Tower and Town, March 2026 (view the full edition)Irina's Story
We stood in the freezing cold for two hours because we couldn't get on a train. They were all overcrowded. People were pushing and running, trying to squeeze in anywhere. Eventually a train came and people managed to pull my son, Illia, inside, but the crowd pushed me far back. I couldn't break through to reach the train. Illia was terrified and crying. Thank God for the one kind conductor - he wouldn't let anyone else board until he found me. With great effort, I pushed through the crowd and was reunited with my son. But that moment left a deep scar on his heart - for months after, he wouldn't let go of my hand. The train ran without its usual stops. Once, it stopped in the middle of a field, and we were told it was for safety due to ongoing shelling. We travelled in total darkness the whole way. I decided to get off in Lviv, where complete strangers took us in for three days, and then to Poland. A Polish family met us there-very kind young people. We were in such a state of stress that we hardly left our room for a week. Friends in Germany then offered us a room in Berlin, but there were difficulties with staying there which we weren't ready to face. In a moment of despair, the "Homes for Ukraine" program opened in England. It provided housing for six months and the right to work and study from day one. We found a sponsor and applied for a visa. We waited for a month and a half. I am deeply grateful to the people in Germany who let us stay while we waited and didn't turn us out onto the street. We had left our whole lives behind in Ukraine. There I was someone, had a profession, a circle of friends, places where I studied and improved. There I knew where to turn and where to find solutions to my questions. It was easier with medicine and dentistry. And it didn't take so much effort and energy. In Ukraine, the school was located next to the house. It specialised in English and Maths, and there was a swimming pool in the school grounds. Illia had a wonderful teacher. Illia left his friends, familiar places, toys, books, and he hasn't seen his grandparents for 4 years. I am infinitely grateful to everyone who opened their doors and hearts to us. While we have built a new life here, my heart remains partly in Ukraine, where my parents and relatives still fight to survive every single day in inhumane conditions. Safety is a gift. Kindness is a lifeline. Thank you! |
It was freezing outside. Everyone looked lost and panicked. Trains were running chaotically and to unknown destinations; each train would simply head somewhere west, just moving people out.