In Athens, Ohio, many of us regularly walk past a teacher and think nothing too much about them. Other than that they have what we would consider a regular job when it comes to being a teacher. They go to the school, teach for six hours, and do some grading and work for their class assignments for the next day or week. And go home without worrying about their safety. But I came into contact with a teacher who lives an alternative life, who runs their class and life a little differently. He has a different lifestyle than what we would consider for a teacher.
Benya Stewart is from Athens, born and raised. Before he became a teacher, he was actually a builder in Athens for a couple of years. While education runs in his family, he had never felt the pull to teaching like he did with other careers. That was until he visited Ukraine.
He knew he wanted to be an English teacher, because it would be the easiest career for him since it is his native language. It is also a job in high demand in Ukraine. Stewart said that Ukraine’s rich culture, especially their music, pulled him into the country. And from there he said that he fell in love with the location every time he visited.
Teaching in Ukraine comes with its own set of challenges, particularly due to the ongoing conflict. Stewart shared that at least three times a week, students and teachers have to go to take shelter due to missile attacks. This experience can be exhausting, especially since these incidents often occur at night. Despite these challenges, he emphasizes that education continues to thrive, and students remain eager to learn.
“We have to go into a bomb shelter at least three times a week,” Stewart said.
When asked what the teaching environment was like compared to the States, Stewart noted that there are some significant differences in the educational system. While he teaches at a private school where students learn Ukrainian, Russian, French, and Spanish, he appreciates the chance to introduce American culture through projects like the pen pal initiative. This was a semester long collaboration between Stewart’s students and Renee Ripple’s journalism class at Federal Hocking during the 2023 school year. His students are fascinated by America’s history, especially during the colonial era when Britain had control.
Stewart said that adjusting to a new city and country has had its struggles. With having to navigate a new city, subways, and new languages, Stewart said that it has been a struggle to adjust to this. An unexpected challenge is keeping his friendships from America healthy, and is something he is still working on to this day. Outside of teaching, he has a passion for music. He’s been part of various bands, currently focusing on a project with his girlfriend while still keeping ties with a band back in Athens. His love for American folk music shows through as he shares it with his friends in Ukraine.
