Girls folk outfit

Description:	This Ukrainian folk costume was given to an American host family by their Ukrainian exchange student, Maria. Folk costumes like this one are typically worn for special occasions and festivals. Traditionally, the blouse would be embroidered by the person who wears it. Ukrainian embroidery tends to be more floral in pattern compared to the geometric or animal motifs used in greater Russia. In a letter to her host family, Maria wrote: I want to be an exchange student, because it is my dream to visit a foreign country like USA. And the word exchange tells us a lot about the aim of a person who participates in such a program. This means to exchange experiences, dreams, glimpses of cultural aspects, modern activities. Id like to know about the way Americans live, their culture, history, traditions, dreams. And I, from my side can tell them a world of various things about my country, and how we spend our time. You might be surprised to find that many of the things Maria enjoys are similar to those enjoyed by American teenagers. Maria likes to swim, do aerobics, play on her computer, listen to music, dance and watch sports with her friends. She hates to wake up early in the morning, a sentiment shared by many American teens. One difference between Maria and most American teens is that she speaks several languages. She speaks her native language, Russian, plus English and German.
Source:	http://www.digitalindy.org/cdm/ref/collection/tcm/id/488
Collection:	The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
Rights:	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/;
Copyright:	Creative Commons (CC By-SA 3.0);
Geography:	Ukraine
Subjects:	Ukraine Ukraine -- Social life and customs Clothing and dress Folklore -- Ukraine Embroidery

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