Click here for parts 1-7!Anton, my parents translator, was a student at Kharkov University. He brought me flowers on my first day of school and I fancied myself in love with him for the week after. I was still 13 and was very ready to fall in love or be fallen in love with. The whole them-liking me thing hadn't worked out just yet, so I was more than happy to daydream one-sidedly. I remember … [Read more...]

Alex was angry at us. "you can't name the puppies!" he yelled.Lucia, or Lucy, the scrappy stray dog, had her puppies, Rejick was faithful at her side but we all doubted he was actually the father. That had been rather traumatizing to see, all the dogs gathered around her, too interested in her suddenly one week. We were city kids, even in the small southern town in south Arkansas, we were still … [Read more...]

I fell in love that year for the first time. I was 14 and had no idea what love was, but I believed in it. He was a Ukrainian boy with tussled blond hair and blue eyes. His name was Artom and he was the best soccer player, the best bad mitten player, and pretty much the best at any sport or game. He didn't speak any English at first, we were friends, we all were and I taught him like I taught … [Read more...]

The first time I got tipsy was when I was in Ukraine. In the cultural sensitivity classes they explained to us that it is very rude to refuse a drink and to NEVER do it. or else. I'd see my dad attempt to refuse sometimes, in an effort to stay sober and from the 110 proof alcohol in their vodka. He'd slowly, slowly sip it, but they would be like "drink! drink! drink!" and toast so he'd have to … [Read more...]