My favorite part of the conference was the relationship we built with the Ukrainian students. I thought the conference was amazing, but getting to know the students on a personal level was more memorable in my opinion. I enjoyed talking to them and bonding over things like music and sports, for it is not something you would see in the news. Getting to hang out with them like friends made it easier to empathize with them on a deeper level. While we all see news about the war, we hardly ever hear about the impact of the war on a day to day basis with students like us. It was incredible to see how similar I am to some of the students; a lot of us listen to the same music, have younger siblings, and even play the same instruments. However, in a year or two they will be risking their lives as the first responders to Russian attacks, and I will still be in high school, not having to worry about anything of such severity. The fact that their choices are influenced by the war sits in stark contrast to the factors that motivate my decision making. 

​- Owen