V. Dahl EUNU

Class appears to me to be going well.  So far we have discussed the following topics:  an introductory overview of deaf education, statistics related to hearing loss, early detection and identification of hearing loss, cochlear implants, syndromes associated with hearing loss, audiological evaluation, and students with disabilities in addition to hearing loss.

Tomorrow, we will begin discussing cognitive development of children with hearing loss.  There is considerable material I would like to cover, so I am not sure we can get through all of it during one session. The topics I hope to touch upon include historic trends in cognitive research, the debate regarding Deaf children as concrete or abstract learners, intelligence of Deaf children, the role of language in cognition, possible differences between hearing and Deaf children, metacognition, and cognitive testing.

In addition to teaching, another project in which I am engaged is helping to set up a program for students with disabilities attending V. Dahl EUNU.  This will be an ongoing project with significant long term implications for all students with special needs who wish to attend the university.  Dr. Krsek also has asked me to help her write a grant to secure funding to purchase digital hearing aids and laptops for deaf students attending the university with the goal of facilitating their success. Deaf students have never attended EUNU before, and it is extremely rare for students with disabilities to attend programs of higher education in Ukraine. Dr. Krsek is hoping to change that, and I would like to see her succeed.  What is customary in the U.S. is rare here in Ukraine.

In the U.S., all publicly funded universities are required to admit and provide appropriate services to students with disabilities, and as far as I know, most if not all universities have a specific office to oversee this responsibility.  At the University of Kansas, this office is known as "KU Disability Resources."  At Minot State University, students receive support from "MSU Disability Services."  In order for students with disabilities to succeed at EUNU, the university should establish a similar department or office to provide critical support services to these individuals.  Success will not occur by simply placing students in university classes.  Ensuring success requires a high level of commitment, resources, and services by university officials.  One critical component of a successful inclusion program at any university is a department to provide guidance and academic support to students with disabilities in order to facilitate learning during their studies.

For Deaf college and university students, a few critical services include interpreters, note takers, captioned video presentations, audiological services, providing information and in-service training to faculty, environmental modifications to classrooms, amplification in classrooms, accessibility to TTYs, and emergency signal devices (flashing fire alarms).

Вода (water): A Weekly Ritual

About once a week, I walk across the street to the water dispensary to have my water jugs filled.  It costs me 3 hryvnia or about 38 cents to fill one jug.  It is a common sight to see locals in Luhans'k (and other Ukrainian cities) carrying their cooking and drinking water in these 6 liter jugs.  As it is only me, I usually just go once a week.

Who needs to go to the gym after
lugging these up six flights of stairs?



Пирожоки (pastries)

Here are a couple of traditional Russian pastries or пирожоки (literally: patties).  You can buy these inexpensively at stands in the market.  They are very good (вкусно) and made with a variety of fillings:  beef, potato, cabbage, etc.  I paid 31 cents each for these and they were fair sized. Yum! 

The Ukrainian Manual Alphabet

Here is a poster of the Ukrainian manual alphabet that the director of the local school for the deaf gave me.  I think it's pretty neat.



Another Productive Session

Class went well yesterday, as it usually does, but we were exceptionally productive and engaged during the lesson. 

After, reviewing the students’ homework, which I do every day, I identified the grammar structures that were most evident in their papers.  Consistently, they were incorrectly using the verb "have," for example “He have a book.”   They were also leaving off “s” at the end of present tense verbs or plural nouns, for example, “She love chocolate,” or “I see three cat.”  These mistakes are actually very common among American deaf children.  I then revisited these  syntactic rules, and we went over some examples.

Next, I showed them various pictures of my pets, and we used these pictures to construct sentences using the rules we have been stuyding.   I also introduced some new vocabulary.  They need to keep expanding their vocabulary, so they will be able to write meaningful sentences.  I continued focusing on simple present tense sentences but added possessive pronouns, something we had not discussed, yet.  Their homework is to construct present tense sentences using possessive pronouns.   

