Нотатки із всеукраїнського туру
Notes from an All-Ukrainian Tour

Summary/Abstract: A whirlwind literary tour across Ukraine becomes both a celebration of reading and a meditation on travel, fatigue, and the emotional landscape of a country at war, as the author visits twenty cities to meet students, teachers, and young readers inspired by her teen encyclopedia on Ukrainian literature. Along the road she observes the quirks of intercity transport, from unhelpful drivers to perilous nighttime routes, and collects moments of joy, tension, and unexpected human connection. Encounters in small towns highlight the vitality of local cultural communities, while comparisons with touring musicians reveal the quieter, more demanding nature of educational outreach. Exhaustion brings surreal travel dreams, yet conversations with educators renew her sense of purpose, recognizing their daily commitment to students. Weather delays, crowded bus stations, and improvised dance breaks punctuate the journey, reminding her of the need for release amid constant movement. Moments of grief—missing friends’ funerals—contrast sharply with the duty to continue scheduled events, even during air-raid alerts, revealing the strange balance between safety protocols and state-funded obligations. Still, the presence of listeners reignites her voice each time, turning even tense situations into genuine conversations about books and the symbolic dog‑reader mascot. The tour ends with postcards sent across the country and a repaired van delivered to the front, merging literary outreach with quiet acts of solidarity.

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