Ти хочеш їсти?

Dear Readers,

I am in the middle of week three, and I am starting to understand a bit of spoken Ukrainian, слава Богу! I am not anywhere near able to carry a conversation nevermind understand a conversation, but I can understand and formulate basic questions. For instance:

Ти хочеш їсти? - Do you want to eat?

Знаєш як йти на УКУ? (or something like that) - Do you know how to go to UCU (Ukrainian Catholic University)?---I was asked this today by the lady who runs the workshop where I volunteer. I had to go to the university for something.

Де ти живеш? - Where do you live?

I also know a bunch of other things, such as most of the colours, and numbers. Unfortunately my vocabulary is still extremely limited, so most of the time I haven't a clue what people are saying. But, when someone says something to me I think I can understand, I know to say: Не так швидко, будь ласка-Not so fast, please. Thankfully, I am picking up more and more as the days pass.

This afternoon I went to an orphanage here in Lviv. It was both delightful and heartbreaking. The children are wonderful, but their stories of course are tragic. I will write more about that on my weekly update on Friday.

Tomorrow is the feast of the Ascension of our Lord, so we get the day off! I'm glad, because I don't know how else I would have been able to get to church. I hope to do some more exploring downtown.

Папа (papa-an informal way to say 'goodbye'),
Michael