THE CONVERSATIONS WE HAVE

Last night, as we dined on chicken quesadillas and "ranch style" beans, Mikhail (the Russian) asked me what sounds animals make in America. Dogs go "bow-wow" as opposed to vow-vow in German. Horses sound the same in Russian and English. When asked about a rooster I said "cock-a-doodle-doo." Daniel and Mikhail laughed loudly at this. Roosters go "ki-kiri-ki" in Russian (and Spanish, too!).

New student: Seiya, from Japan. He's 19 and has been in Santa Barbara for about three weeks already. He is moving to my house from the dorms around the corner. Apparently there is way too much drinking, noise, and "destroying" going on over there. "Destroying?" I asked. Yes, destroying.

Seiya is pretty cool. When I asked him to pronounce his name slowly, he said "Say... Yah!" And pumped his fist in the air with the second syllable! I like him already-- too bad he is only staying in my home for his last 10 days in the States.