Meet Valeriia Ivanova, our first year student from Ukraine:

I live in Irpin, a city close to the capital, Kyiv. My city was occupied for several months, and I had to flee my hometown to Vienna through Poland. In June, my city was freed, but when we returned, we found that 70% of my town was destroyed, stopping the Russian troops from entering the capital. To come to RCN, I went to Poland, where I could take a plane to Bergen. My family is in Ukraine, and the situation there is devastating as Russia continues to shell civilian objects. Over 50% of power plants have been damaged, causing frequent power outages, and often there is no electricity the whole day but for 3 hours. In my hometown, people live in fear and uncertainty, and I am worried about them.

I learned about the UWC movement from my friend, who graduated from UWC Mahindra and got into the University of Chicago. At first, I did not believe in myself, and I decided to give it a chance. However, during the application process, I realized how much I relate to the UWC movement and share its values.
Here at UWC RCN I feel privileged to be in a safe environment, surrounded by people who show their support and understanding. Since coming to campus, I have been exposed to so many different experiences I would have never been able to do at home. I have been pushed out of my comfort zone and broadened my horizons, for which I am so grateful. I met inspiring people from all over the world and made connections that will last for the rest of my life. I enjoy being here and try to take the most out of the many opportunities the college gives, including extracurricular activities and student-led initiatives. For example, I participate in The Knights EAC, where we help students with varying abilities to experience outdoor activities and sports. We work in a team to overcome the limits that can hinder participation in physical activities. I am very much looking forward to Ridderrennet, the biggest winter sports event in Europe for people with different abilities, where we will provide help for the games. It feels like I can already give back some of the gifts I got by being part of the UWC community.

Extra-Academics sometimes can be overwhelming, and it is challenging to juggle everything happening in the school. Still, I am doing my best to make the most of both academically and personally, and I feel I am succeeding so far.
After my first term, I already feel that the knowledge and experience I gain here will become a foundation to revealing my full potential and joining the force of like-minded young people who aspire to make this world a better place. Being surrounded by people from so many different countries, you understand that you cannot stay indifferent to anything happening in the world because it affects people you see every day, and you want to know more about issues these countries face to show support to your friends.

I plan to use the skills and knowledge I gain here at UWC RCN to continue pursuing my interest in International Relations and Human Rights in the future. I wish to become part of a youth force that will rebuild my country and contribute as much as possible to preventing future wars and spreading UWC values worldwide.

You can hear Valeria’s full story in the Point of View podcast of our students, Asta, on Spotify.