Preparation Updates

Dear Readers,

I thought that I would take some time to write about how my preparation is going.

First, I am really excited to go! I am nervous of course, but I cannot wait to go to one of the most culturally rich places in the world. I am really excited to see the cities of Lviv and Kyiv. I am also looking forward to working with the children at the Faith and Light workshops. Since the workshops are located at a l'Arche community, I will probably work with some of the adults there as well.

A fellow Intercordian from the University of Waterloo who is going Ternopil, Ukraine this summer found this great video on Ukraine. It is definitely worth a look.

As for actual preparation, I now have a Ukrainian tutor. I cannot believe how it happened! Divine providence was definitely at work. He is teaching me some basic spoken Ukrainian which will basically help me get a head start. While I am in Ukraine I will have some formal language training, although I do not know the details of it yet.

Next week a bunch of us are going to Mountain Equipment Co-op to go shopping to prepare for our coming trip. I feel somewhat guilty though since I do not have to worry about buying a mosquito net or other things those going to Africa and South America have to worry about.

Before I forget, I got my shots last week. And by 'shots', I mean 'shot'. I only had to get a Hep A vaccine. The others have to get vaccines or prescriptions for at least some of the following: malaria, typhoid, yellow fever, traveller's diarrhea, whooping caugh, etc.... One girl last year who went to Ecuador elected against getting vaccinated for whooping caugh, and sure enough she got it!

As for the academic bit, we have finished our final seminar. Now we all have to write our research paper, due April 16th. I haven't had to write a paper like this since first year, so I am a bit nervous. However, I'm sure it will all work out in the end.

That's all for now.

Until next time,
Michael