Nicholas Sosnivka and Orest Sison

00:02 Hi, my name is Nicholas sosnivka old on. Today's day is Wednesday, June 16th, 2021. I'm currently in Chicago, Illinois. And now my relationship The Odyssey soon. Is that your childhood friend?

00:20 Awesome. Thank you so much for joining me today. Nikki. Thank you for giving me your time. And course, always great to see you. And I just wanted to ask you a few questions, specifically about Ukrainian Village and also about covid-19. My name is Orest. I am 20 years old. Today's date is still Wednesday, June 16th, 2021. I'm also located in Chicago, Illinois. And Nikki's been a friend of mine for a very long time. So let's get right into it. So

00:58 First of all, this interview is about Ukrainian Village. What would you define as the area of Ukrainian Village?

01:08 I would say, well, I mean, of course, it's with the culture is very unique. Other than that, I would say Ukrainian Village itself. Only spent. Like, it's just that, of course, I get the whole like, if its own Community, like if its own thing going on like it's not really like a typical like Village like you did in park or like, you know, like Lakeview. Those are like, I would say, I mean, we did is varied those. I'm sure those communities are very diverse. But we have our own Community here, and you can use those where we do all sorts of different activities. You don't really, I would say americanize cuz it's very weird. She's very different. We have our own like, your own organizations, if you know, dance like a bunch of other things that are not very typical. No Americans would do. So, yeah.

02:07 So, would you say Ukrainian Village is more about the culture and the people than like a physical place. Oh, yeah. It's all about the culture. That's for sure. How long have you lived in Ukrainian Village, then? I was born to Born & raised. I've lived. Since I was born. I'm sure. Since you've been there since you were born in what ways, have you seen Ukrainian Village changed since you were a kid for covid 4?

02:46 Actually, I feel like not much has changed cuz the same schools are there the same same like food places, you know, if you haven't got anything. So I don't know how long, but yeah, I think the only nothing really changes because we keep the culture like, you know, like the same like a pretty much what we teach with the older. People teach us. We teach the younger like people now. So are we just going to keep that same thing gone through the generations? That's a so other than you think about anything changing. I might be nice.

03:37 If the Ukrainian Village is the people in the culture, what physical places do, the people in the culture of Ukrainian Village, join that we have this place called the offer that look rich about Chicago clean out. That's where we have a lot of these. If there's a there's any bad but you probably cuz I kind of like a wagon wheel. So festivals in the summer of it, like a celebrating Ukrainian Independence Day by that same building and, and you can build you. He also have another church by that billing. Or should I look at people go through a lot? And we also have we all said this one building for one of our organization where y'all are equal before covid, of course, a lot of people on Saturdays. This is an organization with like little kids as well. So what this organization cream much does?

04:37 Teach younger kids like the history and the culture and language of Ukraine. So every Saturday we would meet up and agree. Pretty much learned about Ukraine. And now, since I'm older going to be my job, in my age of shops at these younger kids about all, that's so that's two places. Can I did not see you in Ukraine. Just probably the two main spots, the, the kind of like and then the other place. Umm, it's just another building, where we just get up and try to train.

05:21 Nice. So in terms of being a person of Ukrainian Village, you say that the culture, the language and the history, all kind of helps make you who you are then. Write. Oh for sure. Yes, because I feel like, I feel like, you know, it as a

05:46 Start my parents, you know, Ukranian so I can feel like I kind of have to learn about where I come from. So I feel like it was it was great to be able to go to know soon and I'll still go to like dance like would like traditional Ukrainian. That's because that just, you know, you kind of learn of where your parents come from and get it cuz I like Chicago's nice and I like it's beautiful. But you'll have to know, like, where you're like, Beginnings are like your parents, their Journey, how they got here. So it's great to learn like, what where they came from, what they did there. All other culture was there. So, it always like, freaking out for any, I would say, any culture, it so it's always great to ask down, Traditions, through the generations cuz you got to know know where your family comes from.

06:33 Yeah. Yeah. So if you're being Ukrainian and being part of the Ukrainian Community is very important to you and your family but has every thing kind of happened back in early 2020 covid kind of made it harder for people to get together and really participate in something that pretty much makes up like a big part of their identities in The First beginning part of covid-19 changes that you saw within yourself, but let's start with yourself at first for myself.

