The time has again come for change. After four years as an international volunteer, I am returning to my career. I’ve loved my experiences, and am so happy I took the chances, and the risks, that I did – so many wonderful opportunities have come my way, so many fantastic changes. I can’t imagine my life without Igor, and that alone makes the sacrifices, the stress, and all the uncertainties worth it.
Professionally, I’ve grown and gained immensely valuable experience, too. I wanted to volunteer internationally in order to change my career, and I have, and I have not.
I will be working as the Regional Educational Advising Coordinator (aka REAC) for Eurasia, working out of American Councils for International Education. Many of you know that I worked at Ohio State University for nearly 10 years, and education is my first field. Moreover, international education is my passion. I couldn’t be more excited to be returning to my first love, and to be doing it on this side of the pond. As so often seems to be the case, in hindsight it all seems to have been leading me here.
We are delighted, no, downright thrilled, to be staying in Kyiv. I’ll be traveling a lot again, and now more internationally than within Ukraine, which is exciting. I hope Igor can join me on some of the trips, that would be so much fun.
It will be interesting to work in such an America-focused environment. After 3 years with the UN, where I was the only American, it’s going to take me awhile to get used to the idea that people not only understand my obsession with Ohio State football, they also know what the heck is college football (and no, I don’t mean soccer!). I will miss the really international environment of the UN, but am also really excited to be back wtih an American organization.
Anka in Kyiv 