A journalist, after visiting Ukraine, decided to start taking Ukrainian language lessons in October 2022. The lessons were taken via weekly video calls with a teacher named Olha, who was based in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. This decision was made to better understand the country and its people, and to be more courteous to those encountered while reporting.
According to The Guardian, the journalist began learning the Ukrainian language to feel less helpless and to gain a better understanding of what they were reporting. Olha, the teacher, led the journalist through the unfamiliar letters of the Cyrillic alphabet with patience and humor. The lessons started in autumn 2022, with the journalist based in London and Olha in Ukraine.
The decision to learn Ukrainian was made during a time when the country was under siege, highlighting the journalist's commitment to understanding the situation and the people affected. This context adds significance to the journalist's decision to learn the language, as it shows a willingness to engage with the culture and people beyond just reporting.