UKRAINE

A CULTURAL DIFFERENCE: EDUCATION

By Anna Bibik

Have you ever thought that the education and evaluation system in different countries can be different? Educational methods in the U.S. are more comprehensive, specialized and focused on details, if compared with the Ukrainian system. In contrast, higher educational institutions, now the education system in Ukraine is actively changing, leaving the standards of the Soviet Union and moving to modern education standards practiced in USA. The essential differences between school and student education in Ukraine and the USA lie in the methods and forms of education and evaluation system. If we talk about schools in Ukraine and U.S., I can point out several important differences between these two educational systems.

First, I want to point out is the difference in the form of education. Comprehensive school education in Ukraine lasts 11 years, and in USA 12 years. In addition, after completing the 9th grade, Ukrainian students can enter college. They will study there 4-5 years and upon graduation will receive a secondary special diploma. Likewise, after graduating from college, they can immediately enter the second year of university. In U.S., you have to graduate from high school to be able to go to college. Second difference is that in Ukrainian and U.S. schools is the beginning of training and the duration of lessons. For example, in Ukraine, classes start at 8.30 a.m. and one lesson lasts 45 minutes. In U.S., lessons start earlier, at 7.30 a.m. and one lesson lasts 55 minutes. Third, in Ukraine school graduates take exams at the end of the 11th grade and decide the fate of the graduate. The student chooses the subjects which will be recognized according to this test exactly, the graduate will be able to enter the University. A graduate in USA in school after 11th class there is an examination, 2 hours and includes two subjects: language and mathematics. In 12th grade, students send the results of this test to university with a list of subjects which studied. In addition, after completing the 9th grade, Ukrainian students can enter college. They will study there 4-5 years and upon graduation will receive a diploma with secondary special education. Likewise, after graduating from college, they can immediately enter the second year of university. In U.S., you have to graduate from high school to be able to go to college. Traditional in the Ukrainian system of higher education are day and evening form of education.

I would also like to point out the difference in the knowledge assessment system in Ukraine and the USA. Contrary to the Ukrainian program, in the United States persons can go to college at any age and also have home schooling programs. The most typical grade level in the United States is the letter class: A through F. At the same time, Ukraine practices a 12-point grading system. For example, in the USA

‘A’ = 12 points in Ukraine, and ‘F’ = 2 points in Ukraine. In addition, in the American school there is the possibility of correcting the evaluation of the control paper or test by the method of resubmission, unlike in Ukraine. In my opinion, knowledge assessment system in the USA is much more convenient and practical. Another difference is admission to a higher educational institution. In contrast to Ukraine, there is no uniform system of admission to institutions of higher education in the USA. For example, in USA there are no restrictions on admission based on the place of residence, and there are no entrance tests with competitive selection. In Ukraine, a student registers in a single database of applicants, passes external examinations, entrance exams, etc. In addition, the Ukraine and USA also have different admission rules in higher education institutions.

Taking into account all the comparison of both educational systems, the Ukrainian system dictates to learners each step with the educational procedure and adheres to the old Soviet methodology, while the US system is more flexible, provides even more freedom and advanced technology. In general, learning in the USA is a great opportunity that not many people have in Ukraine. Thus, all those who have it should make the most of the chance to master.

We Continue The Traditions Of Our Ancestors

By Anna Grapeniuk

I am happy to tell you about my country, people and culture. I love Ukraine and I can speak about my country for hours. We have a huge historical, cultural, and traditional background.

I hope maybe you heard about Trypillia culture one of the oldest civilizations in the world, which was located 7000 years BC on the modern Ukrainian, Romanian and Moldavian territory The largest settlements were in Ukraine. These people were good bread farmers. Also, I think you heard about Kyiv country and Prince of Kyiv Yaroslav the Wise, whose one of his daughters Anna was queen of France. About our cossacks glorious free Ukrainian warriors. All of them are our ancestors.

But everything that I write is about the past. Now I would like to tell you about modern Ukraine and things that you don’t know.

Ukraine is the biggest country in Europe. For more than 30 years Ukraine successfully developed in agricultural, online industry, tourism, and others. Our land is fertile that’s why very often people say that Ukraine feeds the whole world. Our country exports to other countries wheat, sunflower and corn. Ukraine is on the first place in the world to export sunflower corn and oil and fifth place in the world who export corn.

We know how to work, but also, we know how to rest. We like singing and dancing. I am more than sure that you heard famous in the world Christmas carols Carol of the Bells” the melody has written by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych. Additionally, a dance that is admired now by the coolest breakdancer is Ukrainian traditional Cossacks folk dance “Povzunec” (The Crawler). This dance is one of the hardest dances in the world, like also our traditional dance Hopak”. These dances were the battle dance of the Cossacks. A lot of movement of it is real combat technique.

As you see we continue and develop traditions of our ancestors, the people of Trypillia, princes, Cossacks. But right now, my beautiful country, traditions and people are destroying through the war, and I must move to the U.S. to preserve our culture and traditions.

