{"id":9121,"date":"2023-11-26T21:35:58","date_gmt":"2023-11-26T21:35:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.calla.com\/wordpress\/?p=9121"},"modified":"2026-03-29T18:36:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-29T18:36:31","slug":"st-sofia-school-in-dubai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.calla.com\/wordpress\/st-sofia-school-in-dubai\/","title":{"rendered":"Sophia School in Dubai"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Olesia Elvey, the Ukrainian language and literature teacher at Sophia Ukrainian school in Dubai, contacted me a couple of months ago about the possibility of doing a virtual visit with her students, using my picture book Enough, which is set during the Holodomor, as part of their commemoration on Holodomor Memorial Day, which was yesterday. She also wanted her students to see the lighting of the candle in Kyiv at 4pm Kyiv time. It took a fair bit of coordination with three time zones and several languages for Olesia to arrange this but it all came off beautifully. The students read my works about the Holodomor that were available in Ukrainian, so that was Enough, and The Rings<\/a>. They asked their questions in English, and their English was perfect. Their perspective was quite interesting. They wanted to know how and why I was so interested in Ukrainian topics, because to them, I was Canadian through and through. I don’t speak Ukrainian and not only was I born in Canada, but so were my parents. They were surprised that I could have such a deep tie with the country, but this is true of many Ukrainians in the diaspora. My heart is solid Ukrainian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I told them that Ukrainians who were able to find refuge in Canada were like seeds of memory (Mateusz \u015awietlicki has written a brilliant book on this very topic<\/a>). Those who stayed were often subjected to gulags, imprisonment, death, re-education, not to mention propaganda and disinformation. Stalin specifically targeted for extinction the storytellers, journalists, artists. How do you tell your stories when you’re dead?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The diaspora had challenges, but nothing like Ukrainians. Memories were shared and recorded and passed down. Memories of WWI, WWII, the Holodomor, as well as Ukrainian pioneer life in Canada, interwar life, DPs, and so on were all preserved. Many of my books are inspired by these experiences. I am deeply moved when Ukrainian read and respond to my books, and when they recognize their own history on the pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s<\/a> a local story about the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of the questions the students asked:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dmytro and Alina:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

.- Are there episodes in your stories (in particular, in the fairy tale “Enough”) that related to the history of your family?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0427\u0438 \u0454 \u0443 \u0412\u0430\u0448\u0438\u0445 \u0442\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0430\u0445 (\u0437\u043e\u043a\u0440\u0435\u043c\u0430, \u0443 \u043a\u0430\u0437\u0446\u0456 “\u0414\u043e\u0441\u0438\u0442\u044c”” ) \u0435\u043f\u0456\u0437\u043e\u0434\u0438, \u044f\u043a\u0456 \u043f\u043e\u0432’\u044f\u0437\u0430\u043d\u0456 \u0437 \u0456\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0456\u0454\u044e \u0412\u0430\u0448\u043e\u0457 \u0440\u043e\u0434\u0438\u043d\u0438?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Timur:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Where did you get information about the Holodomor?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0414\u0435 \u0432\u0438 \u0431\u0440\u0430\u043b\u0438 \u0456\u043d\u0444\u043e\u0440\u043c\u0430\u0446\u0456\u044e \u043f\u0440\u043e \u0413\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0434\u043e\u043c\u043e\u0440?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tamara:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– How did the idea to write the story “Enough” come about?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u042f\u043a \u0432\u0438\u043d\u0438\u043a\u043b\u0430 \u0456\u0434\u0435\u044f \u043d\u0430\u043f\u0438\u0441\u0430\u0442\u0438 \u0442\u0432\u0456\u0440 “\u0414\u043e\u0441\u0438\u0442\u044c”?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Marianna:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Is the story about the grain being buried in graves true, actual history, or did you make it up? If true, how did you hear about it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0427\u0438 \u0432\u0438 \u0447\u0443\u043b\u0438  \u0441\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0436\u043d\u044e \u0456\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0456\u044e \u043f\u0440\u043e \u0442\u0435, \u0449\u043e \u0445\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043b\u0438 \u0437\u0431\u0456\u0436\u0436\u044f \u0443 \u043c\u043e\u0433\u0438\u043b\u0430\u0445 \u0447\u0438 \u0446\u0435 \u0412\u0438 \u0432\u0438\u0433\u0430\u0434\u0430\u043b\u0438?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– How old is Marusia in your story? (Usually older girls have a  hope chest). \u042f\u043a\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0432\u0456\u043a\u0443 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0431\u043b\u0438\u0437\u043d\u043e \u041c\u0430\u0440\u0443\u0441\u044f \u0443 \u0412\u0430\u0448\u0456\u0439 \u0456\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0456\u0457? (\u0412\u043e\u043d\u0430 \u043c\u0430\u0454 \u0441\u043a\u0440\u0438\u043d\u044e \u0434\u043b\u044f \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0434\u0430\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e, \u0442\u043e\u0436 \u0445\u043e\u0447\u0435\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u0443\u044f\u0432\u0438\u0442\u0438, \u044f\u043a\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0432\u043e\u043d\u0430 \u0432\u0456\u043a\u0443).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maya:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– How big was the sack of grain that Marusia brought to the village on a stork? Approximately how many kilograms did the village need to survive? \u041d\u0430\u0441\u043a\u0456\u043b\u044c\u043a\u0438 \u0432\u0435\u043b\u0438\u043a\u0438\u043c \u0431\u0443\u0432 \u043c\u0456\u0448\u043e\u043a \u0456\u0437 \u0437\u0435\u0440\u043d\u043e\u043c, \u044f\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u041c\u0430\u0440\u0443\u0441\u044f \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0432\u0435\u0437\u043b\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u043b\u0435\u043b\u0435\u0446\u0456 \u0432 \u0441\u0435\u043b\u043e. \u0421\u043a\u0456\u043b\u044c\u043a\u0438 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0431\u043b\u0438\u0437\u043d\u043e \u043a\u0456\u043b\u043e\u0433\u0440\u0430\u043c\u0456\u0432 \u043f\u043e\u0442\u0440\u0456\u0431\u043d\u043e \u0431\u0443\u043b\u043e, \u0449\u043e\u0431 \u0441\u0435\u043b\u043e \u0432\u0438\u0436\u0438\u043b\u043e?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

