My first Post from Ukraine!

Priveet!
I know I am farther behind on the update, but I am safely in Ternopil, Ukraine and everything is going really well. Jen and I flew from Tornoto, to Vienna, to Lviv (Ukraine)…then (instead of taking a train like we thought) drove in a bus with 7 other Canadians into the city of Ternopil yesterday.
When we got here our host families welcomed us. I was very confused at first because another Canadian and I were waiting with what seemed like a couple for a taxi to come and drive us back to our home. Instead, we first drove the other Canadian (Alison) and her host mother home then my host brother (Slaveek) took me home as well. He laughed at me when I started to get my own bags as though I was moving in with the other family. But either way it seems like they are friends and we live REALLY close. I should also mention that today I learned I am a 7 minute walk from Jen’s apartment (SO HAPPY) and about the same distance from a couple other girls as well. We have already decided that we will be visiting each other lots to keep busy during our stay.
More about my host family: I am living with an older couple named Luba and Sacha, along with their grown-up children Slaveek and Tanya. Luba is retired, Sacha still works (I’m not sure where?), Slaveek is a surgeon who works 80km outside of Ternopil and comes home on weekends, and Tanya is a professor of German language at the University I am studying at for the first three weeks. They live in an apartment building (ALL the apartment buildings look EXACTLY the same and it is really hard to tell which one is yours) and have given me my own room. I am the fifth Canadian student they have hosted, which I think has made them very understanding of my needs (like resting and alone time). They have showed me pictures of the other students they have hosted…and yes Valerie …the videos, pictures, and note you left me…THANK YOU!!
When I first got here I unpacked my suitcases in my room, and was fed right away. I have learned already that Luba will feed me until I am more than full. I have been eating perogies (verenijke?) and green borscht ( a soup which reminded me SO much of coives… only with boiled eggs as well). Sour cream is put on or in everything, and every meal is served with bread, ground beets, and lemons.
I fell asleep early last night, but woke up at 2 and felt pretty alone and started crying until I fell asleep again. Even though I am still in the crying at the thought of home stage I am really happy to be here and enjoying myself.
Today we went to the University for the first time and met with our teachers, tutors, and it was our introduction towards the other Canadian students as well. The other students studying are here until June 20th, so it will be pleasant company for Jen and I. After our introduction we ate lunch together with some of our tutors (again fed more than anyone can eat in one sitting), then toured Ternopil complete with a boat ride of the lake! It was a really nice way to get to know each other and I am sure the beginning of many experiences to share with this group.
At the end of this, I went to visit Jen’s place then on the way home found a post office VERY close to home which I knew had phones. After struggling to understand the lady behind the counter and knowing my parents wanted to hear from me I tried using the phone to call Canada. To my disappointment, after paying $9 (CDN) I called everyone in the family to get no answer. You guessed it…I cried again
After supper today I thought I would start trying to learn more Ukrainian after a day of speaking English with everyone around me. Luba, Tanya and I sat around my books translating different words and writing them down and also attempting conversation using my dictionary (SO helpful Mom and Pappa..I think I’d be crying a lot more without it!). Slowly but surely I am picking up on things…I was even able to use the Ukrainian words for different people in the family when showing them pictures from home. After sitting at the table for two hours or so, I feel a lot more comfortable with everyone…and was even able to share some laughs while trying to communicate. (p.s. Luba just came into my room trying to feed me again! I keep saying “ni, povniy zhiveet” meaning “no, full stomach”). Also, because my Ukrainian vocabulary is limited my family tries to use the only words I know to create entire conversations…which makes for longwinded, cyclical, and ultimately funny situations.
Anyway, being here is going well and I am looking forward to visiting the orphanage, which Jen and I plan to do later this week once we are better settled. I miss home a lot, and was feeling ridiculously homesick yesterday but today was better. Please, please, please comment on this post because I should have fairly regular internet access while studying at the University and I would love to hear from everyone (assuming people made it this far into my blog)! On the to do list is buying a disposable cell phone as well! Anyway… enough for now but pictures and more on Ukraine/what I’ve been up to later!