Valdone Rudenkiene/Tie2

Ukrainian journalist Svitlana Kostrykina came to Lithuania because of the war. But she talks little about the war. She says it’s probably not time yet. He calls Lithuania his soulmate. And Lithuanians as a good Vikings. Today, Svitlana writes a detective book, works as an editor of the Tie2/Ukraine portal and learns the Lithuanian language, which sounds like ancient magic to her. After the victory, she promised to write a book about the war, about the experience of being a war refugee.

Tell a bit about yourself.

I was born 35 years ago in Kyiv, studied journalism in Kyiv International University and have about 17 years of experience. About half of my life, oh. So… I’ve worked in newspapers and magazines, wrote scripts for detective TV series, produced and edited reality TV shows, co-authored two books, was an editor of underground music web-portal and held creative writing workshops in Kyiv and later Vilnius. Telling stories is my biggest passion, I think I’m doing it since I remember myself. Always wanted to be a writer. Though in childhood I dreamed about being a doctor and a rock star – later I worked at medical TV show and recorded an audio story with my musician friend, so all my childhood dreams came true, I suppose.

When Russia started full scale invasion in Ukraine, you came to Lithuania. Why Lithuania?

It was pure concatenation of circumstances. I planned to go somewhere to the relatively safe Western regions of Ukraine, jumped into the first evacuation train I could fit into – it brought me to Lviv. I’ve stayed at my friends’ flat (tiniest I’ve ever seen in my life), trying to find an apartment I could afford – prices were about 4-5 times higher than usual. The next day my other friend was going to Lithuania with Lithuanian friends-of-friends-of-friends volunteers – so I decided to go with her. Into the actual nowhere: we drove in the minivan with the guys we knew almost nothing about (only that they like football – since then I have warm feelings about this game too, because they were so kind and caring, them buying sweets for the woman with kids from Enerhodar who were traveling with us almost made me cry) to the place of another stranger (amazing girl named Rugilė who is now my good friend).

What was your first impression about Lithuania? About Vilnius in particularly?

Actually I’ve been in Lithuania few years before as a tourist and fell in love with Nida. In my opinion it’s the most beautiful place on Earth. The sea, the dunes, the pine-trees, beautiful houses with woodwork, churches and cemetery – like you are found yourself in the fairy tale.

Vilnius impressed me in different way – with the combination of old European center, old local wooden houses and the post-soviet panel districts, which look almost the same like in Kyiv, but still not exactly the same. For example – you can see a 8-store building, built by a very similar project as a 9-store building in my district in Kyiv. This tiny difference makes you feel slightly weird, like you are in a dream or in a half-forgotten memory.

Do you feel here comfortable?

I think Lithuania is my soulmate country. The past year was the toughest ever for me – often I was feeling devastated, depressed and desperate – but there were not a single time when I felt something negative about being here. It’s hard to adapt in the different place, while it’s an actual war in your motherland, but people here are so supportive and the country itself is so inspiring.

You are a journalist, a writer and a scenarist. As far as I know you are writing a book. But the book is not about the war – it is a detective. Tell us more about the book you are writing.

It’s called “The Forest, the storm and the female name” and it’s a story about a criminal TV show journalist who is investigating the disappearance of her colleague. The idea came to me while I was thinking about preserving my experience of working on reality TV – working trips to the most remote places of Ukraine, meeting the most different people, hearing hundreds of life stories, the mind games behind the scenes and the cinematic magic, the lies, the truth, the ethical choices, the mystery and the dramatic storytelling which keeps you hooked. It’s a fiction book – but like the mosaic it is made from the shards of my actual life. Life which is now in the past.

I was planning to finish the first draft in the spring of 2022. In the end of February during the night of another shelling I wrote the quick synopsis of yet-unfinished chapters and sent it to my friend who already went to a more safe place. I guess it was kinda existential moment for me: when you fully understand that very probably you may die this night, what will you try to save from all your 34-years life? For me it turned out to be a novel featuring endless shifts in video editing rooms, cold dark drives through bad roads and post metal concerts. Sound selfish and immature? Maybe. But after all, there is a lot not only of my life in this novel – it is also a fictionalized screenshot of pre-full-scale-war-Ukraine we all loved. I think this story deserved to be finished and to find its readers, because why not.

Right now I’m publishing it chapter by chapter on my Patreon – knowing that people are waiting for the next part of the story is a goooood motivation 🙂

And yes, I really want to finish it and to start writing the new one – about the war and being a refugee in Lithuania through the lenses of my own experience. I am not rushing it – still need to process things properly. So maybe after the victory – but I really want to do it. It is my promise to myself.

