Ihor Malets 14, male from Kharkiv

Hello, my name is Igor. I’m 14 years old and in 9th grade. I live in a small city called Dergachi, located in the Kharkov region of Ukraine, with my family. My family consists of my mom, dad, me, and my little sister.

I enjoy going for walks with my sister. In my free time, I study English or hang out with my friends. Together, we play volleyball, UNO, and much more. I started playing volleyball after watching an anime series that inspired me to try it. However, sometimes I have to stay home because it can be very dangerous outside. During the war, we had to stay in a shelter for days to stay safe.

In March 2022, we moved to another city called Krasnograd. I remember hearing the first explosions around 5 a.m. At first, we didn’t realize what it was, but then we understood—it could only be war because we had never heard those sounds before. We were afraid to leave because everyone was panicking. The train cars were packed, there were traffic jams, and long queues at gas stations. We were worried that my younger sister might not handle the trip, so we stayed and spent a few weeks in a cellar. During the first days of the war, there were blackouts, and we boarded up all the windows. We were even afraid to turn on the lights. There were battles in our city, and missiles flew over our house. That’s why we eventually left for another city, where I lived and studied for over a year. It felt safe there.

Now I’m back in Dergachi and studying at home. Because of the war, I can’t attend school normally. I’m uncertain about what the future holds. Due to the current situation, getting an education in my country is challenging, as online learning is almost everywhere. I haven’t attended school regularly for about four years. Sometimes, I try to forget about the war—training and sports help with that.

I’ve been studying English for several years with a tutor, and I want to communicate with a native speaker to apply my skills. I’ve always been inspired by the life of American students, and I never imagined that I might one day have the chance to experience it myself. I dream of being an American teenager and observing everyday life there. I really hope I will pass the selection process and have the opportunity, even briefly, to be a regular student and study alongside my foreign peers.