The 2016 UAYA Exchange Program with Ukraine
By Khrystia Bihun
This year marks the 70 anniversary of the resurrection of the Ukrainian Youth Association (CYM) in Augsburg, Germany. Ukrainian Youth Association (CYM) was originally established Kyiv, in 1925 as an underground organization whose goal was to achieve an independent Ukraine (at that time Ukraine was under Bolshevik and Polish rule). UYA was dismantled by the Bolsheviks after only 5 years of clandestine operations in Kharkiv During World War II many Ukrainians found themselves in Germany for a variety of reasons, and among them were members of UYA that were never found by the Bolsheviks. These members resurrected the Ukrainian Youth Association (CYM) and created what is the present day Ukrainian Youth Association (CYM) or UAYA here in the US. Present day UYA (CYM) mission statement is to educate children on Christian and nationalistic principles under the motto of God and Ukraine, so that they can be exemplary citizens in the country that they live in.
In the last 70 years since the reestablishment of UYA, the US chapter has had many projects that promoted the guiding principles of the organization, but one of the most successful and popular is the exchange program (Obmin) of counselors between the US and Ukraine. This year is the sixth consecutive year that, a group of college students participated in this innovative exchange program of the Ukrainian American Youth Assn. (CYM) – the exchange occurs between UAYA’s sister organizations in the United States and in Ukraine. The program brings about the exchange of ideas, best practices and life experiences between the counselors and junior counselors of the two countries. Perhaps more importantly, it is helping to develop lines of communications, collegial relationships and enduring friendships between developing leaders of the youth organization in two very different countries; it foster the realization that although we are different, we have a strong common bond that unites us.
This year CYM’s National Executive started its search for prospective exchange candidates in December of 2015, and the participants chosen were a sample from different geographic areas of the US where there are UAYA branches. They were Alexandra Gorodiski, 19 from the Chicago branchand a sophomore at DePaul University, Lesia Hrycyna, 21 a junior at SUNY Binghampton, from the Rochester branch and Jessica Demianicz, 21 a senior at Bloomfield College from the Jersey City branch. This combination of members from different areas of the US brought a wonderful combination of opinions and viewpoints on running a camp to the exchange program.
The program started with Ukraine sending a counselor from Ternopil, Lesia Holyk and two young counsellors in training, both age 16, Daryna Symchych and Anya Berezovska from Kyiv. They participated in the counselor in training camp (vyshkilniy tabir) in Ellenville NY, and then the counsellor Lesia Holyk spent one week at the UAYA counselor in training camp in Baraboo, Wisconsin. At the end of the two weeks of camp and some sightseeing, the Ukrainians along with their American counterparts flew to Ukraine. They spent the first few days in Ukraine touring the old western city of Lviv. Following the respite in Lviv the participants of the program arrived in the village of Ozerniy Kraiy, on the outskirts of Lviv where they attended the Ukrainian version of counselor in training camp (vyshkilniy tabir) which is used as a staging platform for the children’s camp. The counsellors boarded a bus and with a medley of Ukrainian, songs drove to village a called Komariv, near the city of Chervonohrad, about an hour north of Lviv, where they awaited the arrival of the unatstvo from all areas of Ukraine. The Americans and their Ukrainian counterparts participated as counselors and counselors in training at the Ukrainian summer UAYA camp. The work was a 24/7 immersion in Ukrainian camp life. The following are the impressions and memories of the American participants.
Jessica Demianicz, Jersey City, New Jersey
I had an amazing opportunity to go to Ukraine not only for the first time but also to attend camp. My entire life I went to Ukrainian school to learn this beautiful language, culture and history. Just being able to see everything in person, words cannot describe how beautiful and how far our country has gone to be where they are today. Going to Counsellor in training camp, I did not know what to expect however, it was only four days and people where so friendly. My Ukrainian has improved and I learned new dances as well as games to play with the children. I will definitely miss the nights of us sitting in a circle and singing Ukrainian songs all night long. After Counsellor in training camp, the following day the camp for the children started. I was apprehensive at first as I realized I was responsible for planning activities for the two weeks for the children, but with the amazing help from my counsellors in training and my new Ukrainian friends I was successful, everyone had a great time, and the children learned something new each day. With all the amazing new friends, I have in Ukraine I look forward to visiting Ukraine again, going to camp and seeing my new friends.
Lesia Hrycyna, Rochester, New York
This journey was a once in a lifetime experience. Not until I got on the plane did it set in my mind, “I’m going to Ukraine this summer”. The Ukrainian American Youth Association, UAYA, has given me so much and this summer I had the opportunity to work at camp in Ukraine. We first had counsellor in training camp, which gave us the opportunity to prepare for camp and meet everyone that we would be working with. We learned so many new activities and games to play with the kids, which were fun for all ages, as we experienced ourselves. We sang and danced teaching and exchanging our knowledge with all the friends we made. I felt at home, just as I would at camp in America, only with a different group of people. The atmosphere was incredible and everyone felt it. Then camp started, the kids arrived, and the work began. I worked with boys age’s six to nine and the phrase that comes to mind is, boys will be boys. Boys will definitely keep you on your toes and you have to be ready to run! As crazy, an experience as it was with the boys, it was also incredibly rewarding. I do not have words to describe how amazing this opportunity was. You walk away with the most incredible memories and knowledge to share and bring to others.
Alexandra Gorodiski, Chicago, Illinois
A trip to Ukraine for a Ukrainian-American is always filled with elation, but a trip to Ukraine where a member of the Ukrainian American Youth Association (UAYA) has the privilege of representing that organization is one filled with pride and passion. As any Ukrainian-American would say, I fell in love with Ukraine: the land, its people, and the living history. Moreover, I became even more enthused about the Ukrainian American Youth Association, an organization I have been a member of my entire life. Seeing the organization in a stage of progression made me realize that our mission of serving Ukraine and God is of the utmost importance. I had the opportunity to work with girls 8-10 years of age; their curiosity is never-ending, they have a burning desire to learn, and an even greater desire to socialize. I was proud that at the end of camp they all came out with new knowledge and new memories that as camp counselors, we helped facilitate. The trip also allowed me to make everlasting friends and connections and develop new ideas. From Ukrainians, I learned a new way to plan a camp program and countless ways to engage children from dawn to dusk. The Ukrainians learned about organization and communication that needs to be prevalent throughout the year and during summer camps. Overall, this trip is one of the greatest experiences the UAYA offers, as it shows that the organization has no borders and one branch is always willing to help the other.
If you are a member of UAYA, and are interested in becoming a participant of this program check the web site for upcoming information in late November.
