future English teachers. I have been observing the fine teachers here at the university as well as teaching my own classes. Another part of my assignment is to organize an English Club for the students. This may sound like a fun, easy task but putting together a club in Ukraine never is simple. There are always grand plans for forming clubs that will help students improve their language skills while simultaneously having fun and breaking down cultural barriers. But after the initial burst of activity interest begins to lag. Many times students are just too busy to participate. But mainly, it is very difficult to get students to commit to planning and leading these clubs. The key is to hook students early and get them focused on making the club their own. So far, I have done a "Speed Dating" (see below) event where students were lined up across from each other and asked to discuss a simple question ("What is your favorite food?", for example). After one minute they stopped, shared out, and one side of the line moved one chair to the left. I then asked another question and each person had to speak with a new partner. This was a good way to practice fluency while allowing students to get to better know each other. 

The most recent event was structured around a Norman Rockwell Painting. (http://www.arts-wallpapers.com/galleries/norman-rockwell-paintings/imagepages/image16.htm) The students had to look at the picture and brainstorm the "What's", the "Who's", the "Where's", etc. As a class we complied a list of terms followed by the students choosing a character.  Next each student had to write down what that character was thinking. This challenged the class to think more in conversational rather than academic terms. After sharing out, students got into groups of threes, chose a different character from the picture, and wrote a fuller, more complete dialogue. Finally, they acted out the dialogue in front of the class. How did they do? See one of the performances below: 

Speed Dating

Norman Rockwell Painting

Presentations 

 

I Swear I'm Going to Join Peace Corps Again

This is a group shot after my second Swearing-In Ceremony. Many people never get to be Peace Corps Volunteers and some people get to be a PCV once. I am doubly lucky as I am now a two-time PCV and in Ukraine to boot! Thanks to all of the Peace Corps staff both in Ukraine and in Washington, DC who helped me get back here.

The second shot is of Christina Hampton and I actually saying the oath. This time I was not crossing my fingers behind my back. 

Initial Post - Giving in to Public Clamor....and Inevitable Technology

I have given in to inevitable temptation and created a blog to highlight my experiences as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer in the Ukrainian city of Zhytomyr. After ten years as an ESL teacher in the New York City school system I decided to take a leave of absence and return to Ukraine. I was a two year education volunteer in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk from 1996-1998 (Group Six). I wasn’t sure if I ever wanted to return but the pull became too great especially after the Orange Revolution in November 2004 and then the war in the East and the Euromaidan in 2014. I hope this blog will open people’s eyes to the importance of this great country as well as just learn a bit about a new culture. As per my usual preference, I will not be engaging in political discussions of any kind.

Rob