First Impressions of Kiev

Today I ventured into downtown Kiev to try to locate my school and to buy a 3G modem thing so that I can have internet. I took the metro into the center and walked around a bit.
I’m excited to meet some people here so that I can have someone to explore with. It looks like there is tons to do in Kiev, so now to find some people to do it with!
I miss home and friends a bit, though the emotions are not running nearly as high as they were last time. The first two weeks in Moscow were pretty lonely and miserable as I sat around the hostel with nothing to do but dwell on how much I missed my girlfriend and stuff. I remember calling home on Skype and talking to Mom and Dad; they said I looked like I was about to cry. I remember wanting to come home and thinking that this was a huge mistake.
This time around I am feeling really great. The visit to Moscow really boosted my spirits as almost every one of my good friends came out to see me. It’s funny to think that I only knew those kids for one semester and yet, they all mean the world to me. Maybe it’s because when I was there, everything was running in slow motion with the newness and excitement so that these new friendships at almost at once became deeply rooted. My emotional intensity was heightened too, so it made all of the connections feel really strong. I don’t know how to explain it, but those kids are some of my best friends and I feel closer to them than most people I’ve met at Clemson.
This time I’m hitting the ground running. I think I’ll look into joining a gym tomorrow and also into getting a camera so that I can start making some videos. The Russian is already coming along great just from speaking with my host. I am surprised at how well I understand her: even if I don’t know the words, the context is enough to put things together. My mind just fills in the gaps. This is how language is learned naturally.
All things bode well.