Покупки (Shopping)

This afternoon, I made another trek downtown to the bank (банк), so I can pay my rent next week.  While I was downtown, I thought I would walk around a bit.  On the side of a shiny glass and steel building was a sign in English that read “Sam’s Steakhouse.”  I was intrigued.  I wasn’t interested in eating at Sam’s, as I had just had lunch in the student dining room, but I was curious to see what was in this sleek, new mall.  Once inside, I was surprised by what I saw.  I could have been in any upscale shopping center in the U.S.  It was very clean, chic and trendy.  There were multiple levels of very expensive stores that could have been located in New York, Chicago, or Kansas City.  American, Italian and French designer labels were well represented.  It is total rejection of everything Soviet, but located in place which in many ways is still trying to overcome its Soviet legacy.  One of the most notable features of the mall was the paucity of shoppers.  It was almost empty.  In a country where the average university trained school teacher makes only 100 to 200 dollars a month or a college professor 800 dollars a month, few can afford to pay for a $190.00 Nike ski jacket.  In fact, the prices in this mall were comparable to those at stores in the upscale Country Club Plaza in Kansas City.  I am not willing to pay these prices, myself.  How can the average Ukrainian worker support these stores?  How will these stores stay open?

And Sam’s Steakhouse?  I found it.  It was on the fourth floor.  It was just as sleek and upscale as the other retailers, and it was just as empty.  Incidentally, a meal at Sam’s can cost 40 dollars here or 320 hryvnia.

Oh, I did buy something that wasn’t outrageously priced.  I wandered inadvertently into a really neat (and big) toy store.  Anyone who knows me well will probably guess what I bought.  Once I realized I was in a cool toy store, I searched for and found the section where toy and model cars are displayed.  I bought a cool model of a Russian Volga automobile, and it only cost 38 hryvnia or $4.50.  I’ll post a picture of it tomorrow.

Мои Студенты (My Students)

I am enjoying working with my middle and high school students, and they seem to be enjoying our time together, as well.  They are attentive, polite, interested and will do anything I ask.  Interestingly, they actually want homework/домашнее задание (literally "home task") and will usually do more than I assigned.  They are very curious and compliant, which makes my difficult job easier. 

To successfully teach them English, we have to use what they already know:  Russian and Russian Sign Language.  As I do not know either of these fluently, it makes it harder, but I do have their teacher Helen and my friend Sasha to help me.

We have two tasks:  Build their vocabulary and develop grammar in an appropriate developmental sequence.  They must have comprehensible vocabulary from which to develop sentences.  Additionally, they cannot learn syntax in a developmentally inappropriate sequence.  Another critical consideration is that the kids have to be able to fully conceptualize the English words; these words must have genuine meaning to them, and the meanings must be internalized.  The same goes for grammar.  The rules of syntax actually carry meaning, and syntax and semantics go hand in hand.  They will not be able to follow the rules of syntax if they do not understand the reasons for those rules and the meanings behind them.

Deaf children are also visual, so I should use objects, pictures and demonstrations when teaching.  I am going to show them pictures, and we will identify as many vocabulary words as possible in the photos.  I will ask the students to think of as many verbs, nouns and adjectives as possible.  From there we will develop sentences based on their levels of readiness.  They have a good grasp of the simple S-V-O structure using “to be” and “have,” so I think we can move on to more advanced sentences, but we do need to practice articles.  Of course, it gets confusing for them, because sometimes we use articles in English, and sometimes we don’t.  For example: “I drank the apple juice.” or “I drink apple juice.”

Overall, this is an excellent experience for all of us.  I am learning from them, and they are learning from me.  Hopefully, by the end of 6 months, they will be able to have basic conversations in English and American Sign Language, and I hope to be much less dependent on my Russian dictionary.

Here are some pictures of one of my classes.

