Vika

I first met Vika on my trip out to Rogachov in 2004. She was included in the English class that Sergei taught, although she did not attend the school where he teaches.

Vika, centre in the yellow top, with Sergei's English class in 2004.

I kept in touch with Vika over the year until my next visit to the region. In 2005, when I visited with my mother, we were invited to stay with Vika and her parents in their flat. We were made to feel so welcome there that we did not want to leave! Being included into their family was definately a priviledge for both of us.

Vika and her parents, Sasha and Alla.

Vika's English is amazing, especially when you speak to her and find that most of it she has learnt through her own determination and hard work. She reads and studies probably harder than anyone I know! Alongside her amazing language abilities, she has a personality that makes it a pleasure to work with her. During my 2005 visit, she acted as a translator because whilst I can understand the majority of what is being said to me, I cannot always phrase what I want to say appropriately! Considering that she was just 17 years old, she work for anything up to 18 hours a day to help us with the work of the charity. Vika was instantly liked by all of the people that I needed to visit and the children took to her with no trouble at all. She displayed an incredibly professional translating manner, whereby she would translate directly what was said, without distorting it with her own opinion. This is something that I have a great deal of respect for and I have found to be lacking in other instances (mainly in medical settings) when I have worked with professional translators. I asked her to write something to put on the website and this is quoted below.

Vika started at the Institute for Languages in Minsk shortly after my visit in 2005. I know that she will do extremely well there and I know that her family are very proud of her. She has offered to continue to help us with the charity and I am sure that there will be many instances where she will be the perfect person to assist us. There is no doubt that she has become a much loved member of my family!

"Hallo, my dear friends!

"My name is Vika. I'm 17, live in Belarus in a small town called Rogachov. I like learning English, reading different books and listening to classical music. My dream is to become a well-qualified in the English language and become a proffessional translator. I have always been interested in different peoples of the world, their culture, traditions and nature.

"It may seem strange, but only with the help of my new friends, Rachel and Sheila Furley, have I come to understand the importance of friendship between people of the world. There's no denying that everybody needs friends. A friend is a door that is always open. And as for me, I am very proud to be friends with Rachel and Sheila. I hope to help them achieve their aim of helping poor and disabled children; to make them believe in themselves, their personalities and to be useful in this huge world.

"As for me, I haven't been to England before, but I can say a lot about its people and culture. In many ways they are similar to my people and culture. For example, we eat similar foods, although we have different nature, we have similar traditions. From what I have heard of England, if I could have a second homeland, I'd only choose England.

"Well, at the end of my short story, I can say that I'm just a happy girl: I have a very good family, I study subjects that I like and, of course, I have the best of friends, which are very dear to me.

"I wish everybody good luck, much happiness and to find such friends as I have now.

"Bye-bye!

"Love Vika."

12.07.2005