Exit

It's not easy to pack up and leave anywhere, but it seems especially hard to depart from Ukraine. I dread looking for bubble wrap in this city, where the search for a pair of shoelaces can turn into a week-long quest. I can't find boxes either; I called several shipping companies to ask if they sold boxes. Nope. I asked Igor my landlord where to get boxes. "No, it is not possible, you cannot buy," he said, "You must go to outdoor market and ask sellers for boxes."

But after spending two and a half hours at the post office, waiting in the customary three lines and getting varying answers to my questions, I don't have the energy to go ask for boxes.