A [BIG] DREAM COMES TRUE: UKRAINE (Part-7)

                                                               

                                                                   ~ODESA~

                               AN UNBELIEVABLE WINTER EXPERIENCE

(Part-2)

And the last part of my winter experience of Odessa;

As you can remember, I left the written as I was going to walk on the iced sea. And I walked on the iced Black Sea. As I asked to my friends from there, this had happened 35 years ago and imagine how much valuable this experience for me when I was at there...just few days ago before I was in Odessa, I was watching the news of iced Black Sea from televisions and that day I was at there!!!

Me in front of Odessa Marine

After I walked on the iced Black Sea, I and my friends started to walk on our way to Arcadia...

Me and Ali were doing "arm-wrestling" :)

It wasn't really so cold :) 

It was really nice coincidence for me cause I was walking on the same path where I walked in the last summer...It was a nice comparing of the two different seasons in same city...

As you can see above, while we were walking on the way of Arcadia we came to an iced beach where totally made all of us shocked...couldn't imagine but it was obviously seen :) :)

An Iced Beach :)

Trying to stand on the iced sea just in front of the beach :)

Trying to be like a "figure skating" artist :)

I was trying to stand on the iced base where I had been sun-bathing just few months later :) it was unbelievable...what a great experience...the weather was probably between -5 -- -10 Celcius even in daylight time...I had this experience when I was in Stockholm/Sweden in 2007 and now it was time for Odessa/Ukraine...I cannot claim that I like so so cold weather if I would like to be honest :)

Life is Good :)

After this really nice&cold experience we had to go to a cafe cause I was almost going to be frozen like my friend Ali :) I still remember how he was at there...

A hot wine which I drank after for a long time

The few days which I had in Odessa in last winter are still so valuable for me...especially after the chaotic atmosphere of military process, it was like a drug for me...

~THANKS FOR EVERYONE WHO MADE THIS DREAM BECOME TRUE~

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A DREAM?

This article is written by dear Svetlana Gurtovenko from Murmansk/RUSSIAN FEDERATION.

Project: 2010-AT-9 Kindergruppe KIRIKU

Project Period: 01.09.2011 - 31.05.2012

Billions of people are living in the Earth. Each of them has several dreams, but not everybody has one real dream, which makes crazy, the dream, when you are even thinking about it, everything inside of you starts to burn, shake, jump and you can’t stop it. The dream, which sits on your head every second and you can go the to other part of the globe to make it true. I had such dream and during 2 years I did my best to realize it. I guess, how you’ve already understood, I was dreaming about making EVS in Austria and I am sitting now at my balcony in Murmansk after 9 amazing months, which I’ve spent in Vienna.

Svetlana

For sure I will never forget such an amazing experience, which changed me a lot (both inside and outside). My first day in Vienna and this felling like “Am I sleeping or  am I in paradise now?”,everything was so beautiful, so perfect for me and of course, so completely different environment, if to compare with my hometown in Russia. I can say, I’ve even had a cultural shock during first 2-3 weeks. Also I was meeting everyday new people, some of them now are so deeply in my heart, they are part of me, the people, whom I can proudly call – my friends. And the most amazing thing that none of them is from my country, they are from all over Europe and it’s so interesting to build friendship with somebody, who has completely different background and was raised in totally different culture.

Having fun...different cultures

Also crazy thing, believe or not, my project, where I was working (it’s day centre for school children), it was the first project, which I applied for and after 700 motivational letters to other ones and 2 years of hope ,  they answered me that I suit for it and you can’t imagine how happy I was.

Well, I truly can call my project place was a second home and my wonderful colleague was my second mother even for short 9 months. She taught me so many things, how to cook (actually anyway even now I can’t do it well), how to be a good teacher, she showed me how strong could be woman and she was perfect life example for me. I am so grateful for everything,  that she gave to me. 

My mentors, parents of children, all of them are great people and they supported me so much during all the time I was there.

Also the country itselves has so much to offer and stunning city, called Vienna is perfect place lo live in with beautiful historical centre, so green and clean streets, crazy night life and huge variety of places to go out. Vienna, I love you!

EVS UNITED :)

Well, you know, if somebody will ask me how you can describe your experience in one word, it would be fairytale.  Not that fairytale with happy end and wedding or killing the dragon, it would be that one with the words in the end : “To be continued…”, because nothing for sure, only we can make end of our story how we want.

To sum up, if you are thinking to do EVS – think twice. Are you surprised that I didn’t write  - just do it? Come on, it’s so banal. You should think twice, because only highly motivated, curious and open for everything new people will be able to enjoy their time in other country and the most important thing, you should give everything that you have (your knowledge, your skills and your heart) for voluntary work and don’t wait that you will receive back even more that you gave at the same time. No. No. it’s not working like this.