07:17 Let's call it started. I kind of found myself since I was really engaging in the community and also just like personally like I would know how to not going to school like this cuz I want you, I want to be going out. I felt personally. I was starting to get more crazy. I like kind of just like, I don't know if I feel like I'm wasting kind of like my days, but we usually go to the store like at the school. So we, I would stay home soon. Like, all week. I started feeling very like unproductive. So I kind of know. Usually, spend most my time, you know, either meaning of her friends are like going to be like, in my community. We have like no things on the weekends and all that let you know that. So I felt very, yeah. I just I just feel weird. It's like I feel like

08:15 Yeah, so moving on with the, how do you think covid affected your family's ability to connect with each other, or with the community outside with the community. We were like a car. I would say cold complete, like, for a certain amount. But for that year like, where they actually go to any events. I can usually, for Easter most of us. We we go and like the first we bless the whole Community, comes to this one Church. The other we go to the parking lot and the priest blesses, all the food usually before Kobe. That's what we would do. But and that's actually a huge event that, you know, everyone in the neighborhood goes to bring the food to get freaking blast, but we couldn't do that in like April 2020 because everything you know. Cancel we couldn't do. The one thing that we would like the one thing, right? Like,

09:15 See, my family is like not that religious, but we are religious nuts at Christmas and you. You're so it was really kind of like kind of like we we didn't like that. We were kind of like other things as well. So yeah last question on that line of questioning because like the Ukrainian Community overall, like not all of us really like live in Ukrainian Village anymore. Like I was napping, then I was talking to Ramen and we still all come down to the office at Easter, and we go to church. There. We didn't Ukrainian dance together and stuff like that. And I mean, in quarantine at least, like the only way that you can really talk to your friends is

10:15 Over your phone by asking. How do you think?

10:20 Overall, with the people that you talked to him in your community. Do you think that it affected everybody else in the community to how they were able to come together and stuff like that? You think it was similar to you or do you think that because you were geographically in Ukiah Village? There was something slightly different about your type of isolation. So because of covid-19 are we weren't really able to like meet up with anyone. So I member it was really weird. Finally, like some people weren't like like not in my community like we're committed. Selfie queen Village like like a lot of people outside Ukrainian Village were so you can come over and eat. But I would say that it was really, I didn't, I found that I didn't like Ivan text. Like I never liked haven't seen people like forever that I didn't really like I wasn't able to contact

11:20 It's just like we weren't in usually worn contact. We're like in person, like, with the people that come from like suburbs and all that show. But other than that, like, when it hit, like I've been, like I didn't really talk, like I didn't get to connect with them, really, like I don't get to talk to them that often. Yeah, you can call the phone sometimes. But I remember there was a there was actually around. I think it was like a late late 2020, when things started kind of dying down. We had an extra someone in the community passed away. So, we went to the, to the wake and then you took me, my family came to pay our respects. And, but I saw a bunch of people from the community. And I was like, the first time I've seen these people since, didn't know there was such a weird feeling because I am forever and I haven't been able to look like on like I talk to them in person. So that was a huge thing that I've noticed when I went to that hearing forever and I wasn't really able to

12:20 No, like something in my yard only like hot, like I don't have their phone numbers or anything. So yeah, that that kind of Hit the community.

12:30 Yeah, I'm glad that you brought up like the middle part of covid cuz like the first part was like the shock when everyone to just kind of hit everybody all at once. How do you feel that your or your family's relationship adapted around covid to sort of get back with that time. I mentioned awake and stuff like that, but I'm sure you had Yale other ways. Cuz I mean, there's no way that everybody can just stay that I have.

13:02 Other than no way. Trying to think it's actually like it was kind of like, the only me and my sister away cuz like I said, my mom, my parents cuz I didn't really want to risk going out. So you ain't even during the middle part of covid-19 relief go out like to the stores, aren't we pretty much have to do most of the work out here since I can say is kind of in the Middle with kind of the same as a beginning out there like a prayer for my family at least like we are still kind of very careful with what we did. We were like Mad Gloves. We work loves everywhere. So yeah, it was it was pretty.

14:02 People that I talk to you like especially towards the late summer, early fall. A lot of people were kind of going outside already. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and I understand that. You're a student at Miami. You correct. University of Miami in Florida. How was well, first of all, are there any Ukrainian ties at University of Miami? Actually? None, I would have done. So at first, I spent a year at Leola day. There were a lot of ukrainians. I went there, a lot of our, from our community that I was able to still be able to connect with the time when I ended up transferring, I did. That's that's a huge thing that I like. I actually ended up missing like that went last semester, and there's not really much like Ukrainian no events going on down there. So that's why I was happy to come back for the summer to see all I cuz I went back to Baraboo or like our Ukrainian model.

