Going to the Ukraine! Sayy Whaaaa?!

“You’re going to the Ukraine?! What?? How did this happen?”  The answer is simple: Divine Revelation. :) 

Well, I’ll start from the beginning. I found out about ILP at first from google. One day, I was bored and started thinking about studying abroad. For those who know me, know that I LOVE traveling and learning about different cultures. So, studying abroad has definitely always been on my mind as something that I want to do when I get to college. As I was googling different programs, ILP really caught my eye because it was more of a “service abroad” than a “study abroad”. They focus on teaching english abroad, and the best part is that I didn’t need to know another language in order to go to a different country to teach. However, at the time that I first learned that ILP existed I brushed it off and thought that I would look into it more in a couple of years when I was actually ready to study abroad. 
Then in March 2012, my best friend Jenna Millington and I went to eat lunch at the Cougareat on BYU’s (Brigham Young University) campus. As we searched for a spot to sit and enjoy our lunch, only one table was open. As we sat down, we noticed a flyer that said “GIRLS NIGHT!” with a fondue fountain in the background. Obviously, the fondue fountain caught our attention, Jenna and I both have massive sweet tooths… I take after my mom in that factor. Anyways, The flyer told us that there would be a short information meeting and that we would get a free movie pass and get to enjoy a nice fondue fountain just for showing up! The meeting was that night, luckily after I got off work. Intrigued mainly because we are poor college students and anything free is awesome, Jenna and I decided to go to the meeting. The meeting was really informative and fun! I would actually get the chance to serve the people while living in and learning about their country. This was unlike any program I had ever heard of. Teaching abroad, living abroad, actually being able to live with a host family from that country… All these things really excited me and I knew that I was meant to see that flyer on the table at lunch that day. Hence, Divine Revelation. Not only did we learn so much that night about the ILP program, but we both immediately wanted to sign up. I was really nervous about telling my parents about the opportunity because I had been stressing them out about wanting to transfer back to USU (Utah State University) from BYU. However, that night when I talked to my mom I mentioned it to her. Instead of blowing me off and telling me to focus on school work, she was really intrigued by the things I told her. I gave her the website information and she became super interested. After talking to my Dad and of course praying about this opportunity, we all felt that I should apply and see if I get in. I was sooo excited that they gave me the OK to sign up. Jenna’s parents also told her that she could apply. I was thrilled that my best friend and I would be able to share in this experience together. Thankfully, ILP loves sending friends together so we didn’t have to worry about getting sent to different countries or cities. 
On April 4th, 2012 I was eating lunch when Jenna called me FREAKING out. She was celebrating telling me that she just received her acceptance email. I started freaking out and worrying… What if she got accepted but I didn’t?!.. After I calmed down I finally checked my email. And guess what? I got in! (big surprise seeing how this blog revolves around that fact). The email’s first line stated: “We are happy to inform you that you have been accepted to participate in the ILP program during the Fall semester of 2012. We congratulate you on being qualified to volunteer during a semester abroad!” It seemed, and still seems, so unreal that I got accepted. After filling out some more paperwork, they finally told us on April 16th, 2012, that we were assigned to the Kiev 1 School in Ukraine. This came as a shock at first because Jenna and I both put Russia as our choice country but that we, of course, were willing to go anywhere. So instead of teaching in Russia, it would be the Ukraine. How awesome is that?! I have no idea when else in my life I would have such an opportunity like this to even make a trip to Russia or the Ukraine. I am most excited and nervous about living with a Host Family. It’s one thing to visit a country and stay in a hotel… and it’s a completely different situation to actually live with people from that country!! ahhhh! :)  So, that’s how I found out about ILP, decided to apply, ended up getting accepted and finding out that I will be living in the Ukraine from mid-August to the end of December. Wish me luck! :) 

For those of you who do not know where the Ukraine is:

Where Kiev is in the Ukraine: