Perpetual Change

A Ukrainian Wine Tasting

So last week marked one year in Ukraine (and Peace Corps' 45th anniversary), and Kelly, the other volunteer in my town, and I decided to have a party. Actually - you know me - it was a weekend of festivities. We had 9 volunteers with us at one point or another. We started with a French toast breakfast with home preserved blueberries; then a tour up the clock tower of our city hall with views of the whole city; followed by a tour of a neighboring town known all over the former USSR for its mineral waters. Next we had a wine tasting, followed by a big dinner at my apartment, and then an 80’s party at Kelly’s. The next morning we had breakfast, and then had the local private sauna (no beating with birch branches) for two hours, followed by lunch, a nap break, and then a play by a traditional playwright about a mountain-culture (called Boykiy) love story. It was exhausting but fun, and miraculously everything went off without a hitch (a few hiccups), which proves that planning is indeed possible in Ukraine.

I was so proud of the wine tasting, that a few specific comments are worth mentioning. There were about 15 people, both American and Ukrainian friends. We started with sparkling wine and cheesecake. One dedicated volunteer came over 24 hours on the train, and hefted the two champagne bottles with her. I was amazed. Thanks again, Meg. Молодець! Then we moved on to three whites and three reds, except because of my inability to read Russian, I bought the red make of what I had wanted in white. Almost no one noticed. We had score sheets, and in fact, two people (one American and one Ukrainian) tried to give me their score sheets, as if I needed them for a grade. People took it so seriously! I did a short presentation that I thought would be promptly forgotten with lots of drinking, but people were really interested (try explaining "wine body" in Ukrainian! I was not so successful). We also had a trivia contest that we played throughout the party and ended with a drawing of the respondents. Very befittingly, Meg won.

It was really a great weekend. Thanks to all that came, and more promises of fun to all those that come back (or for the first time). Now the only question is, "Do I put this on my activity report?"

posted by jjs @ 12:31 PM