After a couple days of official Peace Corps business at a dormitory style hotel, my host family came to greet me and take me to their home to help immerse me in Ukrainian culture for three months. I’d be living with Valentyna, a 65-year-old retiree, and her son Dima, who’s 31 and a musician. Dima speaks fluent English, and that helped make life easier for me. Our mutual appreciation for music also helped us form a natural bond. Stepping inside their clean and cozy apartment, I immediately smelled the aroma of home cooking and anticipated sitting down for our first meal together. But first, we relaxed in Dima’s room and listened to some music from his impressive CD collection. He’s a big fan of 90’s hip hop, and I couldn’t believe it when I saw he
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