Episode Transcript
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 0:00
your 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 Deanna Dmitri ever. The Dianna is a marketing student at Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadim headman in Ukraine. She also studied for half a year, in the Erasmus program, global management in Brussels, Belgium, her hobbies are dancing, and skiing, she has been dancing since she was five years old. So she tried a lot of styles. Diana also likes skiing, because she really enjoys spending time in the mountains for her. This is a great way to relax after studying her achievements are that she learned the French language in just five months. And she graduated from music school and had experience working with children at the age of 18. She visited 12 countries. Deanna, how are you today?
Diana Dmitriieva 1:34
I'm fine. Thank you.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 1:36
I'm happy that you're participating in this project. I'm really curious about you. So I'll begin with this question. If your friends were to describe your personality, what would they say about you?
Diana Dmitriieva 1:50
I think that they will said that I'm so communicative person, because I really love to meet with somebody and to know somebody else. So also is you could say that I'm really a happiest person, because I am optimistic. I would like to find something happy in my life not to cry every time. So I'm enthusiastic, I could say,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 2:18
thank you. And let's speak about the happiness, the optimism, the enthusiasm. Is this something you always had? Since you were a little girl? Or is this a new attitude that you trained and developed in yourself?
Diana Dmitriieva 2:32
Um, I could say that I have it like, since my childhood, because you know, like, a lot of children are really happy and optimistic every time. But sometimes, yeah, like a lot of people have some problems. So sometimes I'm not enthusiastic. But I'm trying to be optimistic. Because we have like, a lot of situation when we started to be angry, or to cry or whatever. And it's not a good, we should be, like, more optimistic. And in this way, we could find our solution to some problem.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 3:12
Thank you. And these days, what do you do that inspires you the most?
Diana Dmitriieva 3:19
Okay, I think it's my goals. inspires me with the language because I have the opportunity to leave my country. And now I am living in Belgium. So it was so difficult to understand another language. And I could say is that if you have a goal, it's really motivated to you. And yeah, now I can speak more than one language. So it's really nice.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 3:53
Thank you. Some people said that it's easier to make friends in Ukraine compared to Belgium because even though you can get to know people in Belgium, there is always some kind of distance that you feel is this correct? And how is the adaptation to the culture? How is it different Ukraine and Belgium when it comes to people and culture?
Diana Dmitriieva 4:17
Okay, so like, it's for me, I could say that we have like different mental thinking. Because of like, it's different countries, Ukraine, Belgium. So it's like a big problem because, for me, it was so difficult to speak with my teenagers, like Belgium's people. But anyway, I spent two years here and now everything is okay. So you should understand in which way they're thinking, what are their goals or what they prefer to do? Because you should Your ad update anyway, because you live here. So I could say also that they're really nice people, they're not angry, they're not to discriminate you. So they really would like to help you. But sometimes it's very difficult.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 5:20
Thank you, I understand what was your method to learn the French language in just five months, I'm sure some people will be curious if they want to do the same.
Diana Dmitriieva 5:30
I need to learn Frank language because I need to study at school also, now it's in the very city, I need to speak with my friends, because not all of them understand English. So I can say if, like, I would like to learn it by to have fun, it will be so strange because like, for me, it's so hard. And I need to know why I should do it.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 5:59
I understand. So it was the pressure, the stress that pushed you to do it so fast. And so quickly. Why did you choose Belgium and Brussels I know you spent before an Erasmus exchange there, what made you choose to return there after that experience compared to going to Paris with the land London or any place in the world.
Diana Dmitriieva 6:26
So basically, as a reason why I choose Belgium, because of my parents work. So it not was it wasn't my choice. But after this, I understood that it's really nice country. And I would like to try myself in Erasmus program. And it was really good Verint because these college have like a really nice education. So and now I'm looking for in university, also in Belgium, because I really love it.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 7:03
Thank you. And do you still dance? If so? What emotions or experience does dance give you? How does it add more good things to your life?
Diana Dmitriieva 7:17
Okay, I can say is it dance, you know, when you have a lot of work, and you're really boring, and you need something that like to feel you relax, to feel you more happy. You feel like a real lot of energy, and another style. So when I visited my first class, I was so scared because I was so shy because of the people. But after eight years, I really, I really like it. And I love to spend time with my group of people in dancing. And yeah, I feel myself more energetic after this classes.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 8:03
You mentioned your group of people. Well, when you meet new people, are you at first shy and you have like a bitch face? Or they think oh my god, she's so serious. She's angry, but later on, they see your positive kind side? Or is it that was some people you meet them? You have chemistry and you're open from the very beginning? Or how do you open and become friends with new people?
Diana Dmitriieva 8:32
Sorry, yeah, it was a problem. Because first of all, I was so shy. And after, I will be like, more opened. But it's depends if I see that these people are really kind. I will be I will be open to them. But not every time. So it's the first time people told me that you're looking like very angry, angry, steek and so on. But after they told me that I am so cute. I'm like, really enthusiastic person. So yeah, in most of cases, it's works.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 9:11
Thank you and what is important for you about the people that you meet? Is it just that they're good and kind people even if they're a bit boring? Or is it people who have a passion for life? They're always creating new projects and moving forward or is it just that you feel safe and trust with them?
