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 Catalina Oh, he Yanko. Kate is a Ukrainian girl currently in Japan learning the language and discovering the Asian culture. At the same time, she is still a student of a Ukrainian University in Germany, HIV, where her major is Ukrainian philology. Kate has a lot of hobbies. But most of all, she loves dancing. She has been dancing since she was three years old. So it's a hobby that is connected to her whole life. Kate is really curious about learning different languages, cultures, and sharing her experiences on her blog. Kate, how are you today?
Kateryna Ohiienko 1:25
I'm fine.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 1:26
I'm happier here. I'm honored. I'm grateful and very curious about you. So I'll begin with this. How did the idea to go to Japan begin? What is the story of that?
Kateryna Ohiienko 1:39
Actually, I have been interested in Asian culture since 13, or 12 years old. So it was like a dream for me. Like maybe not a dream goal for me to come to Japan someday. And I had an opportunity to come here with such bad situation in my hometown, but still decided to come to Japan to make it real. My dream like
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 2:18
I like when people's dreams come true. And to understand you even more. Did you find it easy to make new friends in Japan? Are you a girl who open up opens up to new people? Quickly? Or are you both shy? And Japanese people are so high. And so it was somewhat of a complicated situation?
Kateryna Ohiienko 2:41
People really shy it's so true. But I guess it's comfortable for me to be with them like that shy. sphere. It's the comfortable like for me to stay here. I like Japan, Japan and Japanese people. At the same time. They are shy, they are also so kind and careful. So I really enjoy to be here. And it's not like it's not sation about a day behavior. But maybe because of me doesn't know. Language, Japanese language. So there are some sensation some not good sedation presentation, I guess
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 3:38
I understand. And do you still dance there in Japan? Is the hobby so strong that you found the tense to do and you're having new experiences with it? Or how do you keep yourself haven't fallen in 13 than having like your mental health good when you're there.
Kateryna Ohiienko 4:00
I already found some studios and studios because now I'm in Tokyo and here is really a lot of such studios, such good studios. But currently, I can't go there because of language question. It's I can't understand Japanese yet. So it will be kind of hard for me to go on some classes. So I just now discovering Tokyo. Walking around, actually, it's really a lot of parks here. And for me as a human who really likes nature. I really like to walk so I enjoy my days by working alone. Also I like to draw so yeah, it's hard I spend my time now,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 5:02
that sounds very interesting. And you mentioned drawing, what seems to inspire your drawings? Are you making faces of people? Is it nature, like you mentioned your love nature? Is it specifically something like water or flowers or mountains or houses that are in the traditional Japanese style? What seems to be the thing that you notice your drawing more than others,
Kateryna Ohiienko 5:30
you know about this or not, but I like to do like, paint by numbers. It's kind of popular in Ukraine. It was popular sometime in Ukraine. So really felt in love with such pains with numbers because you just can choose Sanpei paint what you want to see in the result. And then you're drawing by every number, every color, and it's really relaxing for me. I really like to spend time, such way. But usually, about some results of this paints. I really like nature, see flowers? Maybe some forest
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 6:27
like this. That's interesting. And it seems to me that you're an introverted kind of person, is this correct?
Kateryna Ohiienko 6:35
It happens from my moods, I guess, because sometimes I can be extroverts. Sometimes I can be introverts. I really like to spend time with myself,
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 6:45
I understand. And I'm curious about something to make such a big change, to move to Japan to be like you said, walking alone is something that requires a lot of bravery. What motivated you to take and go out of your comfort zone? Is it because your thought, oh my God, I want to begin to live live? Or is it the war? You said, Oh, my God, I could have died. So I should live freely? Or what is the thing that helped you overcome all the fears, all the limitations that could be there, and the worries
Kateryna Ohiienko 7:23
after why in my city when it was bombed being like I was currently there at this time. My mind it changed it, it changed so much. And I decided to catch a moment, catch an opportunity to do something and to be brave to do something, yes. Because I just felt like I spent my time for nothing, just to leave. And if I have such a good opportunity to travel somewhere, or even to Japan to Asia, it's really interested for me, I really fell in love with this. And I decided to go even by myself, but it felt so good opportunity.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 8:18
Thank you. And you mentioned that you started to feel that you're spending your time for nothing. Can you explain to me how, like, what does that mean? And maybe someone who's listening thinks, oh my god, I'm spending my time for nothing? How did you change your mind? Like, can you share your thinking? How did you think before that made you do things where you spent your time for nothing? And then what does that mean for you? And therefore, how did you change
Kateryna Ohiienko 8:53
before we're actually I had two works. I was so busy and also studying in university. So I was just busy, like doing work and doing study and press only at nighttime. And I always had a dream to travel a lot, but I couldn't do it because of some problems with finance, you know, like so I've worked a lot. And at that moment when I heard that I'm too tired to do something. At least even dreaming. I just live my life like every day the same. And when I understood this, I felt like I don't want such life. So I decided to make true my dream but worst I did. And when you're so close to this, your mind changes really a lot. After such situations, I feel like I want to leave, I want to make myself happy at first. And then if I will be happy, everything around me also will be good. Because it's happy happiness. And when you see happiness in everything, then everything will be will make you happy.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 10:38
And their sense. So you felt you're so busy, so tired, you had your dreams, but you're not living them. And you felt that if you begin with your own happiness, then the world both will change, but also you will see everything with happy eyes. So it will give you more reasons to be happy. Is this correct? Yeah. Right. And are you in a period of your life right now? Where you seem to go for more adventures? You say yes to everything. You're so tired. But now from Japan from exploring the different natures, the different opportunities and new experiences?
