Back in 2014, when I was in my last year at school, we used to write lots of argumentative essays. Our Ukrainian language teacher always tried to pick the most controversial topics. She wanted us, know-it-all teens, to see things from different perspectives – the more, the better. Then, she prompted everybody to choose one point of view and provide arguments for why it is appealing.
Back in 2014, war knocked on our front door. Russia annexed Crimea and occupied the Donbas region of Ukraine. We, as teens, did not fully understand the scale of the invasion, so it was our Ukrainian language teacher who guided us. Writing essays, reading them out loud and discussing them in the classroom was one of the many things she asked us to do to help us think and assess the events. Once, we were to ponder if it is okay to lead a usual lifestyle when people are fighting and dying for our safety and well-being. We knew about the war mostly from the news. We did not see it with our own eyes. So, to tell you the truth, it was quite easy back then to choose arguments, either pro or con.
February 24, 2022, is a watershed. The war banged at the front door with new strength. My mom woke me up with a phone call and said: “We heard two explosions”. It was the moment I divided my life into ‘before’ and ‘after’. It was the very moment when the definition of what used to be normal changed, and thoughts about following the usual lifestyle crossed my mind once again.
How did my usual day go? I woke up, had breakfast, headed to work, spent a day in the office, had a walk, read a book and went to sleep. Of course, my schedule varied from day to day, but you get the idea. Quiet and simple life.
After February 24, my days started with phone calls and are-you-okay messages to and from my loved ones. It was a ritual of vital importance that was performed countless times per day. When I was not dispatching messages and making phone calls, I was checking the news. Often I combined messaging and news-checking with hiding because of the air raid sirens.
I clearly remember how difficult it was to pull myself together and focus on something other than the news. The closest war experience I have is hearing an explosion and a missile, having invaders (who were quickly taken care of) near my hometown, and worrying about my uncle who serves in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Many people experienced horrendous events, to say the least. Millions of Ukrainians fled the country as refugees and asylum seekers. Thousands are internally displaced. Many have nothing to come back to because their homes and belongings are reduced to ashes.
I remember searching for anchors that could help me to feel the ground under my feet. I sought a semblance of normal life. Irrespective of how fear-bound I felt, I understood I had to keep going.
Three things kept me sane. First, thanks to the support and love I received from the closest ones (paradoxically, often long-distance), I had the strength to live on. Second, due to the numerous hobbies (often short-term), I kept myself busy and had some mental space to process the war and toughen. Third, for the work where I had to stay the course because other people depended on me, I could bring value. Being helpful, in fact, helped me.
These turbulent times did not hinder me from changing my work, though. I have known Ari, CEO of MriiaPro, for over two years. Ari and I have been good friends. I decided to take risks and become a good colleague of Ari as well.
Thus, let me introduce myself. My name is Uliana. I work and bring value as a part of the MriiaPro team. My realm is helping bring your dreams to life and making sure you have a seamless customer experience along the road. The contribution I make by working, using services provided by Ukrainians, and purchasing goods produced by local manufacturers may be just a drop in the ocean of supporting the Ukrainian economy. However, there are thousands of people like me. “Yet what is any ocean, but a multitude of drops?” (c) David Mitchel, Cloud Atlas.
I will tell you more about my work and views in the coming posts. Stay tuned and stay safe.
Yours truly,
CX Friend