Jerry, thanks for asking. My Mom and her sister (my Aunt Lily) immigrated here when my Mom was about 9 years old. When my Mom and aunt and my grandfather and grandmother left their home in far eastern Ukraine, they were trying to survive raids by both Nazi's and Russian's for food and clothing (and rape and pillaging) by both countries. Mom was 4 or 5 when they started on their journey.
Subsequently my grandfather decided to load the family up into a covered wagon and travel west across all of Ukraine, under a tunnel in the Carpathian Mountains which was destroyed by German bombing runs shortly after they made it through the tunnel, and eventually into Germany where my Mom and aunt "grew up" for about 5 years in a German refugee camp.
My Mom and aunt have blonde hair and blue eyes, so they looked just German enough that when the air raid sirens sounded off, the local German populace protected them in shelters. But they never fed my Mom or aunt, and my Mom and her sister grew up starving in their most early formative years.
My Ukrainian Grandma grew up having to speak Russian because the Ukrainian language was banned from use in her time. She just recently died on December 26th, 2013 at one week short of being 100 years old. But my Mom and aunt spoke Ukrainian with a sort of German accent because of their situation.
I visited Ukraine for the first time in the spring of 2012. I went to Zaporizhzhya to the ancestral homeland of the Cossacks. Then I traveled south by train to Simferopol in Crimea which is the very city that has been recently taken over by Russian troops including the very airport I flew out of on my way home!!!
I don't have any immediate family in Ukraine anymore, but I do have wealthy cousins in Russia. However, we are not that close.
But that being said, I do correspond with a friend in western Ukraine in IvanoFrankivsk, and I look forward to meeting her for the first time this summer. She had this to say to me as of last week. Her letter reaffirmed for me what I so admire about the Ukrainian people. It's not just my birthright. These people have so much heart, you can't be a warm blooded conservative American and not be touched by them!!! And yeah, she's a real person, not a fraud. We video chat when we can and we have been corresponding for about a year now.
Hello Andy! wink
How is the last day of winter treating you? Are you having a good day there and ready for the relaxing weekend? I am quite fine, at least happy that it's Friday already! I can practically feel that spring is in the air! smile I already feel this warm wind on my face, I feel it playing with my hair, I can feel tender sunrays touching my skin. I am so much waiting for the spring blossom! Sometimes it seems to me that there are no trees as beautiful and in my home village! The nature there is amazing and so close to my heart. Wherever I go, whoever I am in future, this place will always stay in my heart! Do you have the same feelings about your original home? We have many cherry, apple, pear trees, lilacs and lots of flowers. I feel like I am in heaven when it all blossoms! The smell is so incredible! The beauty is beyond comparison! That's why I can't wait for this cold and long winter to be over. I know that beauty and warmth won't come in a day, but they are very close! smile What do you expect from this magical time?
I am very happy for your students and for your Bible study group! Isn't it great to enjoy a simple working day? Good for you! As for the situation here, there is so much I can say. Still, I can't choose a word to express my disgust and despair towards the actions of Russia! sad They are doing to Ukraine and Crimea exactly what they have done to Georgia and Abkhazia! The only difference is that we still can win this fight with or without the help of foreign countries. I am being very optimistic about it! I hope that God helps us with that!
Very often people don't notice simple things - smile of a child, beauty of a flower, someone's tender touch or soft look. People are rushing all the time trying to get something vague, something they consider to be important. But don't they get that life is not a rehearsal? We live only once, not yesterday, not tomorrow... we live now! Right? So, I hope you are doing your best to value each moment, each perfect second of your life. smile Yes, there are many harsh issues in our lives, there are many barriers to overcome. Still, I think they all exist for a reason! Also I think that all the best things in this world are free - nature, smile, love! All we need is to be openhearted and positive. So, I wish you to enjoy this spring! I wish you to meet it with an open heart. May spring come to you not only naturally, but also spiritually. wink Are you ready?
Sometimes I think about what we get from life and how do we use it? Do you know what I have realized? It's not about how much we receive. It's all about how well we use what we've got! write Valuing things (and people of course) is very urgent, especially nowadays when technologies seem to be people's best friends. Look at Ukrainians, for instance. During last 25 years we have survived crash of the USSR and two revolutions. We have survived awful politicians and numerous economic difficulties. But guess what? We've managed to keep a warm heart, generous soul and belief that everything will be all right. smile We managed to save this spirit of freedom and will to fight for the better future no matter what! Last events in Ukraine have taught me so much. My compatriots have shown me how much can one love own country and its people. They have literally given their lives for the better future of their families. This is what I call being extra-human! May all the heroes rest in peace! angel So, when I hear how our ex-president states that we are extremists and terrorists, I really want to punch someone in the face! Since when do people who want better life are called Nazis?
As for the chat, I will let you know as soon as I have some free time. I am not sure when will it be possible though. So, patience please))) I will do my best! All right, to end my letter in a positive way, I wish you lots and lots and lots and lots of smiles for this March! I am sure it will be extremely happy and surprising not only for Ukraine, but also for the whole world in general. I may sound like a beauty pageant contestant now, but I believe in World Peace! bouquet How about you? Do you think it's possible?
My very best wishes,
Galya
Ukrainians for the most part, are just fighting for the very privilages that we take for granted as Americans (despite the fact that Obama is willing to destroy our Constitution to further his own agenda!) The people of Ukraine deserve our support, they are fighting the very same fight our Founding Father's fought in their initial protests to "taxation withought representation" and freedom from tyranny.
The fact that Obama is so weak on the issue so far, is of complete embarrassment to me.
I appreciate you asking. I know I gave you more information that you could ever want. But I am very affected by the situation there.
Thank you so much for your consideration.
Regards,
-Tutt
"It ain't dead! As long as there's ONE COWBOY taking care of ONE COW, it ain't dead!!!" (the Cowboy Way)
-Monte Walsh (Selleck version)
"These battered wings still kick up dust." -Peter Gabriel