As war rages on in Ukraine prompted by Russia, many have been forced to experience the pain of leaving their homes that are being bombed, some of those being friends of mine.
On February 24th, 2022, Russia officially invaded Ukraine by sending troops and tanks to enclose larger cities and areas in the country. Many people have been forced to flee and pack up their lives into suitcases leaving behind almost everything.
Zoie Remick, a childhood friend of mine, whose family worked very closely with mine in Chengdu China, had to evacuate Kyiv, where she had been living for some time, as quickly as she could. In a blink of an eye, life changed and she had to leave friends and her life behind weeks before her home was destroyed.
“In my case, I packed up my whole life into one suitcase, and I have been living in hotels for a month now. I don’t know where or how I’m going to graduate next year, and I don’t know when I’ll ever see my friends again,” Remick said.
Remick being only a teenager, was lucky to be able to leave, some of her friends and school teachers not being so lucky as bombs are being set off in the city in which she used to reside in.
“I don’t want to go to sleep at night because I know when I wake up, I will have messages from friends updating me on what new terrible things have happened. It’s not only Ukrainians that are suffering, but it’s also thousands of foreigners who live in Ukraine that are being displaced,” Remick said.
Another good friend of mine, who I met through debating about global issues like these in a conferences style debate called MUN, Ollie Hume, has also had to leave her whole life behind, in a place where they had lived most of their life.
“I was at a friend’s house at a birthday party having the time of our lives joking about where everyone was going or whether they were leaving. We only thought that we would be gone for two weeks. I left behind everything. Things my grandma gave me, friends gave me. I don’t know when I will get them back, ” Hume said.
Hume and her family fled as their school sent out a crisis letter weeks before the initial invasion telling students and teachers to leave the country as soon as possible. A few nights later they woke up to multiple texts of bomb threats and friends telling her the scene that occurred.
“My dad came into my room and said ‘Hey Russia is invading’ and I haven’t slept a night since. I stay up until the sun in Kyiv is up. I remember on the 26th turning on CNN and seeing tanks roll down the street next to my house. And also seeing them blow up a bridge only two metro stops from my house,” Hume said.
The sad truth for both of my friends is the feeling of having the opportunity to safely leave but leaving so many behind. Lines for borders all across Ukraine have a wait time of up to 5 days standing, with limited food and water. Many men and boys were sent back to help fight.
“The people that are fortunate enough to evacuate are having to walk for days or freeze in their cars because it’s taking up to 48 hours or more just to get across the border. And of course, when you do get to the border, there’s the fear that your brother and father will be thrown out of the car and sent back to become soldiers Once they get to a different country, then what? a lot of people have nowhere to go. No one should ever have to experience this pain,” Remick said.
Both spend countless nights not being able to sleep and spending their days feeling scared for their lives back home.
“It’s a bunch of emotions all piled into one. I am sad, I am angry, and I am stressed. So they come and go. Everyone keeps telling me to go take a walk or get outside, but it’s a constant reminder of ‘Are my friends going to be alive tomorrow?” Hume said.
No one can fathom the emotions of one day going to school and the next experiencing war and leaving something so familiar behind. It is evident in both of the girls the fear and exhaustion they feel even being outside of Kyiv, expressing how they can’t even imagine what the people of the country are going through every night.
“Every single person is affected by this is in a different situation, but I can speak on behalf of everyone, that we are all worried for the future of Ukraine. Ukrainian fathers and mothers are joining the army, 13-year-olds are learning how to shoot guns, grandmas are spending their time making makeshift bombs, pregnant women are giving birth in the subway, lots of people are waiting in long lines just to get food, and Ukrainians are sacrificing their lives to save their country,” Remick said.
Both have evacuated to Tirana Albania, and are involved in the protest there for the Ukrainian people. While talking to both, I asked about what we as Americans can do to support Ukrainians, refugees, and all peoples being affected by this war.
“Contact your representatives, anyone who has some political power, your senators, congressmen, even your mayors, and even contact your school boards. This is to put pressure to send troops, to send money, and even aid for the Ukrainian army and people. Donate to trusted organizations or people you know to help them get out of the country. We need anything. Sending money is the best,” Hume said.
As a friend, hearing their stories merely as foreigners show the bravery of these teenagers trying to make a change. Both use their social media and platforms to raise awareness, going and supporting protests and even agreeing to do an interview with me on an issue so close to home. Both Remick and Hume’s families are safe however this doesn’t mean their lives haven’t been affected forever.
“I am proud to have Ukrainian blood in me. This is not new, we fought then and we will keep fighting now,” Hume said.
Here are some links you can go to support the people in Ukraine:
Instagrams:
Ollie Hume: ollie.humee
Zoie Remick: zoie.remick
https://www.gofundme.com/f/kyivindependent-launch
https://donate.wck.org/give/236738/#!/donation/checkout
Thank you for this very important message for all of us to fully absorb and act upon.