I also took part in FLEX [Future Leaders Exchange Program], but
the third stage was not lucky for me. I spoke with many people who
had won the competition and went to the United States. They also told
about the huge difference between American
and Ukrainian students. There is an American volunteer who
works in our school. In fact, she showed me
Irkliyenko’s article. We discussed
this problem in our class and also wrote essays about it. Here is
mine:
I live in a wonderful country – Ukraine. I love it, because it’s
my motherland, the place where I was born.
Like any other country, Ukraine has both positive and negative
sides. It has rich ground and cheerful, clever people. But also there
is corruption and much unfairness in Ukraine.
Very often we can hear the words: “I don’t have enough money
for education, for getting a good job, for good medical help and so
on.” It’s really a huge social problem. I think that it’s much
more deeper than any of us can imagine. Because these problems we can
meet not only in adulthood. In fact, they begin in our childhood.
It’s not a secret that in Ukrainian schools cheating happens
very often. Cheating also is a part of friendship here. But only
pupils think it’s true. Because of cheating, teenagers begin to
think that we can buy and sell everything in this world.
Very often each of us is lost in thought about these problems. But
as usual we think that much older people with higher social status
are guilty, for example, the government.
But they also were children once, and they also grew up in such
terms.
To overcome these problems the whole country should set
itself common goals, all of us.
Adults must create a different atmosphere
for their children. Children should understand that as a rule, the
easiest way is not the best way.
I think that Ukraine is a young country now and one day Ukrainians
will understand that they are making their life harder and will fight
against it.
I like your article. It’s about really
serious problems. And I think that we must talk about them more. And
maybe then people will
begin to understand their importance.
Dariya Garmash
Kupyansk, Ukraine
