A Canadian studying in Ternopil discovers Ukraine (12/03/06)

A Canadian studying in Ternopil discovers Ukraine

by Adrian Dzioba

For as long as I can remember, I learned about my Ukrainian background through family, friends and the Ukrainian community in Ottawa. I knew how the culture evolved over time, beginning in Eastern Europe and then spreading to the far corners of the Earth to wherever Ukrainians emigrated. Yet, even with this understanding, I felt that I needed to visit the country itself.

My chance came recently when I was accepted to an eight-week study program in Ternopil, Ukraine (May-June), through St. Thomas More College at the University of Saskatchewan. Not only would I see the country of my grandparents but I would receive university credits towards my bachelor's degree in history from Carleton University.

I was excited to travel alone and not with the group of 11 students who travelled from Saskatoon with Prof. Natalia Shostak, St. Thomas More College. This would be my first trip to Europe alone. Arriving in Ukraine was intimidating for a 20-year-old, but I reminded myself of two important advantages: I spoke Ukrainian and I had family in Lviv who met me at the airport. But I knew I needed to adapt to all situations in my adventure.

The program offered at the Ternopil National Pedagogical University (TNPU) was divided into two sessions - first the Ukrainian Language Program followed by the Culture Program, given in English. Three language classes, at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, were taught four hours daily over a period of five weeks. The Culture Program, conceived as an anthropology field school, consisted of two courses combining lectures and excursions: "Anthropological Perspectives on Ukraine" (English), and "Oral History and Storytelling" (English/Ukrainian) taught by Prof. Shostak .

I was one of two students in the advanced Ukrainian language class, taught by Prof. Olena Huzar, chair of Ukrainian philology at TNPU, which focused on grammar, dialogue and oral readings. We were taught proper pronunciation with correct syllabic stresses and conversational styles. Local students, with knowledge of both Ukrainian and English, were assigned to each participant. I must admit that my tongue was tired from speaking so much in every class, and I had written enough dialogues to put on a small play, but my speech and fluency improved noticeably.

The weekends were filled with excursions outside Ternopil, led by Prof. Ihor Ditchuk and Ihor Papusha from TNPU. We saw the countryside, visited many churches, castles and villages, as well as Kyiv and Lviv. Those in the anthropology courses even traveled to the Carpathian Mountains where they climbed Hoverla, the highest peak in Ukraine, and conducted oral history interviews with local villagers as a part of their course work.

There were 12 Canadian students (including me) who participated in this program. One person came from MacEwan College (Edmonton), four participants joined us from InterCordia Canada, but the majority attended the University of Saskatchewan. Most had Ukrainian ties but were not fluent in the language.

We stayed with host families, who provided accommodations, food and a perfect environment to interact with a typical Ukrainian family. Evenings were free to enjoy Ternopil and the cultural scene, such as the Ukrainian musical comic drama "Shakira," as long as everyone came back home safely. But, if truth be known, occasionally we did see our professors strolling in the evening keeping an eye out for us.

My host family of five, the Volyshyns (father, mother and three boys, 18-year-old twins and a 15-year-old), live in a single house in a developing district of Ternopil. I was treated very well as a member of their family and spoke Ukrainian with them. One idiosyncrasy in my host's house caught my attention - all the rooms had doors, which were kept closed. I found this peculiar because most doors in my home in Canada are left open to let in the sunlight. The Volyshyns explained that this practice became common during the Soviet era. You maintained a public image and kept your private life to yourself.

Our four-day excursion to Kyiv, by overnight train, was particularly memorable. The sleeping carriages accommodated four persons and were clean and comfortable.

After various sightseeing tours and museum stops during the day, we explored the city center, visited the restaurants, beer tents and street vendors in the evening. City officials closed the main streets to vehicular traffic, thus turning them into giant walkways for pedestrians. Massive floodlights kept the main square, the maidan, lit brightly. One evening we attended the opera "Carmen," sung in French at the beautiful Kyiv Opera House before heading for a club.

Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, is home to 4 million people and is the political center of the country. This cosmopolitan city is busy 24 hours a day with crowded sidewalks, noisy vehicles clogging the roadways and new buildings under construction. It reminded me of an Eastern European version of Toronto. North American businesses and products were everywhere, from Gap clothing to McDonald's.

Many Soviet landmarks remain among the Ukrainian monuments in Kyiv whereas none can be found in Ternopil. While Kyiv inhabitants speak both Ukrainian and Russian, I heard mostly Russian.

Our three-day visit to Lviv started with a three-hour train ride from Ternopil covering 127 km. We purchased general tickets and chatted with the other passengers, exchanging stories to pass the time. We attended lectures at the Ukrainian Catholic University about the city's history, women's issues in Ukraine and the political views of eastern and western Ukrainians. Western Ukrainians are more nationalistic and promote Ukrainian identity. Eastern Ukrainians do likewise, but also promote political and social tolerance or accommodation with Russia. Of course, the excursion would not have been complete without a trip downtown to visit the vendors and cafés.

My stay in Ukraine was quite pleasant because I was able to polish my language skills and explore a new part of the world. I can recall several occasions when I translated for classmates and tourists, but I soon discovered that my vocabulary contained many words that had been forgotten by Ukrainians, sometimes due to Russian influences. So, at times, I also had communication problems.

I think that Ukrainians in Ukraine are more conservative than my community in Canada. This can be traced to the country's history of constant occupation by a foreign power determined to put an end to the Ukrainian culture. Even today people feel that they must promote the language, traditions and history to survive as a distinct and independent nation, in addition to developing a strong economy.

Although Ukrainians are conservative in general, they do know how to have a good time. World Cup Soccer proved that to me. Ukraine was competing for the World Cup for the first time. I witnessed boisterous demonstrations of Ukrainian pride in the streets of Ternopil on three occasions. People swarmed the city center waving Ukrainian flags, honking horns and shouting "Ukraina!" - acting as if another Orange Revolution was happening. These street celebrations would last for about 40 minutes before everyone headed to the bars to continue celebrating until morning. Everyone spoke about soccer.

Overall, my exchange to Ukraine through St. Thomas More College and the University of Saskatchewan was worth every dollar. I received a $500 bursary from the Winnipeg-based Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko which supports Canadian students taking educational programs in Ukraine.

I recommend this study program to students without hesitation. Whether you know Ukrainian or not, it is your willingness to learn that will ensure your stay is memorable. The academic staff organizing the program to Ternopil, notably Prof. Shostak, will ensure that students are looked after well and will learn much.

Plans are under way for the next study abroad program in Ukraine offered by St. Thomas More College. Refer to their website, http://www.stmcollege.ca/ukraine.html, for updates. Registration usually occurs in February. Studying in Ukraine is an experience not to be missed!

Adrian Dzioba, 20, is a third-year student majoring in history at Carleton University in Ottawa. He was a member of Plast and completed a Grade 12 Ukrainian language credit course offered by the Department of Education in Saskatchewan through distance learning, as well as Ukrainian studies courses. From 1999 to 2004 he participated in the Cadet Program under the Department of National Defense.

| Home Page |