HIS FATHER MADE IT OUT OF UKRAINE, BUT THE SAME CAT N' BE SAID FOR HIS MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHE R. (NATS) MATTHEW FRANTSUZHAN, UKRAINIAN FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT 38 :36 <"I LOVE THIS PLACE, IT'S A WONDERFUL PL.ACE> ." THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN E ON THING MATTHEW FRANTSUZHAN COULD TURN TO FOR AN ESCAPE - PLAYING MUSIC. THE UKRAINIAN TEEN ENROLLED AT VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL BACK IN AUGUST THROUGH A FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT PROGRAM. MATTHEW FRANTSUZHAN, UKRAINIAN FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT 389 :3 <"MOST OF ALL I LOVE THIS SCHOOL BECAUSE I AM ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE WITH THE MUSIC, LIKE OR CHESTRA, SHOW CHOIR, CONCERT CHOIR, ACAPELLA CHOIR."> AS HE ATTEMPTS TO PERFT EC HIS CRAFT IN THE STATE- S TURMOIL ERUPTS BACK HOME. HIS FATHER HAS BEEN LE AB TO FLEE THE COUNTRY, B HUTIS MOTHER AND GRANDPARENTS HAVE NOT. MATTHEW FRANTSUZHAN, UKRAINIAN FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT 40:51 <"ALL THE FLIGHTS ARE CANCELLED, ALL THE AIRPORTS ARE CLOSED. AND MY MOTHER RIGHT NOW, SHE'S STUCK IN THE CAPITOL."> 43:57 <"I HAVE MY GRANDMOTHER, SHE'S 67 AND MY GRT EA GRANDMOTHER, SHE'S 92 YEARS OLD. AND THEY ARE STAYING AT MY HOMETOWN, SO THEY'RE OOSHTING ALL AROUND MY HOMETOWNAL, L AROUND THE REGION."> RETURNING HOME IS OUT OF THE QUESTION. WITH FLIGHTS CANCELED AND THREATS OF MORE VIOLENCE, IT'S UNCLEAR WHEN HE'LL BE ABLE TO RETU RN TO HIS HOME COUNTRY. MATTHEW FRANTSUZHAN, UKRAINIAN FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT 437 :1 <"I CAN'T GO HOME AT ALL, I CAN'T COME BACK BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT LET OUT OF T HE COUNTRY MEN FROM 18 TO 16 YEARS OLD. AND IF I'M GOING TO COME BACK THERE, THEY'RE GOING TO SEND ME TO FIGHT. "> WHAT HE CAN DO - IS STAY FOCUSED ON HIS FUTURE HERE IN IOWA. MATTHEW FRANTSUZHAN, UKRAINIAN FOREIGN (áááRHEYAááá) LAUREN WHERE IS HIS FAMILY LOCATED N? OW HIS MOTHER IS IN KYIV STAYING WITH FRIENDS BUT MATTHEW TOLD ME SHE IS HEARING A LOT OF GUNFIRE. HIS GRANDPARENTS ARE BACK IN HIS HOMETOWN IN SOUTHE
Ukrainian foreign exchange student worries for family back home
His father has been able to flee the country, but his mother and grandparents have not.
Updated: 5:17 AM EST Feb 25, 2022
There's always been one thing Matthew Frantsuzhan could turn to for an escape — playing music.The Ukrainian teen enrolled at Valley High School in West Des Moines, Iowa, back in August through a foreign exchange student program."Most of all I love this school because I am absolutely everywhere with the music, like orchestra, show choir, concert choir, acapella choir," Frantsuzhan said.As he attempts to perfect his craft in the states, turmoil erupts back home.His father has been able to flee the country, but his mother and grandparents have not."All the flights are canceled, all the airports are closed. And my mother right now, she's stuck in the capitol. I have my grandmother, she's 67 and my great grandmother, she's 92 years old. And they are staying at my hometown, so they're shooting all around my hometown, all around the region," he shared.Returning home is out of the question.With flights canceled and threats of more violence, it's unclear when he'll be able to return to his home country."I can't go home at all, I can't come back because they will not let out of the countrymen from 18 to 60 years old. And if I'm going to come back there, they're going to send me to fight," Frantsuzhan said.What he can do is stay focused on his future here in Iowa."I just hope that one day it's all going to be over and we're going to be alive and happy people," he said.
There's always been one thing Matthew Frantsuzhan could turn to for an escape — playing music.
The Ukrainian teen enrolled at Valley High School in West Des Moines, Iowa, back in August through a foreign exchange student program.
"Most of all I love this school because I am absolutely everywhere with the music, like orchestra, show choir, concert choir, acapella choir," Frantsuzhan said.
As he attempts to perfect his craft in the states, turmoil erupts back home.
His father has been able to flee the country, but his mother and grandparents have not.
"All the flights are canceled, all the airports are closed. And my mother right now, she's stuck in the capitol. I have my grandmother, she's 67 and my great grandmother, she's 92 years old. And they are staying at my hometown, so they're shooting all around my hometown, all around the region," he shared.
Returning home is out of the question.
With flights canceled and threats of more violence, it's unclear when he'll be able to return to his home country.
"I can't go home at all, I can't come back because they will not let out of the countrymen from 18 to 60 years old. And if I'm going to come back there, they're going to send me to fight," Frantsuzhan said.
What he can do is stay focused on his future here in Iowa.
"I just hope that one day it's all going to be over and we're going to be alive and happy people," he said.
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