Yaroslav Chebotok 15, male from Chernihiv

My name is Yaroslav. My family consists of three people: my dad, my mom, and me. We live in the village of Voznesenskoye, part of the Kiselevsky community. I am 15 years old and study in the 9th grade. I am an excellent student and have a good command of English. My dad has worked in the drama theater for many years, and my mom organizes and conducts concert activities. Before the war, they earned well, and we built a new house, traveled a lot, and led an active lifestyle. We moved into our new house three months before the full-scale war began. We were under occupation for 36 days and lived in the basement because the front line was on our street. Constant air raids and shelling keep us in tension and stress. The war completely changed our lives. The consequences of the war left my parents without work and income, and it also had a strong psychological impact on the whole family. The drama theater where my dad works was destroyed by a Russian missile on 19.08.23. My life has changed significantly as well. Due to constant air raids, we have to interrupt classes and go to a safe place. I lost face-to-face communication with many friends because they moved to other countries to live and study. My parents have a homestead and a small garden where they grow vegetables and fruits. Due to the temporary lack of main work, my mom created a YouTube channel where she posts useful and interesting videos about the plants she grows on the plot. We also have chickens, a cat, and a loyal companion, a dog named Mari. I have my own large room, a computer, and everything I need for studying. I am sociable, friendly, and communicative. I love music, sports, fishing, and traveling. Before the war, my parents and I traveled a lot. We visited many European countries and six seas. This passion for travel has been with me since birth. I have long dreamed of visiting other continents, and I really want to see America, learn about its people, their customs, and lifestyle, as well as the interests of my peers. I really want to improve my English skills in real-life conditions. My favorite school subject is mathematics. My goal is to study at a prestigious foreign university. I want to study economics and finance. But my biggest dream is for the war to end and for us to return to a normal life. I love my country and want to be useful to it.