In Which I Fail to Enter a War Zone

I am admittedly late in beginning this section of my blog, and there are a score of adventures from last year still missing, but I will skip ahead to the present trip in the spirit of relevance.

For a country that some claim is “on the edge of civil war,” all Ukraine has thus far shown to me is the same peace and hospitality as ever before. Men may be fighting and dying in Luhansk and Donetsk, but everywhere that I have been has betrayed no hint of this violence. That said, some things have certainly changed in the eleven months since I was last here.

A patriotic slogan, "Glory to Ukraine!" spray-painted on the crumbling ruins of a building in Stryis'kiy Park. I was to see much more similar graffiti during my time in Ukraine.

L’viv is an eternal city, like Rome or Paris. It wears its age like a crown of flowers on its head. It is perhaps the most under-appreciated gem of a city in the world. The analysts who fear that all of Ukraine may descend into chaos on a moment's notice have obviously never visited this wondrous place.

Here, mere hours from the Polish border, life goes on as usual. Crumbling Austrian facades tower over quiet streetside cafes. There is music, laughter, and life. The only remaining sign of the recent tragedy is a poster in front of the main government building in Rynok Square, honoring the "Heavenly Hundred" who were killed in clashes against Yanukovych's government in February. More of the dead came from L'viv than from any other city. And while hints of mourning still appear now and then, it is apparent that most L'viv residents understand that the country's struggles are not over. At the Ukrainian Greek Catholic church service I attended on Sunday, all of the intentions were offered for Ukraine's Crimean Tatars, who have been forced off their land and threatened-- again-- by the Russians.

I know that in America right now, one is hard pressed to find a picture of Ukraine that does not include men with guns. So here are several that I took on a Sunday stroll through Stryi'ski Park.

 

...and from a foray into the city center by the Opera House.

And yes, even in the midst of all this peace and beauty, there are still reminders.

L'viv: The City of My Heart

Ahhh......... L'viv. What can I say about L'viv?

No words can describe L'viv. There is no city like it in the world.

L'viv enchants you. It gets into your soul and doesn't leave.

Rynok Square: the most beautiful part of the most beautiful city!

No pictures can do justice to the feeling of being there. There is just something so intense, so rich and alive, about this city.

It is a city of hidden treasures. Everywhere there are intricate facades inset with statues, historical buildings, old churches. You are simultaneously surrounded by history, and by life.

On Monday, I returned to L'viv for the first time. It had taken two years, but I finally made it back. The city's attraction is irresistible.

I got up at 5 in order to catch a taxi to the train station. At 6 am, I boarded the train, which arrived in L'viv around 12:50. Father Chrysostomos met me at the station, and I was so glad to see him! It's been two years. He took me to lunch at a little Armenian restaurant that he's fond of, then we walked around the city a bit. We went to the Orthodox Monastery, then climbed the hill north of the city to the open-air folk architecture museum.

The open-air museum is a forest filled with houses from Carpathian villages that were disassembled, moved here, and reassembled.

I think my grandma has a painting of this church at home...

There is a monastery and a couple of churches in the park, so they let us in for free, assuming that Father Chrysostomos was going to the church. He had planned to leave me exploring the museum while he went to vespers elsewhere, but since his taxi didn't arrive on time, we went to vespers at the church in the park instead.

Unfortunately I wasn't allowed to take pictures of the inside of the church, but the interior is just as beautiful as the exterior. Wooden walls, painted icons decorated with hand-embroidered banners, fresh flowers.  It was such a treat to attend vespers in Ukrainian in this candle-lit old church. Like balm for your soul. How much I've missed the Ukrainian services!!!

I checked into the apartment which Father Chrystostomos had reserved for me at Ukrainian Catholic University, the university for which I taught on my last visit. These accommodations turned out to be in one of their apartments for international students. I had my own individual room in a suite of five, which also included two bathrooms and a shared kitchen. The other people living there included a Ukrainian college student and a Venezuelan student who was there to study Ukrainian. I had wonderful conversations with these girls. We helped the Ukrainian girl with her English, and in turn she helped the two of us with our Ukrainian. It was great fun, and really helpful! Part of me wishes I could live with such roommates full-time! I will definitely stay there next time I go to L'viv, especially because it was cheap-- only 100 hryvnia (about $12) a night!

Interestingly, I also discovered that another girl lived there-- another Fulbright student from Louisiana! I'll see her in Kyiv this weekend! It's a small world.

On Tuesday I got a call from my cousin Nick, who was arriving in L'viv. I found my way to the train station to meet him, on foot. He and I wandered around the city for a while before returning to my apartment so he could get a shower and locate a hostel. We stopped at the chocolate factory I remembered from my last trip to buy some delicious candies. Nick had also brought me half a pretzel and some sugar-roasted almonds from Oktoberfest. Like, the actual Oktoberfest. In Germany. They were *amazing*, even after being squished in his bag for 16 hours.

Nick in front of the L'viv Opera House.
We wanted to see an opera but there was nothing showing on Wednesday :( 

Then, after checking him in at a hostel on Rynok Square, we met up with Mariana, who had been the academic director at the 2010 English Summer School where I taught. She brought us to Puzhata Khata, the chain of restaurants which serve a lot of traditional Ukrainian food, so that Nick could try some. Overall, it was a very pleasant evening.

Wednesday I met Nick outside his hostel, and we enjoyed a leisurely brunch at a cafe on Rynok Square. It was unbelievably delicious. Then we went to the National Museum, which contained a plethora of icons from old churches all over the region, as well as some interesting artwork. After returning to UCU to settle my apartment bill, we went in search of Lychakivske Cemetery, which I have been told I should see.

 This kitty helped us find our way. (Not really, but he was cute.)

By the time we found Lychakivske, there was not much time to spend there, but I will certainly have to return. It is an extraordinary place.

We were only able to see the newer part of the cemetery, but I will certainly return here on my next visit and try to get to the older part, where there are supposed to be some incredible Gothic mausoleums and monuments.

The reason we had so little time at Lychakivske was that I wanted to get Nick back to the city center in time to join Father Chrysostomos for vespers. Unfortunately this venture failed, but we met up with him and Mariana later to drink some coffee and say goodbye. After Father left, Nick, Mariana, and I enjoyed a tasty Italian dinner at Cafe No. 1.

The next morning Nick and I walked together to the train station, since my train left at 8:45 and his after 9. After a seven-hour train ride, I finally got back to Vinnytsia. It had been an incredible few days, but I was exhausted.

No rest for the weary though!

Today, I taught my first full class. The students were pretty good. I let them spend the first half or so of class asking me questions about myself and where I was from, where else I had been in Ukraine, etc. etc. Then we began a lesson on leadership styles, where I helped them to read an article on the subject and answer some questions. We will read the remainder of the article next time. Overall, they were enthusiastic and fun, and I had a good time teaching the class. Afterward, I was introduced to a student who is interested in applying for a Fulbright grant to the United States next year. I chatted with her for an hour or so, then made a grocery run and took the groceries back to my apartment before returning to the university to meet Tanya.

I had been so proud of myself when, after de-boarding my train from L'viv, I had gone to the ticket counter and purchased my return ticket from Kyiv on Monday. IN RUSSIAN. ALL BY MYSELF!!! I was so proud. I didn't even have any big problems-- the ticket lady and I understood one another just fine. She could tell I was a foreigner so she was a little snippy, but I got the ticket and it was correct!

...and then I got an email from the Fulbright office that I needed to change the ticket to leave later, or else I would miss part of the Orientation.

Oh well, it was great while it lasted. :D So Tanya and I returned to the train station to change my ticket for a later time. Then we went to the Italian restaurant in my favorite park to enjoy a delicious pizza dinner outdoors. The waitress must have been new, though, because our pizza was MUCH bigger than she told us it would be.

Tanya is shocked by the enormity of our pizza. On the plus side, I now have leftovers to take on the train tomorrow :)

Afterward, we went for a walk and she showed me more places around Vinnytsia.

All in all, a great week, but I am SO tired! I won't get the chance to relax until I am back from Kyiv. But so be it-- the adventure continues!!