An Update

It feels like a long time since I posted anything about my Odessan life here, so I thought I'd give anyone who might care a little update...

Luckily we've managed to avoid the снегопад (translation: a crap load of snow) which seems to have affected most other parts of Ukraine, which is pretty handy as I definitely didn't bring many snow friendly items of clothing with me. Saturday was ridiculously windy though, and a massive tree got blown over, so I'm glad I had a really lazy weekend.

I've started trying to learn Ukrainian properly, even though nobody in Odessa uses it in their every day life. It isn't too dissimilar to Russian - the vowels are different, and a few words aren't at all similar to their Russian equivalents. I'm debating going to classes at university so I pick it up a little faster. If it all goes well I fancy a trip to a Ukrainian speaking part of the country to test my skills!

Tomorrow I'm going to my first ever international football match, which should be an experience. I know very little about Ukraine's national team, and nothing about Moldova's, so I probably won't get as involved as I do when I go and watch (my beloved) Nottingham Forest play. Despite being really used to going to football matches, I'm a little scared about what the fans are going to be like, but I think this is the media's fault, and I'm sure everything will be fine. I'll probably devote a whole post to the game.

Finally, I am definitely going to Kiev on Friday, as I have my вид на жительство (resident's permit thing). The weather there is absolutely hideous at the moment, but hopefully I'll get to do a lot once I've arrived having survived the train journey.

I'm currently writing this in the dark as the bulbs in the main light, and our lamp have both decided to go. Our hob also broke (again) yesterday, but the man with the impressive moustache has been and mended it for us. My life out here is a little different to my life in England...