Hi friends!
My name is Genia (pronounced Jen-ya. rhymes with “Kenya”).
It’s only been a couple months since I showed up at the kinsmen parking lot, came up to a group of people I didn’t know and awkwardly asked Eric and Rob if I could join their workout. Since then, these 6am mornings have become one of the most positive things in my life.
I showed up that first day because fitness helps me move through hard times. And, frankly, my last couple years have been exhausting, heavy and often filled with grief. Along with what felt like a string of tough things in my personal life, I’m also Ukrainian.
I was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, a big, bustling metropolitan city about 30 kilometres from the russian border. The night of February 24, 2022 as russia launched its full scale invasion on my home, I watched live footage of explosions over my hometown, where family, friends and loved ones live. In the weeks and months following, the helplessness of witnessing the genocide of my people unfold while I sat safely in my home in Edmonton almost destroyed me. I ended up flying back home for a month to volunteer – making food for the front lines. This did little to assuage my feelings of guilt and immense privilege, but standing on Ukrainian soil and being with fellow Ukrainians did have the magical effect of bolstering me up by reminding me of the important things.
And every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, November Project reminds me of these same important things.
I’m reminded that we can all do hard, seemingly impossible things. That life is beautiful even when it’s incredibly tough. That a kind, encouraging word can make an immense difference. And that at the end of the day, nothing matters more than community, connection and kindness.
I love that at NP, it doesn’t matter what your political affiliation is, what your background or opinions are – the only thing that matters is that we’re all trying our best to #justshowup for ourselves and each other (ok – maybe it also matters a little if you’re an Oilers fan or not).
And while I can’t overstate the impact that physical activity has had on my mental health and how much I love that post-workout endorphin rush, I keep showing up to NP not because of the amazing sweaty workouts, but because of the amazing community.
Ok and lastly, just for fun, a couple things you might not know about me if we’re just passing each other on the stairs:
- When I’m not doing something active, I’m usually doing something food-related. I’m a pastry chef and spent two years living in France where I studied and worked in pastry (but mostly just ate a lot of pastry). I love connecting with others through food whether it’s churning ice cream for neighbours or hosting a cookbook club.
- I’m a CPA by day and have intense love for a colour-coded excel spreadsheet. I also use this skill set while volunteering with a couple local organizations including the Edmonton Food Council and CCI-LEX (an organization providing language classes to newcomers).
- My best bud and companion for hikes and runs is my sheltie pup, Oslo. He, like me, is an aficionado of snacks.
Thanks for reading, pals, and see you on the hill for more sweaty workouts, high-five’s and “good job”s!
Genia
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