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 Ana standing go. Anna is the winner of chemistry, math and English competitions, a semifinalist of flex 2020 and an engine student. Her two passions are chemistry and cinematography. She is a quarterfinalist of international tournament of young chemists. And she also published an article about chemistry pollution, as well as filmed a short film about one addiction. Anna, how are you today?
Anna Shtandenko 1:10
I'm doing great. Thank you.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 1:12
I'm happy to have you here. I'm really curious to explore who you are. So I'll begin with this question. If your friends were to describe your personality, what would they say?
Anna Shtandenko 1:26
I think they would say that I'm open minded and determined with a weird sense of humor.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 1:33
I like that. And those are three different things. So to you, what does it mean to be an open minded person?
Anna Shtandenko 1:42
I think I perceive the information with a positive view. And I'm ready to explore new information in your things and try new things. So I think that's my interpretation of this term.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 1:56
I like that. So if I understood you correctly, you expect the best when you hear new information, you explore and try new things you don't expect to be harmed or for it to be negative. Is this correct?
Anna Shtandenko 2:11
Yeah, I would say that. It's like, I'm a bit optimistic. So yeah, it's kind of that.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 2:18
That's great. And what do you feel that you have a belief about life? Or about the world or something that makes you have this positivity that maybe not many people have? I don't know, it could be like Einstein said that you believe the world is a good place. It could be that when you are little everybody encouraged you to explore? And so yes, yes, yes. Or you watch a cartoon about Dora the Explorer, and you're like, that's me, or something like that.
Anna Shtandenko 2:48
I think I gain this optimistic view from my family and friends, because my families usually are not optimistic at all. So I don't like how, for example, my mom versus everything she has been, she thinks that everything is going to be the worst. So I chose to be optimistic to to not be as like, as my family because, yeah, I don't like to have you with all negativity, negativity, because you bring those negativity in your life, in your, to your friends to your study, and it's better to be positive. Okay, I
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 3:34
agree with you. It's a much better experience to everyone involved. And yes, I can relate. Because if I think about my grandmother and my mother to when they laugh a lot, they say, Oh, my God, we laughed a lot. That means something bad will happen to balance and punish. And I'm like, why? No, if you're alive, alive, you should laugh even more. And it's a sign of future positivity, but they don't see it that way. So you are an optimistic kind of person. You are open minded, you would like to try new things. And that seems to be really cool. How did you implement that in your life? Are you always trying new hobbies, new projects, or loving to travel? Like, how does it manifest in your reality?
Anna Shtandenko 4:25
Yeah, so since childhood, I love to do everything when made. I used to draw, I used to sing. I used to do a lot of things. And yeah, in recent years, I tried a lot of sports. I did volleyball, I played volleyball in my school, and I also recently like two years ago, I started doing archery, which is very great, and I feel so good when I do it. Unfortunately, I cannot do it right now in Germany, as I am here, but it was very great experience. And
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 5:00
thank you, it seems to me that your kinesthetic kind of person, since you love to do things with your hand to do sports and activities with your body. It also might mean and often means that you feel emotions and sensations very strongly. Is this correct? Yes,
Anna Shtandenko 5:20
I would say so.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 5:21
So two things. First, when you went to Germany or any other place, do people think you have like a bitch phase where your emotions seem to be angry? But in reality, you're positive? Because your face doesn't show it or not?
Anna Shtandenko 5:38
I think so. I, I haven't really paid attention to that. But I'm afraid. My face in like, I try to smile, like every second. But like the second I do not smile. I feel like I seem to be very angry at somebody. So I try to smile and my muscles hard so much. But it's better to, to live that way than within angry face all the time.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 6:11
Thank you, then why do you believe that your optimism, your positivity doesn't automatically translate into your face? Do you have a theory about it there? Have you thought it through?
Anna Shtandenko 6:24
Honestly, I don't think so. I think that I gained my positivity, because I smile. And I smile because I don't want two people to perceive me as an angry person. So maybe that's that way. But I haven't really thought about that. A lot. So yeah, I think so.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 6:47
Thank you. Do you have stories or experiences where some other people said, Oh, my God, when I first saw you, I thought you're an arrogant stuck up, girl. But you're so nice. And you're like, contrary to all my expectations? Did this ever happen to you?
