I had a visitor this week. Andrea came to visit me so we could talk with the Jewish ladies on Thursday, my favorite past time. It was fun having her here. But when she left it was sad. I am always sad when someone leaves. The Jewish ladies dont want me to sit there anymore they want me to read or do something in Russian so I can practice and they don't feel bad for haivng me sit there and stare at the wall.

I visited the kids at the center on Thursday and Koala was there. I found out that he is a gypsy. He has been with me twice now so he is warming up to me. I like visiting the kids. Dima was there too and we sung some karaoke together. It was fun. It will get better when the kids come back from vacation.

Thursday I also met with Evgenny. He is the director of the organization for the blind and disabled. I will be working with them too. I think somehow my counterpart wants me to work with every organization that is in Konotop. Which is quite fine with me if I can just figure out what to do with all of these people. TIME..TIME...PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE. I still have not learned this!

Friday night I met up with my tutor for some tutoring! She invited me to hang out with her friends after which was super fun. We hung out in the woods by her house and had some piva (beer). It was fun to hang out and feel like I have a social life. I even do pretty good at conversing with them. My Russian will be excellent in a few months if I keep this up! I went home in a cab and the cab driver spoke a few words of English too. He was funny. I got home about midnight...

Saturday I woke up at the ripe ol time of 445am!!! My counterpart invited me to a "fair" today in Myropilia which is about 3 1/2 hours away. I had no idea what i was getting into as is most situations here. So I arrive at her work at 6am and there is a passenger bus there with oh about 25ish people on it. Apparently, this little excursion was put on by the mayors office and some of them are going as well. So we head to Myropilia and its not a fair but a big bazaar. It did have a stage for concerts and it reminded me of the Italian Festival only in a large grassy area. It was very intersting. There wasn' t anything intersting to buy but it was fun. On the way back some of the guys dragged me to the back of the bus and we began to do what you must do in Ukraine no matter what "thing" you are doing...and that is you must drink VODKA. So we did some shots of vodka in the back of the bus. We played poker and other card games, took photos, exchanged numbers and had some Russlish convos. It was a good ol time. However, I think I might have an interested lad. When you tell Ukrainians you don't have a boyfriend they are hard to get rid of. Anatoli wants to take me for coffee but if I go we will be tagged as "in a relationship" in Ukraine standards so I will have to avoid that until I can no longer avoid it.

Sunday I headed off to Nedrahyliv to visit Christie and some other fellow Sumi Oblast volunteers. They are doing a camp there and I wanted to see everyone. I only stayed for the day but now I know how to get to her. I have to go through Romy where John lives. It is interesting the transportation in Ukraine but it is such an amazing accomplishment when you can get places successfully! The bus home was quite interesting. There were quite a few men in nice suits really drunk and singing Ukrainian songs. It is always a party in Ukraine!

I am off to Kiev for a seminar. I will tell you about that when I return next Sunday.