Maria Buchtijarova
Hello, I’m Maria. I’m 16 years old and am from Ukraine. I was born in Donetsk. In the year 2014 the Russian military occupied my town, and my family moved to Kharkiv. But in 2022 we were forced to flee again because of the large-scale Russian invasion. For about three years I have been living in the lovely small town of Vechta in northern Germany where I attend St. Thomas College. In my free time I like to read, go to the gym and meet up with my friends. I also take part in different events put on by the publishing house Geest, such as readings in retirement homes, literary evenings and political events against the far right.
What brought you to writing?
I have been writing for about five years. I mainly write about the war in Ukraine, my experiences and worries. I took part in different writing competitions both in Ukraine and Germany.
How did you come to take part in Clara’s Prize?
Clara’s Prize was very special for me! It was the first writing competition I took part in in Germany. And the first award I received. This competition gave me some incredible experiences, emotions and impressions. It is very well thought through and well organized. We had the opportunity to follow every step of the process and the award ceremony in Hamburg was absolutely unforgettable.
How did you like your time at Fraggina? Did you find inspiration there?
It was fantastic! The breathtaking nature of Italy, the fairytale that is Volterra, the excursions, the workshops and of course the opportunity to talk to Cornelia made my visit really wonderful and unforgettable.
What did you take home with you?
I took back the scent of lavender and cypresses, the nightly dance of fireflies, the crunch of freshly baked bread, the clouds hanging over the mountain peaks. I took back moving conversations from around the dining table and pink sunsets. And a dream. A dream to visit Tuscany again.
"Kein Spielzeug"
"Geheimwaffe"
"Hallo Marichka!"
"Vechta"
