Perfect Strangers

March 25, 2011 – Perfect Strangers

I think today is Friday.  I have no calendar with me and have no internet.  The past couple of days have been training with all 100 plus volunteers.  We found out what language we are learning, I’m learning Ukranian while others will be learning Russian.  We trained for what seemed like a whole week crammed into 2 days.  We learned about the history and mentality of the Ukraine, we started our language training, we got to talk to the medical staff, we learned about our safety, we learned about our job description (I still don’t know what I’ll be doing), and we learned about how great this opportunity is going to be.  The group is getting closer because now we feel like we know each other.  We are all becoming each other’s best friend.  We understand each other.  But today we all split up.  Today we divide into clusters (group of 4-5 volunteers) and go to our host family.  Knowing that today is that day we split up I get nervous again.  This is really happening now.  I stand outside in the snow watching bus after bus leave.  I wave to the people that I’ve built a close bond with and now I don’t know when the next time I will see them.  We hug we say good luck and good bye.  I try my best Ukranian good bye ‘Do pobachennya.’  And now it’s my turn to get on the bus I say my goodbye’s to the people that are left.  I soon come to the realization that I’m going to be out of the comfort of American people and into the house of my host family.  I play it over and over in my head trying to practice the greetings to say hello to my host family.  ‘Yak Spravy? Dobre Den.  Mene svaty Chris.’  I start questioning everything.  How will I communicate with them?  Will they like me?  Will I like them? How is this going to be?

Our bus stops.  My cluster is the first group off the bus.  I’m the last to exit the bus and I meet my host dad.  I try my best Ukraine ‘Dobre Den, yak spravy?  Mene svaty Chris.’  He responds but I don’t know what he is saying.  I think my nerves are taking over.  We get my luggage and put it in his car.  His house is 3 houses down and we take down the luggage.  I look back to the group for last minute comfort but I can no longer see the bus in the distance and I can no longer hear the laughter of my peers.  I am now alone. 

We enter the house and I meet his son.  I take out the Oreo cookies and the Chips a hoy and give them this as a gift.  I try to remember everything I learned from language but I draw a blank.  I try to speak English but they don’t respond.  My host father shows me to my room, which is this really nice big room with a desk, big bed, and closet.  I feel spoiled but appreciative.  I unpack my luggage and don’t know what to do next.  This wasn’t part of the training.  They didn’t tell us what we do after we get here.  I finish unpacking and sit on the couch with the host father.  I bring out my language lessons that I have and try to communicate.  Instead he helps me with my pronunciation of the words.  We talk with gestures and we understand each other.  He says the words and I repeat them.  I show him pictures of my family and a calendar of San Diego and he shows me a collection of coins that his son collects.  The coins are amazing.  He has coins from all over the world and I sit in amazement.  He has coins from old Russia in the 1800’s.  He has coins from Poland, France, England, America, Canada, Germany, China, Japan, New Zealand, parts of Africa, and even the Philippines.  We then eat what seems like two dinners one at 5 and then another at 8.  Although we can hardly understand what each other are saying we are able to communicate.  My host family has made the first day great and hopefully tomorrow I can return the favor.