The Red Viburnum is a beautiful plant, with white flowers and bright red fruit. A 150 year old patriotic Ukrainian song, celebrating the beauty of the Red Viburnum, compares the strength of the Ukrainian people with the resilience of this flowering shrub. Oh, the Red Viburnum in the MeadowOh, in the meadow red viburnum bent […]
Category: Europe
Let’s talk about the historical phenomenon known as “segmented sleep” or “biphasic sleep.” It was quite common in Europe, especially before the Industrial Revolution. Let’s step back those 350 years and take a look at what was happening in the candlelit hush of a winter night. First Sleep and Second Sleep: A Forgotten Rhythm In […]
Comrade JPZ reporting for duty. I have always had my tutu ready — starched with ideological fervor and stitched with the sinews of socialist realism. I dance not merely for art, but for the people! Swan Lake and Soviet Catastrophe Ah yes — the eerie, tragic pas de deux between Swan Lake and Soviet catastrophe. […]
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Celebrating ENGin!
ENGin, the non-profit that connects English speakers with Ukrainian students, is celebrating their 5th anniversary! OUR VISIONWe will use the power of conversation to connect a million globally-minded citizens of emerging democracies with English speakers worldwide, forging supportive, authentic relationships, building a foundation of English fluency, and opening doors to academic and professional opportunities. You […]
What can Vasyl Velychkovsky’s life teach us in today’s troubled world? That’s a deeply meaningful question, — and one worthy of time, reflection, and many conversations under twine-strewn stars. We do live in troubled times. We hear the old boots of authoritarianism echoing down new hallways, polished with modern excuses and rationalizations. And yet, in […]
After all that he endured in the Soviet Union—the interrogations, the years in prison and the gulag, the constant surveillance—Vasyl Velychkovsky’s final years in Canada offer a deeply moving chapter: a time of fragile recovery, quiet leadership, and enduring spiritual witness. The Turning Point: Release and Exile In 1969, after suffering a heart attack in […]
Let’s take a thoughtful turn into the life of Vasyl Velychkovsky. Vasyl Velychkovsky’s time in the Soviet gulag at Vorkuta stands as one of the most harrowing and powerful parts of his story. He had already endured interrogation, arrest, and sentencing for refusing to renounce his faith and his allegiance to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic […]
Today we look at the fascinating story of how a dissident Ukrainian Catholic priest ran a cathedral out of his small apartment in eastern Ukraine, and ended up in Winnipeg, Canada. Now considered a saint by the Catholic Church, Ukrainian priest Vasyl Velychkovsky was an amazing man. Among his accomplishments: Vasyl Velychkovsky’s life exemplifies steadfast […]
My Ukrainian ENGin buddy, and Friend of the BLOTT, has shared one of her favorite poems with us. Крилаby Lina Kostenko Kryla (Wings)by Lina Kostenko(Translated from Ukrainian by Elder G) А правда, крилатим ґрунту не треба. Землі немає, то буде небо. Немає поля, то буде воля. Немає пари, то будуть хмари. В цьому, напевно, правда […]
Due to popular demand, film critic Clementine DuCinema has added a Soviet-era children’s matinee to the upcoming WLBOTT film festival. Plow Now, Red Cow Plow Now, Red Cow is exactly the kind of film that leaves children teary-eyed, confused, and deeply committed to collectivist agriculture. Elder G 🎬 Children’s Matinee Feature Plow Now, Red Cow […]