What's New?! Also, more food. . .

It is difficult to believe that we have been here 2 months now. I'm starting to get comfortable and now we really have to get busy with getting my work permit processed. Even if all goes as smoothly as possible, it is likely that Rick and I will have to make a trip to Poland due to requirements by law. But, at least, we will be able to stay and I have wanted to visit Krakaow for years! :D

Another major comfort is changing as well. Our home. Apparently, I wasn't aware of this before, but we have only agreed to live here for the three months. And, so, if we want to live in this apartment longer, the flatmates have to agree to let us. There are a few problems with this as they already have plans to have long term visitors during the summer and will likely need our room. What this all means is that we are probably going to move. This is only difficult as far as moving is tedious for me -- I don't enjoy it. The truth is a good friend of Rick's and a new friend for me is getting married at the end of April. We have been invited to move wiith him and his new wife to a barrio near to the forest. The commute would be less than ideal, but the location is better -- cleaner air, recreation, nature, etc. We would even have a lake nearby to enjoy. The commute for me is 30-35 min in marshrutka (not so bad by typical American standards), but it means I would lose 1.5 hours more each day. Each week that is about 6-10 hours of free time for projects and personal enjoyment (the calculations have to do with how often I would return home in a day and when I would have to stay at the school because returning home makes no sense). I could make it work and learn to appreciate it, I think. But, meh, I am not too excited about commuting so far.

Aside from these minor things, the important things in life are improving. Our diet is getting better everyday as I get more comfortable with adding variety. Rick and I have both had colds and gotten over them so we have been able to begin taking walks together again. I have started exercising again, but I am trying to do it without paying for a costly trip to the gym. Part of what instigated the exercise is that I feel great! We don't have a scale, but since coming here and making minor changes in my lifestyle, I have lost two inches off my waist. Rick has calculated something that is meant to estimate how much weight I have lost in the last 60 days, he says I probably have lost 10-15 lbs. We are both really curious and are pricing scales. If it does turn out that I have lost all that weight without big changes in lifestyle, I will be writing an article about the little changes I DID make. :D

Also, as with all my recent posts, I have to include pictures of the food I have been making. In honour of St. Patty's Day, I tried making Soda Bread for the first time about 10 days ago. It was glorious! (and ridiculously simple). Since then, I have been experimenting with additions to the soda bread. But, it has sort of become a habit now to bake fresh bread every other day with breakfast. We are both enjoying the tradition --- and knowing exactly what is being put into our bread (how much sugar, if any, how much fat, how much protein, etc.). Aside from normal Whole-Wheat flour Soda Bread, I have made Citrus Poppyseed Bread, Homemade Kasha Loaf, and Multi-Grain Oat Bread.

Irish Soda Bread, made with unrefined flour (basic recipe from Epicurious.com)

Our new favourite breakfast, the Orange Breakfast. Fresh Mango-Carrot juice, Citrus Poppyseed Bread, Lemony Ginger-Thyme Infusion (for the colds), with fresh fruit on the side.

A close-up of my Citrus Poppyseed Bread creation, this bread at almost 200 cal per thick slice, is loaded with protein, fiber and very little sugar.

And, to make your mouth water, some other recent concoctions (The first two are of Mint-Berry Cucumber Salad from Whole Living and in the background, Lighter Sesame Chicken from Whole Living. The third dish is my pierog invention for Pi Day, Raspberry-Lemon Marble Pierog with accompanying Homemade Raspberry Soda.

I hope this post finds you all happy, healthy, and at peace. . .

Love,

Kimmee

Culture Shock

While I feel like a relatively experienced traveller and I expect differences when I travel (or move) to another country, my recent move to Ukraine has brought out the best and worst of culture shock. Culture shock, for those of you who don't know, is the psychological adjustment process you go through when experiencing a new culture. As with any process, there are stages. Culture shock normally follows these phases, which vary depending on the degree of differences in the culture:

1. Wonder and excitement

In this phase, usually upon arrival, you are intrigued and filled with excitement about the new culture.

2. Frustration

This usually occurs when you are starting to settle into the culture. This phase is characterised by feeling misunderstood . Exciting differences begin to lose their luster and one begins to recognise what he valued about his native culture with greater clarity.

3. Depression and feeling stuck

The low point. At this point, one may feel angry and hopeless. He may not have any interest in his new culture and may contemplate leaving, or really leave! There is often resentment toward the new cultures differences and a sense that one can only feel normal again in their native culture.

4. Acceptance

If one makes it through frustration and maybe a jog in depression, one usually comes to accept the new culture and truly appreciate the differences. They begin to feel understood and hopeful for their time in the new place. In the words of a Matador writer, "the whole experience began to feel like a coherent whole instead of a random collection of aimless madness."

