Olga was crowded around lunchtime on Friday!
Came back, showered, and did some packing.
See the little markets on both sides of the street?
Paul Celan's family home:
That evening, I decided to return to the traditional Ukrainian restaurant that Mykola had introduced me to on Wednesday. On the way, we passed my building.
Holubsee, varynky, deruny, borscht, and mammaliga. I finally figured out what that stuff is called this past Wednesday.
The borscht was served in this massive bread bowl, Polish style. The Poles love their soup in a bread bowl.
Very typical way of serving hlib/bread...with onions and salo.
Mammaliga (which tastes like polenta or a bit like cheese grits) and brynza (cheese):
Saturday I woke up and decided it was time to switch things around a bit, to get crazy. No Ace this AM, but do not fear, my rebellion did not include a day off from Ace, just a change in timing. I cleaned and packed, had leftover deruny for breakfast with strawberry jelly, and then went on one last walk to the main campus to take some photos on this nice sunny day (that posting is forthcoming). Afterwards I went to Ace. While working out I noticed that the very slim Ukrainian woman working out used this machine that shakes like crazy. You wrap this band around your waist, or thighs, or whatever, and it vibrates. I see lots of women using it. My question is: does thing actually work, and what is it supposed to do?
After working out I sat outside at Ace for a while and called my Mom for a chat. Unfortunately Dad wasn't home. I then went to the Olga market to get some olive oil and ended up buying this loaf of round, soft bread that looks a bit like a pizza crust.
I went to the ATM immediately afterwards only to find that I did not have my ATM card with me. Hmm. A thorough search through the flat was not successful, so I then spent some time sorting out that situation.
Then I cooked dinner and now I am working on the blog while enjoying a glass of white wine from Crimea. I had bought it to have when my fam was here and realized that it needed to be taken care of this week.
I just got an awesome message from my BFF Anne Genevieve that I must post here. I am looking forward to going home, and this make me smile: "dear court - please come home stat. i mean seriously, enough is enough and this ukrainian situation has just gotten ridiculous. love me" HAHA.
As I look back on my time here, one item in particular has been of invaluable use. A few days before I left, my sweet younger brother called out of the blue to see if he could stop by and bring me a present. He had gone to Books-A-Million and bought the Lonely Planet guidebook for Ukraine for me. So thoughtful, and SUCH a great gift. In the first few months I was here, it went everywhere with me…and I do mean everywhere. It stayed in my purse bc I relied on it so many time each day. It has been absolutely invaluable and I can’t thank him enough. I am also very grateful to the Lonely Planet editors for suggesting a handful of Chernivtsi restaurants that have English menus for when I first arrived. That book has kept me entertained, informed, and busy. I love it. It is tattered and has highlighting and post-it notes coming out of it, but it is coming back with me. It will always remind me of my time here.
Another thing I believe I wrote about in February... Ukrainians use their patronymic, a person’s father's name with one of two endings, depending on whether that person is male or female. So, my students here would call me (they wanted to call me Dr. Tollison) Courtney Daviydiyvna. Daviydiyvna is my patronymic, because my father’s first name is David. Mykola’s father’s name is also Mykola, and so in front of students I always refer to him, which is often, as Mykola Mykaliavych. See the difference in the endings? I hope I remember most of these things I have learned. I sure am glad I have this blog to refer back to!
See the little markets on both sides of the street?
Paul Celan's family home:
The borscht was served in this massive bread bowl, Polish style. The Poles love their soup in a bread bowl.
Very typical way of serving hlib/bread...with onions and salo.
Mammaliga (which tastes like polenta or a bit like cheese grits) and brynza (cheese):
Saturday I woke up and decided it was time to switch things around a bit, to get crazy. No Ace this AM, but do not fear, my rebellion did not include a day off from Ace, just a change in timing. I cleaned and packed, had leftover deruny for breakfast with strawberry jelly, and then went on one last walk to the main campus to take some photos on this nice sunny day (that posting is forthcoming). Afterwards I went to Ace. While working out I noticed that the very slim Ukrainian woman working out used this machine that shakes like crazy. You wrap this band around your waist, or thighs, or whatever, and it vibrates. I see lots of women using it. My question is: does thing actually work, and what is it supposed to do?
After working out I sat outside at Ace for a while and called my Mom for a chat. Unfortunately Dad wasn't home. I then went to the Olga market to get some olive oil and ended up buying this loaf of round, soft bread that looks a bit like a pizza crust.
I went to the ATM immediately afterwards only to find that I did not have my ATM card with me. Hmm. A thorough search through the flat was not successful, so I then spent some time sorting out that situation.
Then I cooked dinner and now I am working on the blog while enjoying a glass of white wine from Crimea. I had bought it to have when my fam was here and realized that it needed to be taken care of this week.
I just got an awesome message from my BFF Anne Genevieve that I must post here. I am looking forward to going home, and this make me smile: "dear court - please come home stat. i mean seriously, enough is enough and this ukrainian situation has just gotten ridiculous. love me" HAHA.
As I look back on my time here, one item in particular has been of invaluable use. A few days before I left, my sweet younger brother called out of the blue to see if he could stop by and bring me a present. He had gone to Books-A-Million and bought the Lonely Planet guidebook for Ukraine for me. So thoughtful, and SUCH a great gift. In the first few months I was here, it went everywhere with me…and I do mean everywhere. It stayed in my purse bc I relied on it so many time each day. It has been absolutely invaluable and I can’t thank him enough. I am also very grateful to the Lonely Planet editors for suggesting a handful of Chernivtsi restaurants that have English menus for when I first arrived. That book has kept me entertained, informed, and busy. I love it. It is tattered and has highlighting and post-it notes coming out of it, but it is coming back with me. It will always remind me of my time here.
Another thing I believe I wrote about in February... Ukrainians use their patronymic, a person’s father's name with one of two endings, depending on whether that person is male or female. So, my students here would call me (they wanted to call me Dr. Tollison) Courtney Daviydiyvna. Daviydiyvna is my patronymic, because my father’s first name is David. Mykola’s father’s name is also Mykola, and so in front of students I always refer to him, which is often, as Mykola Mykaliavych. See the difference in the endings? I hope I remember most of these things I have learned. I sure am glad I have this blog to refer back to!
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