Reunion Day Outing

Yesterday, I needed to go to the bank, so I boarded a minivan and headed downtown or Center (центр), as locals call it.  Miraculously, and only through sheer luck, I stepped off the minivan just a few meters from my destination.  Unfortunately, the bank was closed.  I do not know if it was closed because it was Saturday or because it is a holiday, Reunion Day.  Just a short walk north of the bank a small gathering of individuals were celebrating Reunion Day, a holiday which commemorates the unification of Ukraine on January 22, 1919.  The celebrants were listening to music and holding Ukrainian flags.  Nearby a group of policeman stood watching, though the gathering appeared peaceful enough.  I had read in the media that the central government had expressed fears of violence and had ordered monitoring by police, though nothing even close to a disturbance occurred here in Luhans’k, though I do not know what occurred in other cities. 

Since I was downtown, I took the opportunity to explore and take some photographs.  I walked north and then east toward Theatre Square (Театральна Площа).  From there I walked in the direction of the Luhans’k Museum of Local Lore.  I was absolutely freezing, so I went inside the museum (музей) to warm up.  Being a student of history, I was fascinated by the exhibits.  Unfortunately, I could not read the descriptions of the exhibits, but I was still able to get a basic sense of the natural and human history of Ukraine.  Rather than than just a rudimentary idea of events, I would like to have a deeper and more complete understanding of this part of the world and the people who live here.  I want to come back with someone who can read the inscriptions and describe the exhibits in greater detail than I can get on my own.  I did come away with a sense of the commonality and unity of the human experience.  Regardless of who we are or where we live, ultimately we are all the same and have similar experiences, tragedies and triumphs.

Luhans'k Museum of Local Lore

A cannon built by the Luhans'k cannon works in the
early 19th century for the Russian Navy. It sits in front
of the Luhans'k Museum of Local Lore.

My next destination was the park Sasha took me the week before.  I wanted to see it in the daylight.  It is located just north of the museum.  I took some pictures of the tanks which had been captured by the Red Army during the Russian Civil War, as well as the World War One memorial.  Once again the cold was getting to me, so I headed south toward Theatre Square in search of a place to get warm and have some lunch.  No, I am not a wimp.  I have lived in places such as Chicago and North Dakota, so I can deal with cold temperatures, but yesterday was just too cold for taking photos. 



WWI British Mark V Female Tank



WWI British Mark V Female Tank





WWI British Mark V Male Tank




WWI British Mark V Male Tank



World War I Memorial



I ended up at Mario’s Pizzeria, which wasn’t my first choice in a place such as Luhans'k, but it was right there, and I needed to get warm.  Practicing my Russian, I ordered a bottle of water, salad and cheese pizza and got exactly what I wanted.  I cannot carry on a conversation in Russian, but I can order food.  At least I won’t go hungry.  My lunch was very good.  My pizza (пицца) was nice, but the highlight of my meal was the salad (салат) of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, black olives and goat cheese. It was delicious (вкусно)!  I wish I had taken a picture of it.

My Margarita Pizza

I ventured back out into the cold to take a few more pictures before heading back to the East End.  I took some photos at Theatre Square (Театральна площа) before heading back toward Sovietskaya Street.





Russian Drama Theatre at Theatre Square 

At Sovietskaya Street, I was most interested in the Memorial to Ukrainian poet, artist and political activist Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861).  He was a very gifted writer, artist and a strong proponent of Ukrainian Independence and democratic reform.  His written work is regarded as the foundation of modern Ukrainian literature.  Incidentally, his portrait is on the Ukrainian 100 hryvnia note.  At the base of his statue was a bouquet of blue and white flowers in observance of Reunion Day.

Taras Shevchenko (1814-1861).  Note the 
flowers in the colors of the Ukrainian Flag

Here are a couple of other photos from my walk around downtown Luhans'k:

My First University Lecture

I have begun teaching my graduate and post graduate students.  One is a professor at the medical school, two are medical students in the area of psychiatric medicine, and the others are pedagogical students interested in teaching children who are deaf or hard of hearing children. I think it went well, as everyone was attentive, and I was asked a number of questions.  My first lesson focused on a basic introduction and overview of deafness, deaf education and technologies.  We covered basic terminologies and definitions, onset of hearing loss, impact of hearing loss on language acquisition and academic achievement, the importance of early detection & intervention, assistive listening devices and a very basic introduction to instructional practices.  We did not get as far as I would have liked, because they asked a lot of questions, but that is positive, because it demonstrates that they are interested in the subject matter.

