Episode Transcript
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 0:08
femininity is powerful in all its forms, exceptional women, rare girls must be appreciated in every way for their perspectives, actions, thoughts, and their unique ways of being. Such rare girls are inspiring. And this is what this podcast is all about. Hello, my name is Aziz and my guest today is Marta Chavez. Marta is a FLEX program semifinalist in Kyiv, Ukraine, her passion and future goal is to immerse herself deeply in learning the Ukrainian language, culture, and literature. Her main hobbies include reading, writing, learning English and video editing, Martha took second place in the all Ukrainian marathon of Ukrainian language. She wrote her very first text to the popular Ukrainian feminist magazine, devote chi media, and became one of the winners of an essay contest she is science by STEM is femme community, as well as being an engine student. Marta, how are you today?
Marta Shvets 1:29
Hello, everyone. I'm great. Thanks. Hi,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 1:33
again, and to ask you and to begin exploring the essence of who you are. If your friends were to describe you to share their thoughts about your personality about what kind of girl you are, what would they say?
Marta Shvets 1:50
I bet the first thing they would say is that I'm creative. I'm funny, sarcastic, I think. And I guess it's all I'm trying to build my personality around those qualities. And, yeah,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 2:07
thank you. And it's so interesting. You mentioned that you're building your personality. Do you believe that we are born with a specific personality that grows over time, or we can decide the kind of person we wish to be? And build and develop that?
Marta Shvets 2:25
I guess it we can build our personality? But yeah, everybody has their own qualities they have from childhood, for example, I guess it's I have some qualities from my parents. And I'm trying to take them and to make a personality that will be comfortable for me, and interesting for other people. And I think that's good. Just I don't have to forget, who am I really am?
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 2:58
Thank you. That's really interesting. It can be difficult to know who you really are? And what are the ideas or thoughts that are put on by other people by society by Tiktok, and Instagram? How do you know who you really are and what you really want compared to things that maybe you were adopted from other people and then became automatic inside?
Marta Shvets 3:28
I guess it's social medias, and our relatives and friends have such a big impact on all of us. And on me for sure, I see that I have a lot of qualities from my teachers, my friends, and sometimes it's hard to find your own way to be yourself, and not to lose yourself in this world, in this world of social medias. And I'm still trying to find my own way. But I'm happy to have a lot of people around me, who can tell me more about myself. And I can feel like a comfortable person for myself and for other people.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 4:21
Thank you, and is your passion for the Ukrainian culture, part of taking some of those traits that are celebrated within the culture and incorporating them into yourself and understanding yourself through the lens of culture? Or how does it affect the person you become when you learn about Ukrainian language, more the culture, the literature, etc.
Marta Shvets 4:48
I started learning Ukrainian literature and going deeply into Ukrainian culture, I guess at eighth grade. And since then, I developed my personality so much. And it's built on some memes of Ukrainian literature, some interesting facts about Ukrainian culture. And I guess I had such a big impact from my Ukrainian literature teacher. And from my parents, they taught me a lot about Ukrainian culture and how I should not be scared of speaking Ukrainian language in my own country. Because before, I had a lot of thoughts about maybe I should not speak Ukrainian, with some people, I don't know, maybe I should speak Russian with them. But this cell was, like stupid assault, because of Russian invasion and Russian invasion to Ukrainian culture, if we don't even see if we don't even talk about military invasion. And I love learning Ukrainian culture. I'm trying to learn it by myself now. But I bet I'm going to study it in university. And that's the things that I want to do in the future. I guess that we all have to support Ukrainian culture. Because it's so interesting. It's so unexpected sometimes for people that don't learn it. And we have to save it now from the invaders.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 6:30
Thank you. And if you are to explain first, what is the meaning of a culture, in your opinion? And what is interesting for you about Ukrainian culture that any foreigner listening who doesn't know, might be surprised to discover,
Marta Shvets 6:49
in my opinion, culture is everything we can think about Ukraine. If we talk about Ukraine, for example, culture is language, cultures, music, literature, everything we can think about. It's a part of our culture, even our things, our clothes, our thoughts is part of our culture. And for me, it's interesting, because for a lot of centuries, Ukrainian culture was trying to find her own way. Like I'm trying to find my own way. Now. It was stopped by Russian culture, it was not that popular between people. And it's not even that popular between people now. So I guess that I'm trying to make Ukrainian culture more popular, even between my friends now. I'm trying to speak Ukrainian language with them as much as they have.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 7:50
No worries. And tell me about these days, how do you distract yourself from any pressure, any stress, any bad news, what activities really recharges you, inspire you, and change your mood.