Sometime you are calling Lithuanians as Vikings (in a good way). Do we seem very cold?

Fun fact: few days ago I was reading a book by Laima Marija Petrusevičiūtė “Melancholy and Sun. Munch and Čiurlionis”, it is a comparison between Norwegian and Lithuanian famous painters, and the author is also calling Lithuanians “the land-based vikings”, so it’s not only me I guess.

Well, first, it’s about appearance: in Vilnius saw a lot of guys with beards and long hair, sometimes even with Nordic braids, very stylish. And the attitude in general: mostly people here are calm, collected, introverted, not showing emotions. Ukrainians in general are much more passionate. Random example: last winter I was going on a sidewalk in my headphones listening to music, feeling safe because the season of scooters was over. Then I smelled the diesel fuel smell. Surprised, I turned around and saw a snow-cleaning tractor right behind me. I understood that I was blocking his way for a quite long time. But the driver did not yell, did not jump from his tractor and swear at me. He was just cleaning the snow.

I am a very emotional person even for Ukrainian standards so it surprised me first, but there is so much warmth behind this viking attitude and the legendary dark jokes that I (with my own not-so-lighthearted story) feel very connected and understood. Not only as a human being, but as a Ukrainian also – it is incredible how Lithuanians who are not millionaires themselves are buying bayraktars and radars for the front line, donating non-stop and fundraising in every way possible: from coffee degustations to charity black metal concerts, volunteering and just supporting. It is priceless.

It s is almost a year you live here in Vilnius and intensively learning Lithuanian. How this language seems to you?

It is a tough language and my cognitive abilities are not in the best shape because of the stress, so it’s even more difficult but I love it. It is a very rare and beautiful language, it sounds like an ancient spells and the deeper I get into the more I understand about the worldview of its native speakers. Like the special word for mixed rain and snow or the verb tense for feeling nostalgic when speaking about things you used to do in the past but not anymore (būtasis dažninis laikas). This experience is worth the struggle with noun endings.

There are many discussions about should Ukrainians learn Lithuanian or not. What is your opinion?

I think people should know the language of the country they are living in, at least basics. And many Ukrainians want to do this – but it’s a problem that there is not enough free or less expensive language courses, because not everyone can afford to pay full price. Of course, for war refugees learning new language is harder because of the stress, but still I agree that state requirements about A2 level for most jobs in 2024 are fair enough.

Have you visited other cities in Lithuanian? If so, what was your impression?

I’ve been in Šiauliai (the city itself is very nice and it even has a chocolate museum!) and went the famous Hills of Crosses nearby which is totally otherworldly experience. At the work trip I’ve visited Kaunas, its museums and very interesting architecture. My Lithuanian friends showed me Klaipeda with the hidden gems of its seaside and Labanoras – the biggest and the darkest forest I’ve ever seen yet so calm and cozy, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to see all of these magic places.

You are also participating in many activities here with Ukrainian community. Probably you know the best how these people feeling here. Do you feel it should be something to improve they would be more comfortable?

I think Lithuanians already are doing more than enough. Maybe only – more opportunities for learning the language as I said before. Of course, there are issues, because nobody was prepared for this situation, but I see that everyone is working on fixing them.

Being here you also trying to help your community as a journalist: asking ministry what are the possibilities for Ukrainians to study at universities in Lithuania; also asking institutions about migration rules, analysing what difficulties facing people who came here because of war. Do you feel it should be something improved more in a state policy?

I think there would be inevitable period of trials and errors because as I said it is something unexpected and unpredictable. Nobody knows when the world will end, and what will all these people do afterwards. Someone has not where to return, someone still has but it may change overnight. So I think the best solution – is to be open and to react to the current challenges as fast as possible.

Do you have any advice how to adopt yourself in other country that this adaptation would not be so difficult.

To be prepared that it’s not a linear process and there will be a lot of crises – it’s scientific fact, cultural adjustment has stages even for people who decided to change countries in peaceful times, well prepared and motivated. For people who came as refugees it’s much more harder. So it really helps to know why you are doing what you are doing – giving your children safe life without air raid sirens, working and donating or something else. Support Ukrainian armed forces in the way you can but remember that survivor’s guilt is not the best companion. As for me I feel guilty often – that I left Ukraine, that I came uninvited to another country, that I am not doing enough, but then I try to remind myself that the only ones who are really guilty – are the russians who are bombing cities, torture and killing people. Not us. And – it’s important to make the proverbial lemonade from proverbial lemons: try to enjoy things your new life is giving you right now. I am really grateful for all he people I’ve met and the places I see, hot air balloons in the sky and the giant snails in the grass. Because life always wins.