The article is a reflective piece by a journalist who has returned to their hometown of Kharkiv, Ukraine, after volunteering in Greece. The author describes the stark contrast between the vibrant life in Athens and the somber, uniform landscape of Kharkiv, which is still reminiscent of the Soviet era. The city is portrayed as a sleeping beauty, stuck in a post-Soviet depression, with cloned architecture and a lack of public spaces for expression. The fall of a Lenin statue is mentioned as an event that went largely unnoticed by the apathetic local population. Despite the city's bleakness and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the author expresses a love for Kharkiv, seeing potential in its blank slate for future development and a new society. The article concludes with a hopeful note that Kharkiv can evolve beyond its past and become a vibrant city that fosters creativity and progress.