The medical professor and students want me to teach about cognitive disabilities, children with emotional and behavioral disabilities and medical issues related to hearing loss.  I can do that, but want to focus on instruction and educational programming in deaf education, which was the focus of my grant proposal.  The medical school folks obviously view matters from a pathological/medical perspective, and when I told them I would e-mail them information on syndromes, they were visibly pleased.  Ultimately, I want everyone in the class to focus deaf and hard of hearing students from a cultural, social and educational perspective. 

I have enough material, prepared lectures and media presentations to keep us busy for the next six months, especially if we will only be meeting once a week.  I had planned for and expected to teach at least twice a week, but my time is being taken up teaching three English classes to the middle and high school students.

Next week we will discuss students with cognitive disabilities, which isn’t really the focus of this class, but the individuals at the medical school really want me to touch on that subject.  First, I want to revisit early detection of hearing loss, however.

Happy Epiphany!

Today is Epiphany in Ukraine (Orthodox calendar).

I had my first taste of Vodka (водка) yesterday.  Wow!  That was some powerful stuff.  I met an English teacher here who would like me to speak to his class of high school students.  He tries to introduce them to native speakers whenever he can.  Victor took me to a restaurant that specializes in authentic Georgian cuisine.  I had a salad (салат), and we shared bread (хлев), an open fired meat dish with mayonaiase and cheese, a ground meat shish kabob and flat bread "pizza" with goat cheese, a gift from our host.  All of the food was prepared Georgian style and was absolutely delicious (вкусно)!  The meal was excellent (Отлично) and reasonably priced. Now that my camera is working again, I will post pictures of what I eat. 

Victor (r) me (center) Omar (l) at Caucasian Yard

Following the meal, our gracious and generous host Omar wanted share some Ukrainian vodka and proposeed a toast for me.   So with some vodka, which I understood to be very good, he toasted to my health, good fortune, and an enjoyable stay in Luhans’k.  The entire glass of vodka is drunk in a single fast swallow; “bottoms up,” Victor told.  It did not taste bad initially, somewhat sweet, but the taste and power of the alcohol takes over very quickly, and it makes itself known all the way down.  It is very important not to take a breath while drinking.  Fortunately, I knew that in advance.  Chasing the vodka down with a drink of water doesn’t hurt, either.  Incidentally, it really isn’t polite to decline a toast with vodka by a host who wants to welcome you and make you feel at home.  Be gracious and accept.

I have learned that Luhansk is a destination for lonely American men looking for beautiful brides and soul mates.  Sadly, these men ultimately get scammed for thousands of dollars and still remain bachelors.  Guys, don't risk it.

The day dawned bitterly cold today.  Now it is like North Dakota.  I have the day off and had hoped to go downtown to walk around, but I guess I won’t.  It’s too cold.

The Eastern Market

I have mentioned the Eastern Market in these pages.  It is open every day, regardless of the weather, and one can buy almost anything here:  Fresh fish, meat, eggs, milk, cheese, bread, pastries, candy, fresh produce, appliances, hardware items, household items of all kinds, pet supplies (including fish, etc.) clothing, hats, cell phones, toys, books, magazines, clocks, watches, secondhand items, hot snacks...the list goes on and on.  It's an amazing place, and when the weather is nice, I love to explore and see what I can find that I might need or just enjoy having.  If you decide to explore the market, just make sure your wallet is someplace where uninvited hands can't reach.  Here is a bird’s eye view of the market from my квартира (apartment).

View from my apartment

Another view

Incidentally, I can now use my camera, as I have purchased a memory card, making the lack of a data cable irrelevant.  I will be posting many more pictures in the coming days and weeks.

Экскурсия (Excursion)

Yesterday was a long and busy day, but quite enjoyable.  Sasha said he wanted to take me on an "excursion," so we met in front of the city library at 3:00.  He then gave me a walking tour of the city "Center" or downtown.  We walked for several hours, and he showed me a fair number of sites.  He took me by the "Texas Saloon," and as the reader can probably guess, it's an American style steakhouse.  I guess it is quite popular.  We did not go in.  Other than McDonalds, this may the only American themed restaurant in Luhans'k.

