online diary PART I

Here’s a little background info: Ukraine is the country where my mother was born. Bloodline, I am half Ukrainian, half Dutch. I have a very special connection with Ihor, he stimulates the Ukrainian side of my personal identity. Another dimension. For that I will be ever thankful. He guided me through his country whenever I visited Ukraine. I like to be in his company, it’s an unique feeling. He is a handsome man, kind-hearted and warm, yet as a lawyer a bright sharp no-nonsense thinker. Sure, we became soul brothers, based upon simple understanding and fascination, sharing our own sense of humour. Throughout the years he continued correspondence (Kyiv-Amsterdam) with unbroken interest and enthusiasm.

I took this photograph of Olga and Ihor leaving the church of peace in Swidnicia

celebrating our meeting in Wroclaw

Ihor I know him since we have met each other in the year 1991, East Berlin, his girlfriend Olga is new to me, she is from Kyiv too, still speaks straight Russian Language, she comes across as rather introvert, closed, not an open book, and she’s obviously mixed up, her face shows how much she has suffered, her appearance is dominated by bitter melancholy, I feel her pain and agony, uprooted as she is together with the other 6 million who have left family home. About one million is staying in Poland. It is not like bird-nesting, it’s strictly safety first.

Olga has sad eyes, as if all the flower crops of her soul are slowly dying. Nevertheless she is trying to make the best of it in Poland with Ihor, now that there are almost no more tears left to cry. After the shock of diaspora one learns to live with the drama’s and the everyday unpleasantness becomes routine.

To survive that’s now utmost priority which has an existential significance beyond compare. In my 5days trip I cannot get close to her, sure, the fact that she doesn’t speak English language keeps us at distance. But I embrace her, and know she embraces me. No doubt. She had to leave her mother behind in Kyiv, too old to travel abroad, did not want to join the big exodus. Stayed at home. I understand that’s a massive miss for Olga and I respect her somehow bearing the unbearable. The war may have diminished her self confidence, but I can see she’s holding on, did not throw away the key to a possibly complete new life. Is not that desperate, yet.

Let me introduce Olga and Ihor, they have fled since the Russian invasion of February 2022  their home in Kyiv and now are renting a small apartment in Legnica. Temporary of course. They are in Poland officially registered with a protection status, which allow them to stay. When their city Kyiv will be safe (Please note: Date Unpredictable!) they will return immediately.

Kyiv is still one of the major targets of Russian brutal aggression, for them returning is no option. Very dangerous.
Future? They are facing uncertain times ahead: who knows what will happen? Peace talks? End of the war? What about the clean-up of the country? Parts of Ukraine look like moon landscape.