Every day when Westside freshman Anastaysia Petrosyan turns on the news, she finds a new update on the conflict in Crimea, Ukraine. And while most of us don’t think twice about another situation overseas, it serves as a constant reminder for Petrosyan of the home she’s left behind.

“We left everything when we came here,” Petrosyan said. “Beside my mom and dad, I had no one.”

Petrosyan was born in Crimea, Ukraine, and made the voyage to America in 2009 when her father took a job at University of Nebraska Medical Center. But for Petrosyan, who was only nine years old at the time of the move, it proved to be one of the toughest things she ever had to endure.

“At first I was optimistic,” Petrosyan said. “I get to learn a new language, live in a new place and meet tons of nice people. But then it started to sink in that I would be here forever, for the rest of my life.”

For Petrosyan, the hardest adjustment was her loss of connection to what matters most to her: family.

“The realization that I will never be able to live with some of my family was hard,” she said. “I spend every summer in Crimea, but I never know if that’s the last time I’ll see my grandma again.”

Petrosyan misses her family and her home, and the change in culture that Omaha provides serves as a constant reminder.

“Omaha isn’t always social,” Petrosyan said. “If I walk onto my street here, I won’t see someone for 20 minutes, but in Crimea, my street was packed with people all the time. It’s just not the same.”

However, less populated streets are not the only social changes she had to get used to.

“Even if Americans don’t like someone, they will still smile at them,” Petrosyan said. “Even the cashiers, they’re so nice. I’ve been getting used to American cashiers, and when I go back to my Crimea, I feel like they’re so rude.” She laughs.

In addition to the usual hardships of moving around the world, Petrosyan has to watch her home country become the site of heavy conflict.

“You don’t like to think that your home country is where the war is right now,” Petrosyan said. “I’m thankful that Crimea is mostly protected and safe now in comparison to other parts of Ukraine, but we’ll watch the news everyday, and it’s really intense, and my mom will even cry. It’s still our home.”

While Petrosyan longs for home, one thing keeps her going in America: her dream of being an actress.

“Ever since I was in elementary school, I’ve loved acting,” Petrosyan said. “I really want my life to be connected to movies and acting somehow.”

Petrosyan hopes to one day be able to move to a bigger city and pursue her acting career, something she wouldn’t be able to accomplish in her home country.

“The technology isn’t quite up to date in Crimea and really isn’t as modern as America is,” Petrosyan said. “It really just wouldn’t be possible in Crimea. There really aren’t that many opportunities.”

With that in mind, she hasn’t wasted any opportunity in America. The young thespian has played roles for multiple school plays as well as at the local playhouse the Rose. In fact, the Westside theater program was one of the main reasons she decided to attend the school.

“I felt like this was a good school,” Petrosyan said. “There are a lot of possibilities, and I’m even in the upcoming play.”

However, while America provides a lot of opportunity for Petrosyan, she still longs for home.

“It’s hard to admit it, and I never actually have admitted that I’m never going back to live in Crimea,” Petrosyan said. “I always have the slightest hope that I’ll go back and live there.”

While Petrosyan may never live in Crimea again, her home country will stay with her forever.

“I will probably end up marrying and having children here, and I don’t want them to not know Russian,” said Petrosyan. “I want them to learn something about me and understand what it was like. I’m part American now, but in my heart I will always be Russian.”

This story first appeared in Issue Three of the Lance, which came out Friday, Nov. 7. Read the rest of the issue here: