Luda Kolesnyk is from Ukraine, and has been studying at ELC Santa Barbara for 24 weeks in our Intensive 24 Course. ELC Santa Barbara staff love seeing Luda’s smiling face daily. She brings such a positive and wonderful atmosphere to the school, and we love that we get to spend even more time with her than previously thought since she extended her stay with us.
Where were you born and raised? Give us a mental picture of the place(s).
I was born in Ukraine, the country in the Eastern Europe which borders with Russia, Belarus, Poland and Romania.
What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies?
I like to read, play piano, work out, and travel.
What is your special talent?
My special talent is planning and organizing events, as well as writing _____ (stories, fiction, poetry?)
What is your profession? What do you like about it?
I am a teacher. I like investing into other people’s lives and building relationships.
Tell us about your family, do you have kids? Siblings? Do they live close to you?
I have 2 siblings. I have one brother and one sister. They are 18 and 16 years old. We are all fond of music.
Why did you choose to study English in Santa Barbara? Did you consider other options?
I chose to study English in Santa Barbara because I have friends who live here. No, I did not consider other options.
What are all the ways that Santa Barbara is different than your city/town?
Santa Barbara is different in climate and the weather (we have 4 seasons in Ukraine). There are lots of tourists in Santa Barbara and rarely any in my hometown.
What were you most surprised to learn about the US or Santa Barbara? Did you experience any culture shock?
I haven’t had any culture shock yet. It is just unusual to be around lots of people from other countries most of the time.
What do you miss most about your country?
I miss the food and winter with snow.
What are your top three favorite places in Santa Barbara?
My top three favorite places in Santa Barbara are Knapp’s Castle, the Waterfront and the top of the Court House clocktower.
Where have you found the best food from your country in Santa Barbara?
The best food from my country is at my friends’ house. 🙂
Favorite moment in class at ELC:
Moments during our conversation class with Kyle, when we both had fun and practiced conversational English.
Favorite activity at ELC:
Little field trips during the class.
What are some tips you have for people who want to learn English?
Expose yourself to representatives from various cultures who speak English
Get an experienced professional teacher
Sing songs
What are your plans after ELC?
Career building
