I’m a lover of history and languages who would like to increase my knowledge of Eastern Europe. To feel more intimate with the history, the literature, and the customs, I’ve decided this is the year I will teach myself how to speak Ukrainian. I find the language to be pleasing to the ear, and I find the history of the Ukraine fascinating – history is being made every day in Ukraine. Right now, the country is in political unrest while they are deciding to align with Russia or the European Union. I figure learning Ukrainian can benefit me in several ways.
My career goal is to work together with other cultures. I am very interested in visiting Eastern Europe someday and many Ukrainian people do not speak much English. Knowing their language is way to get to know the people and their homeland better. Maybe one day I could teach Ukrainian to others. I would like to read Ukrainian literature that isn’t translated into English to capture the authenticity of the author’s words. I’ve been using Duolingo, a free website to learn languages, for the past few days. I recommend it! I’m already able to read a little bit of the Cyrillic alphabet, which I didn’t think I’d be able to begin to understand for a long time. I’m glad I’m challenging myself to open another door of the world by learning a new language.