General<\/p>\n\n\n\n

———–<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anjey:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– What was your childhood like? \u042f\u043a\u0438\u043c \u0431\u0443\u043b\u043e \u0412\u0430\u0448\u0435 \u0434\u0438\u0442\u0438\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– What made you write stories related to war? \u0429\u043e \u0441\u043f\u043e\u043d\u0443\u043a\u0430\u043b\u043e \u0432\u0430\u0441 \u043f\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0442\u0438 \u0456\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0456\u0457, \u043f\u043e\u0432\u044f\u0437\u0430\u043d\u0456 \u0437 \u0432\u0456\u0439\u043d\u043e\u044e?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ameli:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Which of your stories is your favorite and why? \u042f\u043a\u0430 \u0437 \u0412\u0430\u0448\u0438\u0445 \u043a\u0430\u0437\u043e\u043a  \u043d\u0430\u0439\u0443\u043b\u044e\u0431\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0456\u0448\u0430?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– What encouraged  you to write fairy tales? \u0429\u043e \u0412\u0430\u0441 \u0441\u043f\u043e\u043d\u0443\u043a\u0430\u043b\u043e \u043f\u0438\u0441\u0430\u0442\u0438  \u043a\u0430\u0437\u043a\u0438?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dmytro and Alina:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– In recent years, many Ukrainian children have become victims of Russian aggression, forced migrants in other countries, many children were actually kidnapped by Russia, and Ukraine is fighting for their return. Which of your books  could become a source of support and hope for young Ukrainians and their parents?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0411\u0430\u0433\u0430\u0442\u043e \u0443\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0441\u044c\u043a\u0438\u0445 \u0434\u0456\u0442\u0435\u0439 \u0432 \u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043d\u043d\u0456 \u0440\u043e\u043a\u0438 \u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b\u0438 \u0436\u0435\u0440\u0442\u0432\u0430\u043c\u0438 \u0440\u043e\u0441\u0456\u0439\u0441\u044c\u043a\u043e\u0457 \u0430\u0433\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0456\u0457, \u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b\u0438 \u0432\u0438\u043c\u0443\u0448\u0435\u043d\u0438\u043c\u0438 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0435\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0446\u044f\u043c\u0438 \u0432 \u0456\u043d\u0448\u0438\u0445 \u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0430\u0445, \u0431\u0430\u0433\u0430\u0442\u043e \u0434\u0456\u0442\u0435\u0439 \u0431\u0443\u043b\u0438 \u0444\u0430\u043a\u0442\u0438\u0447\u043d\u043e \u0432\u0438\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0434\u0435\u043d\u0456 \u0440\u043e\u0441\u0456\u0454\u044e, \u0456 \u0423\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0430 \u0431\u043e\u0440\u0435\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u0437\u0430 \u0457\u0445 \u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0440\u043d\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044f. \u042f\u043a\u0456 \u0412\u0430\u0448\u0456 \u0442\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0438 \u043c\u043e\u0433\u043b\u0438 \u0431 \u0441\u0442\u0430\u0442\u0438 \u0434\u0436\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043b\u043e\u043c \u043f\u0456\u0434\u0442\u0440\u0438\u043c\u043a\u0438, \u043d\u0430\u0434\u0456\u0457 \u0434\u043b\u044f \u043c\u0430\u043b\u0435\u043d\u044c\u043a\u0438\u0445 \u0443\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0457\u043d\u0446\u0456\u0432 \u0442\u0430 \u0457\u0445\u043d\u0456\u0445 \u0431\u0430\u0442\u044c\u043a\u0456\u0432?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Timur:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– How has writing books changed your life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u042f\u043a \u043d\u0430\u043f\u0438\u0441\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044f \u043a\u043d\u0438\u0436\u043a\u0438 (\u043a\u043d\u0438\u0436\u043e\u043a) \u0437\u043c\u0456\u043d\u0438\u043b\u043e \u0432\u0430\u0448\u0435 \u0436\u0438\u0442\u0442\u044f?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Olesia Elvey, the Ukrainian language and literature teacher at Sophia Ukrainian school in Dubai, contacted me a couple of months ago about the possibility of doing a virtual visit with her students, using my picture book Enough, which is set during the Holodomor, as part of their commemoration on Holodomor Memorial Day, which was yesterday. … Continue reading “Sophia School in Dubai”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[262],"tags":[746,369,233,636,704,353,747,706,7,475,609],"class_list":["post-9121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news-stories","tag-dubai","tag-enough","tag-ukrainian-famine-genocide","tag-hrec-ed","tag-mateusz-swietlicki","tag-scholastic","tag-shinealight","tag-the-seeds-of-memory","tag-ukrainian","tag-virtual-visits","tag-winterkill"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.calla.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9121","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.calla.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.calla.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.calla.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.calla.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9121"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.calla.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9121\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10749,"href":"https:\/\/www.calla.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9121\/revisions\/10749"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.calla.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.calla.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.calla.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}