First Bell

V. was kind enough to pose with me after a full morning of growing-up.

Arriving in late September last year, I missed the First Bell tradition. I can confidently report that it is very similar to Last Bell, only the ceremony was a lot shorter and the students seemed mellower in comparison. In this part of the world, there is the tradition of starting school on the first of September, also known as "Day of Knowledge". On this day, across Ukraine and similar countries students and teachers gather in a courtyard to welcome the new school year. At my school, a flag was paraded around to the national hymn, a few words were said, some awards handed out, a couple of presentations, and a senior student circled around with a first grader while ringing a bell. After the ceremony, there was a first lesson that is open to parents. Typically, the lesson goes along the theme of Ukraine (history, poetry, famous Ukrainians). I watched the first grade's first class, which included a bunch of introductions and a cake. After the "school day" my host family gathered for a lunch, where I tried and failed to explain why champagne shouldn't be drunken like shots.

M. and V. These amazing girls are the granddaughters of the woman I live with.

First Grade's First Lesson: It's more packed than a PTA meeting.

With all the smiles and hugs First Bell left me in a good mood for the rest of the day. The previous week, I'd gone into school every day for a bit to say hello, see if there was any news, and try to arrange a meeting with the director. Every time I left the school I felt like I had less of a purpose, a series of dull conversations that never allotted room for me to express changes I wanted to make. Working with colleagues here is an art. As volunteers, it's beaten into our heads the importance of integrating into the community and that developing relationships takes a long time. We joke about being on "Ukraine Time," a neither here nor there state of ignoring schedules, poor customer service, and overall resistance to change as the country is in a never-ending state of transition. "Ukraine Time" is especially hard for newer volunteers that are wired to value output and efficiency. In the first part of service a tactful experiment takes place of finding the right combination of patience and persistence. I'm still working on mine. The week before school started, I was sure I wasn't going to ever find my balance in regard to being an active member of school. I often feel like a glorified substitute teacher. I have to find out what is going on by asking, otherwise I'd never know. I don't have a shelf, table, or even a chair in the school. This is compounded by the fact that the class schedule hasn't been finalized for this year, to the extent that teachers don't have any idea how many lessons they'll be teaching because of last minute changes made to the curriculum at the federal level.

My worldy possessions (educational materials) piling up in what limited living space I have.

Having that moment of confidence and feeling like I'm a member during First Bell encouraged me. The following day, I finally got the meeting I was waiting for. To be honest, it was more of a walk-by. In any case, in that five minute conversation I got the basis of a grant cemented and a classroom I can share with another teacher. I'm wondering if feeling sorry for myself led to this quick takeover. Or if it is my sly ability to read cultural relativism. In any case, I'm glad to have hope for having some sort of impact this school year.

In other news, I still don't enjoy jogging. I'm trying. To substitute, almost every evening I go for a walk. I often end up in fields that I probably shouldn't be in, like the one in the picture below:

It may not look like much, but this is my home for two years.