Saturday, 12 May 2012
Thursday, 10 May 2012
first post from Kevin
This is gonna be quick. We're getting day 4 in Ukraine started shortly.
I guess I'll start from the beginning to bring you up to date, starting from Sunday, May 6. After several frantic days of trying to tie up as many lose ends at home before leaving and packing all night, we arrived at the airport at 4:00 am for our 6:00 flight. Edmonton to Colorado, Colorado to Washington, Washington to Munich, and finally Munich to Lviv. We were met in Lviv by two Rotarians who treated us to lunch where I had my first bowl of authentic Ukrainian borsch! We thought we would be checking into a hotel to catch some much needed rest, but, plans change. Tired and weary, we hopped into two cars and were promptly off to the Transcarpathian region of Ukraine where we would start our adventure. The road winded some three hours through beautiful hills and mountains dotted with small, picturesque villages, church spires, and rows of small garden plots. All along the way cows and goats grazed freely in the hills and ditches. We arrived in Uzhgorod where we were met by Oleh, the RC Uzhgorod President. After settling into Hotel Druzhba, owned by Rotarian Vasyl Makar, we sampled some local “pevo” and finally crashed after some 36 hrs.
I guess I'll start from the beginning to bring you up to date, starting from Sunday, May 6. After several frantic days of trying to tie up as many lose ends at home before leaving and packing all night, we arrived at the airport at 4:00 am for our 6:00 flight. Edmonton to Colorado, Colorado to Washington, Washington to Munich, and finally Munich to Lviv. We were met in Lviv by two Rotarians who treated us to lunch where I had my first bowl of authentic Ukrainian borsch! We thought we would be checking into a hotel to catch some much needed rest, but, plans change. Tired and weary, we hopped into two cars and were promptly off to the Transcarpathian region of Ukraine where we would start our adventure. The road winded some three hours through beautiful hills and mountains dotted with small, picturesque villages, church spires, and rows of small garden plots. All along the way cows and goats grazed freely in the hills and ditches. We arrived in Uzhgorod where we were met by Oleh, the RC Uzhgorod President. After settling into Hotel Druzhba, owned by Rotarian Vasyl Makar, we sampled some local “pevo” and finally crashed after some 36 hrs.
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
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Well so much for sleeping in, woke at 6:00 am and couldnt get back to sleep although I felt tired. Breakfast at 9:00 which ws a cold doughy crepe thingy wrapped around cottage cheese with sugar on top, tasty in a weird sort of way, I didnt eat all the dough and I think the waiter was offended, o well!ReplyDelete
After breakfast we did a dry run of our presentaion which we deliver tonight. Speaking of running I went for a run after breakfast to try to shake out the cobwebs and loosen the joints. The area we are staying in is interesting to say the least, multiple large homes with big metal gates on electric openers, 5 to 10 in a row then right nextdoor a series of run down homes or vacant lots, dogs everywhere and even rosters? Flowers are in full bloom,
Uzhorod is the main town in the Transcarpathian region and has a largeg Hungarian and Romainian poulation, the people seem very reserved but polite, I offered a freindly 'preveet' to everyone I met along my run but none reply, lol
Off for a team lunch now and later a foot tour of old town.
/g -
Dobra ranuk,
Today is seradah and memorial day in Ukraine, we watched the parade and visited the war memorial park this morning.
Last night we were treated to a incredible dinner, each course was introduced with a toast of vodka.
Now we are off to a sanatoriam in the country,(?)
dobra dopobatchina for now.
/g
Saturday, 5 May 2012
The team leaves at 6:00 am from Edmonton International, which means be at the airport at 4:00 so not alot of sleep. 14 hour flight through Denver, Washington DC then across the pond to Frankfurt then the last leg to Lviv Ukraine. Arriving in time to be met by members of the Lviv RC and hopefully off to bed for a much need rest before the whirlwind adventure begins.
Stay tuned...
Stay tuned...
Intro from Jay
My name is Jay. I'm a member of the 2012 GSE Team traveling to Ukraine. I've been a Fireman with The Edmonton Fire Department for nearly five years now. I'm very much looking forward to this vocational exchange. It is going to be a once in a lifetime experience that will enrich my career and life in general.
We will be traveling throughout western Ukraine visiting a number of Rotary clubs as well as local Fire Departments and other government agencies. We will be sharing our cultural and professional experiences both with formal presentations in Ukrainian (our meager attempt at it anyway) as well as informally with the families we will be hosted with.
All of us will be posting our various experiences here. Please feel free to comment.
j
We will be traveling throughout western Ukraine visiting a number of Rotary clubs as well as local Fire Departments and other government agencies. We will be sharing our cultural and professional experiences both with formal presentations in Ukrainian (our meager attempt at it anyway) as well as informally with the families we will be hosted with.
All of us will be posting our various experiences here. Please feel free to comment.
j
Tuesday, 1 May 2012
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Between head bobs and cat naps we saw some amazingly green and lush countryside on the drive, now its off to dinner with a Rotary member who works at the hotel,,,got to run.
Cheers,more later.
/g