Dear Friends and Family,

One year later… Can you believe it?! I know I cannot. And, I have finally hit that point in Peace Corps service where I really feel like I am “doing something.” After new years, everything changed all at once and really I didn’t even see it coming.

I moved to a new apartment. It is a more comfortable apartment, and also closer to work. Plus, I now live walking distance to Susan! (And, she got a DVD player for Christmas)!

I began a secondary project that I really enjoy, and which has the chance of really leaving a lasting impact. Through a returned Peace Corps volunteer living in Kiev, I became involved with a small NGO working on HIV/AIDS issues. In Ukraine, HIV is spread more through intravenous drug use than through sexual contact. This NGO (called Enay, after a Ukrainian folk hero) runs a support group for recovering drug addicts, a needle exchange, and offers legal advice and career counseling services. I am leading a conversational English club for volunteers and clients and also advising some of the staff members and volunteers on fundraising and public relations. I would also like to help them set up a website.

Speaking of websites, at Counterpart Susan and I have just completed a round of advising our web designer on changes to the Counterpart Communities website. Yaroslav came up with several variations, and then Susan and I would point out various things that could be changed or added. Finally, we came up with three variations that have been forwarded to the DC office for consideration.

The weather is already warming up for spring… most of the ice has melted from the ground. Keep your fingers crossed for me that we don’t get one more snowstorm!

Best regards,

Delilah