what happens when we all wake up?

Another few days have passed here in Ukraine. We're awaiting the return of our original LCF (language teacher) and getting ready to come back from the quarantine that has given us this nice three week break from teaching.

I wanted to write a couple things out so that I don't forget them.

ONE: a story about the cat that lives at my host family's house. His name, as I've been told is Bucks, but it varies. Everyone but Tato call him Bucks, Tato calls him Peter Petrovniya and Patrick American Boy. This makes me laugh, really really hard. I know that it is not their purpose to confuse me about the cat's name but that's what's happened. I figure the cat is just as confused as I am considering Half of the family calls him bucks half calls him Peter and I speak to him in English and not ukrainian. Regardless, Bucks has become one of my favourite parts about living here. In fact, I used to hate cats, no longer. . . Bucks is selfish and generally unwilling to give love, but he does enjoy being around me, probably because I scratch under his chin and feed him sausage when no one is looking. I am considering adopting a cat when i get to site mostly becuase I'd like the company and I've heard it's pretty easy to get them back the US if you so choose. Bucks also likes to sleep with me sometimes (as I've found out from talking with my host sister) he will begin the evening in her room and then come to mine in teh middle of the nite. She called him a pervert, I thought it was pretty appropriate. I'm beginning to resent him if only a little because he has decided 1. to hog the bed and 2. to lay on top of me while I'm sleeping sometimes I notice, and sometimes I do not. He however, insists on lying on me but refuses to lay on my feet where I could really use some extra warmth. I think that he doesn't want to lie there because my feet are cold and this negates both the process of me wanting to be warm and him searching for warmth.

Story two: Last nite i watched a movie at a friends house. When I went to leave I noticed my shoes were missing. No one was home, I figured someone in her family had mistaken my shoes for their's and put them on. We couldn't find anyone and as I had to get home I had to put on my friend's shoes (who luckily wears a size 10) and was about to make my way home when the gate was closed. My friend ran back up to get the key when grandma( who only speaks russian) comes strolling along to say goodbye to me, lo and behold grandma is wearing my shoes. Now, this doesn't bother it's just that, I don't know how to say excuse me but I think you're wearing my shoes in Ukrainian let alone in Russian. So, when my friend comes downstairs I explain to her that her grandmother is wearing my shoes and so I would really like to change with her, considering i have to walk back home. . . and then we kind of awkwardly smile at her and point at the shoes to let her know that in fact she is wearing my shoes and I would really like them back. We finally do exchange shoes and I am able to walk home on the dirt road to go home. . . but at least I had my shoes returned and no one was hurt.

That's all for now I'm being surrounded in the computer room! love and hugs