James Hydzik

Photo of James Hydzik
Location
Ljubljana, Slovenia
School
University Of Delaware
Expertise
Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), Classic GM Cars, Contemporary European Cars
  • James was the first in his high school to write a word processor-based term paper and had to capture the Commodore 64's TV output on a VCR to prove that he had written drafts.
  • He kept old Suzuki motorcycles in the U.S. and UK and funded trips by throwing away his TV and saving on the cable bill while staring at maps of Andermatt and any road called "The Dragon."
  • James drove his family out of Ukraine in 2022 along suspension-modifying back roads while GPS spoofing made it appear they were somewhere near Monaco.

Experience

James fell in love with cars during long trips as a kid in his father's 1967 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham, but his writing career began after moving to Ukraine in 2003. He started in media with the soon-to-be-defunct Eastern Economist in Kyiv, where he began two decades of covering Ukrainian business, IT, and politics, including a 10-year run as a freelance contributing editor with Financial Times magazines. He lived in Stockholm, Sweden, for two years, which included a stint with Ericsson as a technical writer. He was Kyiv-based until Russia's full-scale invasion. He moved to Slovenia in 2022 and immediately immersed himself in the local culture by picking up a new set of bad mountain driving habits. He joined Static Media in 2024 in order to write about the Maseratis and Moto Guzzis he sees on trips to Italy and to relive his glory days of restoring a 1979 Coupe de Ville. He also edits the space news website Orbital Today.

Education

James earned bachelor's degrees in philosophy and history from the University of Delaware.

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Stories By James Hydzik