Episode Transcript
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 Andriana Bazhuk.
Andriana is from Uzhgorod in Ukraine, and she studies management and economy at Economic
University in Bratislava, EUBA, and additionally, she studies history at Uzhgorod National University
as an external form of education.
Most of all, Andriana loves to travel.
She reads a lot, and she likes to bake.
In her free time, Andriana volunteers a lot.
For example, she helped collect parcels for the Ukrainian military, and in the summer,
she went to help rebuild the school that was destroyed during the Russian occupation.
Andriana is also a member of a youth NGO, Foundation of Regional Initiatives.
There she organizes educational projects for young people.
Andriana, how are you today?
Hi, I'm fine, thank you.
And before we start, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to join this project.
Thank you so much, you seem so kind, and I'm very curious about you, so I'll begin with
this question.
If your friends could describe your personality, what would they say about you?
I think they would say that I'm active, and maybe there is some truth in these words,
because I just like try to live an active life and do as much as I can, like I study
into universities, participating in different projects, or create my own project, volunteer,
and of course, travel.
And also, they would describe me as a smiling girl, because I like to smile at people even
when I'm just walking down the street, although of course, I have bad days when it seems like
nothing happens in my life, and I'm just in a bad mood, and I don't want to do anything
or smile, but I think this happens to everyone.
And also, my friends would say that I'm a hugger, because I love hugs, and for new companies,
I'm sometimes shy and quiet, so you won't say that about me, but really, I like hugs.
Thank you, that's fascinating.
And the fact that you walk around with a smile, of course, on good days, which is most days,
did you ever have the experience of some of the stereotypical Eastern European girl things
where they have a poker face, where people think, oh my God, she looks so serious, or
she looks so angry when in reality, you are happy inside, or is this not about you because
of your constant smiling?
Really?
I don't know.
Maybe, but I think that I'm a more smiling person, so this stereotype is not about me.
Thank you.
Can you tell me about your experience in Bratislava?
How is life and the people and the energy and the culture there compared to Uzhgorod?
Did you feel some culture shock?
What was similar?
What was different compared to Ukraine?
Well, you know, Slovakia and Ukraine have a lot in common, and I'm from Uzhgorod, it's
like a city near the border with Slovakia, and we have a lot of food from Slovakian cuisine,
and sometimes we use some words from Slovakian language.
So it's like moving to Slovakia was not hard for me, I wasn't scary, for example, I don't
have like a culture shock, but for example, but of course, it was a little bit difficult
for me, because, you know, physically, it's hard when I'm not at home, I really like miss
it a lot.
But fortunately, I can travel sometimes to Uzhgorod, so I'm happy about that.
Thank you.
Yes, I feel your emotions and that you're missing home a lot and often and to ask you,
you're someone who is active, who is motivated, who is involved in different things.
What keeps you motivated and active?
What pushes you to take action and how do you deal with burnout?
As for motivation, like every person, I sometimes have a negative mood and I don't want to do
anything, especially, you know, when weather outside is bad.
But in such cases, like maybe cheerful music will help me and I also try to find something
positive and remember some, I don't know, my success, or just pleasant things that happened
to me recently, the mood improves after this and the motivation to do something appears.
But I think like the most motivate me is people when, you know, I meet a lot of active people,
for example, in the foundation of regional initiatives and they motivate me or when I
saw like, I don't know what Ukrainians are doing now, it's also very motivating.
Thank you.
That's absolutely wonderful.
You spoke also about how you feel, your emotions, et cetera, so of course, we have to speak
about February 24th, the Russian invasion, the occupation, et cetera.
How was that day for you?
How did you hear about the war?
How was the situation in Uzhgorod?
And did you believe it, not believe it?
Tell me the story from then and how did you as a person and your life change in these
seven months?
You know, when the Russian president officially recognized, began to look for volunteers who
helped the Ukrainian military to join them, but at that moment, I thought we still had
time to prepare at least a few weeks, therefore, when my father woke me up on February 24th,
the war has begun, I was about to understand what happened.
At first, I just silently read the news, followed which cities were under attack, and so on.
My friend, he wrote to him to find out how he was.
It was really scary.
To be honest, I cried, but when he wrote back that he was, he's okay, he's in shelter,
and everything is fine.
