I Want to Give You Everything

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived;

This is to have succeeded.

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

It feels so strange that this is my last blog post. On Wednesday, Alex and I head back to the United States. Although I miss everyone at home very much, I do not want to leave this beautiful place full of wonderful people. Nevertheless, I know that I was very blessed to be able to spend a month of my life here.

Right now, there is a steady sheet of rain outside. We arrived in Kiev this morning, ready and excited to go sightseeing, only to be greeted by a week-long forecast of rain. Unfortunately, I have a slight sore throat and cough, so Irene doesn’t want me to go out in this weather. So, we’re relaxing and watching the only English channel on TV (which is currently a fashion show) and hoping for it to clear up soon. This afternoon, I’m going to see Jenny, a former foreign exchange student of my high school, and I am so excited!! I really hope that the rain doesn’t ruin our plans!

I don’t really have too much to say. The last few days have passed in a whirlwind of playing with children and basically being a babysitter, mentor, and teacher. I have loved every second of it, from jump roping, crazy hair-dos, races, volleyball, and being pulled in every direction by ten different children. On Saturday, our last day, the children kept saying, “Niet, Chelsea, niet!” as they hugged me goodbye. They complimented me with the English words that they knew, like “kind,” “smart,” and “pretty.” Before we left, the family honored us by giving both Alex and I traditional Ukrainian shirts, L’viv magnets, drawings from the children, and the most beautiful thank you letter. They also fed us the most delicious meal of homemade dumplings, borscht, cookies, and tea. It was so hard for me to leave, especially after I saw the grandmother crying and realized that I would probably never be greeted by her hugs and kisses again. They really are such a wonderful family, and I hope God blesses them with the best life possible. <3

Other than that, we have just been sightseeing around L’viv. We went to a traditional Ukrainian opera on Saturday night and it was so interesting to see the festive clothing and dances. One of my favorite places so far has been an underground restaurant. It is unmarked and you have to know the password (translated: Glory to Ukraine!) to go behind a secret bookcase where pictures of WWII and old weapons and other artifacts were found. It was so interesting and was styled exactly like other underground places of WWII, especially in the Carpathian Mountains. Besides that, the history of L’viv is so vast. It was founded during the medieval times, and so many of the churches and buildings look so ancient. We also saw many beautiful monuments. I didn’t realize that there was so much history here!

This has been such an incredible experience. My whole life, I didn’t realize how big the world was or how many people there truly were. In this small corner of the world, a country that I have barely even heard about before, I have learned so much about the kindness of others and found that it takes so little to make someone smile. I have also learned a little bit more about independence through learning to take care of myself and my belongings in another country where I don’t speak the language. Of course I had help, but I am still proud of myself for learning to get around the city alone and being able to make good decisions, especially in the open marketplace. There were times when I was so completely and utterly lost about what was going on, but in the end there was always a way to communicate. I really feel like it was the children who were teaching me this whole time. I learned new songs, new words, and new games due to their patience and excitement that they had someone new to play with. They also taught me a lot through their strong faith and their complete confidence that God brought us to them. I have never been welcomed more warmly by anyone, especially by someone who had never met me before. I’m going to miss the Iarosch family so much, but I can’t wait for next year’s USVP recipient to come here and make an even bigger difference.

Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support as I’ve been out of the country. I could never do this without you there to keep me strong. <3

Love always,

Alex & Chels :)

Alex Quotes (which I'm going to miss):

*Talking about the little boy I babysit during the summer* Alex: "This whole time I've been wondering how he would understand what you were telling him to do. I forgot that children in the US speak English."


*Entering tree filled park* Alex: "Chelsea, this place is kind of shady . . ."


*Filling out form* Alex: "Chelsea, you carry that pen around with you everywhere! Is it your pen pal?"


Me: "I loved Ghost Ranch!"
Alex: "Did you like Specter Farm as well?"