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Recent fall 2009 Ukraine visitors to Cincinnat with the new Ukraine Project Students
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Vice Mayors, Ukranian Girls, and Verynaki
Quote of the day: "If you want to reach something special in your life, it is not enough to act, you need to dream; it is not enough to plan, you need to believe!" - School 162 Students
We began our day visiting the School 162 Specialized school. We received a very warm welcome from the students through a presentation on their outreach work and created a small show for us. Many students got up and sang and danced for us in their auditorium, a couple were award winning in Europe. Afterwards they suggested that we should get up and sing something for them too! Possibly embarrassing our country in the process, we scraped together "Hey Jude" in an octive five times lower than our voices capable before they cut us off....Very embarrassing but very memorable. Despite our terrible singing voices, they still were kind to us beyond belief. The girls took a particular liking to Alex...hahahahah. Something he's been hoping for the entire trip. His Ukrainian dream, now achieved.
Next we were honored to visit the vice mayor of Kharkiv, something that most citizens here are not given the opportunity to do. The meeting was filmed and had cameras, and apparently we will be in the newspapers and a portion on the news! This was so special to be able to take part in.
After lunch, we visited the blind school for children. We saw their classrooms and how they learned and it was all so interesting. We were able to meet our old friend, Galyna Chala, who was a delegate that had visited Cincinnati this past fall.
Next we went to the new American center where we were given the opportunity to Skype with some family from home. We had a great time there connecting with the Ukrainian teens that will be visiting us in the end of May. They are all so friendly people and we can't wait for the opportunity to show them Cincinnati.
Finally we saw the dolphinarium show. It was comparable to American Sea World. Fantastic!
After a long day, we are so happy to have been given this opportunity for such an amazing trip and meeting such wonderful people. Some of the best times we have are when we get to just talk to the Ukrainians about their life and culture and compare it with ours. This is truly a chance of a lifetime.
More to come for tomorrow, when we will visit the homeless children orphanage. !! (:
We began our day visiting the School 162 Specialized school. We received a very warm welcome from the students through a presentation on their outreach work and created a small show for us. Many students got up and sang and danced for us in their auditorium, a couple were award winning in Europe. Afterwards they suggested that we should get up and sing something for them too! Possibly embarrassing our country in the process, we scraped together "Hey Jude" in an octive five times lower than our voices capable before they cut us off....Very embarrassing but very memorable. Despite our terrible singing voices, they still were kind to us beyond belief. The girls took a particular liking to Alex...hahahahah. Something he's been hoping for the entire trip. His Ukrainian dream, now achieved.
Next we were honored to visit the vice mayor of Kharkiv, something that most citizens here are not given the opportunity to do. The meeting was filmed and had cameras, and apparently we will be in the newspapers and a portion on the news! This was so special to be able to take part in.
After lunch, we visited the blind school for children. We saw their classrooms and how they learned and it was all so interesting. We were able to meet our old friend, Galyna Chala, who was a delegate that had visited Cincinnati this past fall.
Next we went to the new American center where we were given the opportunity to Skype with some family from home. We had a great time there connecting with the Ukrainian teens that will be visiting us in the end of May. They are all so friendly people and we can't wait for the opportunity to show them Cincinnati.
Finally we saw the dolphinarium show. It was comparable to American Sea World. Fantastic!
After a long day, we are so happy to have been given this opportunity for such an amazing trip and meeting such wonderful people. Some of the best times we have are when we get to just talk to the Ukrainians about their life and culture and compare it with ours. This is truly a chance of a lifetime.
More to come for tomorrow, when we will visit the homeless children orphanage. !! (:
By: Grace Brown and Alex Mangas
Monday, March 29, 2010
The Journey Has Begun
Quote of the day: "Their niceness is astounding!" - Ryan Dierker
The Cincinnati Group arrived in Kiev Urkaine on saturday. They attended the International Film Festival concerning human rights, ran by Gennadiy Kofman who was one of the delegates who visted Cincinnati in October. The following day, they toured Kiev with Volodymir Bulba and Oksana Potapova who were also delgates to Cincinnati. After this we got on the train to Kharkiv and arrived late sunday night. They were greeted with great hospitality, and beautiful rooms.
The next day, they were involved in numerous events such as meeting with the Director of the local University, touring Kharkiv, and meeting with the students who will be vistiting in May. We also have exchanged gifts, and recieved very interesting ones such as chocolate, coins, cake, and a bottle of Cognac!
The Cincinnati Group arrived in Kiev Urkaine on saturday. They attended the International Film Festival concerning human rights, ran by Gennadiy Kofman who was one of the delegates who visted Cincinnati in October. The following day, they toured Kiev with Volodymir Bulba and Oksana Potapova who were also delgates to Cincinnati. After this we got on the train to Kharkiv and arrived late sunday night. They were greeted with great hospitality, and beautiful rooms.
The next day, they were involved in numerous events such as meeting with the Director of the local University, touring Kharkiv, and meeting with the students who will be vistiting in May. We also have exchanged gifts, and recieved very interesting ones such as chocolate, coins, cake, and a bottle of Cognac!
By: Alex Mangas, Ryan Dierker, and Rob Marty
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Buy a book and help Ukraine students come to Cincinnati
Five local Cincinnati high school students take part handing out book coupons at Joseph Beth Bookstore Sat. 03/20/10 along with their sponsoring Sister City Cincinnati Ukraine Partnership Board Members. Pictured first row left to right: Julia Carleton, Ryan Dierker, Rob Marty; second row standing: Elizabeth Zhou, Whitney Mangas, Alan Brown, Cincinnati Ukraine Partnership Board President.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Welcome to Sister City Ukraine Student Project
What began last Spring as an informal meeting between Wyoming youth and a delegation from the Ukraine has now become a viable partnership. The Sister City Project between Cincinnati and Ukraine has embraced the idea of having a youth component after the successful meeting that took place with the teens and the delegation last June. Marilyn Braun is a Wyoming resident and Board member for the Sister City Project and was very impressed with the global awareness and depth that the youth possessed interacting with the delegation. It was also obvious that the teens were impacted by the exchange of cultures. We can't wait to see where this goes!
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