There are some important dates that absolutely do not cause positive emotions. For example, world refugee day. The stories of those who were forced to leave their homes have also become a Ukrainian reality. But there are also bright moments: the examples of people who are able to build life again and again, inspire, and thanks to such people Zhytomyr received a wonderful center of education and creative development”GINGER” with a real children’s English-language theater. The founder of the theater was the new Zhytomyr Victoria Khromova. On the eve of world refugee day Vika told Zhytomyr.Travel on how to find yourself and not give up

“I am from Luhansk region, Alchevsk city. She was a teacher at the Donbass state technical University. We all life lived in Alchevsk, and my parents from there. It is an industrial city, more developed, though young. Zhytomyr another: it seems to me that the old, old Zhytomyr looks like a big good village”

“In Alchevsk I didn’t face the business side of teaching – I worked in a higher educational institution. We have a high level of technical specialties, and our Department trained technical translators. In Ukraine, few universities prepare such, and I am a philologist-translator specializing in”Technical translation”. At the time when the war began, I have worked for eight years as a teacher”

“I was not going to work here at all, because we were coming here, like everyone else – to sit out. We thought a couple of months and it’s over. Especially because I was already expecting second child and once about work not thought. And then by chance grant turned up. Then it was all by chance: accidentally saw the announcement of the competition, accidentally filed a project and, without understanding what happened, won. Apparently, somewhere on top of something has already been decided!” (Laughs)

“A lot depended on the mood with which the person went. We were “Terry nationalists”, with the whole family. Thank God that all because a lot of families have porosities were different. And we went to their country: it’s full of Ukrainian flags, and we’re so happy about it!”

“At first I was crying, constantly crying…. Behind your house, outside the city, everything. In the morning everyone goes to work, my Ala goes to school, and I weep. An hour and a half before everyone was supposed to come back, I told myself that would be enough. I was washing my face, getting ready to eat. And it was only until Stepan was born. Stepan’s birth is such a distraction. (Smiles) and in General, based on the experience of communication, I think that who wants to find a place for himself”

“The idea of children’s theater came as something accidentally. I sat with Stepan in my arms, fed him and saw the announcement of the competition projects. “Describe your vision…”What can I see? I’m “the teacher”! About this and wrote. But Aley pre-made brainstorming, invented, described. The usual training center for children is unoriginal, and the theater, then another thing. In itself, the art of theater makes a person more relaxed, gives the child confidence. And now our children are absolutely calm on stage”

“We have such currency at school – ginger. This is the money that children get for each lesson, and then go to a ginger shop. The kids like it”

“I would not be able to sit at home and do nothing – it is in nature. No, of course it is necessary sometimes to relax when strained, when I’m tired, but for three days max. Sometimes I get sick, and I don’t go to bed myself: I’m probably already put in bed (Laughs). And here are two days and the third is start with the sense to move out. Fever, runny nose, but I get up and run errands”

“When I was very obedient, tender, such a “bell girl”. And then life has taught her teeth show. When I was told that I was a bitch, at first I wanted to be offended, and then I was glad: “Nothing, it’s normal” (Laughs)

“My parents have always had” non-Soviet ” views. They are simple people: my mother has a construction education, from the 90’s worked in private organizations, dad at a chemical plant, grandmother in General from the orphanage. But parents always had progressive views, never hung labels. And my great-grandfather on my mother’s line was paid-he had a sausage factory. They started with just making sausage at home. Two baskets brought to the market to sell. And untwisted. Well, it’s not some tycoons, hard-working people with their hands downed. And when raskulachivanie, they almost died of starvation”

“Never in my life waited for me someone will solve it. And though occasionally sometimes you want to be “girl-girl”, but still on the shoulders it is necessary to drag a lot of things. Although, in principle, not interfere with each other. (Laughs) Only now I’m trying to teach my daughter not to be me: “I myself”, “I will carry”. If you want to help carry a portfolio-let”

“My children are very different in character. Ala hurricane and Stepan calm, level-headed, but persistent. And gentle! Well, who teaches boys to be gentle? We then want him to be and “real man”, and at the same time gentle and caring. It is necessary to teach children how to show feelings, to build relations”

“I have a lot of friends and acquaintances in Zhytomyr, but the nearest one is a woman who is also an immigrant. We agreed on the basis of common problems. By the way, we have already met in Zhytomyr, when we solved the problem of socialization of children, asked each other: “And you go to what school, are you friends with classmates or not friends?” Then some credit points or even the everyday little things such as “how many pillows I purchased.” It was a bit easier: she is from Zhytomyr and got married in Mariupol”

