russian

To my dismay, I realized the politics in Spain are just as polarized as those in the United States. But because I was traveling in a country with a longer history, I could connect to a time and place free of conflict.

When you see my name on a name tag or written somewhere, I get that you’ll likely use the English pronunciation. You can’t know how I say my name until I tell you.

In the past few days, Ukraine has also taught the rest of the world what it means to love freedom, what it means to be brave in the face of danger and what it means to be a hero.

When I begin to love, I feel the anxiety-ridden fireworks go off in my chest — a perpetual yearning not only for love but also for cultural acceptance.

My mother strings words together more eloquently than I, both despite her lack of familiarity with English and because of it.

I didn’t see choosing to study French as an affront to my heritage or as leaving my culture behind. But my mother disagreed.

While my American friends received hugs, kisses and praise from their parents, I felt that I was always making a mess in my parents’ eyes.

Last month, the East Bay Express laid off its entire editorial staff — except for one editor. Unfortunately, this represents a national trends in which local newspapers in the United States are collapsing at an alarming rate, leaving many communities without essential news coverage.

My journalism might upset a few stoners, but never did it lead me to see myself, to steal from Ernest Hemingway, dead in the rain.

For every "Wonder Woman" or new "Spider-Man," throw in a "Sharknado" or "Twilight" movie every now and then. It keeps things interesting.