Kichula (right) and threw her a good-bye party at the end of the school year.
By Anastasia Kichula
(Note from Holly Kozelsky: Over the past year my daughter, Mary Quirk, and I have gotten to know and love Anastasia Kichula, 16, an exchange student from Ukraine. Mary and Anastasia quickly developed a deep friendship, and Anastasia spent much time at our house, and even at Mary’s grandparents’ house. Her experiences would be an excellent topic for a column, and since she wants to become a journalist, why interview her and write it myself when she could take a stab at writing? Here it is, completely in her words, and she speaks Ukrainian, Russian and German too.)
I didn’t realize how much I could miss something as simple as borscht until I left Ukraine. Or how strange it would feel to sit in a school gym in a dress at prom, thinking, “This is something I only saw in English textbooks before.” Those moments felt almost unreal.
I came to the United States through the FLEX program. It is a cultural exchange scholarship funded by the U.S. Department of State. I was selected after a competitive process with thousands of applicants.
I came here to study, live with my host family, and experience American culture. But nothing truly prepares you for what it feels like to actually live it.
From my first days in Henry County, everything felt new: the school, the language, the rhythm of daily life. But what made the biggest difference were the people.
My host mom, Alyssa Prillaman, who is also my choir teacher at Magna Vista High School, became such an important part of my year.
Choir was one of my favorite places to be, not because I was perfect at it, but because it felt like home. Her kindness, patience, and constant support helped me adjust and feel safe in a completely new world.
School quickly became more than just classes. I joined Young Life and Campaigners, went to football games and Prom and participated in the musical “Footloose.” I still remember how exciting it felt to be part of something I had only seen in movies before. These moments made me feel included and connected.
The friendships I built meant everything. My best friend, Mary Quirk, was one of the biggest parts of my experience. She made me feel welcome from the beginning and helped me through so many small everyday moments that meant more than I can explain. Her family also treated me like one of their own, and I will always be grateful for that.
There were also moments of pure American tradition that I will never forget: Halloween costumes, Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas lights and Prom night. These are things I used to only read about in English class, and suddenly I was living them.
I also tried to give back to the community that welcomed me. I volunteered at the Harvest Foundation Youth Board’s Thanksgiving Dinner and at the Martinsville-Henry County Heritage Center and Museum. It made me feel more connected to the place I was living in.
At the same time, I was constantly sharing my own culture and country. I talked about Ukraine with classmates and teachers, explained traditions and answered questions about my home.
Some of the most unforgettable experiences of my year was seeing Niagara Falls and visiting Washington, D.C. multiple times. These places made me realize how big and diverse the United States really is.
The hardest part of this year was missing home. I missed my family deeply, especially simple things like being at the dinner table together. I missed Ukrainian food, especially borscht, more than I ever expected.
This experience was not always easy, but it changed me in ways I will always carry with me. It taught me independence, confidence, and how quickly strangers can become family.
FLEX brought me here, but the people of Henry County made it feel like home. When I return to Ukraine, I know one of the first things waiting for me will be a bowl of borscht, and a reminder that home is something you can carry in your heart, even across the world.