Culture shock happens to most everyone and is more challenging for some than for others. For me in Ukraine, I feel like I am entering the acceptance stage, at least in some areas of my life. I think that on my first trip to the Ukraine I spent the whole month in wonderment --- mostly from having travelled for that length of time before to other countries and known that I would be going home, so I never got frustrated. Upon returning, however, I started immediately in the frustration stage, mostly for not speaking any Russian. But, I also made many faux paus (whistling indoors, etc.) and felt very misunderstood and different. I wanted to greet strangers and smile at them on the train, no one smiles back. I began to despise how pushy people are at the market or in the metro --- there is much less personal space. And, I got really upset at the difficulty of finding, what in the USA are, common cooking ingredients. Many times, I longed for a peanut butter jelly, chocolate chip cookies, Campbells soup! It even got so bad that I justified eating at McDonalds --- twice! And, despite having Rick here to help as well as finding a good comfortable job and apartment, I still spent a week or two depressed, angry, and questioning whether I was in the right place. But, about 10 days or two weeks ago, I started feeling like this new world was "coherent." I can now understand much more of the language, am getting used to its sounds, and feel much more inspired to practice or study. I also feel increasingly independent and powerful in the face of many unfamiliar customs and traditions. I am beginning to feel like I can fit-in here. . . even without Jiffy :D

So, now that I am in an appreciative mood, I wanted to share some quirky, strange things about Ukraine that take a little getting used to ---but I think I like it!

First, most meat here is bought and sold fresh. You can go to most markets and you should expect to find whole chickens freshly butchered, whole rabbits with a little fur still on their paws, and various other parts and proportions of entire animals just cut and drained. This was not too strange as the markets in Peru were very similar. What surprised me was the fish market. Fish, in Ukraine, is a staple. Most men's favourite dish is in fact whole salted herring, potatoes and vodka. While I was in the market two weeks ago, looking at the selection of processed, frozen fish, I became very disappointed because the variety was miniscule as opposed to the USA. I had never done it before, but I decided, although a bit intimidated, to try to buy fresh fish. I walked over to the fresh fish market and was pleased by the variety. Some fish are kept in cold water, some are dried and stacked, some lay on beds of ice. As I surveyed the options, alone (Rick was buying vegetables), I turned and my heart skipped and adrenaline pulsed into my system. Naturally, I stopped, backed up and found Rick. As calmly as I could, I told him: the fish are still moving! He smiled and walked over with me, helped me get a fresh salmon steak, and bravely check to see if the fish who was flopping had died yet. A week later, while fish shopping alone, I was expecting such things. And so, today, when the plastic bag in the cart next to mine began hopping, and the owner muttered "oh bojsha. . ." (Oh geez.) I laughed.

Also, things that have only one color in the States, here can come in many colours. Our toothpaste for example, bought for is cheapness and its soothing properties, is spring green. I blinked a few times when I put it onto my toothbrush the first time. I have gotten used to it, but the colour inspired me to utilise the "soothing properties" for another purpose --- it reduces swelling and redness on pimples, so I also use my toothpaste as a facial treatment. :D

Our toothpaste

It is green.

This is how I use our toothpaste.



Finally, despite, some of these quirky differences, there are a few things that are much better here and they surprised me. Public transportation is the first --- the metro stations in Kiev are extremely clean, and well decorated (marble and chandeliers and fine art in some). The second and favourite, is the quality of food for the low price paid. Everytime I come home from the market, I feel like a bandit. I can buy all fresh herbs and spices (you can buy them in bulk so you only pay for what you need), fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh fish, cheap whole grains, etc. Although I miss American comfort food dearly, I can't complain too much because each week I am eating food that is healthier, tastier, and far cheaper than many of the equivalent options in the US. The food here has been inspirational.

These are my groceries for this week. They wouldn't all fit on the counter, so this is only representative :D

In the photo I have from L to R:

1. small head fennel 2. handful button mushrooms 3. shallots 4. garlic 5. cucumbers 6. radishes 7. jar tomato paste 8. orange 9. more radishes 10. scallions 11. fresh parsley 12. fresh dill 13. fresh spinach 14. bowl of fruit (apples, bananas, mango, pomagranate, lime, lemon, kiwi, more oranges) 15. tomatoes 16. fresh salmon steak 17. fresh mint 18.fresh whole grain bread 19. grapefruit 20. carrots 21. zucchini 22. tri-color peppers 23. onion 24. more garlic. . .I am in heaven

Food I make with such ingredients:

Baked Herb Tilapia and Stuffed Peppers with Wild Rice

Tonight's Dinner: Mediterranean Chicken Stew and Vegetable Market Salad ( recipes and photos courtesy of Martha!)

I don't blame you if you are jealous. . . :D

Best to all. --- Kim

P.S. Rick lost his new, expensive toy: a mini-LED flashlight with a battery that shuts off rather than slowly dying. He was distraught over losing it. . . until he found it:

"Who do you looove? Said, who do you looovve?"

New Projects!

After talking it over with my husband, and then reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Children that the Poor and Middle Class Don't, I have decided to put some extra effort into independent forms of income (i.e. working for myself). I have not quit my job teaching and have no plans to do so in the near future, but I am attempting to develop more "passive" income (i.e. money I earn without having to work for it in a conventional sense).

I currently have two projects underway, but this one is ready for public viewing:

Makeover Me

Basically, I am going through all the trouble of learning how to grow healthy hair, I might as well try to help others and make some money doing it!

Let me know what you think :D

Love from Kiev.