Springtime in Ukraine: Shaslik and Healthy Lifestyles/Sports Day

Springtime is finally here in Ukraine and the weather has been beautiful! Everywhere that was previously covered in ice and snow when I got here in the winter is now green and blooming :) I went to visit my friend Alison in her town and we went with a few friends to cook Shaslik, aka meat skewers over an open fire. Before we cooked the meat, we had to gather our own firewood and build a pit for the fire.

Vadim starting the fire from small pieces of paper and wood.

Tiago rolled over a log for us to sit on.

The view of the river.

So calm.

Heading into the woods to gather some wood for the fire.

I have two small trees in my hands haha.

Alison and I put the meat on the skewers.

Our skewers of meat, onions, and cucumbers (sounds strange, but it was what Alison had in her fridge and it actually turned out okay).

Our school year has gone by so fast! We are finishing up the last two weeks of classes now, with graduation for the 11th form on May 28th. However, the 9th and 11th graders have all of their final exams during June. And I will be running a mini-camp for my English teachers 8th form for the first half of June. In the midst of all of our standardized end-of-the-year exams, my school decided to have a Healthy Lifestyles and Sports day. The 5th through 10th forms participated in different competitions around the school grounds.

Girls from the 8A class chalk about being healthy.

6B draws different environmental things related to health.

 The sports competitions were great and very different from the typical field day games that are held at schools in America. For example, they had soccer-related games instead of things like the egg toss and wheelbarrow race.

A pullup competition.

The first part of the relay race was dribbling a soccer ball around basketballs.

The second part of the relay race was dribbling a basketball. 

After the sports competitions, all the students and teachers walked to have a kasha cook-off. Kasha is a type of cereal that is small yellow grains that look like dried grits, but taste bit softer when cooked, like oatmeal. The picnic area was right behind the stadium, which is located right next to our school.

Me with Olena and Dasha from the 5A class.

Kasha is traditionally boiled in a pot over an open fire with potatoes, meat, and spices.

The kids were having fun playing volleyball outside.

The girls from 8V with the sandwiches that they prepared.

My counterpart Alina and the school nurse tasting the kasha from 8V, as the jury.

The boys from 5A class made their version of a human pyramid.