kiev: a comparison

Here I am, sitting on my bed drinking my herbal tea while it rains outside. I feel so poetic right now it's unbelievable. Or maybe just hipster? I mean, if I still had my phone right now you better believe I'd be filtering up this scene with "earlybird" like mad. Actually, that would be completely appropriate because Kiev is quite a hipstery place. No, I don't mean the people (even if some of the fashion here is SO not mainstream). I mean the actual city.

yes this photo is all over all my social media outlets right now

it happens

If Kiev was an article of clothing you better believe it would be a plaid/feather shirt with the top button done up. You see, everything here is underground. The public transportation, the babushkas selling flowers, the shops, the 3 story malls, the escalators...it's so exclusive the sun has never seen it. Literally.

I love it.

I'm spending this Friday night in because I'm afraid my desire to try all things Ukrainian has caught up to me and I have a slight stomachache. I mean, maybe I wasn't ready for that raw pig fat. Or biting straight into a clove of garlic. Sheesh, if only my body was as ready as my mind. (if that makes sense to you, then explain it to me.)

It's ok though! I've been needing an excuse to just sit and actually read Anna Karenina. Let's hope my Russian lessons will help me understand the names of the characters...I mean, how many variations of "Petersonovich" can one family have!?

I hope your life is as good as mine.
peace and kiev

rrw

ps. happy anniversary to my parents! love them so much.

дедушка

The Russian word of the day is дедушка. It's pronounced "jdedushka" and translates to "grandpa." (compare with бабушка, or babushka, for grandma) This is the word of the day because yesterday I did Macklemore proud and went to the thrift store, where I'm pretty sure I bought and wore a Ukrainian grandad's clothes. Or, a дедушка's clothes. What can I say, I look incredible. And have totally mastered the Ukrainian pose. #ducklipsforlife

I know you were all so worried that you'd never see another selfie of me because my phone is no longer in my possession. Don't worry. I've obviously got it covered. There's no getting between a girl and her selfies.

And oh my gosh did I just do an "outfit of the day?!"

 #ootd #styleblogger #sothisiswhatitfeelslike

The jacket and shoes were purchased at the thrift store. Because someone was super smart and brought shoes that make her feet bleed. And my host sister and mom insisted on the jacket because they have some that look just like it. We're twins now. Precious. no but really, it is. They take such good care of me. Speaking of jackets, I wish I had a picture of what went down in this place last night. The second night I was here my host family invited me to go skiing with them in December. Obviously I was all over that, but was sad because I had no ski clothes with me. My host dad said he'd figure something out and last night he pulled out his old ski jacket and had me try it on, including a helmet he must have found somewhere.

It buried me, but dang it, it'll work And I'll be the most attractive skier on the slopes come December.

In other news, I'm still teaching English. The kids are adorable, especially when 1:00 pm hits (or 13,00 as they say here) and I get to say, "Goodbye! Goodbye! See you tomorrow!" Yeah, that's when they're most adorable. And I guess in this picture too.

I teach a class full of girls. It's a party. They give the most precious hugs.

Although...should I be worried about this?

Well, now that I've showered, emailed, drunken my herbal tea (given to me by the bishop so pretty sure it's ok), eaten my Ukrainian cake/eclair wonder thing and blogged, I think I call it a night. Yeah all you Americans, it's nighttime here.

peace and marshrutkas

someday i'll tell you about my experiences on these beauties

rrw

ukraine: a week later

Dear Ukraine,

I thought we were getting along so well. I immediately grew to love your people, public transportation, and food. I told everyone how much I enjoyed it here, even while it rained. I took pictures of everything and exclaimed over the differences from America, noting the things that were better here. The Russian language was like music to my ears and I sought to learn it. You were my second home.

And then you stole my phone.

I feel betrayed and hurt. Now everywhere I look I see potential thieves and plots to ruin my experience here instead of fascinating people, beautiful clothes, and babushki with flowers. How are we going to fix this, Ukraine? You made me cry. And I don't like crying.

So to the Ukrainian who now has my phone, I suggest opening the app entitled "Gospel Library" and learning a little bit about what being a thief actually entails in the eternal scheme of things. I'm going to try to forgive this betrayal of trust and continue to love European chocolate to my heart's content, but I will never forget.