And remember – happiness is not by chance, but by choice. So what choice will you take?

Svetlana Gurtovenko

A [BIG] DREAM COMES TRUE: UKRAINE (Part-7)

                                                                 ~ODESA~

                          AN UNBELIEVABLE WINTER EXPERIENCE

                                                          

(Part-1)

I was thinking how to write my last Odesa/Ukraine visit in last february for a long time and it took a long time like 3 months but now it is time for sharing my unique experience about Odesa;

This journey came out to our minds unexpectedly cause I was in Bursa in Türkiye and met with one of my valuable comrades and colleagues Ali Dindar and we suddenly agreed on going to Odesa/Ukraine for weekend travel...it was really nice coincidence especially after my military process...this journey was going to be so good for me&my soul...

Me and Ali in front of Opera and Ballet Theatre

And the day came...we firstly went to Istanbul...and the adventure started when we arrived to the airport cause to get visa from Ukraine when you arrive to there...you need to show a suitable voucher paper to them but we thought that making a reservation from one hotel via internet would be enough...but as we clearly noticed...it wasn't enough...and had to pay extra money for it...after this; we started to wait for the flight...

When we arrived to Odesa, I felt really weird cause after 8 months it was my first time being in abroad and it was the last place where I was...I came to the same city...everything was same except the weather...it was winter...

My valuable friends from Odesa came to the airport and went to a place for coffee and drinks...so our journey has started...

A nice door...have you seen something like this before?

I was wondering one thing very much cause in the middle of february almost all Balkans and Ukraine were passing through a very bad weather and I saw The Black Sea as frozen by T.V. many times...the day was the day to see this via our own eyes :) but before this I had very nice experience with some birds which we call them as falcoons...in last june when I was in Odesa...I didn't have a chance to pet them and take photo with them...but now it was time also for doing this...

Angry Birds on Potemkin Stairs :)

Nothing Like Them :)

And after taking photo session with these awesome angry birds :) it was time to walk on Black Sea...

Frozen Black Sea

Deep Frozen Sea 

Looking far away

                                                     ~TO BE CONTINUED~

A [BIG] DREAM COMES TRUE: UKRAINE (Part-6)

                                                     
                                                          ~CHERNIVTSI~

After giving a long break (6 months) cause of being in the army...now I am ready for writing new parts of my world trippin's...

As you clearly remember I finished to write about my Odesa memories and now I would like to share with you about an another great city where is near to Romania-Ukraine border.

Chernivtsi  in Ukrainian

The City Hall of Chernivtsi

Chernivtsi is located in the historic region of Bukovina shared between Romania (south) and Ukraine (north). Imagine a city where is surrounded by forests and fields only (like many cities and towns in Ukraine…another reason to go to Ukraine by the way) this is Chernivtsi and the famous The River Prut passes through the city.

A view from Chernivtsi

Bukovina is a historical region in Central Europe and divided between Romania and Ukraine. Even when I first arrived there, I felt this historical atmosphere. We were listening Bukovina’s histories by our historian when we took history courses and now I had a chance to see what really happened and how happened by my own eyes.

We started our explorin’ by the street of The Chernivtsi  National University (Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University). 

The street of University

A typical Soviet monument 

Actually I and my friends planned to go The Chernivtsi National University directly but in every minute we were finding something different especially about architecture. Then we realized that we were hungry and we went to a very nice pizza restaurant which has a very interesting name; Allegro. We also understood that the inside of the restaurant was also so attractive. About pizzas? Belissima J I strongly suggest everyone go to this restaurant if you would like to explore Chernivtsi.

Allegro Pizza

Inside of Allegro Pizza

And after a very nice meal, we came to The Chernivtsi National University. The architectural ensemble of the university is included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site so you probably got why we wanted to visit there first of all J

The Chernivtsi National University

The Czech architect Josef Hlavka designed in 1875 and the buildings where the house of the Chernivtsi State University originally the Romanesque and Byzantine architecture. When we entered to the university I got shocked in and was really hard for me coming back to reality. I am not exaggerating what I saw or how I felt but it was like a movie platoo of Harry Potter…

I just would like to leave you with these awesome photos which have been taken by me;

This city is not famous by the excellent view of The Chernivtsi National University but also famous with Chernivtsi Theater. It was built in 1905 and has a very beautiful garden in front of it.

Chernivtsi Drama Theater

Briefly it was so nice to explore such a city where was dubbed “Little Vienna”, “European Alexandria” and for sure the city where was Mila Kunis born :) 

A [BIG] DREAM COMES TRUE: UKRAINE (Part-5)

                                                              ~ODESA~

(Part-4)

After giving a long break (6 months) cause of being in the army...now I am ready for writing new parts of my world trippin's...

