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Showing posts from July, 2022
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  A WEEK IN THE MOUNTAINS Beskid (Bieszczady) Mountains form the southern border between Poland, Ukraine and Slovakia. Consequently, the Bieszczady National Park, located in the southeast corner of Poland, borders national parks in two neighboring countries comprising a formidable wilderness area; a sea of forested mountains with “Poloninas” (Alpine meadows) running along the summit ridges. The ridges are very linear, making for trails of exceptional aesthetic quality with beautiful views and easily discernible routes. An interesting local detail; camping is restricted to small villages in the valleys and the wilderness is left for the animals at night. It is so populated during the day with many hikers of all ages. The night gives the animals a rest and freedom to go where they wish. An honorable law! Development is mostly in the valley floors with lovely mountain villages full of accommodations ranging from hostels and campgrounds to “Domki” little and big alpine houses for rent. The

BADA BOOM Summer Adventure Program!

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On Monday morning, 18 Ukrainian children ages 8 – 16 gathered at Bada Boom.  Our program has 9 students, ages 11-16: Anastasia, Pavlo, Sonia, Zlata, Milana, Dima, Katia, Polina and Liza. Each morning we include the younger children attending Bada Boom’s camp in an hour of games, initiatives (Misha and I had to refresh on some old skills, but they came back easily and are super fun!) and songs (all in English). After that, before heading out on our adventure, we were all seated at the table for a “2nd breakfast”. First thing these children initiated was a toast (with their glasses of cherry compote) ‘To Putin’s death”!  Our first day of the program playing games in Bada Boom’s yard in a typical residential area in Rzeszow.     The Yurt Circle Shipwrecked! At 10AM, our group headed off to the center of town to get our bike rentals. To our surprise (or not!), instead of the expected fleet of mountain bikes, we received half mountain bikes and half thin tired town bikes, two of of which we

A Very Full Beginning

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   Wednesday:  We flew for two hours from Helsinki to Krakow, Poland. From Krakow we took a two-hour train and an hour bus to Rzeszow. Then we took a town bus and rented a tiny car. Considering that gas here is over $8 per gallon, a small car is a blessing! Finally, we landed at an artist studio in a village on the outskirts of town. The church bell wakes us (and everyone else!) at 6AM every morning, Sunday included. There is a nice mix of suburban and rural with chickens and very compact and beautiful vegetable gardens amongst multistory apartment buildings. There is a very sweet dog who visits us at his fence in the mornings when we leave and again in the evenings when.  we return. Rzeszow is a small, dense town which had a  population of 180,000 prior to the war. This has increased to twice its size with refugees. Interesting to note that a town of this size would have many times the footprint back in the US, but because most people live in multistory apartment buildings it is very

A Day in Finland

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    A DAY IN FINLAND Greetings Friends and Family, After much planning and organizing we are on our way to Rzeszow, Poland, where we are volunteering with Israeli organization Topaz  https://www.topaz.org.il/en/ We flew overnight to Helsinki. We were greeted by Anne, a friend of Bahman’s, and her granddaughter, Sophie and brought our bikes to be stored, while in Poland, at her son’s friend’s house. Sirri drove us to our Airbnb in Helsinki. The welcome and kindness of strangers was very heartwarming.                             Our welcome committee! Anne and her granddaughter, Sophie.                                   Our bicycle boxes and bags at Helsinki Airport (3AM EST!)                   Finnair says: “Our most important destination is our future” and their sustainability initiatives from how they serve food to how they encourage passengers to bring less baggage are truly impressive; the airline pledges carbon neutrality by 2050. Welcome station for Ukrainian refugees at baggage c