(Written January 8th on an AeroSvit Boeing 767)

Wow. I haven’t had time to write lately, given the transits between various places. The last time we spoke [not counting the voice post; those concerned about getting things in compositional order should read/listen to it now], I was still on the overnight train between Warsaw and Rivne. Getting ( Read more... )

(Written the night of January 4th & morning of January 5th)

Well, wonders of wonders, I made it on to the Ukrainian train. I almost didn’t, what with 1) the necessary ticket agent being “asleep” (at 9pm) and 2) the train leaving 25 minutes earlier than I had anticipated according to that German website. But I got lucky in a few ways ( Read more... )

I got to the bus station without any problems, having said goodbye to Lee and Olexi in Ostroh not too many minutes before. The station was slushy and crowded. I waited fifteen minutes for the international ticket booth to open. A girl going to Prague came up beside me; we didn't have much linguistic common ground*, but she indicated by gestures ( Read more... )

(Composed the early morning of December 27th ( Read more... )

(Composed Thursday, December 22nd)Now, when I said “tomorrow” yesterday, I obviously meant “the next day that there’s internet.” Last year the internet at the Academy was out for six weeks during the Holidays and there wasn’t anything anyone could do about it since the internet seller’s wife had defected in Edmonton. She can’t defect again, of ( Read more... )

(composed December 17-19)Well, I guess I lied about getting an update out on Friday. Sorry about that! You can probably guess how my limited computer/internet access plays a part in these long delays. On the positive side, I’m finally getting a computer this week! On the down side, there’s virtually nothing left for me to do with it that’s program- ( Read more... )

(composed Saturday, December 10)One good thing about being home sick for a week is that you get a lot of time to think. Entire books could be written about what’s been going through my head; not that they’d be interesting unless you had all the relevant prior experience to go with them, in which case you’d be me and even then you wouldn’t have the ( Read more... )

(composed Saturday, December 10)I’ve always maintained that Ukrainians have a fairly broad notion as to what constitutes food, but today’s experience trumps this sentiment beyond further doubt. I say this with a sense of humour; few Ukrainians have dared try our outlandish (to them) “peanut butter,” and even fewer have enjoyed it. As crazy as they ( Read more... )

(written Wednesday, November 30th)Just to throw you off, here’s a bite-sized update ( Read more... )