Lithuania
The photos collected in our digital exhibition showcase the life stories of young individuals who have moved to Lithuania from Ukraine.
The stories address three main questions:
– The significance of the photo in their personal journey, highlighting the challenges they or their families encountered during their move to Lithuania, as well as their achievements or milestones since migrating.
– Their feelings about discussing their homeland with family members.
– Their aspirations to either return to their native country to live or visit.
We’ve preserved the authentic language and style of the stories to ensure their genuine representation.
The picture describes the first time I visited Lithuania, to see my ex/boyfriend that was Lithuanian. I was very impressed by the calmness and coziness and I felt maybe I could move here. After 6 months I received a job offer and decided to move. I started everything from zero here, job, carrier, friends. It was very difficult in the begginning as I did not understand the culture. I was in fact very sad because of this. After 5 years I can say that I finally feel like home. I am free professionally however the most I grew is personally. I am more opened, I learned how to deal with people that are different. I have my community of people that follow me on social media( I have an account where I make jokes about Lithuania and I share my experience here with people). I can now say I love it here and I have a lot of opportunities
My parents never left Romania and I am always visiting, so I do not feel like the way we talked about the country has changed.
I am vision at least 3 times I year, I did not migrate for a better life to Lithuania looking for a better life, I just moved there for love.
There were so many challenges leaving Ukraine, from losing friends and people you know, to constant fear and sadness. This is the picture from the day when our President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave a speech in Vilnius. It was the first time after a while I felt the slightest moment of hope mixed with happiness after a long period… I felt stronger after that period that I can handle all the difficulties that I was not supposed to go through
It’s heartbreaking, I miss my country so much. It’s even worse, when you don’t know what might happen next and the only thing I want that people of my country would be safe
Yes, Ukraine will be always my home
It was thanks to our car that we were able to arrive here without any breakdowns, if it wasn’t for it, we wouldn’t have been able to leave. The most difficult thing is that some of my family members find it very difficult that we are not at home now, but in a foreign country, they miss home… After migration, I found friends that I did not have in Ukraine.
I am very worried about my home and my hometown of Kherson
I don’t want to return to Ukraine
This last photo was taken in my gallery before my mother, brother and I left our home, so it has a special meaning for me. Challenges were generally related to getting used to life in a new country, it was morally difficult to feel safe when other Ukrainian citizens who stayed at home were in constant danger. It was difficult to fit into the new environment and get used to the new language. As for my achievements, I can say that I try to be useful to Ukrainians in the city where I live, participate in volunteer projects, and do an internship at the Embassy of Ukraine.
It is extremely difficult when I talk to my grandmother and father who are in Ukraine. It’s hard to understand that they are in constant danger, it’s hard to talk to them because we don’t know what to do next, and only hope and faith in the Armed Forces keep us warm
Of course, I see my future only in my native land
The photo is of me and my only beloved friend, I miss her very much
On 24 February, when the war started, a friend told me about it, the only question we had was whether we should go to school. I had no feelings of fear or anything like that, unlike my mother. For a week we lived in the corridor and once tried to go to the shelter, it was not equipped, so we did not go there anymore. On 3 March, my mother broke down and told me to pack my things. I don’t remember what happened next, I remember that we were already on the bus Kyiv-Lviv. In Lviv, we changed money and got on the bus Lviv-Polish customs, when we arrived, the driver said that we had to get off and continue walking. When we reached the border of Ukraine, I also don’t remember much about what happened next, as a result, we stood in the cold at night for about five hours, I felt very bad, I was already crying, women with children started to rage to let everyone through. After passing the transit zone, the military began to take us away with a flashlight, it felt like we were some kind of yard dogs. When we got to Poland, they took our documents, gave us cookies and juice and told us to wait for a bus that was supposed to take us to the nearest town to a shopping centre that had been converted into a refugee centre with a bunch of cots at different food stations. Later, a friend of my mother’s came to pick us up and took us to Vilnius. There he provided us with all our needs and amenities, rented us an apartment, bought us food, set up wi-fi, brought us chemicals and other things, dishes and even helped us with money. he helped us for a long time until we got back on our feet. Although we have settled down and made friends and acquaintances, I am incredibly eager to go home because my friend is still there and I would like to go home.
