E233 Nadiia Semenchuk

Hello, my name is Aziz and I'm the son of a divorce mother. She's really my superhero. That's why it's important for me to support women, to share their uniqueness, their personalities, perspectives and emotions about this world. In these difficult times in human history, we need to bring the people of the world together. And when we hear the voices of women, when we listen to real lives of women from other countries, we connect our cultures without differences, or stereotypes, and we get inspired by their stories to live. A better life. That's what this podcast is all about. My guest today is Nadia Cementuk. Nadia, her friends, sometimes call her Nadine. And now she's living in Canada because of the war in Ukraine. Friends, when they meet her, they think hope my earthly compass song, which is related to her name Nadia. She is a dreamer, an optimist and life, a motivator who loves to explore the world, life and people. Nadine can speak three languages. Ukrainian English and she is learning French. And she plans to grow her knowledge in German, Spanish or Italian because it's beautiful. Nadine believes that dreams come true, but you need to not only dream, you need to move towards your dreams. And of course, don't be afraid to dream. Nadine loves coffee, chocolate, cheese and she loves breakfast. She likes yoga and running. She dreams of going to Tibet. And she is a good photographer. She likes to open the essence of a person in a photo. And she's planning to open her exhibition in the future. Nadine has extensive experience in marketing, PR, brand creation, SMM. And she is a writer. She has been doing professional choreography since the age of four. She can teach. She had already realized several things related to dance. Nadine was an actress in a few movies. She will write a book in the future and she appreciates sincerity and trust in people. Sometimes she thinks she wants too much in life, but we only have one life. And we deserve to not waste time, but to do the best to be happy every moment. So we should wish everyone the same. Nadine, how are you today? Hi Aziz, I'm happy to hear you. Thank you for your invitation. I appreciate it. I'm pretty good. Thank you. I have a good start of my week and hope for you too. I'm feeling lucky. I'm feeling fantastic and grateful to be alive and very curious about you as a person. So I will begin with this nice first question, which is Nadine, if the people who know you and your friends could describe your personality, what would they say about you? You know, my friend tell me that I'm very positive person, full of energy, very active and always very, very curious. It's true. It's me. Thank you, Nadine. And you have a very rich and interesting life. I want to ask you what makes you interested in many, many, many things like photography, writing, PR and all that because is it because life you think is too boring if you're doing only one thing or is it because you want your curious about everything in this world or you need many skills or why is your life so interesting and diverse? You know, I'm just very curious maybe from my childhood and I'm still doing it because I have just only one life and I don't want to have just only boring life. And of course, since I don't have just only one focus, but it's not true. I like to explore the life and yeah, it's me. It's just interesting to explore the life, explore the world. That's it. Thank you so much. And your life too has changed so much recently. So I'll ask you, how was that day of the invasion for you February 24? Did you believe the war? Did you not believe it? How was your emotion and tell the story of your life and tell you move to Canada? Okay. You know, the start of the world definitely changed for every person. Personally, for me also. But you know, I prefer to leave it in the past because I really want to go to the future. And of course, it's so difficult to think about this day because I was in this day, the first day I was in Bucher. And you know, the first day I lived since God, I lived this town. And so many different things happened in this time. It was so hard for me. And what can I say right now? I'm in Canada. I want to reload my life. I want to change my life. I want to do something special. And of course, I believe that the war will finish very soon. That's it. I understand 100%. And to ask you as well, you said you believe the war will end very soon. There are millions of Ukrainians who now one year they are already living, maybe in Poland, in Paris, in London, in Australia, in Canada. And they start a new life, new job, new university. Do you believe that it will be easy for them or possible to stop everything and return to a life in Ukraine? Or will they support Ukraine, but they will stay outside so that they build a new life? What is your thinking? Will a lot of smart Ukrainians who are outside Ukraine now return? Or do you think they will choose to stay outside? You know, it's good question. Right now, I try to leave in the moment and don't want to get ahead of myself. Of course, I have