Day 6 - Daniel
by Daniel Cole
So I have been here for a while now and I am really enjoying it here and enjoying the Ukraine culture/experience. It feels like I have done so much in the last few days, We had a campfire and BBQ Marshmallows, We went to school, played sports football, badminton, Power Frisbee, we went to a marketplace and shopping centre, and redecorated a number of rooms in the orphanage that needed repairing. I have meet a ton of new people from all around the world who are really inspiring in so many ways.
I was surprised how much I have enjoyed the Ukrainian culture and the different Ukrainian foods we have had some lovely meals each one different types of soups and meat dishes and buckwheat. I realize now how much I miss little things at home like my creature comfort for example hot water but I am still getting by and manage without them and having more of a simple life.
Ukraine is a really beautiful country but at the same time it doesn’t take long to realize that it has its problems. I was amazed as I looked around the games yard this evening seeing how many children where out here, the orphans there seemed to be so many children around outside hanging out doing sports and having fun it got me thinking about the wider picture and that fact that each one of these children has there own individual story. I will probably will never even know their story and their backgrounds but that doesn’t matter I can try to connect with them for the few days I am here. I can try to play with them and bring some connection through badminton and ping pong even if I cant speak to them with all the culture and language barriers I can still look into them and connect with them on different levels other than just speaking words and using words. I feel as if I trust most of the children now as I have got to know them a little bit better.
Today one of my highlights was when I went to the children’s school and I was asked to help the children with their English classes. It was a great experience something totally unexpected and I really had to step out of my comfort zone to do as I read aloud sentences and the listened to the children repeat the words back to me it really was an awesome experience. Ron played some songs on the acoustic guitar and the children really seemed to enjoy it.
So to wrap up I would say it’s been a freakin awesome week, hey I get to use words like freakin and awesome loads this week such a cool thing dude! But yeah just great pushing out of comfort zones and finding new things that I never really knew existed about myself.
(Editor’s note: Daniel is from the U.K. He is excited about the team’s American slang and bringing it back home with him.)
