Home at last...kind of

I made it to my site and I think I’m going to be very happy here, mostly because I spotted gummy-worms for sale at the magazine across the street for 15 kopeks a piece. I love gummy-worms. One time I ate an entire pound of gummy-worms in a single afternoon. I hope I can show a little more self-control now, but I don’t know, I love gummy. I haven’t seen it since I’ve been here, and now, magically, we have been reunited, gummy and I. Talk about a good omen.

Getting to site with my five heavy bags was nothing short of exhilarating, let me just say. Luckily, Peace Corps had the foresight to purchase us (my bags and I) an entire coupe on the train. And thankfully, my coordinator -- who I’ll be working with at my site the next two years -- was along for the ride, so I had help. Three of my bags, particularly the one FULL of books, weighed more than 50 pounds, that’s for damn sure. I didn’t really have to deal with them until my coordinator and I got off the train. Getting on the train, the Peace Corps paid for porters to help, so that was nice. My tax money at work, and I’m not complaining.

The director of my school, whom I had never met, met my coordinator and me at the train station. When I had visited my site in November, my director had been away on leave resting and getting healthy. He was really eager to meet me so he got his friend to drive the 45 minutes to pick us up at 10:30 at night, though had he known what awaited him, he might have reconsidered. The poor guy ended up lugging my huge, heavy bags from the train to the smallest car I’ve ever seen in my life (one bag and my backpack fit in the trunk) and then up SEVEN flights of stairs to my new flat. (That’s right, SEVEN flights of stairs, no elevator. Think about that next time you take the escalator at the mall.)

I’ll admit it was a little embarrassing to watch my director, red-faced, coming up the stairs, especially when my coordinator told me the next day that he told her he was “really tired.” I mean, don’t want to be responsible for sending him back to rest camp. He likes me though. He’s probably in his fifties, nice grandfather type. Yesterday he gave me a huge bag of assorted chocolate candies and said they were from Father Frost. Today he gave me another big bag of assorted chocolates and said they too were from Father Frost. Apparently my director is my Father Frost. It’s nice, but I certainly can’t eat 5 pounds of assorted chocolate candies on my own. Now if they were gummies…that would be a different story.

The Christmas season is just getting started here. Today they erected a New Year’s tree in the center of town. They celebrate New Year with a tree and presents, and they celebrate Orthodox Christmas on January 7th, and then they celebrate Old New Year on January 12th. It’ll be interesting to be a part of the celebrations, especially since thus far, the Christmas season has pretty much passed by without me really noticing. December was mostly frantic language lessons, community project planning and general end-of-training internal pandemonium.

On Christmas Eve I called the family in Washington and we talked via speakerphone, so that was nice. You know you’re important when you’re put on speakerphone. A couple Peace Corps Volunteers put on a Christmas Eve service at the place we were staying. Dave and I went. It was nice, mostly scripture and hymns. I’ll admit to getting a little teary-eyed singing silent night with candles lit in the darkness. It made me think of the mid-night service at Westminster. (Also of the fateful year I spilled hot wax onto Lori’s nice, black blazer…sorry about dude. I still feel bad.)

All in all, things are good. My new host family is great. My host sister, Yulia, is 18 and my host brother, Misha, is 14. They are great kids. Actually, Yulia isn’t much a kid. She’s really mature, and beautiful, and eager to include me with her friends, so that’s sweet. My second night here she took me out dancing with her girlfriends. That’s right, dancing. Guys, I dance. Who knew?

That’s the update for now. More will follow, I’m sure. Now that I have internet access I can be in more frequent touch. Tomorrow I have a staff party at the café with my colleagues from school. (“Uh, Sarah, things have changed, I have colleagues now.”) There will probably be dancing. What can I say? I’m working on my moves. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you posted.