Anna Shtandenko 7:06
Honestly, no. But maybe my friend just don't want to tell me the stories because it wouldn't be so embarrassing. So yeah, I'm kind of afraid. Me. Yeah, I'm kind of afraid. Some, like, not so close friends do have those stories. But I hope I hope I don't seem so angry and so annoyed by something. So
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 7:32
yeah, thank you. And did you find it somehow easy to make new acquaintances, new friends when you arrive to Germany? Or is it a struggle?
Anna Shtandenko 7:43
Honestly, I'm not the kind of person that would walk up the street and ask somebody something. So I'm almost almost all my friends I gained at school and went to school, and I'm very grateful. I have a lot of friends there. And we hang out. And they are very cool. So yeah, yeah, almost all my friends in Germany are from my school.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 8:10
That's really, really interesting. And to explore even more about you, I'm happy you have your friends from school, and that you can hang out and feel good together, what inspires on what experiences really fill you with that sense of passion for life, where probably your eyes will be shining with energy, and you just feel in love with reality and, and you feel excited to do the activities to jump to explore the world.
Anna Shtandenko 8:43
I have some stories about that. For example, when I came to Germany, I tried a lot of new things. And for example, I've been to the roller coasters for the first time, the drilling has ended was so great. And I had so much adrenaline and I was so happy about that. And I thought that all the world was in my feet. And I could do literally anything in this planet. And yeah, besides that, I also tried a lot of new traditional food in Germany. So yeah, there are a lot of things that inspire me and think that I'm I can do anything.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 9:24
I like that they believe you can do anything in this world. And it seems to me and correct me if I'm wrong. Do you love drama? I do love new emotions and bad boys and all the things that give you that electric uncertain feeling like a roller coaster because even before you're trying all the activities, you're trying new things you don't want to be like more in settling or tranquil situation somehow Is this correct? Tell me more.
Anna Shtandenko 9:58
So I would not To say that I love drama, because drama usually has negative consequences. For example, if somebody gets hurt, and there is investigation or something else, so I've referred to be calm. But if any, anything like interesting happens, I'm always have to be in it. And, for example, some, like interesting stories or something. But I if I would not prefer to be in the drama, because I know it's not me. So I would prefer to be near the drama and know all of the tea. Yeah,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 10:40
thank you. So you're not chilling and relaxing by watching documentaries about serial killers? I actually really like it, then how is that not enjoying drama? I,
Anna Shtandenko 10:53
you know, you see that. I love the drama in the films. For example, the action films are one of my favorites, that I wish I would not participate in drama in your life. Because in real life, it's not good. But in films is like, perfect. Because it's interesting, you know? And if, if movies don't contain drama, it's not interesting. So, yeah,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 11:19
I like that, it seems to me that interesting is a value or a goal that you have about life in general, let's explore the opposite. Imagine you cannot have anything interesting happening in your life. What will be bad about that?
Anna Shtandenko 11:37
Oh, I fear that I will live such a boring life. I could not wait. I fear that I will spend all my life in laboratory and do not speak to people. And that is my biggest fear. And I hope I did everything to try to be more communicative, and to meet new acquaintances. So I tried everything, to not have a boring life. But it's not working out yet. But I think it will in the
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 12:10
future. Thank you. So meeting new people and people in general, is something very important for you. Is this correct?
Anna Shtandenko 12:18
It is important and really, but I'm not very good at it yet. Yeah. So I'm in improving my communicative skills. I try to meet new acquaintances. So yes,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 12:31
thank you. And what's interesting about people and meeting new acquaintances, is it their stories? Is it learning from them? Or is it not feeling alone,
Anna Shtandenko 12:41
I think is both. It is important to know their story to know their mistakes, or maybe they can learn you some new lessons that you have never thought. And yeah, and it is very, I would say it's very important to have friends who can learn from an you can gain the experience. And you're also not alone. But on the other hand, it is also important to be good only with yourself. Because you're during your life, you're always going to be at some point alone, because people come and go, and the only one that you have is yourself. So you have to teach how to be good with yourself only. But also, it is important to have friends and who support you and who you can go somewhere and travel with
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 13:37
Thank you. And you study math and chemistry and to learn those topics and subjects. You need years of consistent, like reading, studying things that are more boring. How do you keep yourself motivated when you have to do the same things over and over again? That's one and second. Why do you love chemistry?
