March 6th, 2015: I was a few months in on my adventure into the nation of Ukraine, a place I would call home for the next four years of my life. The place, the people, balanced up on the cusp of the Eastern Steppe of Europe—it all captured my heart and I've never quite got it back. Never asked for it back, actually. On this particular day, I was out and about in the Ukrainian countryside exploring Kyiv's National Museum of Folk Architecture and Life, named “Pirogovo.” Along f

It happened one September afternoon all the way back in 2015... The left bank of the Dnipro River in Kyiv, Ukraine The Master, Denis, manning the grill. Two American expats standing in awe of this eastern steppe meat magic show about to happen. "It's simple, buddy," Denis says. "Just meat over fire." But then you take a bite. Tender juicy cubes of meat nestled perfectly between chunks of onion and mushroom. Perfect, melt-in-your-mouth, the flavor, Mmmm...putting any other g

And while I was writing, in the breaks, Belgian Sour Cream and Burnt Butter waffles were in the griddle.

(for context, "Hab 1 " is the beloved original old dormitory building at Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, where trainees bunk during their adventures.)