At the Texas Saloon

He also took me to the Luhansk Museum to see a visiting exhibit which will be leaving very soon, I guess in just a couple of days.  It was a display of wax figures of individuals with unique physical traits.  Yes, I am using a euphemism; I don't know how else to put phrase it.  Personally, I question an exhibit of this type, but it is quite popular here, and Sasha really wanted to show it to me before it left town.  These figures are supposed to be accurate representations of actual people who lived at one time or are still living.  It's an interesting exhibit to say the least.  Here are some images.  Sasha likes to lift weights, so he was quite intrigued by the figure of the man who can lift 32 Kilogram weights with his ears.  Here is my friend Sasha and the man with ears of iron.

Sasha and the man with iron ears

I majored in history in college and have been a student of Russian history for many years, so I asked Sasha to take a picture of me with Peter the Great, who is known not just for his efforts to westernize Russia, but also his immense size.  He was an imposing Tsar, both physically and politically.

Me and Peter the Great

Following our visit to the museum, Sasha took me to a park, which had very recently been constructed.  In the park are two restored World War I British Mark V tanks. These two examples were captured by Red Army from the White Army.  Currently eleven are known to exist in the world, and Luhans'k has four of them!  There are two in the park and two in storage.  These pictures were taken at night, so they lack clarity, but I'll take and post others in the future.

World War I British Mark V male tank



World War I British Mark V female tank



Grant Proposal

Dr. Krsek and I are going to prepare some grant proposals to try to secure funding to pay for digital hearing aids and laptops for our deaf and hard of hearing university students.

My First Parents (родители) Meeting

This morning, I had my first meeting with parents of deaf and hard of hearing students at the “Special School.”

Dr. Krsek thinks the meeting went well.  For me, it is hard to tell, as everyone speaks in Russian, and maybe a bit of Ukrainian, but no one appeared tense or concerned.

The purpose of the meeting was to describe to the parents Dr. Krsek's plans to admit deaf and hard of hearing students to V. Dahl East Ukrainian National University and what she would be doing to facilitate their children’s success at the university.  This would be a first, as Ukrainian adolescents with hearing loss do not attend programs of higher education after high school.  Indeed, all students with disabilities do not generally attend university programs following graduation.  Dr. Krsek wants to change that and has requested my assistance in accomplishing this goal.  The parents seemed, in her words, “vaguely interested” in the idea.  She said the next step is to arrange private meetings with individual parents.

The second part of the meeting was to introduce me to the parents and describe the work I will be doing at the university and the local school for the deaf.  I spoke about practices in the U.S. in the area of higher education and explained the importance of helping deaf and hard of hearing students prepare for college or vocational training.  I also described the process of writing an Individual Education Plan and parents’ roles in developing IEP’s for their children.  They seem receptive to my brief talk and a few asked me questions about the experiences of deaf and hard of hearing students in the U.S.  One mother even asked me if deaf individuals drive in the U.S.!

My impression of the meeting was favorable, and I think we will be able to convince some parents (hopefully most) that higher education is a very practical and necessary aspiration for youth who are deaf or hard of hearing.  Currently, most parents do not believe their children can succeed at a university and consequently favor keeping them at home following graduation, but that is neither appropriate nor practical for their children.  Hopefully, we will be able to change hearts and minds in this area.

As I looked at the faces in the auditorium, it was like any other parent meeting in the U.S.  Aside from the language differences, I could have been at a typical meeting in any American school.  One thing was absolutely the same:  parents’ concerns for the welfare of their children.

After the meeting, Dr. Krsek and I talked as we walked in the snow back to the university.  She is very enthusiastic and sincere in wanting to make signification changes in Ukrainian education.  She wants all children to have the opportunity to attend university, whether or not they have a disability.  The road will be long and difficult, as educational reform has stalled at the government level, as the director of the school noted, but she is still very hopeful.

