"Oh yeah, these bottles of milk will last half a year with out going bad."

What is wrong with this statement. Every Saturday morning is when my host parents go grocery shopping. It is fairly similar to stores in the US, but the products are just different. Apparently this milk is sterilized by boiling it 2 different times and then packaging it. I do not care how sterilized they say it is, that milk was yellow and it smelled a little off when I poured it into my glass. Other interesting parts of the store is that there is an entire isle, both sides, stocked with all kinds of vodka. The wine section is even more extensive than that too. Basically a store within a store. The fish and meat department is questionable. Of all the meat I have seen in the past 2 weeks, I would say 70% of it looked and tasted mysterious. The food is not so bad, it is not like it is unbearable. Unfortunately my body has been complaining consistently for the past week. Today it feels like every bone and muscle in my body is aching and things over the past couple days have been running a little more smoothy than normal, if you know what I mean. ; )

The things I have been reading for my courses is enjoyable, which is nice. It is so much easier to learn about what I am reading when I can walk out the front door and experience it as well. This weekend I will be leaving for a trip to Western Ukraine. I was told just today that if I was not feeling well then the food in the more rural areas we are going to probably won't help. Yay. I was talking with my host parents, Jos and Marliss, last night about how it has been being the only one here. Of course it would be better with even just one other person. It is daunting to think about going anywhere by myself. I know all of 3 phrases in Russian, and apparently it is common for the locals to take advantage of foreigners. This sounds encouraging, yeah? I suppose things could be worse, but at this point it is a little discouraging. Now that I have been sick for a week, my positive, flexable attitude is in danger of plummeting.

If you would like to keep in touch in some way, it would be encouraging. Nothing against hearing from the family, it is just nice to hear from more than just the family at times. Hope you are all in good health and persevering. The last chunk of the school year has arrived, and I am looking forward to this summer.

Blessings
-Joel