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 Oleksandra Samborska. Sasha is a flex alumni coordinator for American Council's flex or the future leaders exchange program allows you to spend 10 months living in America and to dive deeper into that culture. Sasha is a flex alumna. So during her year in 2018, and 2019, she lived in Loveland, Colorado. Currently, she's traveling a lot creating projects in different countries and trying to support Ukraine as much as possible. Sasha loves dancing, especially hip hop, and Vogue. And she also enjoys taking part in youth exchanges like the Erasmus Plus Sasha, how are you today?
Oleksandra Samborska 1:23
Hello, I'm pretty good.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 1:25
Thank you, and to begin exploring who you are at first, if your friends and the people who know you work to describe Sacha, what would they say?
Oleksandra Samborska 1:37
Yes, they'd say that I am definitely very outgoing, and open minded, because I like trying new things and discovering new possibilities. And the third one, I guess they say that I'm creative. Because if you need to come up with something, I am the person to talk to.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 1:59
I like that. And they seem to me to bid to be a bit related. Do you feel when you're creating projects, that creativity is very important. So you try to do things in a new way, or to repeat what others before have done that work so that it's reliable.
Oleksandra Samborska 2:20
Now, it depends on the situation, because we all have those slumps, and burnouts. So sometimes, when you just work personally, when I don't feel very inspirational, I go and look at what other people are doing, and maybe either getting inspired by their projects and their ideas, and trying to create something of myself. But I think in general, it's pretty easy to come up with ideas when you're surrounded by right people, by the people who actually support you, and give you that motivation to grow, and motivation to explore bigger and harder things.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 3:07
I like that. And that sounds to me, like the flex community that there will be exceptional people who together are supporting and elevating each other. And you as someone who has lived in the US, and now you're traveling everywhere, as well as growing up in Ukraine, what differences did you notice about yourself changing because of spending time and a different culture that your personality get? She has all then evolved in a different way?
Oleksandra Samborska 3:43
Very interesting question. I'd say that my personality definitely shifted since I came to America. And since I started traveling in a way that I'm more mature, in even simple things like cooking or buying clothes, and in other ways that I can solve bigger problems. And especially when I came from America, I started being more focused on mental health. Because I can't say that in Ukraine, it used to be a big topic. Now it is. But when I came back from America, it was very interesting for me to see how people react in different situations, and how I specifically react to different factors. So that's how my personality shifted. And now that I'm 20 I feel like other cultures also affects me in a historical perspective, and what I mean by that well When I explore the history of a specific country like Slovakia, or Poland or Serbia, I can see how we share similarities and how these similarities shape our mentality as nations. So that's a very interesting perspective that I gained through traveling right now.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 5:20
Thank you. And since this historical perspective is very important for you, and we're at a very historical moment in Ukraine's history, how was that day the 24th of February for you? How did you hear about the war? What happened? How did you feel? Tell us the story? Oh, that's
Oleksandra Samborska 5:44
actually a very curious story. Because that night 23rd on 24th, for some reason, I couldn't fall asleep. I just, you know, I'm a very heavy sleeper. So if I lay down, I fall asleep, like immediately. But that specific night, I just really couldn't. And approximately at 2:30am, I hear like a thud. In my bathroom. I lived in a dorm at that time. So I had a roommate. In other room, I was alone in my room, and there was another room, and we shared one bathroom. So I hear like a loud noise from bathroom, I like run there, knock on the door. And then I just hear, Oh, my God, Sasha, I'm losing my consciousness. But I mean, in Ukrainian, so that was a little bit faster, sad, opening of the lock, and that I just opened this door and see that my roommate just falls on the floor. I tried to like, pick her up a little bit like her back to sit her down, that I immediately call for ambulance. And I just stay there with her try to make her as comfortable as I can. And just to keep her conscious for the time that ambulance comes. Then at 3am ambulance comes, they check her out. They say that she was just overstressed and I was there, I was making sure that she was okay. When they left. She fell asleep. I came to my room. And it was like 330 Maybe. So if I fell asleep at that time, I would wake up at 10. And it would it would be okay. But again, for some reason, I just couldn't fall asleep. And then at five in the morning, I check out the news. And I see that Mr. Putin announcing that his special operation, as we know it is it was a