Déjà vu of life

It’s weird to think that it’s all coming to an end, when in reality my work in Ukraine is yet to begin. At 2 months and 2 weeks here in Kolychivka, I have grown accustomed to everything and everyone around me. My Ukrainian host mama has mothered me like no other stranger has ever mothered me before. The people in this village have helped improve my Ukrainian since I find myself greeting almost everyone I walk by. But most importantly, I’m closer than ever to 4 people who were merely strangers to me 2 months ago.

Oh how being a Peace Corps Trainee relates so much to pledging Gamma.
I don’t expect many to understand where I’m coming from when I say this, because it’s not the Greek letters I wear that define me as a Gamma (or a person in general). It’s the experience that each “Woman of Distinction” possesses that makes her a Gamma. Line sisters are perhaps the closest because of the experiences that only they can share and relate to. Not even the older or newer generations can truly relate to other lines (pledge classes) because what we live through can’t easily be explained. It’s a special bond that only we can treasure and reminisce.

I’ve sweated, cried and dreamt Ukrainian.
Now that I’m on international grounds, I find myself experiencing something very similar (but a bit more extreme) to that of fall 2008. I started this journey with 83 Peace Corps trainees back in D.C., and so far 4 people have “dropped” along the way. Although we were all selected to be grouped together at random, I like to think that God put me in this particular cluster, with these specific people for a reason. We’re all so different and if you were to see us together (truly knowing who/how we are), it would be quite surprising how we get along so great. That’s just how life works sometimes; put a group of people with different backgrounds together for 2 months and they’ll either love each other, or hate each other but learn to tolerate one another.


“No matter how much one of your cluster mates annoys you or if you have beef with one of them, as soon as you get to your new site, they will be the first person you call” – Sharon (PCV).
I believe this statement. Just like I became close to my line sisters in a matter of weeks and we had a love/hate relationship while pledging, the same kind of bond has formed between me and my cluster mates. They have seen my highs and lows, silly moments and sad moments, my “I can’t take this anymore” and “I love this”. If at the site placement interview I would have been asked to choose the volunteers I’d like to live nearby, I guarantee you my cluster mates would have made the top of my list. Unfortunately Peace Corps likes to keep up guessing and constantly on our toes about EVERYTHING… how’s that for “expect the unexpected”????

Now, the time has come to say “see you later” to my new Peace Corps family. It’s such a bitter sweet moment because I think back at how I had to go through this with my family and friends in California; and now having to do it all over again here. I don’t want to… leave “home” where I’ve learned to love my mama’s company, be the only American at my site; not having one of my cluster mates nearby to hang out and have dinner with. I don’t want to…. But I must.

Meet my Cluster Mates



Kate Baus
Her cheerful attitude lights up the gloomy morning each day we meet up for Ukrainian lesson. I find it cute that when she speaks Ukrainian, her voice goes up an octave and its sounds so sweet. She comes from a Christian home, which is comforting to me seeing how I have someone I can share my faith with. Perhaps she understands me a bit more because of that and we can relate to each other coming from a private Christian school. Oh, and she is very well travelled and can speak Arabic (I have the looks, she has the language, we would make a perfect Arabic woman).


Tammela Platt
She’s the nerd that puts everyone else to shame (unintentionally of course). Her intellectual mind both terrifies and intrigues me because I haven’t met anyone like her. This New Yorker is book smart and classy. She surprised me with her Latin playlist on itunes and being able to understand every other word of my Spanish speaking. She also happens to be my neighbor and it’s been fun going out for our morning/afternoon jogs when the weather was warmer.


Andrew Ghatti
This hockey and laccross playing guy is the man. He claims to be a weirdo, when at times he can be, but his sense of humor always puts everyone in a good mood. He’s the first to try and cheer me up when I’m having a bad day, and I thank him for that. I like to make a small connection with the fact that he’s from Massachusetts and my sister lived there for about 8 years, but there’s no need to because with just the fact that he’s so easy going, our personalities click instantly bringing out the goofy side of me.


Andy Klazca
He is such a unique person, there is no getting him confused with anyone else. Andy and I go way back from when we were left behind in D.C. The Ukrainian entry stamp on his passport is his first international stamp since he’d never left the U.S. Regardless of that, his German is said to be quite good. He too claims to be weird, but we don’t deny it because… boy does he have a fascination for Holodelnik (refrigerator) , Korova (cow), and Morozeevo (Ice cream)

Winding Down Training
Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, was our last day teaching and I team taught our 7th graders with Andy. It was a special moment for me, so I decided to bake an extra batch of cookies so I could share with my students. I will truly miss them, especially since they were such great students with their participation and attendance. Later that day, we had a tea party with the teachers as a thank you for letting us work there and we presented the English teacher with the dictionaries and home reading books we purchased from the money we raised. The vice principal invited us to their sunflower club’s 20th anniversary celebration which would be held the following day.

The sunflower club’s 20th anniversary was an extravaganza. The gym was decorated with balloons, sunflower drawings and hidden candy. There were at least 9 tables, seating 8 people per table, with plates of sweets and cookies. We were asked to participate in some of their games, making it comical because either we couldn’t understand the instructions of the game, or we didn’t know how to speak when asked to say a few words to the audience. As soon as the games and activities were over, the celebration continued with a Discotek. I will never forget the awkward first minutes of “ummm… are we allowed to dance? This is weird” but we soon let loose to the beat of trance music and watching my 7th grader “brake dace”… priceless. I hope this won’t be the last I’ll see these kids.