With readership reaching its highest point in years, I (David) figured now would be a perfect time to make my first post on our blog.

Question: Why do people follow blindly what their parents, or society has set as the standard? (No offense, Mom)

Yesterday, I decided to go to work without a jacket. To get to work I have to walk about 15 minutes to the Metro, ride the Metro for about 20 minutes, and then walk another 20 minutes to the office. On this walk I see a significant number of people (the Metro I take is headed into the city center, and my first walk takes me past a large market, and my second walk is in the heart of the city). Of the millions of people in the city, and the thousands (this could be a slight exaggeration) of people that I saw, I was the only one without a jacket (and by jacket I am not talking about a light windbreaker, but most people were wearing something more akin to a coat). You might think that I was going to work in a snowstorm, or that rain was coming down, you might even be under the impression that it has not yet warmed up in Ukraine this time of year. All of these thoughts are incorrect, as I was walking to work in 70 degree weather (at 8:30 in the morning) with the sun blazing down. Hundreds of people were unable to take their eyes off of me and most of them were just plain gawking. I kept checking to see if I was in that bad dream where you arrive somewhere without your clothes. No, I was fully clothed and would have looked totally Ukrainian (I have the scowling face down) if not for my lack of a jacket.

As soon as I arrived at work I had to ask my co-workers (who are Ukrainian) why everyone wears a jacket. They replied that it was not the right time of year (apparently there is a mysterious Ukrainian calendar date set aside for when jackets come off (I wondered what the May holidays were about and now I know)), and also said that outside it still was a bit cold (these are the kind of people who would feel great living in Death Valley). The best part about not wearing a jacket is that people openly criticize you for showing your lack of intellegence. I heard two women talking and the first said (shaking her head), “I can’t believe that young man is out without his coat.” The lady that was listening to this comment replied sullenly, “that boy is going to come down with something.” The way that it was said I was certain that her prophecy would come to fruition. But, as of yet, I am still alive and well. These same folks are the ones who look at you and scold you for not putting hat and mittens on your child in the middle of the day. One lady commented towards us as we walked that we were hurting our child (this she did as she held her son’s hand and finished off her pack of cigarettes (Don’t worry, her son won’t get sick because he was wearing a jacket and had a hat)). The best part about wearing jackets is that everyone sweats (think Rocky near the end of the match), which leaves an “interesting” smell. These kinds of smells are okay as long as they are isolated, or outside (where they can be overwhelmed by cigarette smoke). If you are inside, however, it begins to get strong, and if there are a lot of people together (like, say in a metro car), the smell becomes not only palpable, but visible. This morning on the Metro I thought I was going to pass out (remember this is coming from someone whose allergies are so bad that he has a hard time smelling gasoline), and only the knowledge that if I threw up everyone would know that I was American kept me strong (as if my lack of a jacket hadn’t given it away already).

Besides my impending death from the sickness that I will get as a result of not wearing a jacket, I also have to worry about losing the use of my throat. This is mainly due to drinking cold water (who knew?). Apparently, if you drink cold water in Ukraine, you will get a sore throat which can turn into a full-blown cold and eventually pneumonia (I am probably going to die). I have not yet figured out the science behind this though because it is totally okay to drink or eat anything else cold. For example, in the winter sidewalk ice cream vendors are extremely popular (think ice cream man meets stationary snowplow). It is also okay to drink carbonated drinks, and all manner of alcohol (in fact, vodka is preferred from a bottle that has been in the freezer (because vodka has a lower freezing point than water)). But…watch out for that water!!!

I am having a great time here, and am chuckling daily at all of the little idiosyncrasies that make Eastern Europeans – Eastern Europeans. I am enjoying my work, and will be more diligent in my updates. I have to go now because I am not feeling well, and might be coming down with something. It feels like a cold. (The picture below was taken June 1st.)