a lot of dreams, a lot of ideas for my future, for future of my family and so on. And I will see what can happen in the future. Because before the war, maybe I was some another person and I had some other goals. And right now, I'm in other country. Of course, it's not very easy to settle up here. But I'm really believed to sit best in the life. And I believe that if you're in your special place, in your special time, you can change a lot. Just wait your time and your moment. And you will see what can happen. Thank you, Nadine. This is really interesting. And to ask you, what are you doing right now in Canada? That is interesting for you. Do you still do acting? Are you still actors? Are you still doing photography? Is your job often about social media management and PR? Or are you also doing photography? What is your life now in Canada? Thank you for your question. I'm really trying to do almost the same that I did before, but of course, I'm a little bit different person now because it may be more skills, more friends here. It's really interesting and a lot of possibilities here. Right now, I had the possibility to take a photo for some concert. For example, college, you know, with your own vision win. Yes, I worked with some organizations of concerts, like photographer, yes. And I also have a few projects in this dance in the world. I'm right now working like social media manager and brand creator. And of course, I try to find some possibilities in acting in the movies, but honestly, it's not very easy here because I live in Quebec province and French language province. And I should improve this language because before I came to Montreal, right now I'm in Montreal, I didn't speak in French, on the English, more Ukrainian and a little bit German. But it's very interesting experience for me and never tell never. Thank you. And how was adapting to Quebec? Some even Ukrainian think, wow, the winter and cold in Quebec is even more than Ukraine. It's really horrible. So to you, one, how was the winter? And is there some things in the culture that are very different to Ukraine, so you needed to learn how to adapt? Oh, you know, it's so fun. Because when I go to Canada, everyone told me, you know, it's very, very strong winter, not like Ukraine. How you can be there? Because you love summer, you love spring, you love warm time. And, okay, I will try. I just, okay, I expected so strong winter, like mine was 40. But you know, it's okay. It's a normal winter, maybe two, three days. It was like mine was 28 maximum. It's okay. It's not very, very bad situation. But of course, very long winter, I don't like it honestly, because I'm really like, I like summer. But soon we'll be springing, can I? I'm waiting, waiting for, for this time. Thank you so much. And you are in butcher before, and you believe that the war will end soon. Is it because of your patriotism and you believe, of course, and the glory of Ukraine? Or did you hear any news or any development that make you think? Yes. This big, big, horrible thing will finish soon. I just tried to be more positive, yes. And I believe to the best. Of course, I'm very patriotic person. Maybe not too much, like somebody from my country that just stay in Ukraine, of course, because I can't just tell, oh, I'm very patriotic, but I'm in Canada. How can I be like this? But yes, I want to, I want to wish my country the best, because before Ukraine was very, very developed country, so many possibilities there. And right now, when I came to Canada, I understand that, yes, my country was so modern. A lot of innovations, a lot of possibilities. And I wish it will be more, more possibilities in my country after the war. Of course, now, a situation is not very, very good, you know, but I believe that one day, we just will be happy everyone in my country. And you will see maybe we will be maybe, of course, better than Dubai, for example, I believe. Thank you. And all I can say is Slava Ocradini. Hello, I'm Slava. And now in Canada, is your life often with other Ukrainians, or do you have friends from Quebec and from many other countries? Yes. I have a lot of friends from different countries, also from Ukraine, because in Canada, especially in Montreal, it's a big diasporic, Korean and Yaspor, that support people, that move to the city. I have also friends from Ukraine that already have citizenship here, like eight years they live here. Of course, I have also many, many friends from different countries, like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, about South Mexico, Colombia, Iran, so many different Quebec also, France. And you know, it's so nice to find here a lot of different people with different stories. And when it came here, I was a little bit confused, and I just felt, oh my god, why am I here? It's so hard live here. But when I just started to speak with everyone, I just started to explore how people was before what life they have here. It's not very easy, it's true, it's not easy. Because you must start again, just step by step, step by step, one year, two year, three year, five