Anna Shtandenko 14:03
The the thing that gives me motivating is I believe that not not all science is boring. Because I love math because it has some interesting problems. For example, geometry, I love to solve geometry because it's more interesting than algebra for example. And for for the chemistry, I love chemistry because of the experiments because of the laboratory work. I mean, doing experiments and exploring new things. And I'm very grateful for my chemistry teacher. She was one of the best teachers in the entire world. She seemed so I'm in her work to explain she wanted to explain everything she wanted, forced her students to know everything and I'm She taught us a lot about chemistry and no chemistry and a lot of life lessons and the chemistry is, it was one of my favorite lessons in school. And I look forward to it every week that I was in school, and the chemistry as the community inspired me to do more.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 15:23
Thank you. And you mentioned interesting a lot throughout this conversation. What makes something interesting for you? What does that mean? If you could explain honors definition, an honest Dictionary of the world of the word interesting to the world? What would you say?
Anna Shtandenko 15:43
I would say it's something that means something to you, if it has a meaning to others, and if you if it makes you happy, if it makes you feel good, if you want to do that, if you feel passionate about that, then that's interesting. That's interesting. In the first place, it has to be interesting for you, for the people for myself. And if you find it interesting, I bet that other people, the environment will also find it interesting. Yeah, I think so.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 16:22
Thank you. And you mentioned that you have a quirky or unusual sense of humor. What does that mean?
Anna Shtandenko 16:29
Oh, man. It's it's very hard to explain, honestly. Because when my friends sent me memes, I don't usually find them funny. And, but there are some sedation, when I can I know, tell the anecdote or do some funny stuff. And it's like, so hilarious. And I cannot explain it. I'm sorry. But it's something that you fail in the moment when you want to say something funny. And, yeah, I think so.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 17:05
Thank you. I don't know we spoke a good amount of time, correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that you're likely to be a bit of a rebel or unusual where if people are negative, you're likely to be optimistic. But if you're alone, you don't want that boring, usual life. You want new acquaintances, new things happening. You don't want to do the normal hobbies, you want to do something more unique and different, like archery, etc. And therefore, it's about being maybe unique or individual or expressing your own uniqueness, but in a way that makes things happen in life that are unexpected. Did I understand correctly?
Anna Shtandenko 17:49
Yes. 100%. I think it's important to be unique in this world, in contemporary world fears. And you have to be true to yourself. That is the most important.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 18:04
Why is it important in this world to be unique,
Anna Shtandenko 18:08
because everybody's different. And everybody has their own story. And you have the voice to express yourself, and you have the voice to tell your own story. And I think that is the most important thing about our humanity, that everybody's different, and everybody has something to learn and something to give to other people. And we have to stay true to ourselves and learn from others.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 18:38
Thank you. So I'll ask you a different question. Do I understand this more? Imagine someone is being true to themselves. They're expressing their story, but everything they say is opposite to what you believe it's totally contradictory to what you want in this world, or someone is exactly with the same beliefs, same hobbies, same interests as you everything perfect, but I don't know you don't feel they're so true to themselves, which one do prefer?
Anna Shtandenko 19:13
I think I would prefer them the one who is true to himself, but has exactly opposite beliefs than I do. Because I think I want to learn for example, why the person believes this way and not the other way. And maybe he can teach me something or I can teach him something. And it is important to find a compromise and it is better to stay true to yourself. And yeah, and it is important to not change your personality. If somebody says you to and if you have have completely completely opposite beliefs than, for example humanity does. And it is important to still try to stay true to yourself. And feel confident about that. Because it's your it's your it's your human, and you have your beliefs. And it's important to stay, state your opinion and not change it or not change it. If somebody says you so it's your beliefs, why do they have to be wrong? Because you believe so? So, I believe it's important to stay true to yourself.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 20:36
Yes, it's very important. And have you ever had friends who are opposite to you in every way? And they're true to themselves? Or do you tend to have friends who are similar to you and everything?
