Interesting week, Pt I.

Well, it has been an interesting week here in Poltava; so interesting, in fact, that I will divide it into three parts, so here is the first part:

The week started inauspiciously enough with a lecture for the faculty scheduled for Monday morning being postponed for two weeks. Okay, then, on Wednesday as I arrive at work to teach my class and am cooling down from the mile walk through ice, the Institute's Rector, Vitaly, and the Foreign Language coordinator, Valentina, arrive in my office to give me this beautiful terracotta frieze and a matching teacup, both handmade locally.
During my class, another faculty member came in and gave me a copy of the book she authored (quite well-known nationally, it turns out), along with this cool handmade pouch, and sang happy birthday to me! I turned pretty red ... After class, the students gave me another ceramic Ukrainian figure (this time a man) filled with malinka,a local liqueur. And it wasn't even my birthday yet! They sure are sweet here, when they want to be. (Photo of all this great booty haul posted above)

I also have to acknowledge another great "gift" that arrived Wednesday, the day before my birthday - this was a much awaited Volkstaf collapsible hiking staff to assist me in negotiating the icy sidestreets on the way to work and back. I simply must express my deepest appreciation to Ruth,the owner of Rocky Mountain Amblers,who went far above-and-beyond the responsibilities of a retailer in insuring that the staff made it into the hands of Linda-Marie & Don Sundstrom, who delivered it to the Fulbright office in Kiev (and deep thanks to all of these as well). Ruth has since emailed me regarding this blog, and I have encouraged her to leave her extremely insightful reflections as comments here. Ruth, you're the best!

More to come on this eventful week - stay tuned ...