Russia was born out of Ukraine

"It happened so that although it was Russia that was born out of Ukraine, and not the other way around, due to systematic distortion of historical facts to serve ideological needs (just consider the concept of ‘great Russia’) the entire world (alas, including Ukrainians themselves) grew to believe in this distorted picture of history and culture, believe in the ‘big brother.’ But Volodymyr the Great, Baptist of Rus’, Volodymyr Monomakh, and many other ‘founders of the Russian nation and culture’ were of Ukrainian, not Russian origin!"

Russians can be nice

I have never been prejudiced that I know of. I have always treated individuals with respect, regardless of what they looked like or what stereotype they fit into. At least I believe I have.

Do animals really understand Ukrainian better?

Since I was a child, I have always spoken to animals in Ukrainian when I really wanted them to understand. For some odd reason, I always thought they could understand Ukrainian better than English.

Ukrainian Scouting in America

Vodnyj Tabir c1971 Stillwater Reservoir (I'm on the bottom right.)

In reading an interview with Sylvia Acevedo, the new CEO of Girl Scouts in America, I was reminded of the conundrum of growing up Ukrainian in America. We did not sell cookies. We had wilderness training.

Ukrainian Easter in Ireland

I've lived in Ireland since 2008, and I have not hosted a traditional Easter lunch until this year. I learned that the Catholic Church in Westport was going to do a blessing of the baskets at 2:30 pm on Easter Saturday and I thought this would be a good year to invite friends over to help us celebrate and to introduce them to the traditions I grew up with. I didn't know then how events would unfold.

Alex's paska ready for the oven.

Movie being made about Holodomor, and book wins prize

Photograph by Alexander Wienerberger, 1933

Starring British Actor James Norton, the movie titled 'Gareth Jones' will tell the story about a Welsh journalist who told the world about what was going on in Ukraine under Stalin.

Four years since Russians invaded Crimea

On the 22 February 2014, President Vladimir Putin convened a meeting with Russian security services to discuss extrication of deposed pro-Russian Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych from Ukraine. Putin reportedly remarked that "we must start working on returning Crimea to Russia."