I am from the city of Mykolayiv. Now I am at Tufts University, a medium size institution of around 8,000 students situated near one of U.S. greatest cities - Boston, Massachusetts.

In 2006 I graduated from Petro Mohyla University in Mykolayiv majoring in English and Foreign Literature. During my studies I also became involved in organizing educational and entertainment activities for orphans and children with special needs. And now I study everything about children. My department's educational interests include children who are 0 to 7 years old. Before coming here I thought that it is the most difficult age group with whom to work. While I still think so, I became a volunteer at the university day care center and found out that I really enjoy my work there. Child rearing approaches here are a bit different from those in Ukraine. Therefore, almost every day offers something new to learn.

As for as studying, from the very start of the academic year I was amazed about the amount of readings one had to do. A bit later I encountered my second surprise - the amount of activities I wanted to participate in for which I did not have time. It seems that by the end of the first semester I learned how to balance everything well enough. Yet, often, I still encounter the dilemma: to sleep or to wake up early and do as much as one can during the day. There are lots of opportunities here for personal growth and one should just grab every instant!

I also would like to express my gratitude to the Fulbright Office in Ukraine - all of this would be impossible without their help and support.