And to my dear Galaxy. I'm so sorry.

rrw

ps. I'm secretly still hoping it's going to turn up somewhere, in which case I will eat this entire post full of words. Don't worry, I've eaten weirder than that lately. And I've loved it.

pps. Maybe this is my punishment for taking too many selfies with my phone. Yeah, that's gotta be it. But I mean, come on! I was just trying to do an American vs. Ukrainian pose while standing under my umbrella, ella, ella...

#imsovain #yeahthissongisaboutme #hashtag

хорошо

The title of this post is pronounced "hehr-oh-show" and is the Russian word for "good." It's one of the first words my host family taught me upon arrival in Ukraine. Yep, I am officially 5,754 miles away from the place I have lived my entire life shout out to my home dawg utah. yeah. if utah was a person it would be gangster. or...not. anyway. The travel here deserves it's own entire post, but that's just not going to happen because let's get real, who wants to read about my head bouncing off my shoulder in that humiliating way while I was sleeping or how many times the German flight attendant told me to move my leg so she could push the drink cart past? Oh, you do? Ok. Well, email me. But until that email comes through, the highlights, which consisted entirely of the people I met during my 28 hour endeavor. These people included:

The opera singer flying to New York, the CEO coming back from a visit with his Singapore branch, the mechanical-engineer-Croatian-grandpa who knew about Utah and asked how many husbands I have um, that's polyandry. get your insults right. and i wasn't actually insulted, but kindly told him that he was wrong. and then converted him to the church. #iwish and the 80 year old retired math teacher who was going to his annual September trip to Lebanon to visit family and who said flattering things. sometimes i wish i could date a grandpa in a 22-25 year old body. anybody else? am i totally weird? don't answer that.

Upon arrival in Ukraine we all crammed into a little bus and were dropped off around the city. I hate to say what my first impression of this place is because it's completely changed since then. But...first impression. Think post apocalyptic type setting with gray everything and graffiti everywhere there isn't gray and robots who all wear heels, never smile, and talk in monotone. I admit there was fear.

I got dropped off at the wrong building but then a nice Ukrainian helped me find my way, even pulling my 50 pound bag around while I jabbered at him in English about how I was so sorry my bag was so heavy but I had to fit everything I possible could in there because I'll be here for 3 months and I even had to wear my boots on the plane because they were too big to fit in my case and oh wow look at all the pigeons and have you ever been to America because I can't believe I was just there a few hours ago but I watched "Epic" on the plane...finally he just turned to me, smiled, and said, "No understand. Very little English."

So I felt awesome. Kind of like those little dogs that keep yapping at you no matter what you do.
Yeah.

Anyway, I got to my host family and they are just awesome. Really, I love them so much already. I've showed them pictures of my family and friends and mountains, which they loved. They even have a piano so I got to play a few hymn arrangements for them. I'm not allowed to directly spread the good word, but maybe in a subtle way I can....They've invited me skiing with them sometime this semester if there's enough snow and I might dye my hair with my 16 year old host-sister. They try to teach me Russian but end up just laughing at my attempts because it basically sounds like a running disposal. With a peach pit inside.

The women here are beautiful and all the men wear really nice jeans. I have glow in the dark stars on my ceiling and the temple is perfect. The Metro is exciting and the buildings that once reminded me of "I Am Legend" are so comfortable to me now. I feel...at home here. Teaching is really really hard, but what else is knew, right?

Oh. The fact that I live in Ukraine.

morning view from my room

to me, this is so neat. all the different textures showing all the different types of people living there. not just cookie cutter perfect homes and buildings. it scared me and first, but now I think I prefer it.

i'm so deep.

i'll be going here as often as possible.

these forks seemed like something my mom would come up with.

which i why i liked them so much.

the pond i walk by every day. i'm pretty sure i should ride in that train at some point, aren't you?

this place sold some delicious meat wrap thing called sharuma (said with a crazy thing in the throat and tongue that I can't do).

it has nothing to do with Lord of the Rings.

but. is. delicious.

oh hi.

just here, casually holding this sharuma close to my face because that seemed natural.

Zach and Tessa.

the "couple" of the group.

happy anniversary. thanks for spending it playing jenga with all of us.

#romantic

Olia.

our awesome native coordinator.

like, she's cooler than you.

sorry.

the view again at night.

i mean, tell me you can see the appeal.

