Brief update:
I have arrived in Kyiv on the overnight train. Tomorrow, I will be going with the group Dobrobat (https://www.dobrobat.in.ua/en/) to do construction for a veteran's home in the village of Demydiv. And over the weekend, with another group called Brave to Rebuild (https://bravetorebuild.in.ua/en), I will be doing demo and prep work on a site that will become a veteran's mental health center. Today I've been ambling around the city getting my bearings, went to a grocery store and stocked up a bit, and, tonight, I am doing an Airbnb experiences food/drink/history walking tour.
This is the first time in a few years I have traveled to a non-English or Spanish speaking country, both of which I'm fluent in, or French, which I can muddle through. I have no context for communication beyond the basics like "hi," "please," and "thank you" type stuff and I can only barely read a lot of the Cyrillic-style alphabet on signs. It reminds me of previous travels to China or Japan, where I don't know shit for the language and can't read the signs except for in those not-common instances where there's an English equivalent. I think this kind of travel is really good for personal growth.
And for you horndogs, I have my first date tomorrow night with Tatyana. I have focused on matches that have "short-term" as one of their options, and she's one of them. Tomorrow night it's a stroll so she can show me some of Kyiv and a dinner/drinks afterwards.