Anna Shtandenko 20:51
No, no, of course, there are. A lot of I have a lot of friends that are, we have different views on many things, on movies, on political views on family problems, and etc, etc. But it is who we are, we are different. And we are this way, we, I cannot do anything to that. And that's, that's me, that's my friend. We're different. And that's okay. Yeah, I learned something from them. And they'll learn something from me. And that's great.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 21:26
Thank you. And so it's very important for you to be true to yourself to express your truth and your story. And every way to explore things to find what resonates with you, what is interesting to you is also meaningful, so it matches your true self or your reality. And so, do you find that we live in a world that tries to force people or shame people or embarrass people into not being themselves and into conforming? And have you had such a feeling that you're compromised yourself, and then it felt so bad that being honest and authentic and true to yourself became such an important value?
Anna Shtandenko 22:15
I think, for example, in the last century, there were a lot of laws that did not that prohibited a certain people. And I think now, the people is getting more good. Because the more I live, the more I explore, for example, there are a lot of lows for minorities, for colorful people for LGBTQ community. And I look forward to support them, because everybody's different. And you. And we all have to have equal rights, the same as men and men and women. And whatever you are, wherever you are, you have to have the opportunity to be who you are to work where you want to be. And it is I think it's a very big step to the, to the all humanity that right now, a lot of countries, for example, USA, a lot of Europe, countries have laws that allow people to express themselves in the way they want to. And I think we're getting closer, getting closer to perfection. Yes,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 23:37
I agree. It's very, very important. And please tell me about February 24. Where were you in that day? How did you hear about the war? How did you feel? And how was your reaction?
Anna Shtandenko 23:52
Yeah, so I woke up, as usual. And at six o'clock at night, I went to my phone and my phone, my phone literally blew up with only applications that the war has started. And I felt extremely devastated. But I was like, Okay, what do I do? I I didn't have a slight idea what I had to do. So I was like, okay, maybe I go to school as usual. And we will see and I'm getting ready to school with and I almost went out of the home and then my teacher tells us to stay at home because the worst hearted and we don't have to go to school. And then my family and I we have to think what are we going to do next because we cannot sustain that plays because and it was extremely terrible experience to be honest. I do not wish to repeat it I hope, I hope nobody experiences whatever Ukraine in experienced in that day, and finally fourth of February. So it was completely devastating and terrible. And, yes,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 25:17
I agree. 100%. I was there on February 24. And Ukraine when the war started, thank you, et cetera, how did you protect your mental health and keep your positivity and optimism, even after such an experience?
Anna Shtandenko 25:36
It was very hard. I had a few mental breakdowns. And I was very angry at everybody. And I said a lot of things that I didn't wish to say. And I think books and movies are one, those are the two things that keep me alive, honestly. And I feel that I take energy from them. And those are two things that helped me a lot to go through such bad experiences in my life.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 26:10
Thank you. I agree. And I really hope, you know, everything will be fantastic, and that Ukraine will win the war and that the economy will be rebuilt even better, and everybody will be happy. And all I can say is love okra eenie
Anna Shtandenko 26:28
had, I just love it. Thank you so much for their support. I really appreciate it. i Yeah. Thank you for this.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 26:38
You're welcome. But final question, because I'm curious about you. You love people, you love to do things with your body. But you get energy from books and movies. How does that work? Because it seems to be contradictory.
Anna Shtandenko 26:52
Yeah. So I think the books and movies give me more energy than I can ever take from an activity. Because if I just pours the energy that I do will last only like five minutes, and then I want to go to sleep again. And it doesn't, doesn't change me. But the film, the film, and the movies, the books, they teach me lessons, they tell a story that will be with me forever. And that is something that keeps me quiet. And with my personality.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 27:30
I love that answer. You really have a lot of wisdom and depth to you. I really thank you for this conversation. And really, please take care of yourself and I hope that will be great news for Ukraine soon. Thank you again. Thank you
