Work

This is the Ukrainian acronym for my business. Yesterday we signed our first contract. Here is a photo of Katya - the first student to join our classes. We signed up four students yesterday and have another sign-up evening today. Classes will start next week, and I expect they will grow by word of mouth.

I'm not normally a nervous person. I have been more nervous at various times this week than I can remember in a long time. I am very much aware of my inabilities. I am thankful for the many people who have helped thus far.

Plans

The plans I have made for the next few months look like this:
September: Teaching English in Rzhyshchiv and getting ready to leave Ukraine – plus a short visit to Kyrgyzstan at the end of the month.
October: Teaching in London
November: Visiting my cousin in Zambia and helping out on the farm they manage there
December: I arrive in Australia a little before Christmas

Boys Boys Boys

Last week 7 lads packed into the van and we headed north of Kyiv and camped by the huge expanse of water that is the Dnipr River. We had an absolutely beautiful place to camp, and we enjoyed bonding together cooking, eating, swimming, fishing, reading, singing, playing Frisbee and King of the Mountain. Jesse, the youngest, being the self declared winner of King of the Mountain.

Ukrainian Centre for Foreign Languages

Right now outside it looks like a lovely sunny day. But don't be fooled - the temperature is on the rise and it is now minus 21 outside. I have been outside once for about 3 minutes to get some things out of the van and man it was cold. I'm not sure what the temperature was when I got up this morning because it was lower than my thermometer records. I have the furnace going full blast but the house is still not really warm - I have my thermals on inside!
But the really fun thing is that the water pipes have frozen. I'm not even exactly sure where they are frozen - I think inside the wall where they come out of the ground and into the house. So I have no water.
Soon I need to go out. At least I know my nose won't run - it will freeze before it can drip!
Wow - this is the coldest I have experienced.
Enjoy summer!!