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Ukraine: Romana Vasylevych
May 15, 2005

Romana Vasylevych lives in Minneapolis. She moved to the U.S. from Ukraine seven years ago. (MPR Photo/Marta Berg)

Minneapolis, Minn. — Romana Vasylevych grew up in Lvov, Ukraine. She moved to the United States seven years ago.

Lvov is called the second capital of the Ukraine. Kiev is the capital city, but Vasylevych says Lvov is very patriotic and traditional.

Vasylevych was a professional musician back in Ukraine. She played the bandura, a traditional folk instrument with 64 strings.

As is the custom in Ukraine, she retired after 25 years as a performer. She then had a chance to move to another country, and chose the U.S. because she has many relatives who live here.

Vasylevych still plays the bandura at various functions. She's also a server at Kramarczuk's deli in Minneapolis, which caters to Eastern Europeans.

Vasylevych likes the United States very much, she says.

"I like so much that everyone is smiling. It's very comfortable to be around people. Everybody asks me, 'How are you?'" she says. "It's different story how they never listen to me how I am. But everybody says 'How are you?' and smiling. It's very comfortable in life."

Vasylevych says, however, there are a few things she is not happy with, particularly the ready availability of guns.

"I can't understand how I can go and give somebody money and take to home a gun -- like children, you know what happens sometimes. It's a shock for me," she says.

She also says she doesn't like that medical insurance is so expensive, and that too many people can't afford the insurance, or the cost of health care.

Vasylevych is a permanent resident of the U.S., and needs to improve her English skills before she can apply for citizenship.