Home is Where the Heart is but what a shame, ‘cause everyone's Heart doesn't Beat the Same – Green Day

I reluctantly returned home on Sunday the 9th April from what I can say was one of the best weeks I've ever had. In the second part of an exchange trip, I went to Gomel, in Belarus, along with two teachers and 5 other students, to stay with a host family and attend School 71, a specialist English school. From the second I met Ann, my host, in front of the Hotel Sozh (will correct the spelling later), I felt at home in Gomel - in fact, on returning home I realised it felt like I had been gone for a month, not just a week. I lived in Ann's flat with her, her sister Katerine and their mother and from the second I arrived they made me feel like one of the family - it is because of them that Gomel holds a special place in my heart and I now have a second family.

We had a very busy and varied week, which I will attempt to sum up briefly because there is simply no space to tell all that happened :

Monday - We arrived at school 71 for the first time and were greeted in a small room on the ground floor (when I walked in I got such a fright because I heard a scream and next thing I knew, Lera, Lena and Tania were hugging me - I couldn't quite believe they were there!!!). We saw what was to be the first of many concerts, were shown round the school (would you believe they have their own dentist?!) and were let home early - after eating school dinners for the first time. We learned to like them as the week went on . In the evening, we were invited to Ksenia's home but not everybody came - Sean, Kirsten and I were the only Scottish students there along with Ann, Artsiom, Ksenia (obviously), Kate, Tania, Lera, Lena...I think that was it?? Sorry if I missed anybody out, I have a memory like a sieve!! It was a good laugh, we ate, talked, played a game (I won't go into details incase we decide to play it here ) and just had fun!

Tuesday - We sat in on one of the English lessons that were going on and were amazed at the standard of English the young children spoke! We also played an intellectual game that left us Scots feeling a little stupid, as we didn't have a clue what was going on half of the time! The teachers team won as expected! The teams were divided into boys, girls and teachers, and in each team there were both Scottish and Belarussian students/teachers. Tuesday evening brought a concert in the city centre, a Brazilian tango kind of show - a woman sang, some women danced half naked... it was different! Afterwards, we went to the Square for the first time which is the place all the teenagers meet up and hang out - it was cool. Plus, it was there that I drank Russian vodka for the first time (thanks to Tania ) the Russian way - and was surprised...I expected it to be a lot stronger! Everybody went home earlier than Ann and I so in the end I was the only Scottish one left in our little group, and we went for a walk through some of the streets and talked.

Wednesday - We saw the primary school block which is trés cool - they have a room of childhood and a room with beds because some of the kids are there from early morning till late evening, depending on their parents work. The classroom set up is really good too - each classroom is more like an area. You go in the door and come into a little cloakroom, where every pupil has a little wardrobe with a space to hang their coats and drawers for their thing. There is also a toilet off of this cloakroom, and a door to the classroom. In the classroom is another door which leads to the second classroom - to keep the teaching groups small, each class is split into two groups and they get taught lessons seperatley (I think that's how it works anyway, I can't really remember!). In the afternoon, we visited the town house where the Vice Mayor greeted us and we had a sort of discussion...although I think I only answered one question! The media were there and they also asked questions, and the next day we were in the paper. We also saw our meeting on the news that night, which was a little strange! (Go Ryan for giving an interview!!!). When we were finished in the town house, we walked through the city to the Art Gallery where an exhibition of Marc Chagall was being opened by the Vice Mayor. Chagall's works were of Biblical origin and seemed to be quite popular amongst the people present. In the evening Stas held a birthday party (it was actually his birthday on Tuesday) and so we all went to his house and again a large feast was prepared (I still can't understand how they can eat so much but be so thin!!!) and we listened to music, talked etc... it was good, apart from when Ryan spilled wine all over me and I looked like I had an accident!!! (See the pics if you dont believe me).

Thursday - We had to talk to a class and I was soo nervous but they made it easy for me by asking a lot of questions. A couple of girls even sang to me so that was sweet! We also had a volleyball game which was a complete disaster I love to play volleyball for fun, but these guys are competitive and to make it worse there was a huge audience! I didn't know people were going to watch!! Heehee never mind, I sucked but at least I smiled while doing it I left a 'bye note to my volleyball team mates, apologising for being on their team and thanking them for not getting mad at me hope they got it! We went to the Ice Palace in the evening and let's just say I skate as well as I play volleyball. It was still fun though, and I wasn't the worst skater there hehe!

