5 days no net

Sooooo,

It's been awhile considering we've had no internet access, well I should say, I've had no internet access here for 5 days. This is because things in the camp have been so absolutely busy busy busy!


In fact, these have been the most exciting days thus far!

We went on a couple of excursions. First, we went to this ukrainian wellness resort which is just about the coolest place i have ever experienced. There are gardens, and ponds, and sunbathing, and exercize equipment...along with horseback riding and swimming and shopping:)


The hotel is literally the coolest place I've ever seen. It looks like a building right out of disney land. so, you walk around this place and see people getting massages in these serene, calming gazebos in the middle of beautiful, landscaped trees. Then you'll find all lot of ukrainians soaking up the sun.

BUT MY FAVORITE PART IS THE UKRAINIAN OBSESSION WITH WATER. We entered this building in the center of the resort where you can drink different types of water. They have different levels of sodium/sulfur and are various temperatures. This place is supported by an underground tap so it is completely natural. Only one thing, it smells like rotten eggs.

I was daring and decided to try some...i nearly puked my guts out because the taste is so raunchy and the smell is so potent. But the people here swear by it and swear it works. Many rich ukrainians come here strictly for the fact to drink the special type of water that the doctor prescribes to them. It's quite fascinating. In fact, one of our students spent her time there last summer, and she says she has not gotten a stomache ache since. I need this stuffffff. wow!


After this wellness resort, we went to this castle place which has three connected buildings. It housed the poor on one side of the building and then the rich on the other in the 16th century. Then in the center, there is a church. The main message of this building is to show the world that God brings all people together. I thought it was one of the greatest places I've ever been:)


Now close to this castle is a spring which also leads me to believe that ukrainians are obsessed with water. There is some old tale where a princess kept drinking from this spring and she became more and more youthful with each drink. So, some prince guy came along and drank from it, but drank too much because he turned into a baby. Haha. I'm sure I have this story completely wrong, but this is what I got out of the translation to english...

When we saw this spring everyone was drinking from it, and naturally, I was a bit hesitant because in the U.S. we would never drink from a river. EVER. But i filled my water bottle and it was indeed the best tasting water I have had!


Now the next excursion day we went to the mukachevo castle/city of mukachevo. this city is approximately 17 klm from the polish border, and it was super cool! The castle is situated on top of a huge mountain (of the carpathians) and there is a very scenic tour to get up there. Of course, we could see much of the castle itself, but the views were amazing!


And afterwards, we walked around mukachevo with the students to get some pizza because it is not served here in the camp. I think I mentioned before that they put corn on their pizza...yah and why I am still not sure!


Then after returning to the camp here, maja, nadir, and i were bored, so we decided to walk around the base camp...and maja wanted to see the swimming pool because she hadn't yet. Now remember it was probably 65 degrees farenheit this day, and YES my friends, as always, michelle went swimming. I was provoked to jump in, in my clothes...and it was great fun! the swimming pool is about 5 feet deep...it is a cemented block with water that is tapped from the neighboring river...so the bottom is slimey, but there is no fish or muck or anything like that...BUT I also got nadir to jump in because he loves swimmming....hahaha...it was one day i will never forget!


HOWEVER, i am definitely regretting my decision to jump in that water today...and yesterday...I AM SICK:( I couldn't teach my lessons today because it's difficult for me to talk, so arthur, the camp director, and irina, the camp doctor, took me to the mukachevo hospital. Have you ever seen the movie saw? well, the room I was waiting in for the doctor definitely looked like a scene out of this movie. At one pooint, some ukrainian nurse came in and talked to me...she popped out of some randoma entryway and scared the living daylights out of me. Then after this, we were sent to the throat doctor across town...this guy was so old and shakey and his office looked like papa's (my great grandfather's) old barber shop left over from the 1950's. Everything was primitively vintage...i mean he pulled this super old creaky lamplight type thing covered in dust to look down my throat. he even had one of those old headband magnifier things...wow wow wow is all i have to say. I wish you all could experience this!

So the wonderfully hospitable arthur and irina traveled to the drug store to acquire my proper medicines, and now I am happily taking them...according to their orders! I don't know how two people could be more accomodating, and I certainly thank them so much for all of their care!

Overall, I'm trying to power up so I can keep teaching these awesome students. I <3 them, and I <3 the AmEs summer camp!


Goodbye for now and God bless!