The director of the school for the deaf gave me a poster of the Ukrainian manual alphabet.  It is very cool.  I want to frame it when I get back to the U.S.  If I can find a data cable for my digital camera (I left mine at home), I will take a picture of it and upload it to my blog.

Canines & Queues

Packs of stray dogs are a significant problem here (Mom, don't read this section).  They roam the markets and streets, because many have been abandonded by their owners.  I have been told to be especially circumspect when the weather gets very cold.  They can be rather agressive at times.  Apparently there are over a thousand dog attacks in Luhans'k every year.  It is odd that the city doesn't seem to address the problem. 

Russians & Ukrainians are a rather assertive lot, especially when it comes to observing queues.  Well, queuing is not exactly something they tend to take terribly seriously.  One has to be very quick on his or her feet here.  If you hesitate for even a second, someone will aggressively elbow his or her way to the front of the rather vague queue; it is everyone to him or herself.

Language

For me, the language environment in Luhans'k is a bit confusing.  Nearly everything is written in Ukrainian (This is Ukraine, after all), but nearly everyone speaks Russian.  It makes it harder to navigate here.  Fortunately, most people are patient and helpful.  People who speak Ukrainian do not take offense when I speak Russian.  This is definitely not Brussels where one has be extremely careful about when to speak  French and when to speak Flemish.  Here the linguistic environment appears to be fairly tolerant and relaxed. 

My New Students

I have begun teaching English and American Sign Language (ASL) to deaf middle and high school students here in Luhans'k.  They are full of enthusiasm and curiosity.  Working with them is not a struggle, as they are very attentive and full of questions.  The kids are a joy to teach, and to be quite frank, they are far more motivated than the students I work with in the U.S.  Maybe it is because I am an American, but maybe it is also because they are more serious about learning than the students I normally teach.  I don't know.  I would also have to observe them working with their daily classroom teachers, as well.

Teaching these youth is an interesting process. My new friend Sasha translates my spoken English into Russian, and Helen (the sign language interpreter) translates his Russian into Ukrainian Sign Language (USL).  It actually works very well, and we are all learning from each other.  It is quite enjoyable.

I have noticed that there are some similarities between USL and ASL.  For example, the sign for “same” is, well, the same.  The sign for fish is also the same in ASL and USL.  I wondered about the reasons for the similarities.  Did similar signs develop naturally, or were they influenced by the importation of ASL signs from the U.S.?   I asked Helen about this, and she is fairly certain that the similarities between USL and ASL developed naturally and independently of each other, especially as there haven't been many, if at all, American educators of the deaf visiting Ukraine. 

Lesson Preparations

. 

Monday I start teaching English to deaf and hard of hard of hearing Ukrainian & Russian high school students.  It is my understanding that Dr. Krsek wants me to teach them English vocabulary, grammar and sign.   I think the easiest way to approach this is to teach them using Signing Exact English.  I do not know enough Ukrainian or Russian to teach them using ASL.  Besides ASL is not English.  ASL has its own unique grammar that is distinct from English grammar.  It seems if she wants me to teach them English, then SEE II is an ideal vehicle for teaching grammar to these students.  It is a visual sign system based on English syntax and vocabulary, so it should be effective in teaching the language to these youth. 

I’ll develop vocabulary lists based on categories.  I'll also introduce them to helping verbs and basic verb endings.  We’ll use the vocabulary words and markers to develop simple sentences.  As the kids' vocabulary and grammar expand, the sentences can become more complex.  I’ll use Russian vocabulary to teach the meanings of the English words.  Eventually, I'll introduce them to contractions and affixes.  This is going to be complicated, but I think it's doable.

I may also use songs to teach them.  We'll see how much hearing they have.  Boyzone's rendition of "No Matter What" might be a good one.  There are some others I have in mind, as well

Merry Christmas!

It is Christmas in Luhans'k, today, and it's snowing...