15:02 Do we have any Wisconsin? So yeah, I was able to like I was glad to come by because I wanted to see everybody else. I wanted to see the place. They would have been going every single year for the future. I was glad to see that place. I've got two people that haven't seen you in a while cuz I like the music that was born. So like not be like being gone. For a whole last message was kind of a tough little bit, not thing when people that I usually see not doing it in the event that we usually have. So yeah, that's that's that's what that's the biggest thing that I missed when I was been Miami answered my next question there. So,

15:48 Yeah, hold on. Let me, let me think of a new one.

15:58 How do you think?

16:02 Because I understand that like your sister and your brother, like, they also kind of went there made their own path to do you think that they had a similar relationship to the Ukrainian Community when they left when they wanted to?

16:16 Yeah, they definitely do actually just my brother just came back. So my brother list and Turkey right now, and yes, he came back for a couple know, couple weeks or months and he always, he still, he still liked by all your work in soccer camp, like he still talks about them. Like the people in the community was asked me like all like what like what's going on like with this and that I was like in our community. So yeah, they're still very kind. I like to go. See it's like equally I had like, for me like my connection to like the community. I would say my sister and brother both have the same way. You've always cared about the community, all of our lives and talk about. No. Going going to Baraboo. I'm going to consume and all that. Yeah.

17:01 Outside of you and your family. How do you think that the Ukrainian Community adapted to the slight opening up and like the kind of beginning to returning to normal? I would say

17:22 Like recently recently because of all these code restrictions being lifted. We were actually able to go back to Baraboo like like a couple weeks ago for the first time in like I want is like, this was so anticipated for me cuz I wanted it. I wanted to go so bad. Like I haven't been there in almost two years so cuz it's such a huge part of my life. Like I had to go so bad because Cody restrictions are actually just being lifted. You're able to go up like like 2 weeks ago to the like are you like our Ukrainian camp? We have over there like kind of Camp, Resort organization, have there. So, I don't know if that really answer the question, but I would say that like, like after, you know, the way we will, I would say the car started slow, like we didn't have that like, it wouldn't pact not to be like there wasn't that many people so it wasn't like me.

18:22 I just spreading Mayhem work. Just everyone is spring cover. They would likely not too many people there. Cuz people are still kind of like a damn thing for the like they're not just going crazy and I like everyone's pack Baraboo. But yeah, the church real but I'm not sure about that actually. Cuz me and my family go to church. I like they're you like religious occasions, but like on a regular like Sunday basis, we don't. So I'm not really sure. Yeah, that's that's how I can't. I can't I don't know what that green Community kind of came together. So I called the community spread and like keep the virus container. So would you say that like it was a general Ukrainian Collective effort cuz like your family

19:22 Definitely. Did your part would you say that like it was like a cultural thing? Like we all kind of came together a little bit of, a lot of D. That's why they didn't really open up like even even like in the at the end of 2020. Didn't really open up anything like still a even though. I was kind of dying down a little bit. Still kind of required Yellowcard Mass Social distancing the whole time. I was there was there wasn't really any they didn't open up. The zoom zoom only just opened up like we're able to play basketball for the first time in like forever. So they've been, they've been making sure that like that. Like they've been pretty much waiting till like what the city does like since the like a masked, man that I should just, I'm pretty sure. I recently just got left it. So

20:22 Yeah, they did. Now, they start opening up soon to play basketball like what they're all these of ukrainians. And

20:29 Yeah, so I'm pretty sure. I feel like the whole Community itself took it pretty well. No battling with cold that. They all everyone ever was smart about accident.

20:40 Nice. Well, I mean, so, yeah, because everything just kind of slowly opening up right now, you haven't even seen, like, the full quote, like return to normal yet. Yeah. No. No, that's that's right. Because, you know, every every summer, you know, even even even sorry to treat like your question. We usually in the Summers, we have can't, and it would be packed, like even specially on July 4th, you know what I mean? Like everyone else out for it, but I actually just made a rule that you can't come up to their Booth. There's a camp going on. So I feel like that's all for the way that their tackling covid still, even though I like no restriction of the thing out, but can't do this the question now.

21:27 Say what it was. I was a question. You get that kind of tried back to the last one. I was just kind of noticing you cuz I was going to ask you a few questions. Yeah, so pretty much. Yeah, I was saying like literally camps will be packed even on July 4th ever want to come up. No for free like the new set of 10 fireworks in all that the whole place will be packed. So I haven't even experienced that yet cuz I went last weekend. There's no tents in the grass. There is no time. There's only keep a couple people yelling something about the motels. So I haven't really experienced people know, summer Ukrainian like no experience yet. So I don't think I will send it like not soon because I'm sitting up against Arkansas and then don't go up. So yeah. It was just my experience.

22:27 Ukrainian summer so cuz it's part of my next question. A like, you think it'll happen this year or next year and a bee is it because everybody is just avoiding covid or do you think that everybody is going to be vaccinated?

