Say "thank you'!

Are you proud that you are Ukrainian? A plenty of reasons make one to be proud of his/her Ukrainian origin.

1) You have the broadest democracy of speech and of mass-media. I don't joke. No exaggeration. Ukraine provides a lot of liberal freedoms in spite of common stereotype. Ukraine has less censure and restriction than eulogized and praised in the centuries other democratic states. Say "thank you" to your country!

2) You are smart if you are Ukrainian. You understand how this world works. The principles of Universe lies in your brain and you are able to think logically. You don't use calculator to subtract 17 from 65. Moreover, your algebra teacher prohibits to use calculator. You know the location of Alger and Morocco.You know all chemical and physical formulas. You know more than 2 languages. You are brilliant. Say "thank you" to your country!

3)You can elect a President. And I don't care about falsification. You, not electorate college, try to influence a situation. Say "thank you" to your country!

4) You have great history and melodic language. You know your history from the early beginning because people wrote it. You have ancient predecessors who lives for you. Say "thank you" to your past!

5) Ukrainians are known as the most beautiful people. We have the attractive features of face and proportional figures. Say "thank you" to your genes!

6) Ukrainians are frank and friendly. Not outside, but inside. That makes a difference! Say "thank you" to your country!

7) We have the funniest President and Prime-minister. Even Russians and Americans can't compete. Say "than you" to your people! (not to President or Prime-minister)

8) Ukrainian people get used to fight against enemies. That's why Army is so weak. We don't need Army. Our children, women, men, everyone can fight!!! Say "thank you" who did it earlier.

9) We meet New Year! We meet new hope! And though we know truth we always hope for better. Say "thank you" for your future!

10) Where else can you meet a melodic tune with delicious words? Our songs makes the world better. Folk songs are the sources of history. Ukrainian rock is the best, believe me! Pop-culture always sucks. But we don;t have Justin Bieber!!! Say "thank you" to Mychail Poplavskiy!)

11) We are the strongest nation in the world! What for should we run fast if we have Klychko and Virastyuk?)

12) You are in your country! You can experience affection, fun, kindness, beauty... And you can enhance your country!!! Say "thank you" to yourself if you did anything good to Ukraine. If not - it's never late!!! But hurry up, deserve a "thank you"!!!

Я пишаюся, що я -  УКРАЇНКА!

Happy World of Weird

Hi! I haven't seen you for ages! There are a lot of changes in my life and in my English, I know. I still keep going and write easily but I should enhance the English level of my readers anyway.

That was lyrical epigraph of my next article: How can one become happy? A plenty of exchange students miss their home, become enervating because of foreign atmosphere. And all of this - now, 3 months ahead as we left Borispil. Why?

The only factor that made them happy was the victory over the difficulties and the happiness because of victory. I doubt, however, that anyone fully realized the opportunities one reveled and hardships one gained. The colorful and picturesque image of the wealthy country could also caused the excitement. Nevertheless, everyone was said about culture shock and homesick. Moreover, we were said to expect 'em exactly in November. Maybe, that's only self-convincing, ah?

I am more exception than normal exchange. Why? Because all September and October I was anxious and annoyed and partly stay the same now. But 85% of students were too happy. And now they are or will be in a short period of time too disconsolate and discouraged. Could anything happen with their dreams and views during these months? Definitely!

The first feeling they probably had was a happiness of adventures, independence and America. Even though they didn't realize wholly a great burden of responsibilities and duties. Now they more or less adopted to this culture, some of them (including me) begin to forget Russian and Ukrainian. Unfortunately, with the languages students forget WHY they are here and WHERE they actually are. No, of course they remember that they are FLEXERS IN THE USA. More? What for?!!

We have gone to the USA to teach them and learn ourselves! We came here to experience new culture and share new. We passed the long way to taste both the victories and the losses. We stepped on the antipodes of our native countries to glance over the advantages and disadvantages of another one. We came here to realize what it means to be nation not the population. We are exchange students who probably have a great potential and can commit either greatness or awfulness. What are we aiming for? Luxurious beaches and rich presents? Adulation? Understanding our moral principles and ideas? Respect? Order? Love? Friendship???

There is nothing here! America has developed feeling of selfishness, strict censure and limited freedoms, masked by over-spaced ones. They have pragmatism and merchantilism, skepticism and partly ignorance. They have citizens not members of nation. But we can teach them! We can teach them to cook their meals. We can teach them to clean, to love, to be healthy! We can show what real friendship means! We can show what nation means! We can teach them where Ukraine/Armenia/Russia/Moldova etc/ is and demonstrate the  wealthy of our countries by our representation and interpretation. We are powerful.

However, we should take punctuality and integrity, compassion and politeness. Dress-code, believe me, and privacy is not the last thing! Their tolerance and tactfulness are really on a high level! We can EXCHANGE our values, cannot we?

