Learning about Ukrainian follklife traditions was a highlight of my service. Marta is a well-known and esteemed embroiderer in the old tradition, a real cultural treasure.
Ukrainian boys approach their local canal in Armyansk, Crimea Oblast. In this small town of only 25,000, the boys pass their time throwing rocks next to a train overpass.
The blue in the Ukrainian flag represents the blue sky, while the yellow represents their golden wheat fields. I took this picture behind the school in Rudky. While the yellow is not full of wheat, it is full of yellow flowers appearing to make...
This photo was taken in November 2004, as I celebrated Thanksgiving with my friends, the Obidin family. We had such fun cooking and eating a traditional Thanksgiving meal, substituting chicken for turkey. They especially enjoyed my home-made...
This was taken by my Ukrainian friend Alex at a two week long Youth CAN (Youth Community Action Network) conference in eastern Ukraine. The day's theme was "Ukrainian Pride" and the shirts you are seeing are called "serochkas" - national dress worn...
Same Youth CAN conference - this little guy followed us around for the entire conference with his dog. Not exactly sure why I'm posting this other than to say that the photo is unbelievable and describes Ukraine in a way only people who've been...
Shortly after arriving to site and moving in with our host family, three generations of Ukrainians teach Lauren how to make varenyky, stuffed dumplings, which were then filled with sour cherries. A labor of love that is so worth the effort!
On the left is Слава Скребнева (Slava Skrebneva), my host-mom for three years while I was in Stakhanov, Ukraine. I'm in the middle and on the right is one of our good friends. We are standing in front of the Afghanistan War Memorial...