Bureaucracy inaction! My departure date's been pushed back to Tuesday. Leaving for Ukraine on Wednesday. I was kind of upset about it at first, but apparently this happened to about half of our group, and I also realized it gave me another weekend of football. So I'm OK with it now.
I finished packing yesterday. I'm taking a big roller suitcase, a duffel bag, and 2 backpacks--my school backpack (the standard North Face backpack that just about every college student has) and my Osprey internal frame backpack, which has served me well through a summer in Colorado and countless backcountry trips in both GA and CO. I can't believe it's in such good condition as it is.
Anyway, I have a lot to do still. I need to scan copies of all my important documents and put them on my jump drive or email them to me. And eat some Thai food.
Recommended viewing for anyone, but especially Group 40ers:
Sorry, I don't know how to embed. Whatever I do results in a large block of HTML instead of a video.
May-or-may-not-be-actual Ukrainian Army commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4a01PpeoK8&feature=player_embedded
Ukraine is game to you?!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzLtF_PxbYw&feature=player_embedded
Eastern Promises
Cronenberg's crime thriller about the Russian mafia in London. Starring Naomi Watts and Viggo Mortensen. Great movie (and I have it on my hard drive now)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq_M8EOC4zA&feature=player_embedded
Friday, September 24, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Four Days
When I was a kid and we lived in Knoxville, TN before my family moved back to Atlanta, Dad went on a lot of business trips all over the country. He still does (he's in Ottawa for a conference now, so technically not "all over the country"), of course, but it was a bigger deal back then because I was in grade school, and we all missed him. I remember that, no matter the length of his trips, he would always say, "See you in four days!" cheerfully as he left. He also said it when going out to cut the grass or leaving the house for any reason.
It's now four days, basically, 'til I leave for a long time. I have an incredible amount of preparation to do in that time. I've made all my visits now--Savannah, Jekyll, Pensacola, and Athens. All of them were great, of course. Now the hard part starts--moving my life seven time zones away, to a region I know almost nothing about and have no connection to--familial, ancestral, or otherwise. I've met and worked with Ukrainians before, and that's about it. I don't speak any Russian or Ukrainian. The farthest east I've ever been before is Italy. It's gonna be a shock, like plunging through the ice on a lake in winter. Which I've done before--the lake on the golf course right behind our yard when I was a kid.
So. Anyway. This week is going to be busy and filled fit to burst at the seams with emotions--excitement for the adventure, anxiety about the travel, curiosity about the people with whom I'll be traveling and working with, sadness for leaving everything I love behind in Georgia, and happiness at doing what seems to be best for a young man with no idea what the future may bring for him.
Now that I've waxed sentimental, I have some real work to do. I need to exercise. Running is awesome because my lungs are in great shape back here at (near) sea level. I need to pack. My sister's old bedroom has almost every article of clothing I own strewn about in it. I need to get a bunch of paperwork and whatever personal effects I'm taking in order. My state of packing right now is, shall we say, non-existent. And even though we lost to Arkansas, I had too much fun this weekend in Athens. Such a thing is definitely possible.
Five months ago, I was a student at the University of Georgia. I was headed to CO to work for the summer and maybe longer if I couldn't figure out what I was doing come autumn. I reckoned that working random jobs would be more fun in a different part of the country. Three weeks ago, I was Daily Program Director at Camp Chief Ouray in Winter Park, at the tail end of the best (maybe second-best) summer of my life. Two weeks ago, I arrived back in Georgia after driving 22 hours through Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee. One week ago, I was watching the VMAs at my sister's new apartment in Brunswick. In one week, I'll be an expat in Kyiv. In about 2 months, I'll be freezing in my "first" real winter. It's "first" because I don't count the 2 years we lived in Milwaukee because I was, well, 2 years old.
At some point, I'm going to write a screenplay for a TV show based on the last 4 months of my life. It's been that epic. That sentence sounds a lot more morbid than I intended.
One more non sequitur before I go work out in the basement. Since I'm about to leave the States for a long time and represent my country to foreigners, here's a list of all the states I've actually been to--31 of them, plus DC.
LIVED IN (6)
CO, GA, NC, TN, WI, TX
VISITED (17)
FL, SC, AL, MS, LA, AR, VA, IN, IL, PA, MD, DC, CT, MA, NY, MO, AZ
DROVE THROUGH (8)
NM, KY, DE, OH, NJ, RI, KS, OK
It's now four days, basically, 'til I leave for a long time. I have an incredible amount of preparation to do in that time. I've made all my visits now--Savannah, Jekyll, Pensacola, and Athens. All of them were great, of course. Now the hard part starts--moving my life seven time zones away, to a region I know almost nothing about and have no connection to--familial, ancestral, or otherwise. I've met and worked with Ukrainians before, and that's about it. I don't speak any Russian or Ukrainian. The farthest east I've ever been before is Italy. It's gonna be a shock, like plunging through the ice on a lake in winter. Which I've done before--the lake on the golf course right behind our yard when I was a kid.
So. Anyway. This week is going to be busy and filled fit to burst at the seams with emotions--excitement for the adventure, anxiety about the travel, curiosity about the people with whom I'll be traveling and working with, sadness for leaving everything I love behind in Georgia, and happiness at doing what seems to be best for a young man with no idea what the future may bring for him.
Now that I've waxed sentimental, I have some real work to do. I need to exercise. Running is awesome because my lungs are in great shape back here at (near) sea level. I need to pack. My sister's old bedroom has almost every article of clothing I own strewn about in it. I need to get a bunch of paperwork and whatever personal effects I'm taking in order. My state of packing right now is, shall we say, non-existent. And even though we lost to Arkansas, I had too much fun this weekend in Athens. Such a thing is definitely possible.