war. And I just lose it completely. I remember my heart beating so fast, like I could hear it in my ears. And I remember reading chats and seeing people writing there that oh my gosh, we have bombings in our cities. And at first I was like no way. Like maybe it's a joke. Maybe someone's like joking. But then I was like, No, it's not. And I start calling my mom, I wake up my mom, my dad because I was in view. It's a west of Ukraine. And they live in Kirby because I'm originally from Romania. And I started calling them like, are you okay? Is everything okay? They wake up, they start like doing something reading the news. Then I like hung up. I was trying to calm myself down because I was still very, very nervous and anxious, of course. And then understand that I have to go and wake up my friends. So I call my friend. It's like 545, maybe six ish. They're sleeping. I'm like, I'm coming over. I come over to their room. And I just immediately started crying. I remember I was crying so hard that they didn't understand what I was saying. And then they gave me some water. I was starting to, like, go back to life a little bit. And then I explained that checkout the news were started. And that's how their parents started calling them after that. And me and my friend decided to go to her house like her family house that is close to leave. Because there was no way I would be traveling 19 hours on the train to query as much as I wanted to go to my parents and stay there. I was just not in a mental point to do that. So we collectively decided to go to my friend's house and that was very crazy because I haven't slept all night and then we had to travel and first sirens started sounding and it was just so so scary that I just, I can't even explain how scary it was. Because I was checking the news every second incredibly terrified to miss that my city where my parents live was bombed. And I just couldn't stop looking at the screen. So I guess that's how it all started for me.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 10:28
Yes, it's a horrible and very stressful situation. And I'm really, really sad that the war continues till for after so many months and so many losses and lives that are totally ruined or change in a negative way. And to ask you as an alumni coordinator at FLEX program, how did your work or flex change or adapt after this war?
Oleksandra Samborska 11:03
Well, number one, we started fundraising, we have a flex fundraiser, that helps some of our alumni who are actually in territorial defense or Ukrainian armed forces to get the equipment that they need. And we're fundraising for them. We're fundraising for other people who just fill out the form and need some financial help. And in the beginning, we also were supporting students who came to other flex countries by giving them contact information of other alumni coordinators from those countries. So they could help add to place where those alumni were. Because as much as we'd like to help, we can't really help with flats, like in Poland or in Slovakia. And by giving that information, we can actually point the person who is in that city and can help on the ground. And right now, I think all of our work is mostly about spreading awareness about war in Ukraine. Like for example, you know, that tomorrow will be the Independence Day on 24th of August. And we're trying to fundraise some more money for our fundraiser through giveaway, where we're giving away flex merch, and that's actually going great. And the second one we're doing Ukraine trivia dedicated to Independence Day, so more international people can get to know Ukraine more, because we love our country. And we're incredibly sad that this is going on, and it's affecting everyone like everyone's lives. And I think everything right now is connected to helping Ukraine. Because it's affecting us,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 13:02
of course, and thank you. And how did the situation somehow change? Because in the beginning, of course of the war, there was so much awareness, so many people helping, etc. But it's also part of human nature that when people get used to hearing about a tragedy, it becomes less alarming, less special. Did you notice this? Or do you feel that the level of mobilization of all the people trying to help is still as high as ever?
Oleksandra Samborska 13:38
Honestly, I'd say it dipped a little bit, because people, quote unquote, got used to it. But I'd still say that there are a lot of people and a lot of countries who are helping Ukraine, who are still spreading awareness. And, of course, it's been six months of full scale war, but it's been eight years of the war. And I don't recall seeing a lot of information about the war in 2020, or in 2019. So it makes sense that people started getting tired of in, but I also really, really, really asked all the people to remember because as long as we stay in the news, as long as we stay in the feed in the your friends stories even or in your conversations, we're not letting Russia win. Because if everyone forgets like everyone forget with Georgia, EVERYONE FORGOT with Syria, EVERYONE FORGOT with any other country that Russia oppress and invaded part of it. We don't want that. And we'd like to say in the news,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 14:57
thank you and What recently or most importantly, right now you'd like to raise awareness about the most when it comes to this invasion of Ukraine, this horrible war.
