My name is Anna Kalinina. I was born in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, and I currently work as a teacher at a special education school in Stavropol.
«Despite the distance, my family will always be a very close and important part of my life»
We try to preserve our family’s memories and history. My grandparents once built the house in the village. After they passed away, my mom kept items in it that you rarely see these days.
One of them is an authentic Russian wood-burning stove. You can still light a fire in it with wood and even sleep in its warmth. Now my mom has given it her own makeover: she painted it a bright pink, added clouds and decorations. It turned out very cozy—and very much in her style.
There’s another family heirloom in the house—a family tree that Mom made with her own hands. It features photos of the people who started our family, as well as us, the children. For me, these aren’t just photos. It’s a story that must continue.
And the continuation of this story unfolds right here in the house. It’s not just relatives who are leaving their mark on one of the walls. The neighborhood kids come by too—they write warm words, leave phrases that remind them of family, and trace their handprints with paint. Everyone who visits this house can leave a piece of themselves behind. That’s how this very heartwarming wall of memories came to be.
It’s especially easy to get together in the summer, when everyone is on vacation. Sometimes we have to make an effort just to see each other all together, even if only for a short while.
My move to Stavropol also became part of our family history. When I was applying to college, my parents were worried that I would be moving far away. I myself wanted to try building a career elsewhere. In the end, we ended up at Stavropol State Pedagogical Institute completely on a whim. To this day, we still remember how we applied and how, at the last minute, we decided to submit our applications there.
Now this story continues in my profession. I work as a teacher and am growing in this field. It turns out that even a decision that once seemed like simply choosing a university and a city has, over time, become part of my journey.
I love my family very much, cherish them, and miss them when we can’t be together. And now, while I’m at the festival, I want to tell them the simplest thing: I love you very much and am grateful to you.
I suppose my loved ones don’t always realize just how much strength, motivation, and inspiration they give me simply by being well and healthy. That means a lot to me.
Home isn’t just about walls and possessions. It lives on in family stories, photographs, phone calls, memories, and those little traces we leave for one another. And that means our family’s story truly needs to continue.