Five months ago, I was a student at the University of Georgia. I was headed to CO to work for the summer and maybe longer if I couldn't figure out what I was doing come autumn. I reckoned that working random jobs would be more fun in a different part of the country. Three weeks ago, I was Daily Program Director at Camp Chief Ouray in Winter Park, at the tail end of the best (maybe second-best) summer of my life. Two weeks ago, I arrived back in Georgia after driving 22 hours through Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee. One week ago, I was watching the VMAs at my sister's new apartment in Brunswick. In one week, I'll be an expat in Kyiv. In about 2 months, I'll be freezing in my "first" real winter. It's "first" because I don't count the 2 years we lived in Milwaukee because I was, well, 2 years old.
At some point, I'm going to write a screenplay for a TV show based on the last 4 months of my life. It's been that epic. That sentence sounds a lot more morbid than I intended.
One more non sequitur before I go work out in the basement. Since I'm about to leave the States for a long time and represent my country to foreigners, here's a list of all the states I've actually been to--31 of them, plus DC.
LIVED IN (6)
CO, GA, NC, TN, WI, TX
VISITED (17)
FL, SC, AL, MS, LA, AR, VA, IN, IL, PA, MD, DC, CT, MA, NY, MO, AZ
DROVE THROUGH (8)
NM, KY, DE, OH, NJ, RI, KS, OK
Monday, September 13, 2010
First post
So this is my first experience blogging since Xanga was big back in 2003 or whatever. I'm not really sure my life is interesting enough to warrant frequent posts, but hopefully that will change soon.
I'm in the midst of both packing for 2+ years in Ukraine and making efforts to see as many of my friends and family as I can before I leave next Friday. I spent about 5 hours today driving back from Brunswick, where I spent the weekend with my sister. This morning was the last time I'll see her for maybe over two years. Anyway, I had plenty of time to myself on the interstates today, so I started thinking about what I'll miss the most and not miss at all whilst overseas.
Things I'll Miss
Family and friends
my golden retriever, Caesar (and even my sister's cat and dog, Pumpkin and Lucy...at least some)
Food, especially Southern food--barbecue, soul food, pork chops, Chick-fil-a, Waffle House, and the like. And burgers. I was craving Five Guys constantly for about 2 weeks in Italy last summer
Air conditioning. Even Western Europe doesn't have A/C
my Jeep
Sports. Especially since the Braves show promise for October and next season. And the SEC East looks weak as hell for the indefinite future...maybe Georgia could finally punch a ticket to Atlanta?
American holidays, especially Christmas, Thanksgiving, and July 4th
Wearing shorts
Ice in my cokes
South Park
Things I Won't Miss
Summer weather in August/September in the South. I couldn't stand being outside for more than 5 minutes this weekend in Savannah/SSI. 95+ with high humidity, almost no wind even on the beach...ugh
Atlanta traffic
Atlanta prices...I went out on Tuesday in midtown and paid about $6 for light beer
The Braves, Falcons, and Dawgs constantly managing to disappoint and underperform
The unhealthy US lifestyle of driving everywhere, eating horribly, and being heinously overweight
The current partisan rancor in US politics
Traffic cops
Hipsters
Kim Kardashian
Tomorrow I leave for the airport in the morning with Dad. He's flying to Ottawa for business; I'm going to Pensacola to visit Grandaddy one last time before I go. I get back Wednesday, then I'm headed to Athens for a good hurrah from Thursday to Sunday. Friday morning is when this Ukraine business all begins. So soon.
I really need to get off the computer and go work out in the "gym" in my parents' basement. Being home does has its benefits, I guess.
I'm in the midst of both packing for 2+ years in Ukraine and making efforts to see as many of my friends and family as I can before I leave next Friday. I spent about 5 hours today driving back from Brunswick, where I spent the weekend with my sister. This morning was the last time I'll see her for maybe over two years. Anyway, I had plenty of time to myself on the interstates today, so I started thinking about what I'll miss the most and not miss at all whilst overseas.
Things I'll Miss
Family and friends
my golden retriever, Caesar (and even my sister's cat and dog, Pumpkin and Lucy...at least some)
Food, especially Southern food--barbecue, soul food, pork chops, Chick-fil-a, Waffle House, and the like. And burgers. I was craving Five Guys constantly for about 2 weeks in Italy last summer
Air conditioning. Even Western Europe doesn't have A/C
my Jeep
Sports. Especially since the Braves show promise for October and next season. And the SEC East looks weak as hell for the indefinite future...maybe Georgia could finally punch a ticket to Atlanta?
American holidays, especially Christmas, Thanksgiving, and July 4th
Wearing shorts
Ice in my cokes
South Park
Things I Won't Miss
Summer weather in August/September in the South. I couldn't stand being outside for more than 5 minutes this weekend in Savannah/SSI. 95+ with high humidity, almost no wind even on the beach...ugh
Atlanta traffic
Atlanta prices...I went out on Tuesday in midtown and paid about $6 for light beer
The Braves, Falcons, and Dawgs constantly managing to disappoint and underperform
The unhealthy US lifestyle of driving everywhere, eating horribly, and being heinously overweight
The current partisan rancor in US politics
Traffic cops
Hipsters
Kim Kardashian
Tomorrow I leave for the airport in the morning with Dad. He's flying to Ottawa for business; I'm going to Pensacola to visit Grandaddy one last time before I go. I get back Wednesday, then I'm headed to Athens for a good hurrah from Thursday to Sunday. Friday morning is when this Ukraine business all begins. So soon.
I really need to get off the computer and go work out in the "gym" in my parents' basement. Being home does has its benefits, I guess.
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