A week of firsts

This week was a week of firsts. That is the life of a PCV though for most if not all of his or her service. You are always learning and things are always new. At least that is what has happened so far. It was the first snowfall on Monday, the first of December which is also the first day of winter (which is kind of a holiday here), the first time I got to hear Alex and Peter play the according and the first time I was ever interviewed let alone the first time in Ukraine. This week was about Volunteerism, Disabled People, HIV/AIDS and Anti-Slavery. We had a lot of volunteer projects going on around the world in PC and probably other organizations. It was a big week for some volunteers.

I had a human trafficking project going on at my site. I brought a guest speaker here to provide new information to the psychologists of some of our schools here in Konotop and to the specialist at our Unemployment Center. They were take the information back to their respective schools and conduct their own seminar with this new information on Dec 2nd. Which in the states is anti-slavery day. I attended the seminar at our Unemployment Center and it went great.

For volunteer day one of our other volunteers in Konotop did a presentation at the "Volunteer of the Year" Event. And that is where I was interviewed. Our local Konotop channel asked me a few questions about why I volunteered, what motivated me to do so and a few other questions about how long I have been here and what language I study. Very basic questions. I did it all in Russian but I was pretty nervous and couldn't understand some of the questions so we had to stop a few times. It will air in Konotop on Monday or Wednesday at 815pm.

This is the first weekend I am spending in Konotop in a few weeks. I definitely need the relaxing time. Unfortunately, like most weekends I didn't rest much. Another first I forgot to mention is that for the first time I celebrated Hannukah with some friends. I have certainly attended some Jewish holiday gatherings before but I do believe this was my first Hannukah celebration. It was a really good time. The Ktop four got together and some good food and good converation.

Another first for the week...I haven't had much luck at the ATM recently and this time was no different. So I went to the ATM on Saturday all ready to renew my PO Box and go to the bazaar for some food and after I took the money out I was certain I put my wallet in my purse. Several minutes later on the walk to the bazaar I fell down a hill from the snow, which was histarical, but it made me take a peek into my purse to make sure everything was there. That is when I realized I didn't have my wallet and after looking all around the white snow for my white wallet and it was no where to be found I figured I might have dropped it on the ground at the ATM by mistake. I was certain that I put it in my purse. So walking fast back to the ATM sure that someone had picked it up by this point and only hoping that they took it into a store to report it lost I got to the ATM and there was my wallet. Lying safe and sound exactly where I had dropped it and not touched. Maybe it is a good thing the wallet is white. So that is the second time I lost something and it was exactly where I left it when I returned... But I am not planning on making a habbit of that!