living to the exclusion of everything but the girlfriend. The thing that worries me most is that he is losing friends (GOOD friends) for her. And he doesn't have any idea that its happening. or he doesn't know why.

speaking russian in paris. living in a world full of the old. living in a world where you are trying to escape the world.

gave up a funky hotel for a sketchy hostel. very poor exchange. but we've only eaten at mcdonalds once because we couldn't deal with our point and grunt form of communication where results were only half likely.

I wonder what percentage of McDonald's revenue comes from stupid alienated foreigners like us. foreigners who know at least that a Big Mac will be a Big Mac.

Reading books in english. ignoring the two russian books i brought with me. drooling over the english language bookstores. and the fashion, canvas grad-student bags as opposed to 3rouble packets. and stores that actually have things in them. and lots of stores.

I don't think that its going to be easy to return to russia after this.