Friday - Was a really sad day as we knew it would be our last at the school. In the morning we discussed the "Next Steps" of the partnership and in the afternoon we saw the final concert. Although it made me want to cry because I knew it was a Goodbye concert, it was the best one of the week - the cutest part being when the little children dressed up as frogs and danced to "Crazy Frog" and the best part being when Lera and Tania sang, I enjoyed Tania's performance because of the band - OMG those guys are good! I'd love to know how long they've been playing their instruments for because seriously, no exaggeration, they were amazing. After the concert we went outside on to the steps where we had a huge group pic taken with everybody who was in the concert and more... I must get a copy of that pic!

On Friday night we went to the Plaza, a new nightclub. We had something to eat then went downstairs but it wasn't very busy so some of us went to the Square again for a walk and talk, then returned to the Plaza when it was slightly busier. After a couple of drinks, we were on the dancefloor till 5am - I think I only stopped dancing twice! I don't know where they get the energy from. It was one of the best evenings as we all had a great time and just had fun.

Saturday - Waking up on Saturday was hard to do, given the fact that we knew it was our last day. Everybody did something different on Saturday - I went shopping with Ann, then to the Circus where we met Kate (her sister) and saw Ryan and Kevin with Ann and Stas, and after the circus Ann, Kate and I went to their Aunt's house for a meal (which was delicious...it was like fried pancake with meat). In the evening we all met up at "Med" which is another kind of square where young people meet (it's called med because it's in front of the Medical Uni) where Lena and Lera each gave me gifts that was sweet. We walked to the Square and talked for a little while, till everybody decided they should go home to pack . Me, Ann, Lera, Tania, Helen and a friend of Ann's stayed a little while longer but eventually decided it was too cold and we needed to go home. Once I got home, Svetlana (Ann's mum) and the girls gave me gifts for my family and for me, then we took lots of photos together (which was really sad because I really didn't want to say goodbye) and then I went to pack.

Sunday morning came far too quickly, and Ann and I slept in - we woke up at 5am and had to leave at 5.25 so I had no time to wash my hair or do any make up so I looked shocking all day sunday heehee. We arrived where we were supposed to meet - the teachers were there, as were the hosts and other Scottish students (apart from Ryan and Ann who arrived late as usual ) and also Igor (sorry bout the spelling), one of the guys from School 71 who had been filming our visit. When we were asked to board the bus, and hugged everybody one last time I was so upset! I didn't cry in front of anyone but when the bus door closed and we started to drive, I burst into tears I was upset because a. I didn't want to say goodbye, b. I didn't feel like I had said goodbye properly and c. I didn't say goodbye to everybody I wanted to. Everybody was quite subdued on the journey to Minsk, but we cheered up a little at the airport. However, when the plane took off and I watched Belarus disappear I started crying again Luckily most people were asleep so I sat silently staring out of the window with tears streaming down my face! I hated the fact that I'd be home later on that day, I wanted at least another week to spend with my new friends, even just to go to their school and study, just to be with them I think Sunday was the only day of the whole trip that I didn't smile, I was too upset. I even cried once I was at home, at night, because I knew I'd wake up in the morning in my own room and go downstairs to my own living room, and that everything would be back to normal... I'm still trying to get used to the fact that I'm home.

The week we spent in Gomel, as I have already mentioned, feels like months. I learned a lot about a different way of life, and also about myself. I now look at what I would have described as a problem before going to Gomel and laugh. Our petty little dramas and complaints are pointless. I think we complain about things because we can't think of anything better to do. The problem with Scottish teenagers is that we have too much free time - in Gomel, they have school 6 days a week and on their one day off (Sunday) some even have a tutor. They study after school because they all study 17 subjects at school and to keep on top of it all they don't have a choice. Yet they still manage to find time to spend with friends and family, to have boyfriends and girlfriends, to play sport or an instrument. Fair enough, we can argue that we have a completley different way of life, its just how things are, but having been to Gomel and seeing the quality of life that the teenagers have, and how hard they work for it, I feel like I cannot simply slide back into my usual ways of doing nothing after school, and putting studying off because I can't be bothered... and watching mind numbing TV programmes because I can't think of anything else to do.

While I realise I can't simply run off to Gomel and live (although I would if I could!) I still plan to return as soon as I can. I even grew to love the trolley busses and the funny layout of shops, with everything behind counters... Gomel will always remain as a 2nd home to me and I plan to visit it, my friends, and my second family each year For now I will make do with keeping in touch through phone calls and the internet.