Natalie had people over on Sunday for a house warming and we were treated to more stories, traditional Badura music and songs. Taras sang traditional songs about the Holodomor; very haunting even without understanding the words. Petar and Nila performed again, also.
Saturday was a day to commemorate the Holodomor, the forced starvation by Stalin.
I was sick all weekend. During the night and on Saturday morning it snowed big, wet flakes. Later on the wind picked up and it was like being home in Minnesota! A good reason not to leave the house; especially when you are sick. Saturday morining I went on the trip to the commissary cuz I was out of groceries
I am going to the AMC after work today to see the doctor.

SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I doubt it will amount to anything. In a few minutes a group of us are going to the French restaurant for Isobel's B-day. I'm really glad this day is over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tomorrow my secondary students will be done with an installation sculpture project. I will post the pictures

I have pictures from this weekend but can't figure out why the computer put them where I can't get to them from here to post them. Did that all make sense?
Friday night was International Night at the school; it was interesting and very crowded. Saturday I went on the shopping trip in the morning. In the afternoon I met Barb and Isobel downtown and we wandered around. We ate at an Indian restaurant. We went to the English book store and bought books. I bought a basket and Barb bought a movie. We ended up doing some 'retail therapy' (impulse buying). We found beautiful beaded, cut velvet shawls and we each bought a new umbrella. I bought a Gustav Klimt umbrella; very appropriate for an artist/art teacher. We then went home and had supper at Barb's and watched a movie. Sunday I stayed home all day and watched two movies, started a knitting project and did laundry.

Last night Isobel and I went over to Natalie's house for supper and to meet two friends of hers. Natalie is from Australia but is of Ukrainian descent. Natalie's Grandparents fled to Australia when Stalin was persecuting people and forcing starvation upon the Ukrainian people. She has lived in Ukraine for apx. 5 years now. The people we met are fromAustralia but are also of Ukrainian descent. Their parents fled Ukraine the same time that Natalie's grandparents did. Petar (Peter) and Nila (pronounced like nila wafers) plan bandura's which are a traditional Ukrainian instrument. It is the equivalent of 3 guiters in one. They don't have frets, tho. Peter's father learned to make them as a young man. At the time only certain people were allowed to make banduras; it was a trade secret how to make and play them. He fled Ukraine with two he had made but one was taken away from him. He then made them in Australia. He met another man who had fled Ukraine who taught him to play a certain style of music on them. In Ukraine they are generally made from willow; in Australia he met someone who connected him with a source of hard woods from which to make his baduras. Peter and his family have donated their father's bandura to a museum in Australia. Peter and Nila have learned to play some traditional songs that no one in Ukraine any longer play and sing. They say that they also speak a dialect of Ukrainian that is lost in the big cities and is generally only spoken in certain parts of the country side in Ukraine. They both played fantastically and Nila has an extremely beautiful voice; she can sing in many different octaves. It was an extremely interesting evening talking with the three of them. Peter and Nila knew so much about Ukrainian history which was very fascinating.

Friday morning was the first time there was frost here. Saturday was cold day. Yesterday was a bit warmer. Saturday Isobel and I went downtown to shop. We met a couple from the states that have lived here for 7 years.
Saturday night 12 of us met at a couple's house to watch a movie. We had lots of good snacks and a fun time.
Sunday I went out for groceries. Most of the day I spent at home.
Six more weeks till winter break! I'm coming home for Christmas and I am looking forward to seeing everyone...and using a dryer, eating American food and stocking up on things to bring back here.

It was great having a week off from work! I slept in, took naps, watched movies, and explored Kyiv. On Saturday October 25, Isobel and I went to the French restaurant and shopped the vendors along the street. I bought a beautiful goat hair scarf. We also went to an antique museum. Wednesday I went to the commissary and stocked up on American food. Thursday Barb and I went shopping for winter boots and wandered around town most of the day. Friday night I babysat for a couple. Saturday Barb and I went to the Podil neighborhood. We walked across a suspension bridge that will be torn down for a bigger bridge. We went to a large market part of which is outside. We bought pears that were huge and very tasty. We each bought a hand made basket. Sunday I went downtown and wandered around for a few hours.
The weather was very nice all week. It was around 45 - 50 degrees.