Photo by Brody Levesque | Nikita Toporkov at the U. S. Capitol Building, August 31st, 2009By Brody Levesque (Washington D.C.) Sept 1 | As many of you here in D.C. are aware, I've had a young university student from Kharkov, Ukraine, staying with me for the summer. I am saddened to report that at 10PM last night I put him on a Greyhound bus traveling to New York city to catch his flight home from JFK international airport later today. I am going to miss him greatly as having him around, and to quote the late president John F. Kennedy, has "filled my life with vigor!" I should also mention that also he provided me with tons of merriment as he explored American culture, society, and Washington in general.
My blog certainly has benefited, the design is primarily Nikita's doing, as he is one of those creative and brilliant computer whiz kids that had my poor machine panting trying to keep up with him. Not to mention having me run for the aspirin bottle as I developed numerous migraines as well as heart failures watching him upload, then download, then modify, then click, then zap... well, for anyone over the age of 30 reading this who are barely computer literate such as myself, you get the point.
On a more serious note and even more endearing was Nikita's attitude towards those people who are different, by way of colour, nationality, and especially LGBT folk. Not once was there ever a drop of bias, cynicism, or disdain. Nikita displayed a wonderfully open and albeit sometimes curious approach as he learned about people that he frankly admitted he had not any exposure to at home in the Ukraine. He told me that Gay people were referred to as as "blue" and they were hardly visible in his society and culture which I gathered was rather homophobic.
He was grateful for the opportunity to learn about the issues that are important to LGBT folk and I am convinced that he will make a difference in the one way that is so terribly important... Nikita will bring an attitude of acceptance and equality in his future dealings and interactions with LGBT folk and others.
Nikita also wanted me to publicly thank Kevin, Jason, and Bryce at the Human Rights Campaign store and the crew at the Lambda Rising bookshop down the block; Dan, Lindsey, Amber, and Marcus, oh and Ronnie too!
I am really going to miss his cheerful, "Good Morning Brody, how are you?," which he greeted me with every morning in that quaint Russian accent as he headed for the refrigerator to rummage for food. Apparently, no matter the culture, the young always head to the fridge first eh? I also got to play parent and ply him with my talents as a cook, laundryman, adviser, but more than anything else, be his friend and mentor.
Nikita will be missed, but he also plans on coming back to study here in the U. S. at university somewhere, maybe even in the Washington area. Yet, I am so very grateful for having had the opportunity to have him live in my home and have my life enriched by his presence, it was a complete privilege. Nikita's such a wonderful example of humanity and youth striving to learn, question, experience life, and most of all, make a difference. Safe journeys my young friend, always.
My blog certainly has benefited, the design is primarily Nikita's doing, as he is one of those creative and brilliant computer whiz kids that had my poor machine panting trying to keep up with him. Not to mention having me run for the aspirin bottle as I developed numerous migraines as well as heart failures watching him upload, then download, then modify, then click, then zap... well, for anyone over the age of 30 reading this who are barely computer literate such as myself, you get the point.
On a more serious note and even more endearing was Nikita's attitude towards those people who are different, by way of colour, nationality, and especially LGBT folk. Not once was there ever a drop of bias, cynicism, or disdain. Nikita displayed a wonderfully open and albeit sometimes curious approach as he learned about people that he frankly admitted he had not any exposure to at home in the Ukraine. He told me that Gay people were referred to as as "blue" and they were hardly visible in his society and culture which I gathered was rather homophobic.
He was grateful for the opportunity to learn about the issues that are important to LGBT folk and I am convinced that he will make a difference in the one way that is so terribly important... Nikita will bring an attitude of acceptance and equality in his future dealings and interactions with LGBT folk and others.
Nikita also wanted me to publicly thank Kevin, Jason, and Bryce at the Human Rights Campaign store and the crew at the Lambda Rising bookshop down the block; Dan, Lindsey, Amber, and Marcus, oh and Ronnie too!
I am really going to miss his cheerful, "Good Morning Brody, how are you?," which he greeted me with every morning in that quaint Russian accent as he headed for the refrigerator to rummage for food. Apparently, no matter the culture, the young always head to the fridge first eh? I also got to play parent and ply him with my talents as a cook, laundryman, adviser, but more than anything else, be his friend and mentor.
Nikita will be missed, but he also plans on coming back to study here in the U. S. at university somewhere, maybe even in the Washington area. Yet, I am so very grateful for having had the opportunity to have him live in my home and have my life enriched by his presence, it was a complete privilege. Nikita's such a wonderful example of humanity and youth striving to learn, question, experience life, and most of all, make a difference. Safe journeys my young friend, always.
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