{"id":155,"date":"2014-03-18T15:24:00","date_gmt":"2014-03-18T15:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/labmind\/2014\/03\/memories-of-ukraine.html"},"modified":"2016-03-25T17:44:32","modified_gmt":"2016-03-25T22:44:32","slug":"memories-of-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/labmind\/2014\/03\/memories-of-ukraine.html","title":{"rendered":"Memories of Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
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The summer of 2006 was a great summer. \u00a0I spent a good part of it in Ukraine.<\/div>\n
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I knew very little about this country, yet I had a desire to spend my summer in a country that had once been part of the Soviet Union. \u00a0I also wanted to do something completely different, to seize an opportunity that may never come again my way. \u00a0I signed up to teach English at the English summer program of the Catholic University of Ukraine.<\/div>\n
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Catholic University of Ukraine (UCU)<\/div>\n
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Ukrainian Catholic Seminary (about to open in 2006)<\/div>\n
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In this beautiful country I found a people still healing from years of oppression. \u00a0The Ukrainian Catholic Church had been suppressed under Soviet rule, making it the largest underground Church in the world. \u00a0Attempts were made to starve all Ukrainians to death, to ban their language and to squash their traditions. \u00a0The Catholic University\u2019s mission was not only to provide an excellent academic curriculum, but most importantly to instill hope in a new generation. \u00a0Now the Ukrainian Catholic Church is booming with vocations. \u00a0After years of persecution, the blood of hundreds of martyrs is flowering into a Church that is alive and well.<\/div>\n
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My students had reason to be hopeful for the future in 2006 since just the year before the Orange Revolution had seen people rise up against political corruption. \u00a0Viktor Yanukovych had rigged the election in his favor, but in 2005 Viktor Yushchenko was declared the rightful winner. \u00a0Many of my students had participated in protests at Kiev\u2019s Independence Square. \u00a0Others participated in protests in Lviv. \u00a0The future looked bright and ties with Europe were being reinforced.<\/div>\n
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This hope began to wane in 2010 when Yanukovych retook power and led Ukraine to closer ties with Russia. \u00a0The Catholic University received threats from the government as its president and professors openly criticized the government. \u00a0In late February of this year a young professor of the university was killed during protests in Kiev, Bohdan Solchanyk. \u00a0Yanukovych was ousted weeks ago after months of protests and the deaths of many in Kiev.<\/div>\n
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During my time in Ukraine, I quickly understood that the country was deeply divided. \u00a0I spent my time in Lviv and farther south in the Carpathian Mountains where the English summer camp was held. \u00a0The people I encountered were Europe-leaning and had great pride in their Ukrainian heritage. \u00a0I learned that the East however was Russia-leaning and identified more with Russia. \u00a0There was one student from the East and whenever she slipped into Russian or mispronounced a Ukrainian word the other students became upset.<\/div>\n
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My students expressed much resentment towards Russia for the suffering of their parents and grandparents. \u00a0There was also much resentment towards the Russian Orthodox Church which collaborated with the Soviets and took over all Ukrainian Catholic Churches during Soviet rule. \u00a0In 2006 it seemed that the division of Ukraine into separate nations could easily become a reality.<\/div>\n
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Opera House of Lviv<\/div>\n
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Me (looking young) with Soviet-style apartment buildings in Lviv<\/div>\n
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Working with my students, several of which were seminarians, I noticed that much healing had to happen in Ukrainian society. \u00a0Many demons from the past and present still tormented a very gentle and kind people.<\/div>\n
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Giving part of my summer to teach English to college students was more than just teaching English. \u00a0I realized I was giving these young men and women a tool to lead their country into a brighter future. \u00a0I realized I was building a bridge between them and the West. \u00a0My presence, as well as the presence of the other teachers, was a sign of hope for them.\n

I hope and pray that peace returns to Ukraine soon and that all Ukrainians may live together in peace, resolving their differences and healing the many wounds they have received throughout the years.<\/p><\/div>\n

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My students<\/div>\n
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In class\n

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Father Bob visiting our class<\/p><\/div>\n

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In prayer at liturgy<\/div>\n
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Walking to the village<\/div>\n
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The village bridge over the Styr River<\/div>\n
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The village after Sunday liturgy<\/div>\n
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The village<\/div>\n
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Leaving on pilgrimage with Father Chrysostomos<\/div>\n
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Lunch time while on pilgrimage\n
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UCU English Summer Program 2006 at Camp Vaselka (I\u2019m on the front row, center left)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Pictures are mine, all rights reserved.<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The summer of 2006 was a great summer. \u00a0I spent a good part of it in Ukraine. I knew very little about this country, yet I had a desire to spend my summer in a country that had once been part of the Soviet Union. \u00a0I also wanted to do something completely different, to seize […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2533,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-155","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nMemories of Ukraine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The summer of 2006 was a great summer. \u00a0I spent a good part of it in Ukraine. 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