Anyway, things here are herosho. Like, really, really, herosho.

peace and babushki
they are so true to the stereotype here it's unreal. i smile whenever i see one.

rrw

my life as a scarecrow

It's 2:48 am and I can't sleep. I have so much running through my head it's impossible for me to even begin counting sheep. Plus I haven't taken a math class since high school so I probably wouldn't be very successful in the whole number business right now. I'm not going to get into the things running around my head in a way resembling my cross-country-star-little-sister barreling along at her 5 minute miles (speaking of, she actually sounds like she's awake right now too. GO TO SLEEP SISTER) because that would just not be appropriate. Instead, I'm just going to go on a sleepless rant that probably won't make much sense later. Oh well. People do this type of thing when they're drunk tired. Right?

for the record, i'm really not drunk. i don't even know what alcohol smells like. moving on.

Tomorrow morning (aka later today) I get the stitches from my face removed. I seriously can't wait because as of right now they just seem like weird hairs growing out of my face that I can see in my peripheral. I feel like a scarecrow or a witch with one of those hairy moles. Except for that was the whole point, to have the mole removed. So that's confusing.

It's been interesting, this whole surgery/cutting/bandaging/numbing/swelling/stitching thing that's been my life this last week. Everyone knows I'm not one to relish in any of those things on other people, so the fact that it happened to me? I don't think about it too much because....ugh. I was so lightheaded the first time I took my bandages off to switch them that I had to lay down. Twice. Later that day I resolved to not be a "pansy", took the band-aid off, and really looked at what was going on up in there.

I promptly started crying. CRYING. Like, tears rolling down my cheeks. My mom and sister were kind and asked me what was wrong. Through the sobs I responded, "I just looked at myself in the mirror." Legitimately, my reflection made me cry. you can laugh. They comforted me while I cried things like, "What have I done to myself?" Looking back I think I might have irrationally jumped to the conclusion that the surgeon had messed up, the cut was too big too heal and my smiling/laughing/talking the previous night had destined me to a life of dis-figuration. The only bright side was that maybe Dumbledore would hire me because I would now so closely resemble Mad-Eye Moody.

If I were Mad-Eye would you be in my fan club? 

Please?

The first few days of my bandages I tried not to go out at all. I mean, I went to church and that happened to be the day that the directory woman insisted on taking my picture, despite me pleading that maybe I could just send her one instead. Every person at Home Depot probably thought I had had a bad run in with a chainsaw and all the kids thought I was a mummy. I'm sure of it.

Eventually I got used to my band-aids and would even forget I had them on. So once I regained some self-esteem I went shopping at the mall. On the escalator I was behind a cute baby/toddler who wouldn't stop looking at me. I tried smiling and making faces at him, then realized that I was probably traumatizing the child and decided to just take a picture of him instead.

Oh, you thought I was lying?

Anyway, it's been an hour. Maybe I could sleep now. Oh, and I promise I'm not as creepy as I sound/look. Sometimes I just take pictures of kids. No harm.

Ok. I'm beyond creepy. Someone help me. It's late.

peace and Chuckie Keeton.
usu deserved to win solely because of him. 

rrw

*****OH MY GOSH THE BIGGEST SPIDER IN THE WORLD JUST CRAWLED UNDER MY BED. LIKE, THIS SPIDER WAS SO BIG I HAD TO KILL IT WITH A BROOM. ITS YOUNG ARE GOING TO EAT ME IN MY SLEEP. FAREWELL WORLD.*****

habits of a single girl

I recently had a conversation with a person older than I on the importance of getting married young. I have great love and respect for this person, so I sat and listened and nodded and smiled this was before the surgery. One of the main arguments presented was that the younger you are, the fewer difficult habits you have-you aren't set in your ways just yet. I smiled and nodded, but couldn't help thinking of the habits I have already established as a young single person. Habits that I refuse to change. unless, like, a boy wants to marry me and i have to. i guess. These are my single girl habits. Whether I have them because I'm single or I'm single because I have them is up for debate.

1. I sleep with 3 pillows on a regular basis. The one at the very back must be firm and placed at approximately a 45 degree angle from the headboard. The second is used as additional support as needed, and the third must be a soft, down pillow that I can fold or squish or just sink into. i can work with two if necessary. see? i'm already compromising. 

