Days One Hundred and Twelve to One Hundred and Fourteen.

Our farewell party was a sad night. Even though it was really fun- we had a talent show (always embarassing, but amusing) and got to hang out all together, but it was bittersweet. I'm not sure I'm ready to come home in just three days.

The coordinators from each school wrote a card to each of us and gave us these traditional Ukrainian headbands.

Jess and I. I'm so glad that she lives in Utah- and not too far from Provo. I'm going to miss seeing her every day.



Tania and Igor and I. I'm so excited- Tania is going to be in Boston for the Christmas holidays because her son lives there. I'm going to try to see her in the few weeks I'm home. Since it takes at least an hour to get anywhere here, driving three hours will feel like nothing in a nice car.



The coordinators singing a traditiona Ukrainian song. It was so beautiful.



Singing a scene from the Sound of Music. It was so cute.

Days One Hundred and Seven to One Hundred and Eleven.

Kiev vs. Barcelona

The score after the first 30 seconds. It was insane. Sadly, Barcelona still won.





The loudest fan section.



Anna and Emily.



These guys were behind us in our section, and kept wantng to take pictures with us. We only used Mckells camera for that, hence the reason I don't have any. It was quite amusing.



Aren't thy adorable?



The three of us.



Ura and Marina.






Me, Jess, Mckell, Anna, Emily.



The only mowed, green grass in Kiev.



Outside the stadium on the street.

Days One Hundred and Four to One Hundred and Six.

On Saturday I got to go to the CIRCUS. Our Russian teacher told me that the Circus was one of the main things any visitor to Ukraine should go see. I can't remember ever going to a circus before, but it was unlike anything I expected.



The trainer was so cute with these guys- every time they'd do something right, he'd hug them around their gigantic necks. The one in the back was massive- he couldn't even fit his whole body on his stool.



Lions, tigers and bears, oh my! Well, not all at once. The girl trainer took Simba up on a swing at one point- I half expected him to attack her. I don't know how I feel about training wild animals like that. I feel so bad for them. [When the bear got taken up in the swing, he was so scared he peed everywher!]



It was so wierd seeing this giant bear prancing around these dogs. It's just not right.



These guys were incredible. They were probably the best part of the whole circus.



Maybe I should get really buff and learn how to do this.



They're like giant, spiky hampsters.



This was so wierd. She rolls out a cage filled with mice, a cat and a chicken. Then they have to sit in their various posts and then the porcupines had to walk on he round wheels and make the whole thing spin. It made me kind of sad.



I couldn't stop laughing when this group came out. They jump around and do insane tricks on these giant rubber wheels. This girl is double dutching on it right now.



Lynsie- and then the rest of the group.

Days One Hundred to One Hundred and Three.

My kindergarden singing Once There Was a Snowman. They're only this good when a camera is in front of them- maybe I should always pretend to film them.



I decided to make my room festive and build a giant Christmas tree. I think I used most of our green paper, but it was completely worth it. Each day the kids are making different ornaments to decorate it with.



Jess and I took the trolley that goes by my street to the very end of the line. We rode it for at least and hour, so I got to see a lot of the east bank that I hadn't yet seen. It's amazing to me how quickly the enviornment changes in Kiev. This area was very rough and was falling apart, while prior to there were nice, neat apartments.



Inside of the trolley. Some are a bit nicer, but in general this is how they look.



These railroad tracks were insane. On the way back home from the market, we actually ended up walking the bridge over these [our trolley just stopped, and after about ten or fifteen minutes, the driver comes in and tells everyone to get off- that was the beginnng of being lost], but I couldn't take a picture because it was already dark out.

Days Ninety-Six to Ninety-Nine.

I've been in shock the past few days, realizing I have just over two weeks left. As of today, I only have sixteen days left in Ukraine.

Since Thanksgiving, I've been pretty busy. I went to our branch presidents house for Thanksgiving- his wife cooked for just about twenty girls. We all pitched in by bringing something. I made a rectangle apple pie (they don't have pie plates in Ukraine) and it was quite delicious. I had a second Thanksgiving on Friday with Anna and Emily Milne, their host family and the Elders. Saturday we had a branch talent show- I played Part of Your World for one of the girls who sang it and of course the sheet music got mixed up. It was comical, to say the least.

A few more people I'm grateful for

KateLyn. She's been my best friend (though we've almost killed eachother a few times) for as long as I can remember. I can't say how grateful I am for you enough.



And of course, the rest of my sisters, their husbands and their beautiful children. I'm so excited to see everyone together for the first time in a few years this coming summer. It's been way to long. Thanks for your blogs. They keep me connected, even though I'm on the other side of the world.
[Sorry if I stole some of your pictures- I don't have much on my laptop.]

Days Ninety-One to Ninety-Five.

Since it's the time of giving thanks, I'm going to do just that. [Part One].

Aunti Di. For as long as I can remember, her and Mom have made it possible for Jazzy and I to visit eachother every summer. Though I don't know most of my cousins well, at least I feel close to one. Thanks for that.



My health. Though I wouldn't say I feel perfect all the time, I'm so thankful that I was born healthy, with the ability to do things, like climb mountains and see beautiful snowpacks in July.



Chef. Sadly, I think I probably saw him more than Mom and Dad for two years running, but I don't regret it. He taught me so much, and not just about culinary.


Aunt Kathy. If I need to talk, I know that she's always there. Thanks for all the help, especially over the past few years.



Dad. Clam chowder and riding on the back of the lawnmower (then subsequently destroying the blade.. wheels.. screen door.. at least the lawns looked nice). Thanks for putting up with me.



Mom and Dad. They raised me. Thats enough to put me in debt for at least the next 18 years, right?



Our house in Maine. I'm so grateful that I can look back on the place where I grew up as not just a house- it was and still is my home. I love the woods, the gardens, the fire place, the yellow kitchen.



Nature. Livining in a city for the past four months has made me realize how much I value the peace and calm of nature.

Days Eighty-Nine to Ninety.

Kiev Pechersk Lavra



You have to walk quite a ways to get into the center of the Monastery, where the Lavra is.






A beautiful nativity outside of the entrance of the catacombs.



The whole complex is huge- it's incredible. No wonder it's one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine.



After going through the church.



Obeying the rules.



Part of the Monastery.



No shorts, public displays of affection, dogs or taking pictures. Even my jeans were inappropriate- they made me wear this apron thing when I went through the catacombs.



This area was founded in 1015 and is the center of Eastern Orthodox Christianity in Eastern Europe.



A Pepsi table, right next to the Lavra.



One of the many churches in Kiev. It's around the Arsenal'na area.



This tree was the entrance to some museum.



The next three pictures are of the same memorial. I'm not sure what it is for, but it was beautiful.








Obelisk in the Vichnoi Slavy Park.



Overlooking the river. I live on the opposite bank, to the right of the bridge.



Another monument in the park.



Obelisk.



This flame never goes out. It's at the base of the obelisk. Though I can't read what it says, I beleive it has to do with WWII, as there are stones with peoples name and the years they were born and died lining the path up to the obelisk. They call died around 1942.