Happiness doesn't depend on anyone else except you. YOU have opportunity to be happy or bereaved. That's your choice, your right and your duty. Nothing can make you despairing except you!!! Protect your wish to be happy - and you are and will be! Be happy if you are alive! Be happy you are healthy! Be happy you can read and right! Be happy you can hear! Some people can't! Remember! If you can get an education, if you can have a job, if you have friends and parents - you lucky! Be happy! If you are exchange student - be happy trice!!! You have opportunities!!! Everything else depends on you!  Only you can turn awful village into amazing center of funs! Go ahead! Don't forget - you should be happy anyway!

Ordinary days of unordinary man

Konichiwa! It is the fist time I will write about my casual life in the USA. Stop. Not in the USA. On Hawaii.

It has been already two months that Hawaii stand my presence on the Big Island. I suppose that I am not the best person to host but they have got only one Ukrainian - thus they should be proud they have at least one!

I am really bored to be sick! Never thought that school can be so good. But now I should lift my ass and go to prepare to the PSAT and SAT. But my ass wants me to finish it. I am for.

The days I have had now can be described as dream-meal-homework. That's boring. So now I plan to make a schedule of fun and don't spend a lot of time with my gorgeous homework. Tomorrow I a going with Miranda to the beach. How happy am I! Then on Tuesday tango class, then theatre, then community theatre, then the birthday of host-dad. This week should be nice. But my skeptic and dull nature can turn it into the most fucking week ever. Hope the evil inside me is sleeping and my angel can enjoy the beauty of the life.

You know Ukraine was part of USSR 20 years ago. Nobody calls me communist. Yet! Because who else could I pick for my Spanish project? The rebeller and Marxist, the friend of Fiedel Castro - Che Guevara!!! I can imagine what Americans think!

Another thing is that I am always fix when people say Russia instead of Ukraine! Fucking Russia! Glory to Ukraine!!! Glory to the heroes!!! Yes, people are surprised by my patriotic feeling and predict that Ukraine will be great country in 10 years. Not bad for America.

If you see AHULI road.. what is your reaction?? Or something like that ? So Americans are far to apprehend the whole sarcasm that appears within me seeing such harrowing stuff. That's funny!

That's all for today! Hasta la vista!!! Chao!

The heaven in the hell.

As you know Hawaii can the most awesome place to live. You all get used to think about warm of hot islands that are heated by the sun rays with the wonderful nature. The last thing is true eventually, but not the first one. 

The hot weather is on the ocean shore where is nothing to do except to relax - that means you live far in the island if you want good school and well-to-do family. Hawaii are such exotic only for tourists. Blue ocean, amazing fish, beautiful dawn- that's all I see on weekends. Most of time I live near the mountain Mauna Kea - the highest on the island. It's really fun to see high pick from your window when you brush your hair or just use bathroom. There is Keck observatory here - hope I'll visit it soon. It is very strict law about attending observatory.

The most common temperature I have here - 22 of Celsius.So you think it's warm here? Maybe, but there are a lot of ill-make microbe and I have been ill for 4 weeks. That's Hawaii - weather in civilizd regions are changing in a minute.

But visit Pacific shore - it is worth a mess, like Paris

Moulin Rouge is here

Friday night I got a possibility to visit the best thing in September - Homecoming. Originally that was holiday dedicated to American football games - but in such a small school as mine there's no jacks and American football. So we have homecoming as evening dance. And yes, of course, you should pay 5$. But that is not the worst that can expect you!

There is a custom to appoint King and Queen and also Prince and Princess of homecoming. King and Queen should be seniors, and their "children" - from 11,10 or 9 grade. That was easy to foresee that King would be President of school and Queen - president of seniors! But they are really lovely guys! So it was honest!

This homecoming was different from others - it was Sadie Hawkins. So you can guess I was free - it was frustrated to ask boy for me (you know I have invisible crown that can fall down). But other girls did. But I wasn't only who didn't.

The special thing about American discos is grinding. I can't say there's no such a vulgar movement in Ukraine. Of course it is in night clubs over midnight! But I am nor visitor of such institutions! So it was real surprise for me one more time to see shy girls grinded!

My best Chinese friend - Rin - also had date. But now I respect Hayden so much! He even didn't touch her! That was so nobly of him!

After homecoming I noticed one thing - there are some people I can talk to in school frankly! Rin, Hayden, several boys from my grade. But I learned how to enjoy loneliness and consider it is the greatest skill I could gain here! Because in every society we are isolated. We try to shift perspectives and look at the bottom of people's souls but we can't! We have this strange meat costume that isolate us! So everybody is lonely form the scratch of his life and till close connection with others! If you don't have your soul sister or brother you are alone! But that is not bad!