So I revealed and realized that I can't think that and only update the news feed because
I will go crazy.
I gathered myself and to help volunteers at first day.
At first, I collect money and food for our soldiers in supermarkets, walled camouflage
nets, and for refugees, but later I was already engaged in more office work at the volunteer
headquarters.
I turned from them and then direct them to the people who were engaged in the purchase
of things that our soldiers need.
As you mentioned, in the summer, I went to Kiev region, which was liberated from occupation,
and there were both schools that were destroyed by Russian mine.
It was a really incredible experience.
I met one of the most impressed people.
I came from Britain to Ukraine just to volunteer and to help us, and I'm happy that I met
that people.
So, yeah, you know, now we're just like trying to do to stop the war, to win the war, yeah.
I understand, and really all I can say is Slava Ukrainyi.
Hello, I'm Slava.
Andriyana, I'm really curious about something.
You study both history and management and economics.
It seems to be two different subjects or topics.
Why did you choose this?
And why are the choices different in this way?
You know, when I finished school, I started to study economy and management at university.
But, you know, after a year of study, I turned out that despite the university, I have an
enough time.
And I have the opportunity to study for free in Ukraine in an external form because I had
good marks.
So I decided to study history, but because even when I was a child, it was interesting
for me.
I like to read some stories about castle in my region.
And you know, my favourite genre of films was historicals once and like history was
my favourite subject at school.
I even participated in like local history contest when I was at school.
So I don't know, it's like just I like it and I decided to study history.
Thank you.
And now that you know, you read the news about the war and we all wish, you know, it didn't
happen and also for the victory of Ukraine soon and you miss your family and home in
Uzhgorod, how do you keep yourself and your mental health good while you are in Bratislava?
What do you do in order to feel good, balance your emotions and not feel sad a lot?
You know, fortunately, I have the opportunity to go to Uzhgorod like for weekends sometimes
because like it's safe, if you I can say, yeah, but so like, I meet my friends and family
sometimes and I'm really happy about that.
But when I'm here in Bratislava, I like most of my time I just like study but I also like
coordinate free project.
I was my team, we had like phone and like work calls and try to organize some project
for Ukrainians in Uzhgorod.
But I also, I don't know, like live and music, travel sometimes and I also joined the protest
here in Bratislava is that Ukrainians are organized, like maybe you hear that organs
that Russia is a terrorist state and we just like came to public places and just trying
to have it better to say, remind people about Ukraine.
Of course, that's very, very important.
And right now, I'm really curious to know especially you said you're a Ukrainian girl
yet Uzhgorod is somehow a mix of cultures between the two bordering countries.
Are you culturally more Ukrainian or because of things like K-pop, you're a little bit
Korean and because of anime, you're a little bit Japanese and because of Hollywood, you're
a little bit American, so you're a mix of different cultures?
Or are you more Ukrainian in your culture than anything and therefore, how would you
describe a Ukrainian girl who is part of the Ukrainian culture?
You know, today's world is really very globalized and we have much in common like with Americans
or like people from Europe, but I would describe Ukrainian girl like the one who is very proud
about her nationality and I think that most of them are really very active now because
you know, most of them are trying like to do something, to volunteer, to make our victory
closer.
Thank you, Andriyana, this was my privilege, my honor.
Such a wonderful way to share about your life, your soul, and your stories.
And in the future, what would be your plan?
Do you plan to work abroad and support Ukraine all over the globe?
Do you plan to start your own business in Ukraine?
Do you plan to become someone who's working with nonprofits and volunteer organizations?
Or what is your dream goal that if you achieve, you will feel happy and proud?
You know, it's difficult to predict the future, but I would like to return to Ukraine when
I finish my university here and like work in management field, like in some company,
yes.
But in free time, I would like to continue organized project for young people, especially
maybe it would be some project which will be connected with history.
I don't know.
I also would like to travel a lot in my free time and I don't know, like be positive and
smiling, a lot of smiling and reading books, maybe baking something.
I don't know.
We will see.
Yes, a lot of smiling.
That's really important.
Thank you so much, Andriyana.
I wish you success.
I wish you a lot of smiles.
I wish you a lot of wonderful books to discover and enjoy and a lot of tasty baking.
And thank you so much for participating.
It was my honor and my privilege.
Thank you so much.
