“This is a retrospective. I have studied here. However, it was Gorky University at that time. You know, I could never predict that I would become a professor of this university. I missed lectures. And once I was listening to the bells of St. Volodymyr Cathedral, and the teacher of the elements of marxism-leninism put a C for me. Incidentally, this is the only C in my life. And in autumn I missed the lectures and went to the Botanic Garden to gather autumn leaves. I may joke, but still I think that there is a vast difference between the former Gorky Pedagogical Institute and current Drahomanov University. The latter is free from ideological lies. That is why I think it is an honor to become its professor.”
Actually, there were several events. A significant one, the launch of Lina Kostenko’s new book Madonna perekhrest (Madonna of Crossroads; Lybid Publishers) with a dedication to her daughter. On Sunday Oxana Pachliovska celebrated her university.
Kostenko reminisced: “The baby is born, small and nice. Then she grows up, giving you lots of troubles. It is okay. And then your child becomes your friend, and even colleague, like my Oxana, who is here with me.”
It is very gratifying that our newspaper received one of the first copies of Madonna perekhrest, for giving the most interesting and complete publications about Lina Kostenko.
