Stanislav Toporkov 14, male from Kharkiv

Hello my name is Stas. I am 14 years old I have lived all my life in a small town called Eskhar with my family.

I don’t have many friends but I am very famous in my town because I started speaking Ukrainian instead of Russian after the war started because of that many kids started to get inspired and tried to speak Ukrainian too. And my family started to supports me and it gives me strength to continue speaking Ukrainian.

I had many pets two dogs, a hamster that gave birth to hamster babies. I also had a big parrot of the Jaco breed that bit me:)

I love spending time outdoors, walking my dog, and playing video games with friends.

The war changed my worldview. My family and I temporarily went abroad, but it gave me the opportunity to see life in other countries. I learned Polish, adapted to the new environment, met interesting people, and gained invaluable experience.

I dream of going to America to improve my English and communicate with native speakers, to see another culture.

For me, this trip is my chance not only to improve my language skills, but also to understand American culture more deeply, meet interesting people, make new friends and broaden my worldview. I hope I can make this dream come true!