English 102- Profile Paper (Revision)
March 2, 2011
A Hug From 5,006 Miles away, and across the Atlantic Ocean
Never judge a book by its cover. This saying has been the inspiration that lies behind getting to know Krystyna Ruzhytska. We all learn about people who come to America looking for a better lifestyle. We have all learned the stories of those who have traveled to a different place and sacrificed everything, in order to rebuild a new life. These stories are lacking of much emotional depth, until given the opportunity meet an individual who is currently in the working stages of building that American Life. Krystyna Ruzhytska has come to America all the way from Europe. The name of the town of where she is from is nearly impossible for Americans to pronounce correctly; Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. The city of Dnepropetrovsk is approximately 5,006 miles away from the United States, directly across the entire Atlantic Ocean, and a two day train ride, followed by a day airplane ride, from Waukesha, Wisconsin where Krystyna currently has her own apartment and life. Krystyna Ruzhytska is nineteen years old, distanced from any form of family in a new country, paying for everything on her own, going to school, and working. Through it all, she has still been able to figure out how to light up any room she enters, stay on top of her bills, be the rock and an inspiration of her boyfriend Rollie Tappa, and live the ideal life of a successful American and Ukraine citizen.
Consider the distance of Krystyna’s apartment in Waukesha, Wisconsin to her families’ neighborhood in Ukraine. Think of having to travel 5,006 many miles by plane, train, or ship, just to hug your mother and father. The opportunity of getting to know Krystyna Ruzhytska, has given the words ‘independence’ and ‘strength’ deeper meaning within my own life. What nineteen-year-old Krystyna Ruzhytska does not realize, is the impact her individual strength has on those around her.