Volunteering & Learning Russian in Odessa
Kak dela?
Today’s lesson was “Egregious”
Now that the kidding is aside, sorta liked the whole volunteering thing. Also found it painfully boring at times and distant memories of falling asleep in stale classrooms ran about like loose hooligans in my psyche. Realized I was glad I never went for my masters degree and that despite it all, wasn’t so bad.
Loved it, then got really bored, then liked it, then wanted a coffee, then wanted the beaches.
A few of the boys wanted to write on the chalkboard, started writing English & Russian equivalences. Can now say “hello, how’s it going, I don’t understand, thanks, yes, no, what, good and bye” in Russian. The kids loved writing out the words and their meanings, as a result it helps them and helps me, it’s collaboration at its finest. They also seem to love and I mean LOVE hangman.
When the lady asked if I could stay, in a turrets like bout, sputtered “yes”.
The kids were quite pleasant and receptive to “Professor SHABL” and it’s a nice change of pace. The constant grind of moving wears you down. As a result will be spending a full week in Odessa enjoying the city, nightlife and teaching. Let’s get real, when you add it all up, worse places to hang out, yes?
Been moving fast lately, will be nice to get better acquainted with a culture and live the life of an international volunteer.
Waking up and hearing that alarm made me realize how lucky I am to have totally avoided it for so long. What’s strange is that your bed is only ever the comfiest place on the planet when your alarm goes, it’s never so when you don’t have a day job or on a weekend, can you argue that?
As they say in Russian, Pa-ka!
Tips hat,