2. I brush my hair like, all the time. My best friend once asked me how many times a day I brush my hair and I tried to play it off. "Psh. Like, three or something." <---real quote She scoffed and just looked at me. I responded to that with "Well, like, three different time periods. You know, morning, afternoon, and night." I basically brush my hair continually through all those times. So yeah, like three.

And maybe I just took a break from this to go brush my hair. But seriously girls, tell me I'm wrong. Brushing your hair is the most soothing thing on the planet. Boys, you don't know what you're missing out on.

^^^ You just can't get that sort of volume any other way people.

3. I'm kind of really into dairy, so buddy better be ready to spend money on that. When I'm thirsty, I drink a glass of milk, not water. When I'm hungry a cheese quesadilla is my go-to. I'll eat cottage cheese out of the container and obviously ice cream is at least a once a day thing. One of my prouder moments was when a roommate of mine said, "Since I've met you my dairy/cheese intake has doubled." I said, "You're welcome."

4. I take corners really fast while driving. I love shifting from first gear to second right in the middle of the turn so I just peel around that curb like I'm Charlize Theron speeding through abandoned subway tunnels with a Mini Cooper full of gold. I really only do this when I'm alone in the car. Fortunately right now that's basically always.

^^^ I mean like, you can see it too right?

5. Harry Potter references are said or thought of on, at least, an hourly basis. This, technically, is not a habit because it is actually a lifestyle. But...how about a test of sorts? Today, while sorting through the change in my piggy bank, putting the coins in little stacks and counting out the necessary amount to package, I told my mom I reminded myself of an aspect in the world of Harry Potter. What was the reference I made? (Or what would you have said?)

6. I go hiking by myself because I absolutely love it. And often I don't tell anyone that I am because that's all part of the joy. Some people my friends think this is stupid. Maybe it is, but it's one of my single girl habits that will be hardest to break.

7. No matter what your political views, I will contradict you. Sorry. It's just true. Talk to my best friend if you need further proof.

8. I make a game of how long I can wait before going to the grocery store. So sometimes I just eat plain tortillas for dinner, because naturally the cheese is gone before the tortillas are. I think I've gotten up to almost a month.

Well, there you have it. My single girl habits. I'm sorry they're not cute, like...oh I don't know, writing my name with different last names to see which sounds better or dancing around my room to One Direction. oh wait...#jklolhags. kinda.

And now that I've completely shot all chances of leaving the realms of singledom in the foot, I think I'll leave the country for the rest of the year. #10moredays

peace and drive through car washes.
scariest thing in the world

rrw

my lip

On Friday I had a nasty accident. While again trying my hand at trail running in the canyon I live close to, I stumbled and tripped over a root or rock or freaking squirrel chilling on the trail. I don't really know what it was, but instead of my body propelling forward, it was taken by gravity and I dropped to the earth, hitting my face on a nearby rock and completely splitting my lip open.

I was in shock, clutching my face and looking for anything to stop the blood. Eventually I gave up on that, took my shirt off, stuffed it to my face, and started staggering back toward the trail head and waiting car, trying not to think about the blood flowing from my body.

I made it to the car (where were all the people around to help me? i have no idea) picked up my phone and called my mom for help, kind of mumbling and crying and yelling while stuffing the shirt as tightly as possible against my face. Fortunately she got the idea and a quick 10 minutes later we were on our way to the emergency room.

A few stitches later I walked out with fat lip and some sticky gauze all up in my business. I'm not supposed to smile, talk, laugh, chew, or in anyway use facial expressions in communication. My mom suggested I use makeup to blend the bandages in with my face, to which I responded that I was actually thinking of treating it like a cast and having my friends sign it. So...any takers? You want to sign my lip?

^^^that's the closest I could get to a smile. It's beautiful. I know. Especially that fat lip of mine. #mmmm
And oh my gosh do you think my face is big enough in this thing? Yeah, me either.


In other news, all of this is a lie. I just like this story better than the real one, in which I go to the plastic surgeon to have a mole removed and walk out 25 minutes later like it's no big deal.

Maybe next time I tell the story I'll have just been in a fight with a stampeding moose or hit with a taser gun as I protected a baby during a bank robbery. Any other suggestions?

peace and plastic surgery
rrw