He always seems to ask a question about the English language that I simply can't answer. Maybe he's read an English language idiom in a soviet-era textbook that he wants to confirm, perhaps he wants to know how to pronounce a word he doesn't know how to spell, or maybe he just wants confirmation that he's using a phrase right when he clearly isn't.

I never really know how to respond when he asks these questions. If he wasn't so persistent, perhaps I could change the subject. But it never seems to work that way. He's always in class, and the more I get to know him the more I genuinely enjoy his personality. He looks older than he is, I think. I assume he's a few years older than me - but I really don't know for sure.

He always seems to have a new friend from a foreign land. He introduces me to people from all over the planet. In a mono-culture like Ukraine, it's a little strange for people to so easily connect with foreigners. Even in a melting pot like the US we generally stick to people of our own culture.

He says that he's not really interested in religion and that he won't be until he sees a miracle. I have to believe that this is a cop out. I think that God is pulling at his heart and he will say anything to run from that.

So, I'll keep on answering unanswerable English questions and praying that one day he will want to learn more about something more substantial - that one day he will believe in Jesus.