I was born in Donetsk, a coal-and-steel city in eastern Ukraine, and grew up in Salem, the capital of Oregon. Two pretty different places, but both of them shaped how I see the world. Here's a quick look at each one.
Donetsk, Ukraine
Donetsk got started in 1869 by this Welsh guy named John Hughes, who built a steel plant out on the steppe and named the place Yuzovka after himself (humble of him). It blew up because of all the coal and iron in the Donbas region, and got renamed Donetsk in 1961. If you walk around the city you can still see that old industrial vibe everywhere — from rusty mine headframes off in the distance to the Donbass Arena, the big stadium that hosted Euro 2012.
It's also weirdly known as a "city of roses." They planted millions of rose bushes along the streets and parks decades ago, and that stuck. Honestly when I think of Donetsk I think of being a kid in those parks, long summer evenings, family. The war kicked off in 2014 and got way worse in 2022, and the city's really not the same anymore. But when someone asks where I'm from, the people and the history are what come to mind first, not the news.
Salem, Oregon
Salem's in the Willamette Valley and has been Oregon's capital since 1851. Fun fact: the name is short for "Jerusalem," which basically means "city of peace." It's the third-biggest city in the state, and it's where you'll find the Oregon State Capitol — that white marble building with the gold pioneer statue on top — plus Willamette University, the oldest university in the western U.S.
Growing up here meant rainy winters, dry summers, and a lot of weekend trips out to the coast or up into the Cascades. The valley around Salem is full of vineyards, hop farms, and hazelnut orchards, and downtown is slowly turning into a mix of old historic buildings and little local shops. It's way quieter than Donetsk, but it's the place I actually know.
