The Traveling Gnome

Simon Says: It's time for a new post

It's been awhile since my last post. Although I am a repeat offender, I am contrite. It's not that I mean to neglect this blog. It just happens. The reasons are varied. In the winter, it was more paralysis, brought on by snowstorms and 4 p.m....

Published Tue, May 26 2009 10:41 AM by Claire

Filed under: education, Peace Corps, Ukraine, Europe, Saved By the Bell

270 Views, 4 Comments

Grapes have seeds and other revelations

I'm fond of saying that I've learned a lot in my short time in Peace Corps Ukraine. And one of the more tangible things is a proverb: краше пізно ніж ніколі. It means "better late than never." And it's just as true in the U.S. as...

Published Tue, Apr 07 2009 9:03 AM by Claire

Filed under: Texas, Peace Corps, United States, Ukraine, American Culture, Seasons, Cliches, Genetically Modified, Top Ten, Grammar

288 Views, 2 Comments

Would you like fries with that?

I'm really not that American who travels abroad and eats at McDonalds. OK, up until my trip to Prague last week, that was a true statement. Immersing myself in local culture, eating foreign cuisine, and speaking as little English as possible are all...

Published Tue, Mar 31 2009 4:48 PM by Claire

Filed under: culture, traveling abroad, Peace Corps, United States, Ukraine, English, Starbucks, McDonalds, Prague

187 Views, 0 Comments

The Unofficial English Club

Today was a good day. After many failed attempts and half-starts, I had my very first English Club. I had tried several times to arrange meetings through the chain of command: principal, vice principal, head english teacher, my counterpart. It was a long...

Published Wed, Mar 11 2009 11:00 AM by Claire

Filed under: culture, education, Peace Corps, United States, Ukraine, English, justin timberlake, michael jackson, kelly clarkson

178 Views, 0 Comments

Quarantine-Induced Musings...

A frosty wind isn't the only thing in the air in Western Ukraine right now. Flu season is in full-force, causing many schools to be "quarantined" indefinitely. My school closed on Thursday, February 19, to the delight of all well-bodied...

Published Tue, Feb 24 2009 1:41 PM by Claire

Filed under: Peace Corps, United States, Ukraine, Ivano-Frankivsk, Hangman, Quarantine, Flu Season, Living Library, Winter

226 Views, 1 Comments

Just another day in the fishbowl

I'm finally getting the respect I never deserved. As a five-foot-two basketball player, I'm not exactly a show-stopper. Sure, I can drive the lane or spot-up for a three, but I'm no superstar. In America, that is. In Ukraine, a female basketball...

Published Fri, Feb 13 2009 4:31 AM by Claire

Filed under: Peace Corps, United States, Ukraine, Ivano-Frankivsk, Basketball

346 Views, 4 Comments

The Lord Giveth and The Lord Taketh Away

I know what you are thinking. It’s been more than a month since my last post. But remember that time when I have you two posts in one day? It’s that time again. What a crazy month it has been. Encouraging fact: I’ve started to think...

Published Sun, Feb 01 2009 8:32 AM by Claire

Filed under: traveling abroad, Texas, Peace Corps, Ukraine, Apple, Mustang, Europe, Fed-Ex, MacBook Air

579 Views, 4 Comments

Why I'm Thankful for Matt Chandler

It’s kind of a funny thing to say considering I’ve never met the guy or been to his church in Dallas. But I really am thankful for him. I heard him speak about a handful of times at Baylor and his message would always resonate with me, but...

Published Sun, Feb 01 2009 8:24 AM by Claire

Filed under: Christianity, Texas, Peace Corps, Ukraine, Apple, Matt Chandler, Gospel of Luke, Ipod

480 Views, 1 Comments

My First White Christmas

I remember this time last year how curious I was just where I would be celebrating the birth of Christ in the coming year. I had already been accepted to the Peace Corps, but I was waiting on my placement. After settling in to Ukraine in October, my thoughts...

Published Sat, Dec 27 2008 9:48 AM by Claire

Filed under: Christianity, Peace Corps, United States, Ukraine, Internet, Snow, Christmas

587 Views, 9 Comments

Home Sweet Home

After 10 weeks of training, it was time yet again to leave a family, a community, and in my case an entire region of a country. Since graduation, it seems as if I’m in a constant state of motion. First, I left Waco for Katy, then Katy for Ukraine...

Published Mon, Dec 22 2008 12:26 PM by Claire

Filed under: Peace Corps, United States, Ukraine

386 Views, 3 Comments

The First Snow

I know, I know: two posts in one day. But I've been internet-less for about a week and oh so much has happened. On a chilly Wednesday evening, I witnessed my first Ukrainian snowfall. It was silent and beautiful. We had just left the house to run...

Published Sun, Nov 30 2008 4:15 AM by Claire

Filed under: Texas, Peace Corps, United States, Ukraine, Minnesota, Snow

783 Views, 5 Comments

A Cross-Cultural Open Gym Experience

Before I found out I was moving to Ukraine , I probably couldn’t have found it on a map. Ukraine, Romania, Georgia, Poland, and Belarus all blended together in my mind when I pictured Eastern Europe and Russia. My prior knowledge primarily consisted...

Published Sun, Nov 30 2008 4:02 AM by Claire

Filed under: culture, Peace Corps, United States, Ukraine, Sports, Volleyball

311 Views, 1 Comments

"Please! Can we have English?"

I'm finding it harder to write these posts because there is so much going on that narrowing down what to say is a struggle. In addition to our daily language classes, we’ve started teaching four times a week. Probably one of the funnier experiences...

Published Fri, Nov 14 2008 9:17 AM by Claire

Filed under: education, Peace Corps, United States, Ukraine, English, Children

456 Views, 5 Comments

The Power of Information

I’m at the halfway-point of my Peace Corps training program, and I’m getting really excited about teaching full-time and being in my new site. Of course I still don’t know where that is and what exactly I’ll be doing, but that’s...

Published Fri, Nov 07 2008 6:02 AM by Claire

Filed under: Peace Corps, United States, Ukraine, Wacoan, BBC, Internet, Election

352 Views, 1 Comments

Live from Ukraine

There is so much in life you can't predict, and in the Peace Corps, there is even more. I have been in Ukraine for nearly a month, and I am already starting to look fondly upon the fluid life I'm living. For example, I can buy tomato sauce at...

Published Sat, Oct 18 2008 5:32 AM by Claire

Filed under: culture, education, Peace Corps, United States, Ukraine

456 Views, 6 Comments

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