Episode 4, This is Ukraine
“I am leaving the door to the apartment unlocked with the key sticking inside in case you need to get to my belongings. I am taking my German passport because it is European. My American one is on my bed. You have my location on my apple watch. I will text you right before and hopefully also after we cross the border. I Love You”.
This is the text I sent my friend on the morning of my first departure to Ukraine. I packed a bag with extra clothes. Practical, warm clothes. I bought multiple water bottles and snacks for days. A blanket and a pillow. Today, I was going to Ukraine. Can you tell how much the news of Russians kidnapping volunteer workers in Ukraine scared me? I prepared for the worst, hoped for the best and still went. After days at Tesco, I needed a change of scenery. Right when I needed that longed for change, I met Ian who you will meet in just a moment. He told me about his lonesome trips back and forth to Ukraine and after defeating the fearful voices telling me not to go to the other side and consulting with a few people who really knew what they were talking about on this matter, I decided to go. I did not tell my family at the time. My closest friends knew. So did the embassy.
Interview with Ian
As Ian and I mentioned, the organization World Central Kitchen was one of such importance not only to us who were volunteering, but to Ukranians being impacted by the war. Where there is a crisis in the world, they show up and make sure that everyone is sufficiently nourished. The hour long traffic caravan of trucks at the border trying to leave Ukraine are in fact mainly supply trucks from World Central Kitchen. Their kind and tireless volunteers provided three warm and healthy meals a day along with coffee, snacks, sandwiches and fruit at all times. If you are looking to volunteer or support an organization on the ground that I myself can not even imagine missing during my work at the border, please consider learning more about them and potentially getting involved at worldcentralkitchen.org. They are heroes!
Thank you for listening to Inside the Other Side. I am always happy to connect with you listeners via email or on social media @insidetheotherside.
Until next week!
Slava Ukraini!
