Sept, 21, feeling good in Kharkov!

My long-term goal achieved at last; it's beautiful to live with less. Finally, instead of having too much stuff, I have not enough. Want to do my nails? Have to go out and buy a nail clipper. Trying to remember an old grammar activity? Have to get on the metro and go find a coffee shop with wifi. Groceries? Stock up on what can be carried every 2 or 3 days. As Cowboy said from the first day he arrived here, “a simpler and more noble time.” I'm always thinking of things I forgot to bring, things I meant to bring, but really, it's not so bad without them. And seriously, without internet at home....I have SO MUCH time. It'll almost be a pity to go back to my old aimless web-surfing ways. There's something nice about a life where you have less and do more, but- that said- I think it only works when you make a conscious decision that's what you want. If someone takes your stuff, or if you never have it in the first place, this enjoyment does not apply.

Fog descends on the city nightly now. I was really surprised to see it hovering around the street lamps. Isn't Kharkov massively inland? Is it coming from the rivers? Tonight the fog was thick and the street were deserted by 10 PM. Even the metro was empty.... the 4 cops I saw there outnumbered us passengers in transit. The fog smelled heavy and warlike (winter?) and hung around in a smoky haze underground. Other than that ominous sign, this has been a storybook autumn, leaves turning crisp and golden and ever so slowly drifting to the pavement. It was even hot today, under a clear sky! My classes went well today, even the dreaded TOEFL class, and once I get through tomorrow it will be smooth sailing. Tomorrow morning I'll be teaching a couple of corporate classes....another round of new names and faces to learn.

Walking home tonight I passed a guy freaking out, swinging himself around and yelling obscenities. This was sad, yes, but had a silver lining for me- I understood his swear words! My Russian must be improving!

I went to make xerox copies today- the clerk was gone and the sign on the copy machine said “on technological break”. Uh, what exactly is that?