TARPON SPRINGS, Fla., (WFLA) — The vacations convey a variety of happiness for many individuals, particularly one Tarpon Springs Excessive College pupil who’s grateful she will be able to have fun in security right here in America.
Dasha Chabaniuk is a Ukrainian refugee who left her nation at solely 13 years previous.
She has needed to expertise issues most of us may by no means consider.
“It was actually scary, and it was actually unhappy to go away my household,” Chabaniuk mentioned. “Clearly, as a result of I’ve by no means left my nation as a lot. Within the second, I knew I wasn’t going to return again for some time. So, it was type of exhausting to know this.”
She left her hometown of Mykolaiv, Ukraine at a younger age, and got here to America in April 2022.
“They needed to depart their home with principally no discover in any respect,” mentioned her grandfather Bruce Ahrens. “The Russians determined to begin placing rockets and bombs in her city, they usually left the subsequent day.”
She has grandparents, cousins, and pets that she needed to depart behind.
Now, at 16 years previous, she has labored by the trauma by becoming a member of the colour guard at her college.
She mentioned her grandfather inspired her.
“He was telling me that coloration guard is principally like dancing,” Chabaniuk mentioned. “I used to be like, ‘Oh, that sounds enjoyable.’ So, I used to be like, ‘Yeah, I will attempt.’ It was actually exhausting at first, however then once you meet new individuals and it is getting so a lot better, and also you’re getting shut with them, it is like my second household now.”
The highschool junior practices the entire time with the individuals she loves.
“It simply makes me neglect about all the pieces and simply benefit from the second I’ve,” she mentioned.
She hopes to have the ability to return house to see her household, however within the meantime, she has a message to different refugees in America.
“It is best to actually recognize the second you will have, since you by no means know what can occur,” Chabaniuk mentioned.
She is celebrating the vacations in security along with her household and buddies.
“What she’s performed thus far now, in her third yr of highschool right here with the colour guard program, has given her a lot confidence,” Ahrens mentioned. “I am extraordinarily proud to be her grandpa.”
Chabaniuk hopes for a lot of issues in 2025. First, for the conflict to finish. But additionally, that she does nicely on her SATs, continues to review, do coloration guard and be completely satisfied.
