Majority of people live by the pattern «home-work-home», drawn in by everyday routine, moaning about boring job, home routines…Scenario, isn’t it? You think only celebrities live glamorous life, full of enjoyment? Believe it or not, not really. Let’s take ordinary medical nurse Olena Vinokurova as an example – person, who has job, family and hobby and she is happy! Simple recipes of happiness for all readers of Zhytomyr.Travel

«Once, my friend invited me to cheer for her. I went to see «Dragon» boat rowing competition and just became obsessed with it. I asked if I could start training also, but the team has already been complete at that time. Soon, my friends shared an ad with me in Facebook, it said, that people are invited to join the team. I immediately wrote to the coaches and they said «OK»! It was then, when I asked if I could take children with me. They said: «No problem!». It was when I joined the team and it’s been more than a year already since my children and I have started our trainings»

«I have three children. My elder son is already an army officer and he also trains on dragonboats, last year he even managed to win a medal together with his team. My daughters train together with me. In winter we train in the gym, in spring we row in the river. My children are all different and their reaction to my suggestion to start training was also different. Son was glad to start, he is Candidate for master of sports (swimming). The youngest daughter is always ready to do something fun and my middle daughter – very calm, also Candidate for master of sports (swimming), at first was not very enthusiastic about accepting my offer. But, when we started to train, sometimes I even could tell her, that she will not go training if she won’t do her homework and it worked!»

«I hope my children are proud of their mom (laughs). But this is not what’s the most important thing. What’s most important is that love me»

«It’s hard to say, why I like these trainings so much. Maybe, because there was nothing of the kind when I was a child: my father was military officer, we moved from one military town to another, lived in camps, sometimes there were only four officers’ quarters, military base and this is it. That’s why my children studied in music school and went in for sports, attended different clubs and coteries»

«It’s cool to go in for team sport. It’s boring to always stay at home, one should realize his potential. I met so many interesting people!»

«How do I manage to do everything? I wake up at five o’clock in the morning (laughs) I have to be at work at eight, so I help children to pack their staff and get ready for school, sometimes they cook breakfast ourselves. Sometimes I work after hours and take my sport bag with me. When I was young wife, I had this «buzz-bug»: hyperprotection, cleaning twice a day, cookies and pies and staff like this. Now I’m grown and understand, it’s not that important. Now I manage to do everything I plan: I have time left for children, work and hobby»

«As far back as I can remember I thought that I would become a doctor. But, when I entered higher educational institution, I failed. Then I got married, and everything turned the way it is now. But I always understood that medicine – that’s my bag! I love my job, my patients. They can be different, but we love them, know them. I’m happy to work with wonderful doctor, a very good person, I learn from her every day. I don’t even know what it means – hate going to work»

«Back in my childhood we went to the consignment store where German saxophone was sold. But there was no chance to learn to play it. That’s why my son learned to play saxophone at music school and now he plays three music instruments, my daughter plays piano»

«My children did not wish to study medicine. One time, when we were walking with my youngest daughter, she said: «Look, mom. My brother and sister did not study medicine, it’s only me, who’s left». (laughs). I don’t know if my dream will ever come true, she is now only 6th form pupil, but, to my opinion, there is no a profession nobler, than this one»

«I can easily live without TV: I have it, but I never watch it. As cliche as it may sound, I can’t live without books. Sure, people need to get information from somewhere. I have many books that I love, one of the latest – «Juda» by Amos Oz. The book is incredible, it won Leo Tolstoy prize this year…I like Fitzgerald, Chekhov. My children also read these authors. They like reading printed books. We go to the store, they leaf over, choose books actually looking at them. I’ve never had this problem, forcing them to read. I think, they saw how much I like literature and I bought them books they wanted. I’m proud that my children love books»

«My youngest daughter does not have time at all: she goes in for judo, studies English, attends photographer’s club – she runs there gladly. It is not cheap, but I invest into my children. I think it’s the right thing to do»

«I’m always telling my children that they should enter state-financed faculties, because, otherwise it would be very difficult for us financially. It’s rather complicated, when it comes to education. Now 90% of children study at higher educational institutions, but, I don’t really know how critical it is. It’s important to have profession, that will provide for you, will give pleasure, you will feel comfortable doing it, but do you really need higher education for this…A great number of people does not work according to the profession they obtained. In medical sphere salary of the doctor-intern and younger nurse is absolutely the same. People are looking for what’s best for them. It shouldn’t be like this»

«Our dragonboat team consist of different people, various age groups, professions, but they all manage to get on well. Even feeling tired after doesn’t stop you from going to trainings – atmosphere, good nature, team spirit, wonderful coaches»

«Girls who train with us went to China as part of national Ukrainian team to participate in world championship. It seems, that coaches plan to create team, that will consist of people forty+. Then we will be able to show ourselves. Life only begins when you are forty!» (laughs)

«My friend is 50+, but she is as good as twenty-years-old girls – she can withstand same physical load. Basically, age for a woman does not mean wrinkles on her skin, but wrinkles on her heart and soul. If person feels good, figures does not mean anything. Woman can be beautiful in any age. There are women who are 60, 70, but they perform on the runway and look just great. Person must have content, inside resource»

«I am sustainable person. I have three wonderful children, job I love, interesting hobby. We all have our own life journey, and it always comes the time, when we need to understand for ourselves: whether we take our own path or go with the stream, look for the shield to stay behind. When people say, that the most important for the girl is to marry well, I get really angry. Person must be able to do something, be worth of something. In this case, you will make it in life»

«My child in her 11 already learned to plan her time. She does not have access to gadgets 24/7. It is very often when my daughters sit next to me watching what I’m doing. Children don’t need to be taught how to behave, one should behave the way that he won’t feel ashamed for what he’s done. Of course, I’m not perfect, but the most important thing is that they see how I live, what I’m interested in. Though, I’m sure that our children will be better, than us»

«I live in Zhytomyr, I was born here, but my parents left the city. I came back when I was already 20. Of course, city lives its own life, it’s changing. Attitude to it sometimes depends on the way person feels at the moment. If a person is satisfied with life, work, everything seems just great, she loves everything around her. If something goes wrong for the person, everything around will be bad: dirty streets, old trolleybuses, etc. But many things in the city depend on how people behave themselves, how we behave ourselves»

«There are many things I want to do: see how my children realize their potential, travel around the world, enjoy interesting places. It would be thrilling if I could go to Japan – extraordinary country – I also like Italy. Iceland is intriguing: this country is unlike other countries in the world. On the whole, world is beautiful»

«There are many interesting places in our town, but not every inhabitant of Zhytomyr knows its history. Zhytomyr has its own symbols, which should be preserved: water tower, philharmonic with its wonderful acoustics, one of the best in Ukraine. Zhytomyr is wonderful – quiet, green, home»

Text noted by Oksana Davydenko
Photo: Marta Yarotska