Day of Ukrainian Writing and Language 2004
Two months into living here, I could say almost nothing. This day is a good moment to admit how that felt, and to thank the people who were patient.
A greeting on the Day of Ukrainian Writing and Language.
In November 2004 I had been here about two months and I could say almost nothing. I could read the alphabet slowly, order food badly, and understand roughly one word in fifteen. It is a humbling condition for an adult who had always been articulate.
What I remember is the patience. Shopkeepers who slowed down. Classmates who repeated things twice without making it a performance. A woman at a market stall who taught me the names of vegetables because I clearly needed to know them.
A language is learned from people who are willing to be slow with you. Mine was. To everyone marking this day: thank you for the patience you extend to those of us still working at it.
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