Christmas tree in Theatre Square

Actually, I am not sure just how widely Christmas is celebrated in Ukraine.  Here in Luhans’k, it does not feel like Christmas.  It feels like an average day:  markets and businesses are open; walks are busy with pedestrians; McDonald’s is absolutely packed as always with rock music blaring in the background, and no one here seems to be celebrating the holiday.

There are people here who will bend over backwards for you.  Dr. Krsek sent a recent university graduate to my apartment today to help me solve my internet problems.  My techie is a very kind and patient young man who ended up taking me downtown twice to try to solve the problem with my wireless modem.  He speaks fairly good English.  When he got frustrated expressing a thought or idea, I reminded him that his English is much better than my Russian.   I could not have solved this problem without his help, and communication was never a problem. 

Anyway, he cannot find a job in his field.  While he searches for something related to his major (economics), he is working for the university in the area computer technologies for the meager salary of just 800 hryvnias a month (about $100.00).  Obviously this is not enough to live on.  To put it in perspective, my rent here is 3,000 hryvnias a month, which provides me with a very small 3 room apartment with an older bathroom (no shower), a small washer (no dryer) and a two burner stove in the kitchen (no oven—I’m going to miss making pizza).  He does not make enough to afford his own apartment of any kind, so he lives with his parents.  He added that his situation is not unique.  Many other Ukrainians either do not have jobs or get paid very little.  I told him that the situation in the U.S. similar with a high unemployment rate and many people struggling to make ends meet, but in retrospect, I think things are much more challenging for Ukrainians.

He is frustrated with his government, particularly since he is paid a government salary for his work and wishes politicians would work harder to improve conditions for workers and citizens.

It seems that governments in general have limited interest in improving conditions for the average citizen.  This is not a problem limited to countries such as Ukraine.  Governments are more interested in maintaining the status quo, even if it contributes to an ever widening gulf between the rich and poor.

Anyway, at one point, he asked me for my initial impression of Luhans’k.  It was a bit awkward for a moment, as I had been taken aback by the bleakness of the city when I first arrived and didn't want to say anything negative.  But I told him honestly that people here have been welcoming and helpful. 

My new friend continued that Luhans’k is a very poor city inhabited by poor people, many of whom are out of work.  He noted a lack of color and greenery.  Basically, the sense I got was that he views Luhans’k as a rather grim and dreary city and added that he likes the snow, because it covers up the “black ground" and cheers things up.

As I said above, I am discovering that most Ukrainians want to help and are indeed very patient and understanding.  I just need to make every effort to speak their language first and use as little English as possible so as to show respect toward them and their culture.

Wednesday, I was interviewed for a short article in the local paper.  The reporter wanted to know a bit about me and what I would be doing in Luhans'k.

I bought some very good tangerines at the market yesterday (and cheaply)…very sweet and juicy.

Here Comes the Sun!

It is finally sunny.  It is has been so gray and dreary for awhile.  I didn't think I'd ever see the sun again.

Yesterday, the weather was positively awful.  The day began with rain and sleet which later changed over to snow. The streets, sidewalks and market were slushy and dirty. I did not visit the market; it was much too messy.

Yesterday afternoon I met an Iraqi university student at McDonalds who had a lot to say and spoke very fast in heavily accented English.  He was a very friendly young man who had much to say about our government and the situation in Iraq from the perspective of someone who's country has been occupied by an invading army and who is affected in a very personal way.  For instance, his father lives in fear of being killed by terrorists.   Consequently, he is highly disappointed by the policies of the present U.S. government from a strictly practical and personal standpoint, and despite his youth (probably early to mid-twenties), practically worships Ronald Reagan.  His strong feelings are understandable, but he is also very careful to separate his criticisms of the U.S. government from his love of the American people.  He enjoys making friends with people from all cultures and backgrounds. He especially likes to befriend Americans and loves American culture and music.  He has a particular fondness for John Denver, especially his song "Country Roads."  

