We spent that night at the shelter along with 200 other people holding tightly to their kids and pets. People, however, managed to ease up, chat and even laugh at some memes they saw online. I read a book I packed for myself and caught a couple of hours of sleep. After all, it’s simply impossible to be scared all the time.
Edem and I have adjusted to the new life with sirens and sounds of shots. We even have the luxury to get bored sometimes. I spend a lot of time reading news and making TikTok videos — before the war, I liked making videos promoting the popularization of the Ukrainian language. While many people in Ukraine grew up speaking mostly Russian, my family always prioritized Ukrainian. I love our history and our traditions — I’m a proud Ukrainian through and through. I even have a map of Ukraine tattooed on my upper chest above my heart. The couple of videos I posted since the war started were just funny ones about patriotism.
Earlier this week, Edem and my father both signed up for the territorial defense forces, Ukraine’s military reserve. People stand in long lines to sign up because so many want to fight. My grandfather tried to sign up as well, but he is 70 and they turned him down. Edem and my dad have been expecting a call back for several days now. They don’t have experience handling a gun and so far, Ukraine has been favoring volunteers who do.
I spend a lot of time on Telegram channels connecting volunteers and people who need help, and it warms my heart to see how much Ukrainians want to help each other. People post about needing groceries or medicine or a ride to a hospital, and volunteers in the vicinity come to their aid. For days now, Edem and I have been trying very hard to find an opportunity to contribute, but it’s very competitive. Some requests in our area get deleted within five minutes after being posted, because someone already claimed the task. Other times, I call people who asked for help, often women with young kids, and they beg me to delete their number because they got the assistance they needed with groceries or supplies from several volunteers, and they keep getting calls.
After days of searching, I finally found something: There is a big need for contact lenses because the stores selling them are closed. Can you imagine being in territorial defense and not being able to see clearly? I managed to find people willing to donate some of their supplies, and I’ve called local stores trying to persuade them to open and let us buy in bulk if we must.
I think Putin miscalculated: He underestimated how hard Ukrainians are willing to fight for our country. Watching how Ukrainians came together to protect our motherland and help each other through the hard times makes me feel hopeful. I don’t think that Russia can ever take over Ukraine. There are too many of us willing to fight until our last breath, for years, if we must. A lot of us will die, but it’s just a matter of time until we win.
