REAL life

Well, we're English teachers.
Only Kim always corrects me and says "We're not REALLY 'teachers.'" Well, no we're not.

All the same, the students (at least 80 that we've now not really taught) seem to like us and the REAL teachers and administrators are always expressing gratitude for our help.
They keep us pretty busy, about 10 class periods a week. It's a very enjoyable project and we keep acquiring new friends through the process, which is half the point.
Recently the U offered to hire us, though they promised the pay would be quite symbolic. We countered with our own offer: use the money you'd pay us to hire a REAL teacher of Ukrainian and give us lessons. They liked that idea and are working to find someone.

This thought brings me around to Pasha, the lady you've seen in pictures in this blog helping us make our first batch of Rundstrom Family sauerkraut. Coming home late from the sauna last night (seems I'm 'one of the guys' at sauna now) I saw Pasha on the street, packing up her wares on her cart to head home. She is our favorite teacher of Ukrainian because she insists on only speaking Russian-which she quaintly calls 'your' language-only if we don't understand what she's said in Ukrainian.
As we always do I inquired after the health of Ivan. "Unimportant", she answered which, being interpreted, means "Poor". Her eyes teared up, "We've been together 47 years and he isn't eating. He only wants a few bites and that's all. 47 years..." We pray often for Ivan, that some new medicine might help him, but so far there has been no miraculous answer. We know that in this life there are more important questions than just health, though.
Our work learning Ukrainian is about connecting better wth people like this.
You can imagine, though, how we already share Pasha's pain.

Well, that's it for this round. Hope all is good where you are.