Shutter to Think: Nastya Yabkovska

DIXON – In between gazing out of her second story window, Nastya Yabkovska, 7, would horse around with one or both of her little twin brothers, Roman and Bohdon, 3. They would wrestle, play games and watch cartoons in their native language. The young lady just recently called Dixon home after parents Oleg Yabkovskyi and Oksana Yabkovskya were helped away from the pain and ugliness that is Ukraine.

I met the family last week while working on a Ukrainian refugee story that will be publishing soon. During the interview I watched as children do what children do. I was especially curious about the thoughts going through the mind of Nastya as she looked out over Dixon. The boys are most likely too young to fully grasp the change in circumstances, but this second grader, adapting to a new school, in a new town, in a new country has got to be a daunting task. And despite this, you could silently see the wheels turning, absorbing her new surroundings with restrained excitement and most definitely a sense of relief.

I went into this assignment expecting a lost, sad group of people, hiding out from the horrors of war. What I discovered was nowhere near that. Positive, happy people with bright personalities, and a hopeful yet pragmatic attitude. Their friends and family are still in peril in their home country, and that’s not lost on them. But right now they have each other and an embracing community and a confident look to the future.

– Alex T. Paschal, follow me on Instagram @svmphotogs or message me at apaschal@shawmedia.com.