As you clearly remember I was mentioning about Odesa's Opera and Ballet Theater as the last part...

Odesa is not an easy city to mention about itself so easily as you can imagine...cause Odesa is more than Odesa as one of my friends from there claimed...for this reason I need to summarize this great city with this part...

Dolphinarium

Dolphinarium is on the way of Arcadia district and for me one of the most enjoyable districts which I have ever seen in my life probably is Arcadia district...cause it is just next to the beach and at least 5 kms long surrounded by a very nice forest (maybe it is not a forest but in my view it was a nice forest :) )

Arcadia Beach

Odesa is like a dream city for me cause really had 4 awesome days at there and especially with two adorable people from there...

As I also claimed at there to them; maybe I discovered this city so late but it wasn't going to be my first and last visiting...it was just starting...

And as usual...TO BE CONTINUED...

A [BIG] DREAM COMES TRUE: UKRAINE (Part-5)

                                                                     

                                                            ~ODESA~

(Part-3)

After Colonada we kept on going and came across with the monument of Duc de Richelieu...

This statue is a bronze statue designed by Ivan Martos and unveiled in 1828...

The statue of Duc de Richelieu

Just next to this statue...there is one place which is really important for me if we consider I had been dreaming on to see there since I was a small child...

This place is "Potemkin Stairs" which is 142 meter long and constructed between 1837-1841...

Potemkin Stairs

 

 A view of port Odesa from Potemkin Stairs

The first time I heard about Potemkin Stairs via a movie which is known as one of the best movies of all times like a milestone about movies: The Battleship Potemkin (1925) by Sergei Eisenstein...

And now I was in Odesa...I was witnessing to see this amazing stairs which is so meaningful for me...cause I gave a promise to myself that I will be able to see these stairs...and yes I saw there...you can easily imagine my happiness :)

Then I kept walking...again I started to smell awesome jasmine flowers...

Smell like "Jasmine"

Only 15 minutes later...you can come across the city hall of Odesa and Alexander Pushkin monument...

The City Hall of Odesa

Alexander Pushkin Monument

And just next to the city hall of Odesa, you can come across the "world distances" statue...

Distances and distances

And there is a museum (archeological) over there which has Laocoon sculpture in front of it...

Archeological Museum

  

Laocoon Sculpture

Just 3 minutes far from this museum, one of the most beautiful attractions of Odesa: Odesa Opera and Ballet Theater...

Opera and Ballet Theater

The left side of Opera and Ballet Theater

This theater's unique acoustics allows to deliver even a whisper from the stage to any part of the hall...

And for more observations from Odesa...I just would like to point out the next part...

                                                 ~TO BE CONTINUED~

A [BIG] DREAM COMES TRUE: UKRAINE (Part-5)

   


                                                             ~ODESA~


(Part-2)

I would like to talk about Odesa's transportation before I mention about the park which is the entrance of Deribasovskaya Street...

The transportation  in Odessa is currently supplied by trams (streetcars), trolleybuses, buses and fixed-route taxis (marshrutka). Odessa also has a cable car, cable-way, and recreational ferry service…When I was in Odessa, I used trams, trolleybuses and for sure marshrutka (fixed-route taxis)…When we consider that Odesa has over than 1 million population…it is normal to have these kind of transportations...

And let's turn to talk about this park...This park is Odessa's first park, which was after the foundation of the city in 1803 by the De Ribas brothers (Joseph and Felix). This park has a fountain, several monuments (especially a sculpture of a lion), a famous book about chairs-The Twelve Chairs and monument of Leonid Utyosov...

The Famous Chair

The monument of Leonid Utyosov

Leonid Utyosov was a famous Soviet jazz singer and comic actor...There is a nice monument of him in this park...It is a very nice touristical monument which hosts many tourists from all around the world...People come there and sit on this chair and take photos with him...

Kisa Vorobyaninov

Ostap Bender and us

Kisa Vorobyaninov and Ostap Bender are two important characters from The Twelve Chairs book...and there are two sculptures of them in this park too...

After a nice excursion in this park I turned the left and started to walk...after 15 minutes...I came across with the "Monument of Orange"...

Rodion Jakowlewitsch Malinowski

Monument of Orange

When I just turned the right from Monument of Orange, I had started to witness of beauties of Odessa...just imagine a long way under covered by huge trees...It was such a spectacular way for me to walk...

A different view of Port of Odesa

Me and Port of Odesa

In front of "Colonada"

I will continue on mentioning about Odesa especially "Potemkin Stairs" with the next part...



                                            ~TO BE CONTINUED~