Zap City

I’m back on the grid (somewhat),

It has been an action packed two weeks and I now have a reliable internet source in my office. I’m pretty much settled into my apartment in Zaporozhye and have started exploring the city. Zap is the 6^th largest city in Ukraine and a key industrial center. There is a huge river, the Dnieper, which flows through the center of town. On one side of the hydro electric Dam there is deep water and on the other side lies the Historic Cossack island. The city has over 800,000 people and I would guess more than a million if you include the surrounding suburbs.

It has been a hectic transition but I feel like I finally have my feet under me again. I work in an office with about 8 other people and my main counterpart is a truly awesome Ukrainian woman named Vika. I am still not exactly sure about all of my organizations activities but we deal largely with young adults who want to have a positive impact on the city of Zaporozhye. We are also partners with a business development NGO that works to improve small-medium size business opportunities in the area.

Everyone in my office speaks primarily Russian but they are kind enough to throw in some English when I give them my bewildered face. I thought I spoke decent Russian coming out of training but I quickly realized how much I have to learn. It is going to be a trying two years if I want to speak somewhat intelligibly in this incredibly difficult language. I have a good foundation and have the survival part under control. When it comes to operating in less straightforward conversations I am missing a ton in translation. Russian is an extremely precise language, so although I can somewhat communicate I know I am speaking incorrectly most of the time. To give an example, in English we say I will go ____ or I'm going ____, not so in Russian. First you need to know if you are in process or it is something that has or will be completed. Next is whether it is on foot or through some means of transportation. Is this a habitual trip or one time? Are you going to meet someone? Will you return? All these scenarios have different corresponding verbs of motion that I do not feel the tiniest bit comfortable in using. Luckily I have the best opportunity in the world to learn so I am thankful and plan on studying as much as possible. When else do you have the chance to learn a language surrounded by 50 million native speakers? 

Whenever I have free time I try to walk around and get a sense of where I am. So far I have been lost much more than I have been found. The city is truly stunning and I love that every time I step outside of my house it is a new adventure. Nothing here is easy and every day is a challenge. To be this far out of my comfort zone is something I can feel myself resisting but it gets better every day. I am really excited for what’s to come.

So given that I don’t have internet at my house I am going to switch my update schedule and post new stuff whenever I feel like it which will hopefully be about twice a month. Thanks to everyone who has supported me thus far and I have been so touched by all the people from my life who have reached out. Enjoy the pictures and I will see you later.

 Океан Ельзи concert, Ukrainian band I got to see in Chernihiv, I am officially a fan now

Shaktar/Шахтар is the futbol team from the Oblast to the East of me, Donetsk. I met these guys and they were really excited about how tall I am.

Last day in Chernihiv with the host family. I love being outdoors and this was the perfect way to end training.

I swam in that pond, I think that officially qualifies me as a Peace Corps volunteer.

It's a pretty common tradition here to put a lock on the bridge whenever you get married.