Blogs from Luganskaya Oblast, Ukraine, Europe

Ana never tells me her plans, especially when she moves from place to place. I suppose it's due to Ukraine's unpredictable nature, and people's unwillingness to 'count their chickens before they hatch'. While she was working in America last summer I got a message saying "Hi from Broadway!" when I thought she was in Philadelphia, and she appeared in Kyiv this autumn when I thought she had University coursework due in Lugansk. So when I learned that I had been offered this interview in Ukraine I was tempted not to let her know my own plans until I had arrived from London; "Surprise! Meet me on the balcony in Maidan Nezalezhnosti at 7!", my sms would have said... In the end I lost my nerve and told her five days before. It's just as well, as ... read more

I got up a bit earlier this morning, and was ready for breakfast at 9. I was allowed some coffee to go with my chicken wing and three slices of apple cake, then Ana and I set off for Lugansk again. The minibus ride to Pervomaisk was much the same, only with Ukrainian 'gangsta rap' instead of Tom Jones playing on the radio and even more babushki. The feeling of being so far from home was strong, but not in an unwelcoming way. There is a very Eastern European feel to the manner in which people go to work in the morning; the bus shelter and minubuses themselves are falling apart, and the ride and the scenery are uncomfortable, but everyone gets to where they want to go. Apart from us, who even at 11 in ... read more

It was about time I got out of the house and saw some of Ukraine. In the afternoon Ana and I took a taxi to Popasnaya, which is ten minutes away from ulitsa Stepnaya. We are so far from anywhere, I don't know how I managed to send a parcel here from England in the summer. We stopped for Ana's mum to give me a guided tour of the library where she works. It was like a school, with each classroom filled with books and a main hall with tables where people can read. After that we walked around town and Mrs. Kovalchuk went to order my ticket back to Yaroslavl - she has found a shortcut that will only take 30 hours. It was very cold, and I agreed with her concensus that there is ... read more

Mornings are now the best part of my day. I can get up in my own time, and waiting for me in the kitchen is a huge breakfast. Everyone has already eaten by the time I sit down but there is still an entire table of food. Many things are freshly prepared from the garden, including honey and walnuts. Today was very lazy. I had a bath after breakfast - not only are the taps connected to the wrong tank but they are installed in reverse, so to make the hot tap run more I have to turn the cold one off and vice versa. Confusing even for an awake person. I watched TV with Mr. Kovalchuk while Ana spent three hours in the bathroom getting ready for the New Years' party. One the one hand ... read more