The Serhienkos. I stayed with this family for the first three months during our training period in a town called Ichnia, Chernihiv region, east of Kyiv. I don't really keep in touch with them anymore, but I am planning a trip to visit them this fall. Notice how visible my receding hairline is in this picture:
- Halya - mother, fine cook, purple hair
- Viktor - father, army officer (he drives tanks!)
- Vadim - son, 14, budding ultimate frisbee star
The Dyakovs. This family housed and fed me for about four months when I first got to site (a village called Velyka Lepetykha on the eastern bank of the Dnipro in the Kherson region, directly north of Crimea). I have since moved into my own apartment, but they still look after me somewhat, bringing me produce from their garden, calling to check up on me, etc. They are very nice and hospitable people, among the kindest I have met here or in any country for that matter.
- Inna- mother, the one who checks up on me most. Tends to the garden and livestock. I talk with her probably more than anyone else in the village, she understands my mistakes and corrects them subtly which has been very good for language learning.
- Seryozha- father, works at (possibly owns) a plant that repairs farm equipment. He works quite a bit and earns a considerable amount. He's somewhat of a community patriarch; last year he bought computers for the school.
- Vova- son, 18, good kid, hard working, smart, entering Shevchenko University in Kyiv this fall for law. Is in to weight lifting, computer games, and driving.
- Masha- daughter, 16, entering 11th and final year at the high school where I teach. Also smart, and has a keen sense of humor. Like most Ukrainian teenage girls she enjoys fashion, pop music, and not eating all that much.
- Alfa and Baron- dogs, smelly
- Tomas a.k.a. "No Mas" a.k.a. "Mas Tequila"- cat, awesome
- A passel of other less noteworthy cats and kittens, some chickens, a goose or two
- Tonya (Shashko)- somehow related to the Dyakovs, nurse at the hospital. Frequent guest at the Dyakovs, who babysit her daughter when she works the night shift. A funny and generally pleasant lady.
- Alina (Shashko)- daughter of Tonya, 8 or 9ish, great conversation partner, even though she laughs at me when I don't know a word. So cute it's almost unbearable:
Luda (not to be confused with the rapper Ludacris)- my coordinator, which means she's responsible for getting me situated at school. Unofficially the head of our four-person English department (five including me). Friendly and helpful, does well with our limited resources.
The Myhleys
- Olya- my music teacher, also likes to give me food and make sure I'm doing ok.
- Posha- Olya's husband, carpenter. A quiet, nice guy.
- Yulia- their daughter, 18ish, studying accounting in Kherson.
Nathan- friend of mine from training. Actually we've known each other since staging in Chicago, where we were assigned to the same hotel room. He lives in the western part of the country.
Mike- friend and one of my closest volunteers, geographically. He accompanied me on my tour of Europe this summer.
Larry and Karen- friends from training, they live in Lviv. I've visited them once and will definitely be back.
Zombie Jesus-
