Happy New Year!

Yes, it has been too long since our last entry. After celebrating Thanksgiving with our PC friends, we finished out the semester at our site. The children were busy with exams and regional academic competitions. We both assisted in facilitating exams where students were tested in their writing, speaking and listening comprehension abilities. Both of our schools did well and we are proud of those students who will be competing in the oblast competitions later this month. During our last week of the first semester at the orphanage, we gave the students small tests to see how much they have retained of the English we have been teaching. We were pleasantly surprised that several of the students showed an understanding of Basic English words. All the students received stickers which they were elated with. It is the work of the orphanage that we enjoy most, being with these students and witnessing their eagerness to learn a language they have never learned and most likely may never use. We are blessed.

We took a trip to Krakow, Poland for 2 days and then flew to Germany to spend Christmas with Martin and Karen and their family. We traveled with a PC volunteer, Michael Barnhill, who is a friend of ours. Krakow is beautiful for many reasons. First, the city center is surrounded by a walking park. Inside of this whole area leading to the central city square there are few cars that are allowed. Second, Krakow didn’t sustain much damage in WWII, so many of the buildings are very old and still intact, adding charm to the city. Wawel Castle sits on the river and overlooks the city square, giving overcharged tours of sparsely decorated rooms. It was built in the 14th century, and supposedly contained a dragon down in the dungeon. The cathedrals are all really beautiful and the Jewish section of town is really interesting to discover. Before the WWII, there were over 50,000 Jews that lived in Krakow, now there are less than 200. Lastly, we were able to treat ourselves to some different cuisines that are difficult to get in Ukraine; Indian, Mexican, Italian and Polish.

Upon arriving to Germany we realized for sure that we weren’t in Ukraine anymore. Martin, Beth’s brother, was a terrific tour guide and Karen and her mother Pat were awesome hosts. Michael, who is 16 months old, was full of excitement during our whole visit, besides cutting his first teeth. Kaitlyn, who is 6 weeks old, was absolutely beautiful and slept most of the time, no matter who was holding her. It was so nice to be around family and just enjoy each other’s company. The night arrived we were treated at military friends of Martin’s to steak, ribs, and baked potatoes; it had been nine months since eating some American grilled cuisine. While in Germany we visited Neushwanstein Castle (the fairytale castle or the idea behind Disney’s Cinderella’s Castle), The Weischurch (a church where a statue of Jesus cried in the 1870’s and there are some absolutely beautifully painted ceilings), and the cities of Garmish (in the German Alps), Wurzburg, Rottenburg, Munich, and Nurnburg. In Garmish we were able to stay at a resort that is only for use of military personnel and their families. There was no snow, but we were able to enjoy the use of an outdoor hot tub.

In Munich, we spent the day wandering around the city and were able to see the Glockenshpeil in motion at noon. Then we made our way to the Original Hofbrau House for some German food and beer. This is the place where Germans have come to celebrate and drink their beer for many years. It’s not uncommon to see waitresses carrying 7 or 8 liters of beer in one hand. Some of Hitler’s first meetings gaining support for his party were held in the building. The next place we visited was Rottenburg and it is famous for being a walled city and great tourist attraction. You can walk around most of the city on top of the walls and enjoy some fantastic views of the city. We were also able to visit Nurnburg which has an interesting history and has been rebuilt since WWII. It was where Hitler gave many speeches and gained much of his support so the Allies basically leveled it during the war. We were able to have Starbucks coffees here, so it seems like times have definitely changed

Christmas was special. On Christmas Eve, we had an early dinner with one of the families stationed at Ipsheim. Then we all attended evening mass together. After getting to bed early, giving Santa plenty of time to come, we awoke with all the joys of Michael’s second Christmas. There is something really extraordinary seeing a young child opening presents and sitting and playing with all the wrapping paper. It makes you wonder if you need the presents or just the wrapping paper. We spent the day relaxing around the house until dinnertime, ham, potatoes, dressing, corn, and biscuits. And while there was no snow and warm temperatures, it was a very Merry Christmas. Our week in Germany flew by, but we were spoiled while we were there, and ate way more than we have been used to eating. Experiencing other cultures always opens your eyes to all that is out there in the world to discover.