Student Blog: Studying Abroad (from Ukraine to the U.S!)

One of the most wonderful parts about being a part of the theatre community is meeting the incredible people involved in it including incredible exchange students who I have been lucky enough to call my friends. One impactful exchange student I met while performing was Masha Prytula from Ukraine. 

It had been Masha’s dream since she was 11-years-old to do an exchange year, and at 16 she made that dream a reality. She went through the Rotary exchange program to make this come to fruition and wants to say that she is extremely thankful to the Rotary for making this a possibility for her. Masha explained that “This step turned my life around… The entire experience of living there was absolutely unforgettable. I discovered a new culture, learned how to live independently, gained professional skills, and found people who became my second family. That place became my home…”

 Although she wasn’t always so sure about this journey - leaving home is difficult. Three days before her flight to the U.S, Masha went to Ukraine from Poland, where she had been living, to see her Dad because she didn’t know when she’d see him again or if she’d see him again. “The war in Ukraine is still going on” Masha stated, “for me, it was twice as hard to leave, alone, for the other side of the planet”. Despite her worries, on August 15th, she left the Warsaw airport and said she “flew towards” her dream. As soon as she landed in Chicago, she was overwhelmed with emotions. She was both extremely overjoyed due to finally being in the place she had always dreamed of, but also afraid because she wasn’t sure what awaited her in America. 

Now we know what awaited her! While in America, Masha attended a high school with a performing arts wing (this is where we met!) “High school in America is a place where you can find yourself and figure out what you want to do in the future,” Masha explained. We really started to become friends while performing in Hadestown: Teen Edition at school. This was Masha’s first ever musical and she was cast as the Persephone understudy and said that this role revealed qualities in her that she didn’t even know she possessed. She is forever grateful to our directors, the entire cast, and the tech crew for the incredible support they gave her during this process. Her favorite part of performing in the musical was the curtain call,  “Imagine: you’ve given all your energy during your performance… you weren’t (yourself), you were someone else entirely. You lived through that story and then it ends, you become yourself again, you walk out for the bow, and everyone applauds you, admires you, and all the energy you gave suddenly comes back at you twice as strongly.”

Her favorite part of her time in America was the people who surrounded her. “They became my family - we went through so much together. In my hardest moments, they stood by me and supported me. In my happiest moments, they celebrated with me. I’m sure they, and our memories, will stay with me forever. Home isn’t a place - it’s people” Masha described. 

One final note from Masha, “If you have such an opportunity (to study abroad/become an exchange student), you should take it. It allows you to discover a new culture and expand on your whole worldview. From my life experience I can say: Life can end at any minute, so travel and enjoy every second of your life before it’s too late”.