Elena Page Onet

The Story of Her Life

"My most vivid memory… is of us all sitting on the carpet playing dominoes."

I was born in Almaty in 1960. I have one older brother who lives in Almaty and has two children. My parents both lost their parents when they were very young and always tried hard to make it cosy and homely for us as a family. During the war they both had too little to eat and when they got married they promised each other that neither they nor their children would ever go hungry or have to be afraid of anything. My mother originally came from the Ukraine; my father came from Russia, from Chastyunki. They met in Odessa where they were doing a two-and-a-half-year university course. They both finished with distinctions and became much sought-after engineers. They decided to move to Almaty because my mother's father lived there. I was loved and spoiled from childhood on. Our parents did everything they could to make sure my brother and I had a happy childhood. At the time I found it quite normal that our parents spent their free time with us. My mother would spend the weekends baking rolls and making cakes, for example, or we went camping in the mountains. My most vivid memory of my childhood is of us all sitting on the carpet playing dominoes. The atmosphere was wonderfully warm, friendly and harmonious.

What was your educational and career path like?
I studied at the University for Energy Industry and after that I worked as an electrical engineer in a power station and also taught at the university. When things started to change in the Soviet Union I left the state-run industry and moved to a private company. I was there for over a year and at the end I was the Deputy Director. Both my life and my career were very successful. I had a beautiful flat in the centre of town, a car and driver and I earned a lot of money.

Could you tell us about a particularly beautiful moment in your life and a particularly difficult one?
As I already mentioned, the most beautiful memories I have are of my childhood: it's snowing outside and the wind is blowing but indoors it's very cosy. I remember that the whole family often went to a beautiful place near Astana in the summers. We always rented the same house. We would go to the woods together and collect mushrooms and berries. Once we got lost: the countryside was so beautiful and we were united as a family, the atmosphere was very mysterious. Then we met a hunter who showed us the way. One of the most difficult situations I can remember was when my mother went to Moscow with my brother and left my father and I alone at home. My father became very ill and it was a life and death situation. I was alone with this problem because I couldn't get in touch with my mother. That was in 1992. Times were difficult and medicine was in short supply. I had to gather all my strength to save my father. My friends were a great help at that time.

Do you have a good friend that you can talk to?
Yes I do. She's like a partner, a friend for life. I used to have a lot of friends but when I came here my interests changed. I've got two friends outside the SOS Children's Village. They understand me and I know I can always take my problems to them. Sometimes they can't help me, though, because the problems I have are very specific. But I can always find good advice in the Bible.

Do you have a role-model?
Yes, my parents. My parents are honourable, honest and kind-hearted people.

What do you like to do in your free time?
Since I was a child I have always enjoyed needlework. I don't have much free time now because the children always keep me busy. But I do like to go for walks on my own and to enjoy the peace and quiet. I also visit my parents. We drink tea or have dinner together and chat. I also visit my friends, of course. So far I've always spent my holidays here in the city and have come to visit the children every third or fourth day. They were afraid that I wouldn't return. The youngest children have only just stopped asking me if I would be coming back again.

What do you consider to be your specific strengths and weaknesses?
That's a difficult question. Strengths and weakness, they depend on the specific situation. I'm patient and can wait a long time for something but I can also be strict and can chastise but I don't bear a grudge. The children are aware of that and sometimes take advantage of it.

Elena's Story:
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All these mother's stories come from SOS Children's Village Hermann Gmeiner Academy. Copyright is reserved and no unauthorized use permitted. Use for non-commercial purposes may be requested. The interviews telling about the lives of some SOS Mothers form part of an interesting study on being a replacement Mother to children in need in SOS Children's communities worldwide.