Fremont High School foreign exchange student Liana Sendetska wants others to know that the people in her home country of Ukraine won’t give up in fighting back against Russia.
The 17-year-old hails from Kramatorsk, located in the eastern part of Ukraine. She’s been in Fremont since the beginning of this school year.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Sendetska noted the shock she felt upon hearing the news.
“I was getting really nervous and worried about this whole building up troops on the borders of Ukraine,” she said. “Everybody hoped that it would be just solved somehow in a diplomatic way. But when I heard it, I was really stressed and I was shaking and I was calling my family.”
Fremont High School English teacher Stacey Smith said Sendetska did not come to school on the day of the invasion and told her to let her know if any inappropriate jokes were being made.
“The next day she came to see me first thing in the morning, I gave her a hug and asked how her family was doing,” Smith said. “She informed me that her family was still safe and then proceeded to ask how I was doing. I think she wanted to talk about anything else.”
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Later that night, the school made an announcement that a local church would be having a meeting to show support for Ukraine.
“I went to the meeting where we were introduced to two other Ukrainian foreign exchange students,” Smith said. “They shared their family members’ names with us so we could lift them in prayer and we prayed for each of them, their loved ones and their country. We also prayed for the Russian people and for the leaders of Russia to have a change of heart.”
Smith noted that Sendetska is one of the best students she has ever had.
“She volunteers to read aloud, she gives thorough and complete answers and she writes with such beautiful word choice that it amazes me English is not her first language,” Smith added. “At lunch time she typically calls her mother because it is a good time of day for the two of them to communicate based on the time zone differences.”
Upon hearing the news of Ukraine’s invasion, Smith said she immediately starting praying for her student’s family.
“She is such a special person, who has so much to offer to the world, and I really want the very best for her,” Smith said. “I cannot imagine being so far from my family in a stressful time such as this, and yet as a mother, I’m sure her mother is so relieved that she is safely tucked away in America. Her belief that Ukraine can defeat the Russians is strong, and if her countrymen have the same strength of character that she does, I believe there is nothing they cannot do.”
Sendetska said on March 3 that when she last spoke to her family they were still safe.
“I try speaking to them every day, so I know what’s going on and how are they feeling because I get really worried,” she added.
People are attempting to flee the country, but it’s not feasible for everyone to do so, such as her family, Sendetska said.
“If they want to get to the western parts to go to, for instance Poland or Slovakia, it’s a long, long way on the train and it’s not safe,” Sendetska said. “And other than that, my family just doesn’t want to leave because it’s their house, their home.”
Sendetska said she receives support from those around her, and she often gets people asking about her wellbeing.
“I have some friends at school who helped me to spread information and talk about it,” she added. “And we had a meeting at church where we just many people came and we kind of gave a speech and we had a prayer session for Ukraine and Ukrainian people.”
She said she’s also been utilizing social media to help spread information and awareness on the situation.
It’s important for her to do something proactive because of the helplessness she feels about it, she noted.
“I feel guilty because I’m not there with my family and friends,” Sendetska said. “I’m trying to be helpful in at least some way like make donations, cheer up people from here and just show my support. I’m just trying to do something.”
Sendetska said it’s important for people to know that Russian media isn’t portraying the situation in the Ukraine accurately.
“They don’t really know what they’re doing in Ukraine, (the) Russian soldiers,” she said. “They are exhausted, they’re tired. They’re disoriented, and our people fight for their territory for their families. Even though we have casualties, unfortunately, we are not giving up.
“Keep praying for Ukraine, keep standing up, speaking up.”
Hannah Schrodt is the news editor of The Columbus Telegram. Reach her via email at hannah.schrodt@lee.net.
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