Odessa
December 2, 2019
This past weekend I had the COOLEST opportunity. A man came to Vishenki English School to teach for a few weeks since we were missing a second teacher most of my time here. Bob is a retired math teacher traveling the world and is such an adventurer. He has some history here in Ukraine and was planning a trip to Odessa with a friend here to go camping in the catacombs! Obviously I wanted to go if it was possible and I'm so lucky my hosts were willing to move some classes around to give me a "real" weekend off so I could go Friday-Sunday.
While back home everyone was eating some turkey on Thanksgiving, I had a couple classes and then took my very first night train!
This past weekend I had the COOLEST opportunity. A man came to Vishenki English School to teach for a few weeks since we were missing a second teacher most of my time here. Bob is a retired math teacher traveling the world and is such an adventurer. He has some history here in Ukraine and was planning a trip to Odessa with a friend here to go camping in the catacombs! Obviously I wanted to go if it was possible and I'm so lucky my hosts were willing to move some classes around to give me a "real" weekend off so I could go Friday-Sunday.
While back home everyone was eating some turkey on Thanksgiving, I had a couple classes and then took my very first night train!
How CUTE are these Thanksgiving decorations my amazing Ukrainian babushka crafted!?
Then came the night train. I feel like this is an experience every true traveler needs to add some street cred ;)
It was a really easy ride that took about 6.5 hours. We got to Odessa before 7 am and the city was so dark and quiet. It was kind of a fun introduction to what would be a busy day!
We got some breakfast at a Turkish restaurant which gave me major nostalgia for my time in Greece and Turkey. Then as the city awoke we began to explore.
We did a walking tour that was very informative. Odessa is so beautiful and is a true melting pot of culture due to its location on the Black Sea. Turkish, Greek, Jewish, Russian, and Ukrainian influence are most prominent.
It was a really easy ride that took about 6.5 hours. We got to Odessa before 7 am and the city was so dark and quiet. It was kind of a fun introduction to what would be a busy day!
We got some breakfast at a Turkish restaurant which gave me major nostalgia for my time in Greece and Turkey. Then as the city awoke we began to explore.
We did a walking tour that was very informative. Odessa is so beautiful and is a true melting pot of culture due to its location on the Black Sea. Turkish, Greek, Jewish, Russian, and Ukrainian influence are most prominent.
Odessa's Opera House
I like my jewelry to match my travel locations ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Just a little photo commentary on the Soviet era in the modern day
Friday afternoon we took a tour of the opera house which was so beautiful. Real talk though my brain could only process about 30% of the stories because I don't have theatre vocabulary in my Russian wheelhouse. I don't know if I've stressed this enough, but eating out in Ukraine is so cost friendly. This restaurant had AMAZING food and cost about 1/4 the US equivalent.
Friday night we stayed in a hostel (another rite of passage!) and then it was go time!
Saturday morning we went to the sea. I love the water you guys. I can't swim worth a damn but I find it so mesmerizing and connecting.
Friday night we stayed in a hostel (another rite of passage!) and then it was go time!
Saturday morning we went to the sea. I love the water you guys. I can't swim worth a damn but I find it so mesmerizing and connecting.