Enjoying Fall with my Little Black Fly

Fall is definitely being felt as the mornings and nights are really starting to cool off. The days have been beautiful, staying in the 60s and 70s! Can't complain with temperatures like that.

Not too much longer before I start drying my clothes inside...
(My apartment is through the blue door on the right)

My front yard, the yellow primary school,
the "school shop" on the right, and my Lyceum way in the back.

I've certainly spending most of my free time outside with this little bundle of joy!

My new Ukrainian love

Муха (Moo-ha) or "Fly" in Ukrainian is the new addition to my life! The cooks at school adopted, and named, this little black puppy earlier last week and now she's the schools pup! The cooks feed her, but I was told to look after her and take care of her. Everybody is spoiling her the way a puppy should be spoiled...I even made her some toys from some fabric I had. She is always sniffing around my door in the mornings, wanting to play. Every afternoon and evening, we hang out on my stoop, play in my front yard, and run around the fields. SHE IS SO MUCH FUN! Oddly enough the students don't seem too interested in her. I guess when the snow comes, we know who will keep me company!

With one of the cloth chew-toys I made!

Surveying her domain

I LOVE TO PLAY!

On Tuesday, our the students English books arrived at school! The students must purchase their own books every year (or sell to younger students) and the parents demand paying for only Oxford Textbooks. This is something that is very rare in small Ukrainian communities, and it's so amazing that the parents are so invested in English education. You hear horror stories about the books that some Volunteers have to work with...but I am one of the lucky few. Go Kolky Parents!

(Of course the English Department had a celebratory dinner after the books were delivered. Lots of food, lots of English, and LOTS of toasts! So much so, that I forgot to take pictures!)

Not something you see in most village schools

Only the best for pupils at Kolky Lyceum!

This weekend I'll be heading into Lutsk to help with the Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX) testing. FLEX is an American Governmental Program that sponsors Ukrainian students to spend one year of High School in America. Last year, around 250 Ukrainian students went. I'm excited to take some of my students to the testing and see how far they make it. If anything, it will be great testing practice for the English Olympiad. I can't stay away too long though, Муха needs someone to play with!