War. Stories from Ukraine

Ukrainians tell stories about their life during the war

“I don’t need an alarm clock. Anyway, I will wake up very early because of the shelling”, Sofia Zolochevska, 27, Kharkiv

by | 5 March 2022 | Kharkiv, War. Stories from Ukraine

 

Sofia Zolochevska is 26. She is a translator and a Polish teacher in Kharkiv. Even before the war, reading threatening news, she thought of leaving Kharkiv just in case, but her husband did not support her. “Firstly, he is an optimist, and secondly, many of his relatives live here.” They also did not want to leave. Sofia understands them. It means to leave not only the city you have spent most of your life in, the city to which you are attached but all your property as well.

However, when the war broke out, Sofia tried to evacuate. Now she surprisingly calmly recalls how she and her family came to the station, risking their lives. But the chaos and the crowded platforms full of nervous women and children frightened her. And thoughts of Russian war crimes led her to doubt the safety of departure: “I was too afraid that they could blow up the railway station. They are inadequate. In fact, the station is the only strategic point left untouched.”

They decided to stay. At first, she could not sleep. But now Sofia’s body seems to get used to the new reality. At night, she can rest a bit. “I don’t even need an alarm clock”, says Sofia. “Anyway, I will wake up very early because of the shelling.”

Sofia’s relatives and household chores help her to cope with stress.

“Here we have a war, shelling, but yesterday, I cooked some oladky, and the day before yesterday, I made nalysnyky. For some people it may seem strange. Like at war you have to eat bread and sit in the basement. But the fact that I find the strength for something else creates the illusion that everything is fine at home, that there is life and comfort.”

Sofia is already imagining life after the war: “I think we will all work to provide for our families, and we will devote our free time, energy and opportunities to rebuild the city. I dream that on Saturday, when the working week is over, everyone will wake up early, and all the city residents will go to rebuild Kharkiv. I am sure that it will happen, because all those people whom I know are already waiting for the opportunity to take matters into their own hands and rebuild the city.”

 

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