'The war leaked into every lesson': learning Ukrainian in a country under siege – podcast
Guardian writer Charlotte Higgins recalls how she began learning Ukrainian after her first visit to Ukraine four years ago and how the war shaped that experience; a related event with Ukrainian writers is set for 30 September.
The Guardian has released a podcast in which writer Charlotte Higgins shares her personal experience of learning the Ukrainian language. The story begins with her first visit to Ukraine four years ago — soon afterwards she decided to start language lessons.
The podcast's title indicates that the war gradually "leaked into" every lesson, suggesting her learning process was never separate from the conflict unfolding in the country but was closely entangled with it. Higgins writes that the experience taught her more than she had expected — the language lessons also became a way of coming closer to the realities of life in Ukraine under war. The piece was both written and read by Higgins herself.
Related event in September
Alongside the podcast, the Guardian has announced a live event taking place on Wednesday 30 September. Higgins will be joined by a panel of acclaimed Ukrainian writers to reflect on the connections between war, art and life. Panellists include Olia Hercules, Sasha Dovzhyk, Olesya Khromeychuk and Shaun Walker. Tickets for the event are already available to book.
The event is intended to give a wider audience deeper insight into how the prolonged war has affected Ukrainian culture, language and daily life, as well as how art and literature help people process and live through the reality created by the war.