22:48 Yeah, I would have what? I thought that like why means they're like kind of children Camp. So I don't know if all the parents are getting their children vaccinated. So I'm not sure but I like they would have probably had to show like a maybe like a negative test result before they went to the camp. But so far this year. I I don't, I think that you can just sign up and then only the kids are going to be there. So they're not trying to like, Andy also said that, if there was like a Kobe, like I'll break with this, like, small group of like, no, this Camp, they would like cancel immediately. So yeah, I don't know, but the whole like, you know, that, you know, that's needing all that. And I could this year, I know, for sure. They're like, handling it very, seriously, very sad about your next year, or next year,, but I'm sure like, as from from what we've seen so far covid kind of know dinair was getting vaccinated. So I'm sure by next year. We'll have it fully like no open.

23:48 If you look at come up whenever they want to and I will ship it to would like what the cans when the cancer no going on and all that. So yeah, I'm pretty bright. I think that's good to hear. That's good to hear. One kind of specific. Question is, like, the best thing in like the vaccine roll out, like done like within the community like people from Yuki Village will all go to like one spot. One doctor that type of thing or do people just get their tests and vaccines wherever they're available.

24:20 I would say probably where it's available like I think, because I personally don't like, I wasn't here, when my family cuz my family's all vaccinated. So I wasn't here when y'all got no actually, but when I came for a weekend, I will with my brother and he went to some place, nearby our house. I kind of like not in the village and so I'm just speaking on his behalf. That's only one example, but I couldn't really speak for the whole Community has seen or texting for sure. I think I'm going to go to the same place, but we're getting vaccinated.

25:01 I don't think she will persuade. I wouldn't really know the full question about what they, my brother when he was here. He went to go when you get back from the back here in Chicago. It was somewhere not in the village,. Like, let me look a couple blocks west of our house. So yeah. Yeah, cuz next question. I know you went to Whitney and made friends outside of Ukrainian Village and you had the chance to talk to them. How do you think other communities handled covid compared to how Ukrainian Village handle it. So I have two friends that I've been seeing from Whitney. One of them was, I don't know if you know where Douglas Park is. Oh, yeah, and I think that canaryville

25:54 Yeah, it's kind of by the White Sox, the White Sox stadium. So yeah. Yeah, I'm pretty sure they were telling me that they like handle it pretty, like, especially, like talking to my friend. Josh. He is especially, like, his parents. At least were very strict about it. I'm sure. Like, the I love seeing my friend Josh's Asian and he has a lot of his neighbors in. These communities are also Asian so they all pretty much what they took, it very seriously as well. They handle him in this community, that handle it. Well, Douglas Parks,

26:54 Is unlikely used in North Dakota. So, yeah, they have. They have like, like how I have my Ukraine Community. Like I know him and there's a bus right there. Also. I kind of seem like they've kind of their own Life Church camp this summer, so we can have the next to each other as well.

27:25 Yeah.

27:28 Final few questions cuz we're running low on time. Can you name one way? You think that covid has major Community stronger and one way that covid has kind of damaged the future of your community.

27:44 One way one is stronger. That's it. Is that? Because I've seen each other in a while. We actually we've gotten closer when we actually see each other. Because I had a friend that I like talking, like, weird stuff, because everyone's getting closer now, since we haven't seen each other for a while, so that's what it was last year, so that I feel the way you make that.

28:28 Okay, during college. I definitely weird cuz we couldn't really do much, but I'll save for the future. I'd say, maybe, maybe attendance was, cuz maybe there's still people who maybe not are, just like not vaccinated or they're just still kind of afraid of the No covid, No symptoms and circumstances of it. So I might be an issue in events. Like you're going to assume we're going to Camp. Has no parents might still be no scared about sending their children to have to get a cold one and all that. So yeah, I would say probably in the future the way we can have to probably attendance. And so that so you think that like you keep Villages? Bounce back pretty well economically from like I like that he cannot make and like other stuff that was happening cuz of covid-19 covid. We couldn't really go to any stores like all, but the famous and bakery is closed. We couldn't go there.

29:26 But yeah after you know, this is for letting you know, we're allowed to like start working. We were able to like to like go there and actually likes it cuz that's what I can't make a sound like a small. So I think it's my business and yeah, I was great to go back and ever and ever. And goes there. Everyone everyone's in the community goes to Ann's Bakery. So yeah, I would say they bounced back nicely. And that does appear to be all the time that we have today. Thank you so much for answering these questions. I hope sometime play some soccer, do some Viagra.

30:10 Well, perfect.

30:15 Got to do the the data sheet for Menahga.