Diana Dmitriieva 9:31
I think first of all, they need to be motivated. So they need to know what they want to do. Because if they're not I'm not interesting on these people because I don't know how to speak with them about what because it's not interesting for me after Yeah, as they shouldn't be kind they should be provide because like, I can speak with a Are you sick person, and I need to feel myself safety because like when I talk to people, I need to understand the they are not like, selfish and they're not be bad people. And in the future, they will make some bad things for me. So there are three things that are really important for me.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 10:24
Thank you. And do you prefer let's say you have the possibility to go to the mountains, be alone skiing and relaxing, or be in the city with a lot of people, a lot of friends and a lot of like noise, etc. Which one is more interesting for you and why?
Diana Dmitriieva 10:46
I think for me now more interesting to go with my friends to another country. Because like, it didn't age or so I would like to have fun to drive with my friends. So yeah, but sometimes when I'm so upset, or I need a rest, I would like to go to the mountains without anyone and to, to her legs. So for me, it's depends. I couldn't say like, these only are these only.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 11:22
I understand. So if I understood correctly, new emotions are very important for you. You want an exciting life, like a roller coaster for love. It's like, up and down and crying and laughing and etc. Is this correct?
Diana Dmitriieva 11:37
Yeah. Because it's live. And when I feel all of this emotion, I feel myself like, still alive. So yeah, it's correct.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 11:48
Have you had experiences where you didn't feel so many emotions and life was boring? And tell me like, how is it emotion for you like swimming in a water full of like interesting things? Or is it more like it motivates you and inspires you to do new things? Or how do you experience it? And did you have situations where you didn't feel it? And you thought, Oh, my God, I don't want a boring life.
Diana Dmitriieva 12:18
Of course, I have this experience. Because when I have a study, and I spent a lot of time for it. So because of the lessons because of the homework and other stuff. Like your home work, I also work in my house. Yeah, it's so boring. Because I would like to spend time in the park or with my friends. And if everything like the same day by day, it's horrible for me. So sometimes I feel myself like I'm not alive. Or maybe like I'm zombie. So yeah,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 13:03
thank you. And can you tell me about February 24 The invasion? How did you hear about it? How did you feel the story of that day? What happened for you? Exactly.
Diana Dmitriieva 13:18
Yeah, it was horrible. Because I think everybody knows that it will be but nobody know when. And I woke up and I see a lot of messages in my student group. A lot of videos photos. Yeah. And I was so scary. I called all of my family. Not just one twice. Maybe more. Yeah, so I know what to do. Because I couldn't do anything. Because of I'm not in Ukraine. So of my day. Yeah, I spent with the news. Yeah, it's so sad.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 14:02
Um, tell me about these six months of the invasion. How did it change you as a person? How did you feel? What do you think is gonna happen in the future? How? What do you hear from Ukrainians who are inside Ukraine or your family and friends who live to other places?
Diana Dmitriieva 14:21
Yeah, you could say that. Yeah, everyone has changed because you know, like these small things to adjust to, I know to wake up to brush your teeth in alive without any things that you can die any moment. Yeah, like everybody understood it. Now, so I could say that. I love I love my life more was in before this innovation. And I would like to spend a lot of time with my family. And yeah, I understand that I really allows them. And yeah, I will do everything for them. I could say that, and I may have met a lot of people from Ukraine here. And they're so upset, I like to help them. And any case, what they want what they need. Oh, so I did some volunteering. I'm helped like Ukrainian students to on your old university. And in this case, I found myself better because I know that I do thumbs in and I'm not just said, Sit at home and read the news, because it's nothing.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 15:49
I agree. And you mentioned that you're helping other Ukrainians get to university and understand the processes and that you're looking yourself for your own university position. Are you going to continue studying and economics and marketing and things like that? Or what kind of subject will be interesting for you? Yes, so
Diana Dmitriieva 16:14
I still study at Ukrainian University Marketing. But here, I would like to take languages so English and French, and to maybe in the future became, like a person who will work like get translator in a company so so now I have just experienced to translate from Ukrainian to English or to French. And yeah, it's inspire me to, to take this field.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 16:48
Is it connected to travel? Do you love languages because of travel somehow? Or because you found you can learn languages so easily and fast?
Diana Dmitriieva 16:59
Yeah. It's one of the reason, because I understood that everyone can speak English. Yeah. But when you would like to understand the culture, or like, the person, for example, French people or Belgian people, you need to understand their language because they when they switch to English, early, it's like, it's horrible. So I would like to learn more languages, maybe Spanish, Italian, because they it's really, it's beautiful language. And it's beautiful country. So yeah. It's one of the biggest reason.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 17:43
Thank you. I understand. And can you describe your day now? And Belgium? How, like when you wake up, what do you do? Do you go directly to social media to check on the war? Do you dance and the front of the mirror? Do you go meet your friends? Do you study online? Like, what is it typical day for you these days?
Diana Dmitriieva 18:04
Yeah, so typical, I could say is it. I check the news, but I prefer to call my family and to ask if it's recent. Okay, more than arranges the news because we have a lot of disinformation. So now, it's not like the first thing that I do. Also, yeah, I really love to meet with my friends. Because I really like to spend the time with them. Because of a really emotional stability, I would say. And after I spend my time with my brother, because he's really active person and I need to spend time with them with him. And also with my parents, because they're also with me.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 19:02
Thank you. I really wish you safety. Dianna. I wish you success. I wish you all the good things and all I can say is Slava Ukraini.
Diana Dmitriieva 19:14
Thank you. Heroyam Slava.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 19:17
Take care and have a good day.
Diana Dmitriieva 19:19
Thank you so much. You too.
