Sabrina Zeidan

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An unexpected conversation with a Ukrainian refugee who knows a thing or two about fixing homes in Spain.

 In my recent conversation with Sabrina Zaden on Seriously Bud, we kicked things off by discussing her latest adventure—using a jackhammer to break through a wall in her house. Sabrina explained how she’s renovating a 124-year-old home in the Spanish countryside, transforming it into her dream space. It’s an ongoing project, and despite the challenges, she enjoys the process of creating something uniquely hers. Her renovations are also documented on her two YouTube channels, one focused on her WordPress career and the other on her house transformation journey. While she loves creating content, she admits the editing process takes time, so there’s often a delay in posting.

Originally from Ukraine, Sabrina shared her decision to leave Kyiv due to the war, though it wasn’t an immediate choice. She spent some time in her home city but eventually moved to Spain for the sake of her mental health. The peaceful, rural environment of Spain, filled with mountains, rivers, and wildlife, has provided her with the tranquility she needed during this difficult time. While Spain wasn’t always in the plan, she visited the country once in 2021 and fell in love with it. Now, despite longing to return to Ukraine when it's safe, she’s grateful for the solace Spain has provided her.

We also talked about Sabrina’s deep ties to her homeland, where her family and friends continue to endure the war. Life in Ukraine has been hard, but her loved ones have adapted to a "new normal," living under the constant threat of danger yet finding ways to continue with everyday activities like work and leisure. It’s a surreal existence, but one that Sabrina and many Ukrainians have had to come to terms with. She remains in regular contact with them and hopes to return to Kyiv for a short visit in the coming months.

When it comes to her career, Sabrina is a performance engineer in the WordPress community, with a specific focus on WordPress Multisite. She explained how the challenges of managing multiple websites on a single WordPress installation sparked her interest in performance optimization. For her, improving website performance is like solving a detective story—there's always a new problem to unravel and fix. Her passion for her work is evident, though she also finds joy in balancing her digital career with hands-on work in home renovations, which she describes as meditative and rewarding.

Sabrina’s journey has been anything but conventional, and that includes her family dynamics. She revealed that she is half Lebanese, having only met her two brothers and sister on her father’s side a few years ago. Born in Ukraine to a Ukrainian mother and a Lebanese father, Sabrina only discovered her half-siblings through a Facebook message from her sister. This revelation led her to visit Lebanon in 2019, where she met her extended family for the first time. Although she doesn’t speak Arabic, her curiosity and love for learning have motivated her to start picking up Spanish, as she now lives in Spain and wants to fully immerse herself in the culture.

Sabrina recommended that I interview Nathan Ridley, a well-known figure in the WordPress community who often works behind the scenes. Her suggestion reflects her own humble nature—though Sabrina is incredibly accomplished, she’s always quick to highlight others in the community. It was a pleasure speaking with Sabrina, learning about her fascinating journey from Ukraine to Spain, and hearing about the many passions that make her such a dynamic and inspiring individual.