In Kyiv

I have just arrived in Kyiv. I'm at the Fulbright office and will be getting on a train for Luhans'k shortly for a 15 hour trip. Will share more when I get to my final destination. 

In Frankfurt

I am currently in Frankfurt waiting for my flight to Kyiv.  Frankfurt International is quite a maze, but fortunately signage is clear, so I didn't get lost.  It is also a very clean airport from what I can see, and the staff here are polite and helpful, at least early in the morning when the airport is quiet.

I'm very tired.  I did not sleep well on the plane; I never do.  I've got a 15 hour train ride ahead of me, and I have reserved a sleeper car, so hopefully I will get some much needed rest.

The weather here is quiet, so hopefully my flight will not be delayed.  I do not want to miss my train to Luhans'k.  I expect to arrive in Kyiv by 1:10, in plenty of time to catch the 6:40 train.

On My Way

I am now on my way to Luhansk.  I am currently in Chicago and will leave for Frankfort tomorrow.  On Thursday morning, I will catch a connecting flight to Kyiv and then take a 15 hour train ride to my final destination.  Starting tomorrow I will be in transit for a total of 35 hours straight (providing everything goes as planned).

I have too much luggage.  I did ship most of my books, but did bring my course binders and some additional books that I need right away.  My bags are heavy, but not too heavy to result in added fees.  It is very challenging to figure out how to pack for 6 months in foreign country.  I guess I am too accustomed to having certain things to go out without.  Hint: don't over pack.  Not sure how to avoid that, however, except just be willing to do without certain personal and clothing items.

At a Crossroads

Observing Ukraine from a distance, it seems that it is at a political and cultural crossroads.  Ukraine is a country in transition, and in a few short weeks, I will be observing this transition not from a distance, but rather experiencing events first hand.  This will be quite a learning experience. 

Religion

The dominant religion in Ukraine is Ukrainian Orthodox.  About 76% of the population practices this faith, while 8% are Ukrainian Greek Catholic.  Another 7.2% of Ukrainians belong to the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox church, and 2.2% of Ukrainians belong to the Roman Catholic church, with another 2.2% identifying themselves as Protestant.  Members of the Jewish faith make up 0.6% of the population.  I am wondering if there is a Presbyterian congregation in Luhansk, or even any Protestant church.  If there is a Presbyterian church in Luhansk, I would like to visit it.

This information was obtained from the CIA World Factbook https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/up.html

I have my tickets!

I have purchased my airfare to Kyiv, so that is one more hurdle behind me.  I will be flying into Kyiv-Borispol Airport (KBP), which is the international airport in Kyiv.  I will be flying from the U.S. to Frankfurt, a city I have never visited, and from Frankfurt to Kyiv. 

Ukrainian Visa

10/20/10 Update:  My NAUKOVA (research) visa arrived today.  One more hurdle behind me.

I mailed my visa application to the Ukrainian Consulate General in Chicago this morning.  I really hope everything is correct and in order.  It took some time to gather all of the information and materials and put it together.

For individuals interested in traveling to Ukraine, which is well worth a visit, Americans do not require a visa if they plan on staying less than 90 days.  If one will be in the country longer than 90 days, then there are two options:  leave Ukraine temporarily and take a trip to a neighboring country or apply for a visa.  If leaving Ukraine even temporarily is not workable, then it is best to apply for the visa early enough, so you don't find yourself without it when your departure date arrives.  I read somewhere that the Ukrainian Consulate recommends that one apply 3 months before the departure date.  For those who procrastinate, there is an expedited visa processing option, but it is rather expensive.

Ukrainian Food

Friends and family know that I like trying new cuisines.  I enjoy dining in Japanese, Vietnamese, Indian, Ethiopian, Mexican (the real deal), and Middle Eastern restaurants, to name a few.  One of the things I am looking forward to is trying new foods and dishes in Ukraine.  I want to eat in a variety of local restaurants that serve local, home style meals.  I'll be detailing here what I learn and experience about Ukrainian cuisine.  Hopefully, I will also upload photos, as well.

Lesson Development

I am glad I am teaching for KCK Public Schools before heading out to EUNU in Luhansk.  It is good for me to be teaching again in a public high school, as it keeps me sharper as a teacher education professor.  As I develop lessons and discussions for my university students in Ukraine, I will have a wealth of real life experiences on which to draw.  Hopefully, my experiences in the field (both positive and negative) will prepare to help my graduate students design and implement effective instruction for students with disabilities.

