Little tidbits

I’ve noticed that Berdychiv, while small, is pretty progressive. There are AIDS/HIV billboards and ads all over the place, and aside from the lack of racial diversity, the ethnic diversity here is amazing. Which means that aside from other places, where you can only find Ukrainian food everywhere you go, you can actually find other types of food here. Okay, okay, nothing TOO different, but there’s an Uzbekistani place here! I know, I know, who the hell knows what that entails, but all I can say is that it’s a different type of salty fried food. Have I persuaded anyone to come a visit yet? ☺For the record, I'm hoping to help aide the progressiveness along. One of the projects I'm going to start working on is opening up "safe zones" all over the city, where youth can come and ask questions and be who they are, with no questions asked, and no discriminition or judgement. I feel like in a lot of places this may not work, but here. . . it totally would. Any other ideas for projects to do with youth, pass them my way!

Other than that, nothing new to report. I just figured I should write and let everyone know that I’m still alive. I’m not sure if I’m getting texts from the States right now (I know I’m not getting some of them). But yes, I’m alive! Oh! Short story- Heather (my sitemate) and saw an amazing site yesterday. We had just gotten off the marshutka (bus) and were chatting while walking to one of her coworkers’ houses, and I think I was talking about something geeky, like musical theory or something. All of a sudden her attention turns to this dude fixing his car. I turn to see what the big deal and then I notice. .. . he’s not wearing any pants! Only camo colored tightie whities. Then he goes into his car and picks up a mini Ukrainian flag. So here’s this guy, in a sleeveless mesh shirt, wearing tightie whities, and holding a Ukrainian flag. No wonder she was distracted! This disturbing site made me want to drink vodka-not a whole bottle like the guy last week who then drunkly proposed to me and promised that we would live happily in New York (he's 55 and married. . but shhh. . . don't tell the little Mrs.). But then I came to my senses and remembered what happens when copious amounts of vodka is consumed by yours truly (insert your own ideas of what might happen when me, who's nuts enough with no alcohol, is considerably more crazy).