“In the beginning, it was very surprising that people in Zhytomyr are so sincere. Here, for example, you ask the way, and you all tell, advise how best, almost hand can prove. Once in the trolley came out, a man brought to the corner of the streets, and then said: “okay, I’ll go back to the trolley, because I went out to show you the way. Here are the Zhytomyr, it turns out”

“In 2017, GINGER received the diploma “Discovery of the year”. With that I am still grateful to the then Director of the puppet theater Sergey Leonidovich Misechko. I just came, asked. Already prepared that will tell me how much it will cost several thousand in my head already painted. I have already imagined that I would ask my parents to give “who how much can”, and I will put myself how much will not be enough. I was waiting, and he just said, ” come On out.” So my children came on the big stage for the first time”

“For a long time we want to put something serious. We have” on the shelf “is the script of the production of” blue bird”, wanted to put”Canterville Ghost”. Even started a little, but now I’m swinging at “1001 nights.” Just really want to do, even started the production of Oriental dance. By the way, cool girls help us – “theatrical” and choreographer, who want to show themselves, and this is also a good opportunity for them to gain experience”

“You have to learn to treat troubles correctly. At first I didn’t like everything in Zhytomyr. Well, not exactly the city, but the situation I’m in here: was angry at everything and at all. Others had a problem with renting a home because when apartment owners or realtors found out that the settlers were just hanging up. And we got a nice apartment! Then we were accepted certainly with all our “caravanserai”: grandparents, I’m pregnant, our cat. We got a beautiful hostess, with whom we still communicate. And I was still dissatisfied with something. And then my passport bag was stolen. That’s it! I began to understand that it is necessary to learn to rejoice to that you have. I told myself:”well, now you even have a passport Zhytomyr.” And then relaxed. No, I didn’t start trying to love something! Just relaxed and started to see Zhytomyr differently: I started to take it. Until that moment-all the time at the start: they would say to go back, I would go tomorrow. Now I’ll think ten times”

“About a strong woman-a provocative question. (Smiles) Probably, so. People often tell me,”Oh, man, you’ve been through so much.” I may be strong, but I’m emotional. I’ve been interviewed several times and I think people are trying to find some psychological point to understand us. Of course, there I had a well-established life, home, work, family, apartment. I worked, defended her, I thought: “Here will depart mentally – will doctor”. I had everything! And about my business I dreamed, but it was very far away, I thought that this is a lot”

“I graduated from the University in two specialties in parallel: financial, economic and translation. Economics I, as a student, taught in a “pass-forgot”. The only thing I learned from that is the structuring of the table. It is very easy for me to keep records of everything: classes, children, textbooks. Systematization for the Humanities is very necessary. But the accounts Department as being “zero”, so I’m in it and remained “full zero”. And in General I am not a businesswoman: in “GINGER” invest everything that I have, but he does not feed me and does not bring much income. Only pleasure. But it’s something!”

“When a person has a business talent, she “smells” successful projects, understands where you can make money, and I do not have it. But I know how to work a lot” (Smiles)

“No matter how much they talk about socialization, about the need for immersion in society, but it still seems that we are singled out in a separate caste. Yes, I’m in my country, I’m glad I’m here, but I can’t go anywhere without a piece of paper that I’m “from there.” How?”

“For me in people the main thing is loyalty and honesty. Loyalty-because there were cases, and honesty in itself. Itself according to this principle people are somehow stupid, apparently, I expect that me so will be treated. Thank God, I probably just do not notice when I’m deceived”

“Relatives played a big role in our adaptation to the new place. This is my mother’s cousin and his family: my wife and my brother and sister. My daughter and I lived with them for a couple of months, it’s just during pregnancy. They did not just support us, they helped us to Orient as much as possible and literally did not let us go crazy in a new place. I realized one important thing: there are no relatives close or distant, there are just native people, your family! We are now very close: my brother baptized my Stepan, and I – the godmother of the sister’s daughter”

“I spoil children-I try to give them everything. Well, not the “Golden loaf” of course, and the maximum field for activity, for development. I do not think that we need some new jacket to buy. We’d better have ice cream together or do something that will make the child happy. You can buy some cool stuff with soap bubbles, from which he will scream with pleasure. The child needs to experience! And if that counts, then Yes, I’m spoiling my kids”

“Never say never. I thought that I would never work at school because there is another contingent. What am I doing now? (Laughs) and I like my job to the point of madness! When a year ago I was one mom said:”we have a punishment for the child – not to let the English.” And this for me – praise of the highest grade”

“I’m not stuck in Zhytomyr to anything yet, and there’s a logical explanation: since that time, as I got too Zhytomyr, I had a “GINGER”. And now I just physically have no time to walk”

Tranlsated by Aliona Matushevich