Transcribing and translating the interviews for Baba Babee Skazala was fascinating in many ways. I was impressed by the courage, stamina and cheerfulness of the Ukrainian refugees, and the good humor they brought to their harrowing and heart-rending stories. I was impressed, also, by the deep pride they exhibited in their Ukrainian heritage, and their fluent command of our language. But perhaps the most striking part about these stories was the interviewees’ decision to leave the Soviet Union and settle (if only impermanently) in Nazi Germany...
California, Heart & Home
Projects like Baba Babee Skazala are often as much about self-discovery as they are about discovering others’ stories. Preparing to do oral history interviews in Los Angeles really brought that point “home” in many ways. Leaving UC Berkeley, California & driving to LA - start of the cross-country road trip.