I met with Dr. Olga Krsek yesterday.  It seems Ukrainian educators have a highly pathological view of deaf and hard of hearing  students.  I will be working with two students who aspire to be psychiatrists, and they will be studying two groups of hard of hearing students from a psychiatric perspective.  Children with even mild to moderate hearing loss are not educated in inclusive schools, but in “special schools.”  These children are isolated from the general school population, and apparently, according to Olga, are not comfortable interacting with others outside the special school environment.  She explained that they do not like going out in public.  Furthermore, children with hearing loss, including those with mild losses are not encouraged to attend college after high school.  Few efforts are made to prepare these youth for higher education, and I am told parents prefer to keep their children at home rather than send them to universities to further their education.

We are talking about children with sensory disabilities and normal cognitive function who are isolated.  I can’t begin to imagine what the situation is like for students with significant cognitive disabilities.   I have a lot of work ahead of me.   

Olga wants me to find pen-pals for the Ukrainian high school students.  I think I might be able to do that.   

More Impressions

It is cold here, but not nearly as bitterly cold as North Dakota.  The weather has been in the thirties, damp, and cloudy-rather dreary, but not unbearable.  I am surprised the weather has not been significantly colder. I had been expecting some brutally cold weather, but it hasn't been bad.  Luhansk is at 48.38 degrees latitude, which is almost the same latitude as Granville, North Dakota (48.25).  Incidentally, Kansas City is at 39.11 degrees latitude.  While we were living in Granville, temperatures of twenty below zero or greater were not uncommon.  I can remember periods when the mercury did not get above zero for days at a time.  Hopefully, the weather here will not be anything like North Dakota, particularly since I have to walk to the university.


I spent some time in the market this morning.  It was quite crowded and busy, so kept my wallet in an inside pocket of my coat; pickpocketing can be a problem in crowded public areas such as the market.  The market is a fascinating place.  It is a busy open air venue despite the cold temperatures.  One can get anything there: clothes, dishes, appliances, household goods, watches, electronics, meat, produce, etc.  It's like a huge outdoor Walmart, but much more interesting. 

Since I don't yet have access to internet at home, I have been going to McDonald's, which offers free wireless.  The place is always packed.  Apparently it is immensely popular.  Even in the U.S., I have never seen a McDonald's as busy as this one, never.

American consumer culture has found a hungry and enthusiastic audience here in Ukraine.  Silhouetted against aging stark Soviet high rises are slick billboards for M & Ms, Oreos, and Coca-Cola.  It's quite a contrast.

Day 3

I was surprised to see that the market was open today (Sunday). I looked around a bit and bought a dish towel.  Would like to get a few rugs as well.

I am now stocked with enough food for a week or so.

Found an internet cafe, which I can use until I get internet at home, which I hope is soon.

Tomorrow I hope to Meet with Dr. Krsek to discuss the two classes I will be teaching-"Introduction to Deaf Education" and "Teaching Language to the Deaf."

In Luhans'k

Following a long but uneventful train ride from Kyiv, I arrived in Luhansk yesterday morning at 9:45 am. Olga Krsek, two of her students, and a V. Dahl EUNU French instructor and his son met me. It was nice to have a warm welcome and help with my luggage.  I have set up my apartment and purchased some groceries.  There is still more food and items I need to get. 

Of course, there is much I need to learn and do, and this is all very intimidating.  I still need internet, which I am currently using at a McDonald's.  I rarely eat at these, but having access to internet is critical at this point, so I can keep in touch with family and friends back home.

My apartment is in an aging Soviet era high-rise. One's first impression of the outside, entryway and interior halls is a bit disconcerting, but my apartment itself is nice and comfortable enough.  Rent is $390 a month or 3,000 Ukrainian hryvnia's.  It is furnished and includes dishes and cooking ware.  I'd like to get a few other items.  A toaster would be nice, for example.

Due to the presence of heavy metals, I have been advised not to drink the tap water or cook with it, so I will have to keep a good supply of bottled water.  What I have had since arriving is pretty good.  I need to learn the Ukrainian & Russian words for plain water.  Whenever I order it, I am asked if I want it "with gas" or "no gas."

My apartment overlooks the outdoor market.  I want to explore it next week when it reopens.  I need a few things.  It seems to me that the market is the Ukrainian version of Walmart, K-Mart, etc.