Sorry for such lyrical monograph! Sure I will write something happier and gladder next time 

White Rabbit and Red Queen

When you go as exchange student to another country that means that you will have your school society as necessary part of your life. So I do - the first thing that makes me familiar with life in America and traditions and habits is main course schoolmates and teachers.

I'm senior - 12th grade student. And as I'm in private school we have small class - 25 students. That's pretty good to have not big grade. But our class is loud - we admire listening to music and not everyone really appreciate our music tastes, so sometimes we try to be silent. And time to time it works.

My class is familiar with exchange students. Two years ago they had Ukrainian girl and previous year they hosted Lebanon boy. So they don't ask me silly questions. But they are too respectful and very careful with me. They don't joke with often because they don't want to offense me. But it's offense to be not a part of a class. So now it's better - I feel myself a part of this crazy people. I like them.

They were very surprised I'm so young, but there's nothing discriminative because of my age. You are welcome if you are 12, if you have the smallest or the biggest height, if you weight 100 or 200 pounds. It doesn't matter.

Other people are also very lovely and they are excited when they get I'm from Ukraine. Thanks God, nobody says it's part of Russia and that's content me)

My class is also major class here. We should think about graduation and other very amazing stuff. So I've never been bored with my classmates.

Anastasia in the Wonderland

Different traditions and diverse mentality of the USA are especially seen on Hawaii, where culture mixed up in one big global sphere. It greatly has caused schools - the main connection for teens and children. Every day in school is worth of depiction but there's stuff much more amazing. Holidays and activities.

The first activity I experienced here was Camp Out. That's when High School students take tents and bags and drive to ranch or simply field with one or two buildings for stuff and meal. All 4 grades have own territories for sleeping and spending the time. So seniors are the most powerful and privileged grade ever. They also get used to do 'devotion' to younger students. This time we stole one shoe of some persons. It was really funny, when teacher's shoe disappeared but we weren't guilty. But of course everybody thought that was nasty seniors.) All grades sleep in the tents except seniors. We are allowed to sleep outside not divided into boys' and girls' tents. That's amusing thing to sleep outside in sleeping bag. You should try it. Indeed.

Next thing was Barbecue. Barbecue O'hana Fall Meeting. Parents and siblings of students gather  together and just relax, listen to music, dance, play and talk. That's really great thing to spend your Friday in such a way. In the future I have Prom, Performances, School field trips etc. But the nearest holiday is Homecoming. It will be in the next posts.

Through the Looking-Glass

It's almost month as I've been to Hawaii. I've never could suggested that time can pass so fast.
I decided to keep a journal month ago and so I've done. But now I want to share my little life experience with you on electronic resources. 

The first thing I've never supposed about Hawaii is that it can be cool here. Of course, it's warm. But evenings are still too chilly for my Ukrainian blood. But August&September are the chilliest months here - that's why I stiil have a hope.

I have a nice family. Today I really got that I have the best sister ever! Zoe is wonderful girl and she is very smart. This Hawaiian society broke down my opinion about stupid American stereotype. I don't know what is in the USA mainland but here - in the USA heaven people are really nice. There's no life that runs faster every second of day. Everybody present's o'hana - family - to you. You have no choice but take that atmosphere to your soul and heart.

It's really pleasure that people know geography, they have high IQ and they like to work and to study.

My school is private one which is pretty old comparing to other schools on Hawaii. There was paradox with my grade: I wanted to be senior. But my coordinator got message that I would be sophomore. In school I was said I was in junior class. But eventually I am senior - the youngest senior in my school. I chose classes I want to learn. So my schedule looks like this:
- US History
- AP Calculus ABC
- AP Euro
-  Study Hall
- Project Physics
- English
- Chemistry
- Spanish
- Advisory
- Dramatiques
And I suppose instead of Drama I will have dance in November. Every day I begin my school at 8.10. Every period is 50 minutes. Usual break is 10 minutes and I have Advisory - 30 minutes and Lunch break - 50 minutes. My classes are over at 3 p.m. After this I go home or have Drama.

I'm also in Community Theater. I don't play the major role. But as my teacher says - there's no small roles there's only small actors. So I will be all the time on stage in "Oliver!" and still have hope to get major role in future.
I'm also "Miss Smile" in my grade. It's title for yearbook. I'm really enjoying my school. I have an opportunity to build circuits, to solder, to carry on chemical researches. That is amazing thing, my friends.

I can't say - everything is perfect. But it's not the worst case I could experience. I even dream and think in English. I can't speak Russian - only Ukrainian, English, Spanish and French. Even I don't have French in curricular I have an opportunity to talk to host-mom's friend. She is perfect French-speaker. My attempt to have Japanese failed but I hope I'll do it further. I have a lot of work here. And I'm glad I'm busy. But some people say that I push myself. I can't say so.

Hope you got something really amusing from my little article. See you later!