Yalta in 2011

[Harry Stevens]

Please join any quarterly toll-free audio Skype conference call at 2 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT, 21.00 hours in Ukraine) to help set schedule for PC@50, PCUkraine@20, PCMoldova@??, PCUganda@??, (others???), FoUa@10, PCUa Group 1-35 and other reunions (of friends, families, classmates, etc.) in June 2011. Please join in that next Skype call if you can on Saturday, 26 September. Unless you're on those calls, there is no way to stay current on developments of plans for Yalta in 2011 except by clicking on FOLLOW here to be notified of new notes that appear in this forum. REPLY here after you click on:
http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/us/cruises/FOTC/10KBPODS10/VLO/it...
http://community.peacecorpsconnect.org/events/ride-with-the-cossack...

[Debra L. Schnell]

Today, we have linked with several people in a discussion to develop a tour to Ukraine. This is an exciting time for me to create friends from the other side of the world. I hope to get to know many others sharing the same interests. I'm working on this trip with others, but my personal side of me is as an art instructor.

[Ivan Okhin]

We had a Skype call today with Richard, Erin, Deb, Nancy, Harry and Tatyana. We had a discussion about where to have stops during the trip in 2011. We agreed on: Kiev -> Cherkassi (and maybe Zaporogie) -> Kherson -> Yalta. I'm glad that there are some many people who are so much enthusiastic about this trip!

I hope that more people will be able to join our next conference call on Sep 26th!

[Colleen A Wheeler]

I hope some other members of my group (G32) will join me in Yalta in 2011.

[Harry Stevens]

Tanya, please let us know how your plans evolve over the coming days, weeks and months for both "The Cossack Ride" in Kiev, Odesssa and beyond AND for "Cruising with the Czars" from Kiev to Odessa -- with stops in Cherkassy, Kherson, especially in Yalta, and elsewhere (some places being traveled to by vans from the ship -- as excursions for those touring rather than partying back in Yalta with others not staying nor traveling on the cruise ship -- following your having discussed such plans via Skype yesterday with Nancy, Deb and Ivan.

Okay?

All prospective participants seem to have now gathered here and, hopefully, have clicked on FOLLOW, to receive e-mail alerts to reports you file in this forum and to discuss here those plans as they develop over the coming two years.

[Harry Stevens]

Crimea tour plans by Tanya in attached file

[Elsa Shartsis]

Elsa and Jack are enthused about this trip and we plan to go. We hope there will be lots of friends joining us.
Jack and Elsa Shartsis

[Dan Kane]

am interested in attending but life experience says that life often interferes with plans... especially two years out... just returned days ago from six weeks in Moldova where i worked w/many on a variety of important projects...May i encourage this group to seriously consider a service component? While two grand is not much money comparatively, i just spent this much on medicines for a two year demonstration project in four health care less villages... Beyond an education component of this cruise, perhaps there is a directly, tangibly beneficial to those with less component all could financially support as well, beyond the important anticipatory and enjoyment factors...
dankane rpcv moldova

[Luise Faber]

Jim Wessels
2141 N Solano Apt 210
Las Cruces, NM 88001
cell: 575-571-0694

[Harry Stevens]

For more information visit ride with Cossacks, cruise with Czars

[Harry Stevens]

Dear Tanya:

You and your friends, Olga and Misha, are invited to the United States, specifically to Washington, DC, and several cities along the East Coast from Florida to Massachusetts. You could best reach these cities by renting a car at National Airport in DC.

In addition to your sightseeing along the way, the main purpose of this visit would be to recruit Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) and their families and friends to join in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps in your native city of Yalta, Ukraine. There is a directory of RPCVs who might open their homes to you in this journey along the East Coast of the US.

While I would be glad to accompany you on this entire trip, I cannot be 100% sure of doing that at this particular time. I am sure that you, as a professional tour guide and travel agent, would learn much of considerable value to the Peace Corps as well as to Ukraine.

If you are able to stay through May, then you would get a chance in Boston to meet one of my daughters, Maria, and her husband, Murray, and perhaps Emily, Bix and Dexter, who may visit there then or by early June and, of course, my wife, Joann, who looks forward to your visit, as do I.

If you were to arrive in DC in late February or March, then I would try to meet you there and drive south to Florida and back to DC in time for the Cherry Blossom Festival. This corresponds with the time that you said Olga and Misha have to return to Yalta.

We could then take the train north and make stops along the way until we reach Boston, where you could depart for Ukraine. Or you may prefer to double back to Washington, DC, for a potential third round of appointments with Peace Corps and other people contacted during your first few visits to discuss our Yalta-in-2011 plans. We might also decide to seek funding from Washington agencies and/or from New York City foundations to help implement those plans.

We look forward to your visit. Please let me know details of your travel plans: your flights from and to Ukraine and the itinerary that look most appealing to you for car traveling in the South as well as train stops in the North. Also let me know whatever appointments you might arrange in Washington, DC, and other cities on that itinerary. Then I would make my own travel plans to try to dovetail with yours.


Sincerely,

Harry Stevens
Peace Corps in Yalta in 2000-01
Organizer of Friends of Ukraine
and Friends of US, as affilates
of the National PC Association

[Harry Stevens]

JOIN US IN A NEW BOTTOM-UP YALTA CONFERENCE IN 2011 TO
CELEBRATE THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PEACE CORPS
IN THE WORLD'S LARGEST PEACE CORPS COUNTRY: UKRAINE
FIRST, ENJOY LEARNING ABOUT UKRAINIAN CULTURE THIS SEMESTER
(AND PERHAPS CONVERSATIONAL RUSSIAN NEXT SEMESTER) IN
A UNIQUE SERIES OF 10 SKYPE ONE-HOUR CLASSES TO BE HELD
ON TUESDAYS, FROM 9 TO 10 AM, 29 SEP THROUGH 2 DEC 2009
ROCHESTER MINNESOTA SENIOR CENTER, 127 NORTH BROADWAY
COME EVEN IF YOU ARE ONLY CURIOUS ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO
TAKE THIS EXPERIMENTAL COURSE FOR A SUBSIDIZED PRICE OF $90
THERE IS NO OBLIGATION TO CONTINUE, IF YOU ATTEND ON SEP 29TH
THIS EXCITING PREVIEW OF A POTENTIAL NEW MULTI-NATIONAL
ENERGY CORPS, TO BE LAUNCHED ON THE BLACK SEA IN 2011

[Harry Stevens]

next quarterly conference call via skype re Yalta-in-2011
at 21.00 UT (2pm ET, 1om CT, Noon MT, 11am PT)
Saturday, 9 January 2010