One Big Family

Quotes of the Day:



"Wes, we need a children's leash for you!" -Alexey (translator & friend)



Wes: "Can I buy a broom here?"
Alexey: "What? No! Bad idea."



"When I was in Cincinnati I made a wish that someday you would come here, and that my students would visit you in America. Half that wish has come true now. If the other half comes true, I will believe in miracles." -Professor V. Bulba

Today was another adventure for the Cincinnati students. Sergiy Shaparenko took us on an hour long bumpy ride to the National Park, Gamolshanski woods. Due to this year's harsh winter, the roads now have several potholes, making for a fun ride. We hiked all morning with Anton, our tour guide. We went through a time capsule, from monks brewing beer, to ancient slave trade on an Constantinople road, to a World War II battle field. There were several fox holes and trenches from a battle between Nazis and Russians. Archaeologists have been excavating an ancient wall from 17 BC. On our way back, a horse picked us up in a vintage wagon. We were taken to an old farmhouse where we were served an authentic Ukrainian lunch that consisted of Bourche soup and Kasha. Alex Mangas was adventurous, trying Ukrainian lard (yummy!). We had mint tea and Easter bread for dessert. This was a unique chance to experience and learn about the Ukrainian culture firsthand. Ukraine also has an environmental movement to "go green," but the process is slow.

In the evening, we were invited to a party at Professor V. Bulba's for a homemade family meal. We all dressed up, trying to keep up with Ukraine's high fashion. They opened their home to us, and we enjoyed an incredible meal cooked by Mrs. Bulba. Professor Bulba's daughter, Olga, and granddaughter, Paulina, were there with his son, Dimir. Everyone presented the family with gifts, including a special memory box from Professor Bulba's visit to Cincinnati. Afterwards, we were in for a surprise - Olga dressed us up in homemade authentic Ukrainian dress. This included flower crowns for girls, and bright red baggy pants for boys (see pictures!). We had a special mock-wedding ceremony, where we learned the traditions of Ukrainian weddings. We really enjoyed the experience.

Later this evening, we learned how to make oragami cranes from our dorm friend, Andrew.

by Meera Basu, Grace Brown, Alex Mangas, Rob Marty, and Wes Adamson