"I never intended to leave the Ukraine"

What connections do you have with the University of Bayreuth?

Oksana Molderf: I have been involved in the German-Ukrainian project "Learnopolis" since 2019, which united the University of Bayreuth and my alma mater, the National Ivan Franko University of Lviv, in a joint effort to promote the internationalisation and digitalisation of Ukrainian universities. I had the opportunity to visit the University of Bayreuth quite often.

The original idea for the project came about through professional contact with Nicolai Teufel, a research assistant at the University of Bayreuth, who had a good overview of the peculiarities of Ukrainian educational processes at the time, and, after the publication of the relevant DAAD call for proposals, very actively campaigned for the application, which was ultimately approved. And as sometimes happens, the professional contact became personal, and thus the City of Bayreuth has become my second home.

When did you arrive in Germany?

I crossed the Polish border in the night between 25 February and 26 February together with my godchild and his mother, and two days later we arrived here, in Bayreuth. The border crossing was still relatively easy at that time - we had to wait seven hours until we were on Polish territory. Those who wanted to leave the country later had to wait much longer - some for days. For adult people and for mothers with older children, seven hours is still bearable, but I also saw mothers with infants and babies in the queue. Tired, exhausted, overwhelmed with fear, with bags and suitcases, many of them didn't know where to go next - it was a horrific picture, I must say. It is something I will remember forever. So much suffering, so many tears, and an incredibly difficult and panful farewell from the fathers, men who, having brought their families to safety, returned to their embattled towns and villages to defend their country. For many, this could well be the last time they ever see them.

What was your arrival here like?

You actually work for the University of Lviv. What is the situation at the university?

We had a two-week break, but regular classes resumed on 14 March. Like before 24 February, we continued working online. I think this decision of university administration is very important, because despite all the circumstances, despite all the bitterness, life must go on. President Selenskyj has also called on everyone who still has a job and can serve the people, the state, the economy to continue their work in this way. Education is not earning the state any money right now, rather the opposite, but of course we also have to think in the long term - after the end of the war, the country will be in great need of good, skilled workers. But even in the short term, you need a bit of everyday life, a bit of routine, a bit of communication with others.

For me, there is no better reward for my work in the current circumstances than when I see my students, who have suddenly become so grown up and so serious, and who look at me with sad eyes, manage a little smile by the end of class. The university is very loyal to its students: all those who are engaged as volunteers, who are in the contested areas, are given special conditions. Among other things, we try to provide asynchronous access to the learning process with the help of online platforms, and there are also special conditions for qualification papers.

In addition to my work as a lecturer in the Department of Intercultural Communication and Translation Studies, I also work in the International Office of the University of Lviv. There is a lot to do there at the moment. We are in close contact with our partners from all over the world, who want to support us in various ways. The University of Lviv clearly follows the position that science should serve the well-being of people, democratic development, and the spread of humanistic ideas, so we try to make our colleagues abroad aware that unfortunately these principles no longer apply at all in Russian science, of which, among other things, the declaration of the Russian Rectors' Union, signed by over 200 rectors of Russian universities, in support of Putin and his policies is a good example.

Are you preparing to stay here longer in the meantime? What are you doing here?

I never intended to leave the Ukraine. I love my country and have always been proud of it, even when I was told "What are you doing there, in this poverty, corruption, etc.". I have always seen a lot of potential, a lot of creative power in my country and today I know for sure that this war cannot put an end to that.

I continue to work at the University of Lviv from Bayreuth, teaching and doing my duties in the International Office. In addition, I volunteer: I translate many things, be it letters, lists of medicines or news about the situation in the Ukraine, help organise medicine transports, give interviews, and am a contact for those who are looking for shelter here or simply need help. We hope that we will also be able to continue our work in the "Learnopolis+" project as soon as possible. We have set ourselves the goal of producing three MOOCs and would like to continue this work as soon as we can.

I really appreciate the support I have received here, remain optimistic, and try to share this optimism with others. The most important thing I hope for is that I will soon be able to read the news that the war in the Ukraine is over. Then I will finally be able to hug my parents again, and see my students live and walk over the cobblestones of my hometown under peaceful skies.

How do you keep in touch with family and colleagues who are still in the war zone?

The fact that the internet connection works practically everywhere in the country without any problems means that contact with family and colleagues is not so complicated. And that is exactly what makes the separation a little more bearable. For me, the news, the calls from my family, from my friends and colleagues who are in the Ukraine right now are a very precious commodity. And even if some voices say that those who are now abroad have it much easier, I wouldn't say that it is 100 per cent like that. Yes, you don't hear air-raid sirens and explosions, but your thoughts are always with your family, with your loved ones. You practically always have your mobile phone in hand and are constantly checking messages. Via the Telegram channel, I get notification when the air alert goes off in my city. And you know, there's nothing better for me these days than the message "The air alert is off. You may now leave the shelter". You don't get a peaceful night's sleep and distraction doesn't always work either. When you walk through quiet and sunny Bayreuth on a Sunday and see people going for a walk and serenely drinking coffee, you catch yourself thinking, "Oh, how much I miss these rituals of normal life and how much I wish the circle of my family and my country could enjoy these peaceful Sundays. As soon as possible, as soon as possible.