Just a few years ago, before Donald Trump asked Ukrainian President Zelenskyy for an infamous favor and brought the spotlight on Ukraine, this is how I viewed the country.
- It was The Ukraine. I’m not sure why, since it makes no sense. It’s not The Greece or The Canada. Why The Ukraine? No idea, but it sounded correct.
- The capital city was two-syllable Kiev.
- Ukrainians elected a comedian as president. How could they be taken seriously? Yes, a similar argument can be made about the USA in 2016, but that’s a blog post for another day that has already been written by many and read by millions.
- Ukrainian national clothing was colorful.
- The Ukraine was part of the former USSR, so could they really be trusted? Aren’t they likely in cahoots with Russia?
- We have a Ukrainian Village neighborhood in Chicago, so maybe that means they’re okay and can be trusted after all.
- I had no idea why The Ukraine was important economically.
Things have changed for me.
Continue reading “What Ukraine Means to Me”