Ukrainian teen in Shorewood makes her way in America

Sam Tsymbaliuk has traveled a long way to get to her home with Sue Shukstor in Shorewood, going from her home in Nova Borova, Zhytomyr, Ukraine, to Florida before finding herself in the more familiar climate of an Illinois winter.

Tsymbaliuk is in the U.S. on a special visa from the Uniting for Ukraine program, or U4U, which allows Ukrainians fleeing from the war into the country on humanitarian parole.

Tsymbaliuk received her special visa in March.

Shukstor said her son traveled to Ukraine to escort Tsymbaliuk to the U.S., but it took a long time, and he had to come back.

Another family sponsoring someone else was able to bring Tsymbaliuk along. They kept her in Florida for a few months before she moved to Illinois with Shukstor about a month ago.

Shukstor said Tsymbaliuk lived in an orphanage in Zhytomyr. It was cold, and there wasn’t a lot of food. She likened it to an area similar to the Appalachian Mountains in the U.S.

Tsymbaliuk doesn’t speak much English, but Shukstor helped translate when she could. Tsymbaliuk didn’t like the weather in Florida, especially since she was there in the summer. Illinois in the winter has a climate more similar to her home in Zhytomyr, and she said she prefers that.

Tsymbaliuk and her twin brother lived with Shukstor before, about three years ago, as part of a program that put Ukrainian children with American families so they could see what the world is like.

“That’s how I knew her, and I stayed in contact with her,” Shukstor said. “I visited her in Ukraine at her school, and she was in a really bad situation in addition to the war. As soon as she turned 18, we were able to get her out of that situation and get her here.

“She’s just fabulous. She’s got a great attitude, and she’s been through so much, and she’s so grateful for the simple things.”

Tsymbaliuk is grateful to have a job. She recently was hired to work at the Shorewood Jewel-Osco after finding out that she couldn’t attend school in the U.S.

“We were hoping to get her into school here, so she could learn more English and assimilate better and learn more about the culture and hang out with her peers,” Shukstor said. “I’d rather that than throw her cold turkey into the real work, and say, ‘Hey, now go work.’”

Minooka High School Superintendent Robert Schiffbauer said Minooka works with students of all sorts, and they even have a student from Ukraine, but the issue is Tsymbaliuk didn’t have sufficient records of her education.

“There are certain things that we need and, particularly, student records are a big part of that so we know where they are in high school,” Schiffbauer said. “When those aren’t provided, that puts us in a unique spot. You’re also working with someone that’s without a legal guardian.”

Shukstor said she has sponsored kids before and did not have trouble getting them into the school, so she was surprised and disappointed that it didn’t work out this time.

Tsymbaliuk is keeping busy with or without school, however. She enjoys working with her hands and making crafts, and she loves animals.

She’s also excited to start work so she can send money back to her family. She has 12 brothers and sisters, seven of whom are little and a couple who are adults serving in the military.