11 Apr. 2003

“But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads?”
- Albert Camus

OK fine, I got this quote off a cereal box. A generic brand cereal box. Nonetheless, it accurately sums up the joy that I am feeling for having pursued my dreams. The payoff is huge, when one is lucky, from following the voice that says crazy things like, “We need to leave this rich life in CO and go to Ukraine, learn Russian, leave all friends, family, dog and a strong love behind, ok? Whattaya say?”

We are preparing the house to host a party tonight. I made chocolate chip cookies (I will later devote an entire journal entry to the wonders of Ukrainian and Russian chocolate), Helena is making a pizza, Ukrainian style (she’s sautéing carrots and onions right now, and I’m suspicious about the package of ketchup on the table) and Ira has been rearranging the furniture and cleaning. We invited a nearly equal number of Americans to Ukrainians and most of the Ukrainians that are coming speak some English. I think I may enjoy preparing for the party as much or more than the party, but that’s ok, too.

I feel so comfortable with Ira and Helena and especially so when we are all crammed in the kitchen, discussing food, weather, whatever questions they think up for me about the US and Helena is often very curious about Costa Rica. I also ask tons of questions for them and have become more adept at refusing more food. I am very lucky that providence saw fit to match us together.

I also could devote a journal entry to the common thread of women in their kitchens. As much as I enjoy cooking, I also enjoy the time in the kitchen with friends or family. (MOM!! Stephanie!! Jules, Free!! McGill!!) I love how quickly I felt home in the kitchen, even before I had 5 words of Russian down. I love how Helena has a system of doing things in her kitchen, which of course reminds me of my Mom in her kitchen (although Mom has more complex systems set up in her kitchen!) and reminds me of Dona Christina in her kitchen in Puntarenas (Costa Rica) and reminds me of countless women I know and have known in their kitchens and also of a few select men, of which right now I can only think of Charlie of Chez Wicker. I think that for me, part of what I cherish the most from traveling and living abroad is finding human commonalities that transcend culture and borders. I’m not prettying anything up here, there are certainly differences and big ones between peoples, but I like to remember the similarities, too.