The Best Place To Visit In My Home Country

By Bogdan Grapeniuk

My name is Bogdan. I am from Ukraine. There are many beautiful places to visit in Ukraine, but the place I would recommend visiting is the city of Lviv. This city is called the cultural capital of Ukraine. It has an amazing atmosphere, impressive architecture, various festivals, and the most delicious coffee in the world. Lviv is really a European city. If you ever visit Ukraine, please be sure to stop in Lviv.

A Special Holiday

By Andrii Hyrtsak

Christmas is a special holiday in my country. On Christmas, my family gathers together at one house. When we are gathered together, both the adults and children organize themselves into groups and go caroling at the houses that invite us to sing carols for them. The celebration of Christmas has long-standing historical traditions. One interesting tradition is that the carols sung in our country are composed by local people and some of the carols are more than a century old. The carols show the lifestyle of our people and glorify the newborn Jesus. People also dress up as biblical characters and do impromptu performances. It is almost like a traveling theater with people dressed up at home or going from house to house. Christmas reminds people of the best moments of childhood and brings family and friends together. For these reasons, Christmas is my favorite holiday.

A Special Holiday

By Marianna Hyrtsak

Christmas is a special holiday in my country. On Christmas, the people in my country visit each other and sing carols. These carols are songs that are sung only at Christmas. Also, the children go around to people's houses and sing songs about the birth of Jesus. People also prepare 12 fasting dishes for this holiday. In every family, there are traditional dishes that are prepared only for Christmas. For these reasons, this is my favorite holiday because the whole family is together.

Ukraine Through My Eyes

By Olha Kashyna

What is Ukraine? At the moment, when you pronounce this word, everyone associates this wonderful and flourishing country with war... But this is far from being the case!

Ukraine is the place where people radiate peace and love, give their positive, where poppies and sunflowers bloom, and the most delicious corn on the planet ripens...

Ukraine is the place where spiritual music is born, and with it the soul, the real Ukrainian soul! I often ask myself why there is always a lot of aggression against Ukrainians?

What did they do wrong to deserve such an incorrect attitude towards themselves?

Ukrainians have always been generous, humorous, and hospitable people.

And what nature is around! Hilly outskirts, cherry orchards and birds singing in them ...

And when you enter a real Ukrainian hut, where there is an oven with freshly baked pies smelling of cherries and seeing that all the walls of the hut are hung with embroidered shirts - my soul sings. And when you come to visit someone, they won’t let you go without a treat:

Ukrainian borscht, dumplings and dumplings... This is the real Ukraine in my eyes!

It is impossible not to love this country, rich in its generosity. Very positive people live in Ukraine. Despite the historical difficulties and what is happening there at the moment, people do not lose optimism and faith in the future. Even in the villages, people look at many things with humor and always understand each other. In the villages, the local currency can be bacon, homemade sausage, milk, moonshine, and onions – because the people there are generous and hardworking, they will always help their relatives and fellow countrymen.

And when there are holidays in Ukraine, then the world changes: Christmas, St. Nicholas, Ivan Kupala ... How much love and bright emotions in these words! All these folk holidays have been full of love for centuries, because at the moments when you see happy children and old people rejoicing, you yourself want to live!

People are happy for their nation. They are hardworking and they have pride in their nationality and for the fact that they are Ukrainians! There is no holiday in Ukraine without a song.

Ukraine is a unity with nature, it always pulls there, you always want to return to those places where golden fields bloom, forests rustle and the majestic Dnieper flows, above which the capital of Ukraine - golden-domed Kiev rises! I wish everyone to love Ukraine the way I love it! Glory to Ukraine!

The Motherland

By Olya Tsvietkova

What is the Motherland? Where does it begin? What role does it play in a person's life and how does it affect his fate?

Each person has his own answer to this question. For one, the Motherland is a destroyed home and memories of the terrible days of the war, which came so unexpectedly, replacing clear sunny days and the singing of birds with the roar of shells. For others, the Motherland is childhood among rural nature, sunflowers, dandelions and a babbling brook. But for all people, the Motherland is, first of all, the country that gave them life.

Now it has become fashionable to be considered a cosmopolitan a citizen of the world that is, a person who does not feel like a sprout of his native land or for whom the Motherland is the whole world. Of course, we were all born on planet Earth. It’s ridiculous to deny it, but still, everyone was born in their own country. Previous generations live in each person, and the "shadows of forgotten ancestors" do not allow them to forget their beliefs, culture, history, experience, even if they do not realize it.

Love your country.

Holidays

By Iryna Zavrazhnova

It is interesting to learn about new holidays in different countries around the world. We both the United States and Ukraine celebrate Christmas as a big holiday. People wish each other good luck and good health. The date of celebration is different. We celebrate Christmas on January 7 in Ukraine. Christmas is a religious holiday in Ukraine. We go to church necessarily. We prepare 12 Christmas dishes on the Eve of the holiday. All people are united by the joy of the birth of Christ, faith in good future.