In Ukraine

As a child I had an odd fascination with Ukraine. It wasn’t necessarily a fascination about anything that had to do with Ukraine — I knew nothing about the place — but it was a fascination with fact that Ukraine would definitely be extremely different than where I came from.

Of all the countries I chose Ukraine as being the most indicative of adventure, the place that you would go to jump over the world’s fence, so to speak.

I would trace maps as a kid, and next to the Iberian peninsula and the fjords of Norway, Ukraine was always my favorite place to draw. There was just something about its squat, globular shape with pieces sticking out into the Black Sea that I liked. I would trace it’s shape and color it in. Always light blue. I would imagine going to the interior of that strange shape.

I’m now riding the bus into Kiev from the airport. I’m here. Finally. Kid me was right, it does look a little different than Albion, New York.