years. And sometimes it's 20 years. And of course, everyone just feel like not at home, honestly. Because your home and your heart every time will be, I was there then you was born, of course. But we tried to be more positive, and to be tried to create a new level of our life. And right now, I'm here. And I believe that here is also a big part of me, even if I come back to Ukraine or even if I move to other countries. They'll see. I wish you the best future, the most successful future. And I'm very curious to one of your plans is to write a book in the future. Is this book like the story of your life and the story of your war in Ukraine and your situation? Or is it a book about photography or something artistic? Or what do you have in your mind? You know, honestly, I'm not a perfect person. I'm just not every day have this like positive energy. And sometimes I also have a pain. Sometimes I have a not good mood. And I understand how hard to change your insight, your inner world. And now we have so many motivators. And maybe my book will be just like part of my life about how you can be more stronger. How can you be more motivator for yourself? I think it's maybe like this. Some book that can change life of maybe not everyone but some people. And actually, I thought about maybe not only one book. Just one book is maybe more motivation for people. It's about life of people that I met before and here. I think it's very good to know how it was for everyone that just started again. And don't be afraid to start again or move a hit because you just need to believe. You should believe. And maybe a second book. Actually, I already started this book. And you know, I just interest in, but I started this book before the work. And it's so interesting stories because my grand grandmother told me a story about the work before. It's a second work you remember. And I just tried to start this book before the work about work. And after that, it started the work in my country. And oh my god, it's unbelievable, but it's true. And maybe I will continue this book about the world now in my country. And the situation generally in the world. We'll see. Thank you so much. I love your ambition and your desire to motivate people. But then I have to ask, why is it important enough to share motivation for you? What is happening? Did you have times in your life when you are not motivated? Or what is your reason why it's important to help with motivation of others? It's very important to me because I'm also had not very good times. Sometimes I had a lot of pain because of the war, yes, because sometimes I have so many dreams. And I want so fast to grow up and understand it's so difficult. And maybe in this case, I want to create this book. I think yes. Thank you so much. And you mentioned that you don't know what you'll do in the future. Maybe you'll go another country, maybe you'll stay more in Canada. Is it because of the invasion and the war that maybe you feel is difficult to plan? Or what are your dreams? Do you dream of going to a tropical place to become a photographer and live your life there? Do you dream of going to a different part of Canada, not only Quebec? Or what do you feel for yourself as a future life? Honestly, I dream to be more flexible and just not sit on one place. Maybe I want to travel more. I want to explore more the world and communicate with different types of people. It's my big dream. Maybe I will create a project that will connect with really this whole world. It's big dream. I want to be like octopus and reach to every country in the world. It's big dream. I'll see. I encourage all your big dreams, Nadine. This is really, really great. And for people, just to explain one last thing. For you, what is the culture of Ukraine? Maybe some people they hear about the war, they hear about all the horrible death and destruction. But they don't really know the culture of Ukraine. What is to you some things you can share so that you describe what is different and unique about Ukrainian women? And Ukraine culture. Thank you for your question. By the way, when I moved to Canada, I tried to teach some people Ukrainian languages. It was so funny. But I'm really honest about this. And thought about my country and my culture. You know, it's a people that have a lot of energy, a lot of positivity, a lot. It's hard working people and very strong people that if fall down, just stand and go. And yes, especially women, it's very, very strong women. Of course, we are also very tenderly persons, but we must be more strong. Because energy of women, it's powerful. I think it's powerful for our country. It's my opinion. I agree 100%. Thank you so much, Nadine, for sharing your story, your perspective and your voice. It was my privilege and my honor to have you in this project. And I wish you all the success. Thank you so much, Aziz. I appreciate it. It's so wonderful project. And I think you will be more successful in the future because you were open. And I wish you the best. And I hope maybe one day you also participate in my project also. 100%.