Odessa

in a poem:

The sun's persistence cuts through the thick air,
Humid, sultry, mosquitos.
Gothic architecture and brightly colored apartments line cobblestone streets,
Detailed, clashing, vibrant.
Street markets proudly display an abundance of summer crops,
Watermelon, plums, sunflowers.
Sand on the Black Sea burns eager feet,
Speedos, seashells, crowded.
Tourists and historical heros fill downtown with vitality,
Monuments, trolleys, boardwalk.
While appearing as a city, Odessa's heart remains carefree,
Laughter, romance, repose.

*The last word is for all the Everything is Illuminated fans out there ;)

Odessa, for those unfamiliar with Ukraine, is a popular summer vacation spot for Ukrainians because of its tropical weather and Black Sea beaches. Compared to the States, I think it would be most similar to Miami, Florida. I was lucky to hear of an English camp called Camp Bereg in Odessa that needed native English speakers and would provide free room and meals (thanks Elyse!). My journey to Odessa started in Lugansk, a nearby big city, where I helped out other Peace Corps Volunteers with an English Cooking Club and a well-known English Club held in the Lugansk Library. That night, I experienced my first Ukrainian club/disco with two PC Volunteers, Amy and Sara, and some Ukrainian friends. It was definitely different, complete with cheesy pickup lines and slow dancing, but tons of fun! We are now all "premium" dancers. After sleeping over at Amy's, I survived a 16 hour bus ride to Odessa and another 2 hour bus ride to the camp site only to get lost and hitch hike (ya... never again). The camp was pretty relaxed and we went to the beach a lot but I could only stand one week as the food was mush and I got about 40 mosquito bites (no joke). I spent a little time sightseeing and stayed in my first hostel with a big group of PC Volunteers. We even found a Mexican restaurant, which made the bus ride home bearable, kind of haha.

I still haven't found an apartment, which is pretty frustrating since I've been living out of a suitcase for 5 months. Some good news though, my English Camp in Atratsit (my home) was featured in the local newspaper describing me, Peace Corps, and my Camp's success! The article was almost a whole page and with tons of photos. I was even recognized today by a store clerk and we talked, in Russian, crazy right?! Now that I'm a local celebrity they must want to give me an apartment right? Pictures soon, promise!