Days before Russia invaded Ukraine last year, friends worked quickly and helped move Vlad and Yarik Vashchuk, and their mother, out of Ukraine.
The twin brothers, now 18, left everything behind and landed in an entirely different culture — one they had only dreamed about before.
“When you’re walking down the street and everything looks like in a movie — curbs and a house with a fence — yeah, it’s cool,” said Yarik, when asked about his favorite experience in the U.S. so far. He was also impressed with seeing the ocean for the first time.
“When we went from the airport, I just couldn’t believe we did it. We’re here … it was my dream before we came here,” said Vlad. “I also couldn’t believe I saw all these highways, all these signs. It was really different than in our country.”
Fairly reluctant to talk too much about themselves, they immersed themselves into their new home, making friends and joining the basketball team, and found a welcoming community in Laurel, Maryland, where people displayed an outward kindness they weren’t expecting and weren’t entirely used to.
“They may have felt a little bit isolated at first, and maybe even still,” admitted Jackie Letizia, a guidance counselor at the school. “I’m very proud of how much they’ve integrated into the school community. They have tried to make lots of different friends, and from different cultures as well. I think they’ve just been a really great representation of their country,” she added.
Letizia, a graduate of Susquehanna University in central Pennsylvania, had friends in the administration there and reached out on behalf of the Vashschuks, who otherwise came to Laurel late in the college admissions process.
“As soon as I got to know them and meet them, I could tell they had a great sense of humor, great personality, and just really embodied the different values of Susquehanna,” said Letizia.
The school found scholarship money for the two, who visited a few weeks ago and were awarded full scholarships where they’ll study computers and artificial intelligence.
The war in Ukraine is something they follow every day. Yarik said the brothers sometimes feel guilty being in the U.S. while the fighting rages on.
He said they came to school every day knowing they were representing their home country. Their dad remains in Ukraine to. “He’s fine,” said Yarik, without getting into much more detail.
But they’ve also enjoyed their experience at Laurel, and any difficulties they’ve had adjusting to life in the U.S. haven’t been too apparent.
“They’re usually very upbeat and happy,” said Letizia. “I don’t know about all the difficulties, to be honest, but I can say whatever difficulties they’ve had, they’ve faced it with a great attitude, a smile and a funny joke.”
They also remain filled with gratitude. Yarik admitted he wasn’t sure why anyone would want to sit down and interview them in the first place.
“We were just Ukrainians who came in the right time and the right place,” said Yarik. But our mom said it was a great opportunity to say ‘Thank you’ to everybody who helped us.”
They reiterated some of those thoughts at the end of the interview, too.
“I want to say thanks to people who support Ukraine and Ukrainian people,” said Vlad. “It is so important for us.”
“America is the country where you can make your dreams come true,” said Yarik. “Thanks to everybody who helped us, who volunteered and cheered for us.
“Thanks everybody, thanks Laurel High School, thanks Miss Letizia who helped us get into Susquehanna. Yes, thanks everybody,” he added.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to clarify that the Vashchuks’ father is not involved in the war effort.
