Valentina Lazebna

Valentina is a 36 year-old happy mom of two boys. She lives and works in Chernihiv, Ukraine. Valentina is a teacher who is really passionate about her profession as it gives her genuine inspiration and joy.

Why did you choose this program?

I graduated from the University many years ago, and at the very beginning of the course, I really just wanted to check my knowledge. This is an independent course, and everything depended on me. It was interesting to study. Many of the tasks were familiar to me but I have gained a lot of new learning.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

I have chosen the course by myself. Nobody assisted me, and I organized everything by myself. My husband organized for the payment, though. This course is quite expensive given the country’s standard of living. On the other hand, the course period is absolutely enough for you to complete it on time. My timetable really depended on me.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Don't be afraid to start this course; it's organized very well. As I have previously said, the course time is enough to manage all the units. However, before starting, make sure that you have enough time to study. It's great that you can repeat and study units as many times as you need it. Make notes for yourself so it'll easier for you to pass the test.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

As for me, all the information in the units is very interesting and useful, and I tried to complete the test as fast as possible. I was really aggressive when I had no spare time to read, to study, and to pass the test. During the whole working day, I thought about this course. I got useful information after every unit so I practiced my knowledge during the lessons the next day. It was great.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

Today, I can no longer even think about working abroad because of my family. However, I shared to people my completion of the course, and our School Director even congratulated me on Facebook. The parents of my students also congratulated me and said very kind words.

This course definitely gave me more confidence in my abilities, and the rate of belief from my students’ parents also increased. Some of my colleagues asked me to tell them about this course; they are interested!

Is it dangerous to travel to Ukraine?

No. It's not necessary to visit the Eastern part of Ukraine. All others parts are absolutely safe for traveling. My native town is Chernihiv. It's very ancient, and it's interesting for its history, monuments, museums, and nature. People are amazing and kind. Everyone is welcome to Ukraine.