Oleksandra Samborska 15:13
I don't know if everyone saw that video, but there was video circulating where Russian soldier tortured and disfigured the crotch area of our soldier. And then of course, killed him. And I'm I can't even think. And I don't even want to imagine what other things are going on behind the lens of a camera. Because right now, as of started, defenders are still in captivity. And they're going to have quote, unquote, trial, which is, of course not a trial, it's an execution. So I'd really like all people to remember about as hostile defenders and to sign petitions, share posts, talk about it, because it is incredibly scary that those people are still in captivity and so many other Ukrainian soldiers. So I guess that's one of the main things that I'd like to spread awareness about,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 16:20
of course, and for sure, and as you said, this war has been going on for six months, millions of Ukrainians are now after fleeing the war, they are all over the world, whether it's North America, the UK, in Europe, do you believe or feel with the economical destruction, all the things that are going on that now that they have their own life, their own, work their own studies in a different country, they're likely to return fast, when the war is over, and there is victory for Ukraine or that they will feel it's better to stay and continue their success abroad and save money or something, which is a lot of brain drain for Ukraine.
Oleksandra Samborska 17:14
Honestly, I can't say for all people, because everyone is different. And of course, every Ukrainian is different, but the community that I'm in, and that surrounds me, I'm sure he's going to come back to Ukraine, even after studies, even if they're going to stay like for two, three years to finish their studies. I'm sure they're going to come back to Ukraine and help our generation and next generations to rebuild our country. Because I'm going to talk from my personal experience, after going to the US after traveling along, I still am sure that I want to go back to Ukraine and build a life there. Because it's my country. I'm very proud of it. And I know the huge potential that we have. And I'd like to be the person who, even in a smallest amount helps Ukraine achieve that potential.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 18:15
Thank you. And then these times of really, really extreme stress, how do you keep your mental health, your inner balance? Do you still dance and that's your way? Or what do you do in order to keep yourself from burning out and from totally getting distraught, like what you talked about during that first day of the invasion, and that time when you are crying so much, you were incoherent.
Oleksandra Samborska 18:47
If to talk about dance, I'm not dancing right now. It's been actually very hard to come back to dancing with everything that's going on. But I'm trying to slowly apply at least some physical exercise back into my life. I started doing yoga recently, like five days ago, and that's going pretty well. So that's one of the mechanisms that I keep up my mental health. And other is opening up to my friends. Because sometimes you don't need advice, or you don't need a person to tell you something. Sometimes you just want to talk. And that's what I tried to provide for my friends at what my friends provide for me. And of course, when everything feels very hard, I go to psychologist and try to find help there.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 19:46
Thank you. That's actually, you know, it's humanity and humans who can be evil or they can be the greatest angels that help us overcome what projects I know Well, you're fundraising and et cetera. And you said Tomorrow is an important day in the history of Ukraine, etc. And at the same time, there are talks that there is a danger of some attack, etc. What projects are you currently working on, that you're trying to use to help Ukraine or the flex alumni community?
Oleksandra Samborska 20:25
Well, number one, as I said, is a fundraiser. The second one is, it's called a particular outcome, particular is special way of drawing. It's a Ukrainian way of drawing. And I'm going to do like a small project, it's also going to be a fundraiser in Riga in Latvia. In the end of September, where I'm going to show people Latvians how to draw a Ukrainian traditional drawing in a postcard. And of course, I'm going to invite some Ukrainian flex alumni who are currently studying or just living there to join us and to talk about their experiences of war and their experiences of current events. So that's how I'm going to try to spread awareness about war in Ukraine, and fundraise money.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 21:30
Thank you so much, Sasha, I really hope that the Ukraine Independence Day will be a day of new independence as well from this invasion and this horrible war. And thank you for sharing your perspectives. I encourage you to keep going. This was absolutely enriching. And all I can say is Slava Ukraini,
Oleksandra Samborska 21:56
Heroyam Slava. And thank you so much, as always, for inviting me to this podcast. I really enjoyed talking to you. And I hope that you're going to have a great life.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 22:07
Thank you. And just the detail if people want to discover more about the fundraisers, the project you're working on, is there a website or social media or the best place for them to go to find out the latest that anytime and to support and help?
Oleksandra Samborska 22:25
You can definitely check out our social media accounts. It's at Instagram, at flex alumni West UAE. All information is there. And if you're not very Instagram person, we have Facebook, which is Alexandra soundboards, CR AC, so you can find me there.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 22:43
Thank you so much, and you do have a wonderful and successful progress and life. Thank you again