Marta Shvets 8:08
In March, I came to Germany from Ukraine. And at first month, I couldn't do anything at all. I couldn't even read something or write something. I was just staying at home and trying to stay calm, not reason youth. And only at the start of the summer. I found a library near my home with Ukrainian books in Germany, which was so unexpected, but so great. And I started reading some books, mostly Ukrainian books, but some of them were in English, or even in German. And I guess reading and listening to music is the only thing that's keeping me alive now. I'm trying to study now also, because this year is my senior year in Ukraine. And after that, I'm going to university. So I'm already studying for my exams. And I guess it's trying to make your routine that was before the Russian invasion started is a way to cope with stress. As for me,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 9:21
thank you. And tell me about your Flex application process. How did you discover it? Did anybody encourage you? How is the situation any stories you have?
Marta Shvets 9:34
Yes, I found about FLEX program a lot of years ago because a lot of students from my gymnasium, try to participate or even participated in that exchange program. So this year was my last opportunity here to participate in Flex and my first try to participate. I send my application on the last day on like day before deadline I and I passed to the second. And after that to the search tool. On the searcher, I had a lot of complicated things to deal with, like writing texts, signing some medical forms. But I'm happy that they took part in it. And unfortunately, FLEX program changed the number of the students who could participate this year because of Russian invasion. Therefore, I think that's one of the reasons why I am not a finalist. But who knows, maybe it's even great opportunity that I tried to participate because I improved my English, I found new friends. And next year, even so I can take part in Flex anymore. I'm going to take part in another exchange programs, for example, you WC is also interesting for me.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 10:58
Thank you. And can you tell me about February 24? How was that day for you? How did you discover or hear about the war? How did you feel? And how did these months change you as a person
Marta Shvets 11:13
21st of February changed my life immediately, like less of most of Ukrainians. I bet. I woke up because of explosion. And after that, my mom woke up and because of the explosion, and we just took not a lot of things we could take to come to an answer place in Clift, my grandmother's home, because she had a place to hide. She had the basement. At home, we didn't have any basement to hide from explosions. So I spent my first five days I guess, in Ukraine, in the basement with my relatives with my friends. And it was really hard. I have to say it was really hard because we heard explosions. And on first days of work, everybody saw that Russian invaders are going to come to my city to sceptre of Ukraine key and they came. But fortunately, our forces beat them. And they didn't come to my house, fortunately. And after that, my life just turned so weird. For me. It's, again for me each day, it's 21st of February, I can say that it's entered the summer now, because it's still February for me. I feel like I spent five months in Germany already. But it doesn't feel like that at all. I hope that maybe soon. war will end but I'm still Russian invaders are still here are still at my home in my country. I can't go home. And that sucks. That's so bad.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 13:05
Thank you. All I can say is Slava okra Genie. Hello, I am suave. How was adapting to the culture in Germany. What is the difference between that you notice between the culture the attitude of the people in Germany compared to when you are growing up? In give Ukraine as well as Did you find it difficult to make friends? Or how was that situation?
Marta Shvets 13:33
In the middle of April when I was already four months in Germany. I started with it in German school, just to find some friends because I was still studying online in my Ukrainian school. But I had to find some friends just to start our lives here. And fortunately, my German classmates, they were so great and so sweet. I made the friends. And they were all curious about me about the war, about Ukraine about Ukrainian culture. I told them all the difference I saw between Ukraine in Germany between our policies between our culture, and that's so interesting, and I'm so happy that German people, they're so sweet and so kind. And I'm thankful to German to German government, for letting me stay here and feel safe for now. And I hope that I can go back to Ukraine as soon as possible. But I'm still happy to find new friends here in Germany.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 14:45
Thank you. I'm really happy your situation is more stable, and that things are progressing for you. Thank you, Martha. This was my privilege, my honor, such an enriching calm. We're sation and I wish you a great weekend
Marta Shvets 15:03
thank you so much it was such a great opportunity for me to join your podcast
