Experience stories

Hear Mariia Kashych’s powerful story of resilience and hope in the latest Stories from the North episode. Host Linda Paulauska explores Mariia’s journey from fleeing war-torn Ukraine to rebuilding her life through studies in Germany and Finland. An inspiring testament to courage and determination—don’t miss it!

Years ago, Arina lived a challenging orphan life. Her transformative journey from adoption to relocation was captured in a published story. Seven years later, we reunited, and she holds the magazine encapsulating her remarkable journey – a story that touched many hearts.

While facing challenges in orphanages and foster care, Arina dreamt of a loving family. As she grew older, believing no one wanted to adopt a teenager, her dream faded. Suddenly, at 15, she met a loving family through international adoption and moved from Latvia to Texas, USA.

At the age of 18, Valeria and Aivis got married and hoped to welcome a baby. Unexpectedly, they faced infertility. With the help of IVF, they became happy parents at the age of 20.

Somshubhra Ray is from India. He shares his life from childhood until now, as a student in the Erasmus Mundus master’s degree program “⁠Service Design Strategies and Innovations⁠.”

Julián Núñez Castiñeyra⁠ is from Venezuela. In this podcast series, he shares his life story, from childhood to the present. He is one of the students in the Erasmus Mundus master’s degree program “⁠Service Design Strategies and Innovations⁠”.

Patrick is a 6th-generation show organizer from Germany. Yuliya is a professional show performer from Ukraine. Their daughter, Nika, is part of every show across multiple countries. They share an inspiring life, but deep inside, their hearts and plans for a home in Ukraine have been broken.

An orphaned girl with Down Syndrome was offered for adoption to 127 families, all of whom declined. The girl’s story deeply touched the Wimmer family, leading them to embark on international adoption before even seeing a photo of the child.

Joshua Oluwatobi Olulowo⁠ is from Nigeria. In this podcast series, Joshua shares his life journey from childhood to the present as a student in the Erasmus Mundus master’s degree program “Service Design Strategies and Innovations.”

Meet Ieva Putnina — diagnosed with Alopecia Areata at 12 years old. For years, she hid behind wigs and fear. But everything changed when she chose to embrace her true self.