Kateryna Ohiienko 11:21
Well, for now, I guess I want to stay in Japan for a while. I'm not sure for how long or where wherever else stay, but I really like this country. For now. I don't know what I will think after one year, or after some minuses. But for now, I really like to I would like to explore like Japan. And then I guess I will travel to Europe also, maybe to other continents too, because it's, it's so interesting for me to, to learn something new about other countries, especially something that's totally different from Ukraine. It's so interesting for me, and for now, I'm learning Japanese, actually, by languages. It's really so good to understand culture to while you learn language, because it's totally connected to each other.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 12:37
I do understand that. And it's really cool. And I'm happy you found a place that you love. What is it about Japan that fascinates you? And interests you so much? Because like you said, you don't speak the language too much. So you're not really communicating with the people a lot? What about the culture, that is something that you really, really find interesting.
Kateryna Ohiienko 13:05
I didn't discover culture much, because much yet, because I'm here only for one month. It's too little to discover culture for me, and to know everything about people. But I really like people here, really, Japanese people are so great. They can help you even they don't understand you. But it's so helpful for me and also in the school where I learned in Japanese now. Teachers there so pleasure to make sure that I understand them, because it's so important for them to also learn something new about other countries, especially about Ukraine, because now it's so popular subject here, Ukraine and Ukrainian people, and they're so interested in such things. And I'm really glad that I chose Japan to come not another country.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 14:21
That's fantastic. And then I will ask you why Japan and North Korea for example, because I know in many situations in Ukraine, there are many girls who love Kpop and Korea and are girls who love anime and Japan. Can you tell me more? Why if you could go to Korea would you have chosen Korea not Japan? Did you go to Japan because of the anime and you want it to feel like an anime girl and to relive those experiences or tell me more
Kateryna Ohiienko 14:56
I learning I have been learning Korean for for one and half years already, and I wanted to go there for studying. But because so far I couldn't go there. But when I get that, I have an opportunity to come to Japan. And it would be like, such a good life here because governments help so much to Ukrainian people here. I decided to come here because I really liked Japan. I started to lag Japan even early than Korea. It's kinda difficult question for me, because I like was, I like both these countries. But in a bit other race against like Japan, it's more about my introverted side. And Korea, it's more about my extroverted side. I didn't know how to explain it the right way. But it's so. And of course, I would like to come to Korea too. But for now, for leave, I really prefer Japan more.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 16:14
Thank you. And you said after one month, your visit to Japan will finish? Well, there is still a war near your city, every thing? What is your next step? Are you going directly to go to Europe or other places? Are you returning to Ukraine and return to be with family and friends? Or how do you think
Kateryna Ohiienko 16:38
I only been here in Japan for one month, and I will stay here for one year more?
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 16:45
That's great. Daniel have all the time to become fluent in Japanese, where the Japanese kimono when you return to Ukraine, and everybody will be like, Who is this Japanese girl? I didn't know. I liked that. And now really, it's important as well to understand how was that day for you? February 24, the day of the invasion? How did you discover that the war became bigger and more intense in that day? How? What happened? Tell me everything
Kateryna Ohiienko 17:21
before I came back to home late time and totally fall asleep. Because was too tired. But it's, in some ways, kind of funny story. I woke up at 4am and understood that I fell asleep like oh, so accidentally. So went to take a shower. Yeah, and I've remained reminding the premise my mom to wash a dish, and I couldn't fall asleep. I just like, I feel like my something inside me felt that something gonna happen. So I just couldn't fall asleep and decided to make a promise to my mom. It was 5am I guess. And I heard some sound when like, bumping sound. But I saw it. It's just fireworks. But some guys may be doing this. I don't know why, but maybe. And after some time, I thought I heard another such sound. But still was thinking that it's just fireworks. Maybe after 20 minutes after the sound, my mom woke up. And she is working in government. And some people called her and we understood that server started. So it was kind of nervous day for me because I didn't understand what I have to do to stay here or going from our hometown now. But I stayed with my parents. And yeah, we'll work together.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 19:36
I agree. It's a horrible situation. And all I can say is Slava grainy. How do I answer? Thank you, Kate. And if you could describe your personality, are you more of a Ukrainian girl? Or are you like an Asian spirit born in Ukraine? Like are you a mix of all kinds of cultures a little bit of Hollywood With a little bit of Kpop, a little bit of Japan and Ukraine all in one, so you're like a modern cosmopolitan? Or are you more of a typical and traditional Ukrainian girl who is inspired by other cultures, but they're not really a part of you? Well,
Kateryna Ohiienko 20:19
I guess I'm except one, because I'm fully Ukrainian. I really like Ukraine, Ukrainian culture, Ukrainian language, Ukrainian people, but at the same time, at the same time, I want to describe other countries to another world. And when you describe being, every country, you take some parts from this country to yourself every time because you live in this in this country. So it makes you part of this. And of course, he will take something from them. But at the same time, now in Japan, I really wants to show Japanese people that Ukrainian are different from Russians. And we have our our history, our culture. And I just wanted to show everything this to them.
Abdulaziz M Alhamdan 21:30
I agree with you. I encourage you being an ambassador of Ukraine and Japan and showing that about the culture. Thank you so much, Kate, this was my privilege. My honor, I learned a lot about you. Thank you for sharing, and I wish you success and a great year in Japan. And I wish peace and victory for Ukraine. Thank you.
Kateryna Ohiienko 21:58
Thank you so much.