Preparations Continue

School is extremely overwhelming, but trying to continue preparing for my move to Luhansk.  I completed the mandatory Department of State physical this week, which went well, but hoping the lab results are okay, also.  Additionally, got a tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccination and am wondering if there is another vaccination I should be getting.


Still need to keep working on gathering textbooks and materials, which I need to ship through diplomatic pouch before I leave.  I am not sure how long it will take for the books to arrive at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv.  I know it takes a while, so I am wondering if I should ship them in November or early December. I want them to be in Kyiv when I arrive, so I can take them with me to Luhansk on the train.  It is a 12 hour trip from Kyiv to Luhansk, and I don't want to have to make another trip back to the capitol to pick up the books.


I need to locate some good (and not expensive) DVDs on American Deaf culture and the Deaf community.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  Question:  Do DVDs produced in the U.S. work on equipment used in Europe?  I do know that VHS tapes produced in the U.S. do not work on European VCRs and vice versa.  My guess is they will work fine, but still wondering.

An adventure of a life time is about to commence

I am about to embark on a exciting and important adventure.  For six months, I will be living in Luhansk, Ukraine where I will be teaching at Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University.  I will teaching courses in Deaf education and working with graduate students, medical students, research scientists, special education teachers and parents of children with disabilities.

I am overwhelmed by this awesome responsibility and pray that I will have a positive and lasting impact on the lives and careers of the students, teachers, parents and children with whom I interact.  I really want to a make difference in Luhansk. 

There is much to do to prepare.  One of the most pressing tasks at the moment is ordering books and materials to be given to the university program where I will be teaching.  I will be compiling a list here for the next couple of weeks.  The books are going to cover a wide range of philosophies, approaches, and authors.  My goal is to be comprehensive in scope and avoid being too narrow; I do not want the library to be limited to a single perspective or philosophy.


*Literacy and Deafness, Peter V. Paul
*Language and Deafness, Peter V. Paul
*Reading and Deafness: Theory, Research, and Practice, Trezek, Paul, and Wang
*Language Across the Curriculum When Students Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, Luetke-Stahlman
*Language Issues in Deaf Education, Luetke-Stahlman
*Language Literacy Development in Children Who are Deaf, Schirmer
*Language Learning in Children Who are Deaf & Hard of Hearing, Easternbrooks & Baker
*Pyschological, Social, and Educational Dimensions of Deafness, Schirmer
*Deaf Students can be Great Readers!, Luetke-Stahlman & Nielsen
*Emile, Jean-Jacques Rousseau
*Democracy and Education, John Dewey
*Educating Deaf Students, Marschark, Lang, Albertini
*Effectively Educating Students With Hearing Impairments, Luetke-Stahlman and Luckner
*One Mother's Story Raising Deaf Children, Luetke-Stahlman
*Teaching Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students, Stewart & Kluwin
*The Week the World Heard Gallaudet, Gannon.
*A Place of Their Own: Creating the Deaf Community in America, Van Cleve & Crouch 
*Inside Deaf Culture, Padden & Humphries
*Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture, Padden and Humphries
*School Professionals Working with Children with Cochlear Implants, Chute & Nevins
*American Sign Langauge, Sternberg
*The Joy of Signing, Lottie Riekehof
*Learning American Sign Language, Humphries & Padden
*Learning American Sign Language - DVD-, Humphries & Padden
*Signing Exact English, Gustason & Zawolkow
*Literacy Assessment, Cooper & Kiger
*Free and Appropriate Public Education: The Law & Children with Disabilities, Turnbull & Turnbull
*Through Deaf Eyes - DVD
APA Publication Manual

* Obtained
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One of the purposes of this blog will be to record my experiences and observations in Luhansk.  My hope is to keep family, friends, students, colleagues and any interested individuals informed of what I am doing and experiencing.  I will also be detailing what I learn, for it will be an immense learning experience.

I am also hoping this blog will be a vehicle by which my students at Washington High School can learn about a part of the world that is foreign not just to them, but the average American, as well.  Hopefully, they will show an interest in my experiences in Luhansk and will ask me questions about the people, culture and history of Ukraine.