I have to admit that welcoming incoming delegations is probably my favorite part of my job.  I love going to the orientation sessions: meeting with the participants; learning about their homes, families, goals for the program, expectations, and aspirations.  The group I met with on Friday is from Ukraine and will be staying in Kensington, Maryland for the next week as they learn about the development of civil society and nongovernmental organizations (NGO) in America.  They will also share their experiences in developing their own NGOs in Ukraine with their hosts and their American colleagues.

We met the delegation over lunch and, during the meal, one of the participants insisted on testing the American sense of humor.  He’s always heard that humor is cultural, so he wanted to find out if Americans could find humor in Ukrainian jokes.  To an audience consisting of 6 Ukrainians and 4 Americans, he told the following three jokes:

Joke #1: A young man called a veterinarian to say that his mother-in-law was on her way to the vet’s office with a dog that needed a shot to get rid of pain.  The vet asked if the dog knew his own way home.

Joke #2: A young man was mourning the loss of his mother.  After the cremation, the son suggested that the urn be kept on the piano, so she could listen to the beautiful music when the piano was played.  The father instead suggested, “We should put her ashes in an hourglass, so she’ll work more.”

Joke #3:  At a train station, a young man was spotted kissing the train.  Someone asked, “Why are you kissing the train?”  He replied, “Because it’s taking my mother-in-law home.”

So what do you think?  Funny or not?

In addition to questions about American culture, American sense of humor, and American NGO practices, the group has come with a whole list of things they want to learn – how do you find funding for a non-profit organization? How do government and nonprofit organizations work together? How do Americans perceive Ukraine – as a democracy?  Are exchange programs such as these successful?  How do you keep the issues associated with the Chernobyl nuclear accident in the public’s awareness?

Hopefully together we’ll be able to come up with answers to some of these questions. 

We all have a lot to learn and a lot to share.

And if today’s lunch is any indication, this will be a very humor-filled week!

-Jenny