The following is sadly devoid of photos and filled with gloating

So the rumors were that the second year in Peace Corps is when the mood really shifts–the mood of the students, colleagues, work, and (duh) the volunteer.  Some people apparently have been having a great time since September 2009.  I think they’re either lying or lucky.  But they still made me feel bad for having a rough first year.  Yes yes, even the Official PC literature reassures the nervous that the first year is hard.  Nobody within PC ever told us this would be a cake-walk (a, uh, тортка-прогулянка if you will).

And yet.  September has come rolling back to us across the green hills of summer, smelling of smoke and wind as we shed our summer skins.  September to me as a child was always sharp pencils, new clothes, optimism, and fresh starts.  As a teacher it still is.

Already I feel electricity in the air, the palpable vibrating between each new opportunity for something great.  This week saw my first eager presentation about FLEX, the Future Leaders Exchange program run by the US Dept of State and American Councils.  The testing begins in mid October, and 3 of my eligible students are interested in the program.   They want to come to a once a week training session.  Two more aren’t eligible but will be next year and want to come to the sessions as well.  On top of that, I’m hoping to actually work for FLEX as a trainer.

This month I’m also starting a once weekly after school lesson for 9th and 10th formers.  I’m hoping to make it more of a fun English club where we can watch American films, listen to music and read lyrics, and try to have conversations in english. We’ll see

Also for October I’ve registered to attend a Living Library training and event.  Living Libraries was started by a fellow PCV and

are events where people of different backgrounds act as books, and students “read” these books in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Such events have been shown to be excellent instruments for breaking stereotypes and eliminating prejudices. They provide an opportunity for students to connect personally with people of widely differing nationalities, life histories, traditions and social situations. Living Libraries are great projects for Peace Corps Volunteers – economical, effective and fun.

I’m excited to attend the event and hopefully host my own Living Library at my site.

In addition to both of these exciting and rewarding projects, I’ve also been invited to speak at Karazin Kharkiv National University, one of the most prestigious in the country, at their School of History.   One of the Dept. heads invited me to visit their department, meet students, and tell them about my teaching in Ukraine and studies in Italy and Greece.  It sounds like a scary but hopefully very cool visit

I also have a Collaborative meeting and Halloween Party (both in Kharkiv) in October.  Plus I’ve been asked to partner with an ecological camp the 1st-3rd.  I don’t think I’ll be at site any weekend in October.  It can wear me down for the winter, so I don’t feel too guilty about not going anywhere.

Hah!
Jill xx