Center Grove grad adjusts to life volunteering in Ukraine

When language or shared experiences could not bridge the divide between cultures, it was a recipe for zucchini bread that made an impact.

Jessica Schwarz had come to Ukraine as a Peace Corps volunteer, assigned to work in economic and community development in the country for two years. The Center Grove graduate was provided a host family to live with, and moved into their home as she adjusted to an entirely new world.

At first, she spoke almost no Ukrainian, and her host family did not know English. But Schwarz found a culinary connection that transcended any language gap.

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“My mom had sent me a photo of her chocolate zucchini bread, and I showed it to my host parents. They thought it looked delicious, and we made it,” she said. “Until I left in October, this zucchini bread was my magic dust. I had babushka (older women or grandmother) bring zucchinis to my host mom, asking if I could make that magical bread.”

For the past four months, Schwarz has been immersed in Ukrainian culture. She has spent hours each day learning the language, discovering and adapting to small differences in social norms that can impact her ability to do her job, and taking in the landscape, arts and food of Ukraine.

Her role as a community development volunteer has opened her eyes to a culture she knew nothing about previously. The experience has been astounding.

“It was exhausting and thrilling, all at the same time. All of my senses were in overload,” she said. “Every minute has been worth it, even when it’s gotten hard.”

Many of the customs have taken time to adjust to. Ukrainians don’t smile showing their teeth, so often, Schwarz receives strange looks when she does. She has learned to not be offended if during introductions, men don’t offer a handshake, even as they greet other men around her.

Language barriers have meant using kind smiles, laughter and sometimes food to communicate. Her parents in Greenwood have sent care packages with spices, ingredients and other items so that she can cook with her host family in Ukraine. The kitchen has become a meeting point between cultures.

Schwarz has gone as far as making nachos for her new family, a treat they had never had before.

“I was very lucky to have a host family who would let me cook. With all of the stress, and being so exhausted, your senses are so overwhelmed, it was so nice to be able to come together around food,” she said.

Schwarz applied to the Peace Corps in 2018, following a love of new cultures and driven by a feeling of restlessness.

The Peace Corps is a government service organization that encourages peace and cooperation with countries around the world. Volunteers are assigned to communities to help address challenges in education, health, economic development, agriculture, the environment and youth development.

The main focus of its work in Ukraine is in education, community economic development and youth development, according to Joe Nava, spokesman for the organization’s office of recruitment and development.

In August, Schwarz flew from Indianapolis to Seattle, then took the trip to Kiev, Ukraine. She received training for a week in the capitol city, including starting to learn the language, then was placed with a host family in one of the oldest cities in central Ukraine.

The sense of history in the city was weighty, she said.

“There were a few mass shooting graves that are still there out in the villages. There were two ghettos from the Holocaust, one of which I walked past every day,” she said.

For two months, Schwarz lived with the family. Her host father was retired but still worked as a talented woodworker. Her host mother was a trauma nurse. The home she lived in was very nice, and she had her own room, which provided some privacy. The family spoke no English.

Much of Schwarz’s first months were dedicated to learning the language. The Peace Corps provided an instructor, and for hours each day, they would study together, both the language and the cultural intricacies of the country.

“I really thought that sometimes there was steam coming from my ears,” she said. “It was sensory overload.”

One of the most difficult adjustments has been the feeling of constantly being “on,” and never having an opportunity to let her guard down, Schwarz said.

“People knew me, even if I didn’t know them,” she said. “They watch actions; they could care less what comes out of your mouth. When they’ve watched me and said that I’m different, that I’m not who they thought I’d be, that’s when I know I’m progressing. And it happens little by little.”

But people were also very welcoming to her once that trust was established, a level of acceptance that Schwarz had never experienced before.

“Ukrainians don’t just welcome you into your home. They also invite you in their hearts,” she said. “They offer everything they can. It’s very humbling, even more so in a village. I learned that being welcome into someone’s home and hearts is the same here, and if you can, you never decline that opportunity.”

After completing her training, Schwarz was assigned to a more permanent host household in another town in south Ukraine. For safety reasons, she cannot disclose exactly where she is located.

Her work as a community development volunteer involves increasing capacity, efficiency and effectiveness in a local community foundation, which organizes programs such youth debate competitions.

But at this point, she is still building relationships and earning trust with those she’s working with.

Doing so has come in many forms. For Thanksgiving, she invited members of the organization, as well as her host family and another group she’s been spending time with, to eat dinner together.

“I wanted them to know that this was my gift to them,” she said. “It doesn’t always have to be about food, but hospitality is a gift of mine. It’s something I can share and am good at. Part of Peace Corps is learning what you’re good at and maximizing on that.”

Schwarz is also involved with a number of other initiatives in her host town. She is the safety and security warden for her oblast, or administrative district, helping with emergency action planning. She has also applied to be a coordinator for the model United Nations, which is the training program for people who want to go into the United Nations.

In early December, she was asked to speak at the Women’s Voices Count Council in Kiev.

As she has immersed herself in her work and the Ukrainian culture, Schwarz has tried to spend as much time in her host town as possible. She remained in Ukraine for the holidays, celebrating Christmas in both the Christian and Eastern Orthodox traditions.

Schwarz has more than 1 1/2 years left in her Peace Corps service, but already has more fulfilling experiences than she ever imagined.

“This was definitely a leap of faith. It had been a long time coming, but when I got the invitation to serve, I knew it was the right thing, and I knew it was where I needed to be,” she said. “As exhausting and as hard as it’s been, to find something that is what you’re meant to do, and find something that has a purpose bigger than yourself, it lights this battery inside that you didn’t know you had. I’m still so grateful and so excited for what I’m doing.”