Ivan Batiouk – Republic of Nauru
Kyiv Post: Where are you from in Ukraine?
Ivan Batiouk: I was born in Kyiv
KP: When did you leave; why did you leave?
IB: I first left Ukraine when I was six years old, right after the fall of the Soviet Union. My grandfather was the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Nations and then to Canada.
After his terms ended, I returned back home for a year before moving to Tanzania, East Africa.
KP: How did you end up in Nauru?
IB: For the past two years, I have been living and working in the Republic of Nauru for the government of Nauru. After I finished my education in Melbourne, Australia, I came to Nauru for an internship to gain some work experience in the development field.
Six months later I was offered a job in the Ministry of Finance and have recently moved to the Environment Ministry.
KP: Do you ever regret that you are not in Ukraine – why or why not?
IB: Ukraine is always going to be my home – and there is no place like home. I regret leaving my family the most and there is not a day that goes by that I do not think of them. I am a true patriot at heart and it is sometimes very difficult to maintain that Ukrainian connection especially since I have lived all over the world.
KP: What do you miss most about Ukraine?
IB: I miss my family the most. My uncles, aunts, newborn cousins, grandparents and great-grandparents are all at home. I miss the strong Ukrainian culture that our people have been fighting for during hundreds of years.
It impresses me how far and how much and at times how little Ukraine has accomplished in its short 20 years of Independence. After all – some “democracies” tend to take hundreds of years to perfect and Ukraine is still in an infant stage in this regard. I miss the Ukrainian culture and its hospitality greatly.
Our people might not have much to offer, but when you come into our house you are guaranteed to be treated to a warm and very delicious meal as well as a few rounds of horyilka (vodka).
KP: What do you miss least about Ukraine?
IB: I least miss the politics and the domestic situation back in Ukraine. Regardless of who is in power or who the prime minister is – I tend to be ashamed of all their empty promises which are made to the people.
The standard of living – although improving – is still very low compared to European and most Western standards, but I have no doubt that one day we will get there.
Educated and skilled professionals are underpaid which tends to result in a ‘brain drain’ – therefore all the best, most dynamic and best educated people tend to flee the country to look for better opportunities. Regrettably – I fall in this category as well.
KP: Does [where you live] have more opportunities for you than in Ukraine?
IB: Much like Ukraine, Nauru is a very poor and developing country. The opportunities in Nauru (for the local people) are also very limited due to similar factors that exist in Ukraine. Lack of education, employment and at times an unpredictable political environment.
However, Nauru has provided me the experience and the learning that no university or other country can and it really will always have a place in my heart.
Working for the government, representing the government and being involved in high-level discussions are invaluable learning opportunities that not only will assist Nauru but also will help develop my own skills. I will not live here forever – there will come a day when it will be time to move on but the biggest question will be to where?
KP: What relatives/friends are left back in Ukraine?
IB: My entire family is back in Kyiv, besides my Mum who is still working for the UN in Tanzania. I do have a handful of childhood friends but we have been very disconnected over the last few decades and it’s nice to see them again but we have very little in common – we all have very different lives.
KP: Do they visit you or do you visit them? Often?
IB: Sadly – they cannot visit me as it is very expensive to get out of Ukraine and come to the Pacific. Nauru is a country that is very isolated and expensive to get to. Having lived in different countries and different continents my whole life – it’s difficult for relatives to visit.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to visit home and my family as often as I like. The last time I was in Kyiv was almost four years ago but I tend to visit them next year if my financial situation stabilizes.
KP: With Ukraine coming up to its 20th anniversary of national independence, how do you feel about your homeland? Is it making progress as a nation? Or not so much?
IB: Ukraine has made great strides and leaps over the last 20 years to become a participatory member of the international community.
Our history, dating back to Kyivan Rus days, has been marred with violence and struggle for independence and sovereignty and now that we have achieved it – after all of these many years – I think we should all be very proud to be Ukrainian.
However, you cannot change the past and the Soviet system overnight – or in an albeit short period of time such as 20 years. There have been significant changes in people’s lives and the way we all live.
The economy, privatization (both good and bad) and infrastructural developments have shown signs of significant potential to place Ukraine as the heart of European economic growth and European integration.
At the fall of the Soviet Union – there was no other country from that bloc that had as much potential as Ukraine – but sadly – Ukraine has not lived up to her expectations. The political situations, oligarchs and horrendous corruption have and will continue to plague Ukraine for many years to come.
Unless Ukraine gets politicians who believe more in the success and glory of our country as opposed to personal ambitions and wealth, it will be a challenge for many years to come to see our country rise of its knees.
KP: What would it take for you to return?
IB: Having left at a very young and tender age – I have not been able to talk in Russian or Ukrainian as much as I would have liked to and I have – regrettably – began forgetting the language.
The more I practice, the more I hear it all comes back as a mother tongue. If Ukraine offered decent employment opportunities as well as a good standard of living – I would come back home in a heartbeat.
KP: What do you wish for your country?
IB: I wish for Ukraine to realize her true potential and to be a leader on the world stage. There are highly regarded and educated professionals in Ukraine, infrastructure that needs some investment as well as good natural resources which when combined can be beneficial to both Ukraine as well as the wider community.
It’s often said that Ukraine has the brains but not the money and I believe this is true.
In this regard, I wish that the bureaucracy of our country changes to encourage greater foreign investment, to encourage small to medium business enterprises and to provide a legal and financial support framework to maintain these companies as they will (as in Europe) are the drivers of economic growth.
KP: Do you think that wish will come true?
IB: We can all hope and pray but I really do think that with the right leadership, with the right mentality to change things for the better this can and will happen – but as anything in Ukraine, it will just take a little longer.
