Another Benchmark

This week marked the one year anniversary of living alone in Ukraine. Over a year ago I moved out of my host family and into my lovely, sprawling 2 room apartment overlooking a lovely courtyard and facing an identical superbly constructed Soviet apartment building. It's quite a bustling neighborhood, and as I was assured when I looked at the place, middle class.

It has been basically a problem free year (*knocks on wood*) with only one minor fire (in the oven) and a few other mishaps like a broken refridgerator door and a recent light incident that had me use a can opener to break open my light fixture to replace a burnt out light bulb. (Hey, I had to do what I had to do...)

It has also made me reflect on my time spent with both sets of host "parents." The first three months were fine, I enjoyed their company and they were a good family. My next three months were more difficult as the family I was placed with was dealing with some serious family issues like divorce, and possible alcoholism. However, it does take an awful lot to let a stranger come into your home and have them see you at your best and you worst. You know, worts and all.

Now, please don't be confused. I would never opt to live in a host family again. I enjoy life in my sprawling, clean, modern 2 room flat and wouldn't want to move in with a family again even with the bribe of cable and English tv channels.

The only somewhat disappointing or frustrating thing about this, this last "benchmark" of my time here is that while it measures a real concrete passage of time, I still have a long way yet to go. Another 9 months. But I am having fun and have a lot of cool things to look forward to doing both while I am here and immediately afterward. So, let's bring it on.