My parents lived close to the Zhytomyr highway right outside Kyiv. My brother was able to find a driver who drove them to the rail station. Several buildings were blown up in their area that day.

My parents had to wait another 8 hours before the train arrived. It was not scheduled. Mom (65) and Dad (76) waited in the cold, carrying only two backpacks. Suddenly there was an explosion. All the people on the platform swiftly descended into the underpass. Mom and Dad went down to the downstairs restrooms at the station. They were so scared. Only later did they learn that it was a fragment of a Russian missile that hit the station.

In half an hour they got out and boarded the train to Lviv. There were more than 8 people in one compartment. They stayed in Lviv for two days. Then they were helped to get to Krakow, Poland.

My dad has sciatica and sore eyes. But they rode, then walked for a long time, and stood at the border. All the Ukrainians around were polite.

When they reached Poland, they were fed delicious food. The volunteer even gave my mom some hand cream! Then another volunteer took them all the way to Krakow, although it was very far from the border.

On the third day in Krakow, my mother already got a job teaching students at one of Krakow’s architectural universities. They are both currently involved in social work and are calling for non-cooperation with Russians who support the Putin regime. I am proud of my parents. Ukraine will win!

Nastia, Kyiv