My name is Emma Murray and I am a History major and Slavic Studies minor at the University of Victoria. In June 2016 I participated in a study abroad program to Kyiv, Ukraine to study both Ukrainian and Russian language at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Participation in this trip has been a long term goal of mine ever since I learned of the program in my first year at UVic, and upon hearing that it would operate again in 2016, I jumped at the opportunity to register.
Ukraine was to become my first experience with the world outside of North America. In the days leading up to the trip, friends and family would ask “How excited are you?”, and to their dismay, I found myself replying simply with “I don’t know”. I had no idea or expectation of what Ukraine would be like. For the past three years Ukraine had simply been a location on a map or in my textbooks, not a real place I would ever be able to set foot in. It was a place that I had studied and researched for years, yet it still felt like a far away land.
Being able to visit Kyiv, a city bursting with history, felt surreal. It seemed that every corner of the city had a story to tell, from the historic neighborhood of Podil in which we lived, to the divine grounds of the Pechersk Lavra, the banks of the Dnipro, the downtown core of Maidan Nezalezhnosti, and the numerous ancient cathedrals and churches that stand their ground amongst the bustling modern city. It felt as if Kyiv itself was constantly surprising me each day with something new to learn, somewhere interesting to visit, and someone new to meet. There was something truly special about Kyiv that made it feel as if the city had a life of its own.
Upon departure from Kyiv and saying farewell to the new friends I had made there, I felt more like I was leaving a guest’s home that I would return to soon, rather than a country that I may not set foot in again for years (I hope this is not the case!). Aside from the usual slight homesickness and obvious language barrier, I truly felt welcomed and comfortable in Ukraine. Spending time studying abroad thoroughly challenged and benefited my language skills, forced me to adapt to the customs and rules of a different culture, and broadened my overall worldview, which in turn enhanced my own personal growth.
The summer has now ended and classes are back in session, and as I reflect on this past summer and the memorable month I spent in Kyiv, I find that I am truly grateful to have been able to participate in the program, and would highly recommend it to any student who may find themselves even remotely interested. Since returning to UVic this year, I find myself extremely excited to educate others and encourage them to participate in this study abroad trip. For me, this program not only provided extremely valuable and high quality language training, but also unique insight into the history and culture of a country and its people, which for hundreds of years has endured a tumultuous past, that has continued up until present day.