This photo reminds me that you need to stay happy and cheerful
When I talked to my family members, I used to be sad, but now I hardly feel anything anymore. But I don’t forget where I came from
No, I don’t want to return to Ukraine permanently, but to visit
Hello, I am 15 years old now, when the war started I was 13. At that time I was in Kharkiv (in Saltovka). I left Kharkiv two Sundays after the war started, around 8-9 March. My mother was the one who was most afraid of the war, I remember her saying that we had to leave, but we couldn’t get our heads together and decide. When we decided, the whole night was very tense, Kharkiv was being shelled from all sides and there were hits near my house, we were all very scared. First I went to the city of Liubotyn (Kharkiv region), there were traffic jams and we were driving for a very long time, and there were explosions nearby, there was no connection, no nothing, everyone was in a panic. Together with my family, we stayed there for a month and a half until an explosion occurred near us, a bridge next to the railway was blown up, and then my mother said that was it, we were definitely leaving. We were getting ready and a neighbour came up to us and said that the firefighters had passed on information that tonight would be a very turbulent night and that we should sleep in the basement, we slept with our clothes on so that we could run out if something happened, it was incredibly scary. And when we left for Lviv, there were almost no people on the train, and we were travelling with our cat, who was also very scared. Because of the arrivals, the train stopped and switched off the lights very often, and the cat was not giving us any rest all the way. On the way, we were looking for a place to take the cat and found it. We arrived in Lviv at about 10 pm and there were a lot of volunteers at the station who helped us and one of the girls took our cat. We spent the night, hardly slept, and in the morning we were told that there was an opportunity to go to Poland, my mother said we were going, everyone was in favour. There were hardly any people at the border, so we left quickly, but my uncle was not allowed to leave and he went with his cat to my grandparents in the Dnipro region. At first, we were somewhere near the border with Poland and there we ate, cleaned ourselves up and were told that there was an opportunity to go to Warsaw, so we left. We arrived late and a Polish woman took us in and gave us a room and everything we needed. My mother said we had to go to the Baltic States, we looked for tickets and this Polish woman bought them for us, we were very grateful to her. When we were going to Vilnius, I knew that my best friend was there and that we would live together in one of the hotels in the centre of the capital, which was very reassuring. The journey was long and hard, my mother was very worried about how we would live here. Now I’ve been in Vilnius for about 2 years and I really like it here. I have the best friends here, I go to the best school and I like everything here. I think that I see my future in Europe because I like it here more. My emotions during the departure are indescribable, I was sad and happy at the same time, not knowing the future scared me a lot, I was sad and happy at times, I had very mixed emotions. But despite all this, I am very grateful to my mother, who organised all the trips, calmed me and my sister down, even though it was very hard for her.
I am overwhelmed with various feelings and emotions, memories when I speak about Ukraine with my family.
I would like to visit Ukraine.
This is a picture from a shelter. On 20 February, we were walking in the park as a family, and that’s when I first heard my parents say that the news was talking about a possible Russian offensive against Ukraine. We were joking about it, and of course I didn’t believe it. And then on 23 February, I went to bed and did not suspect anything. My mum woke me up at 5 o’clock in the morning with the words “Veronika, wake up, the war has started”. I was scared, I was packing, I couldn’t have breakfast because my whole body was shaking. My mother and I saw a huge traffic jam and the sounds of explosions and queues for water. We lived near Kyiv (Kriukivshchyna) and without thinking twice decided to go to my grandmother’s place in Bohuslav, where it was calmer than in Kyiv. We set off on a difficult journey, me, my mum and my cat, we travelled for 6 hours, although it usually takes 1 hour to get there. Along the way I saw a lot of smoke and fire, these were the villages we were passing and at that moment I was really scared. When we arrived at my grandmother’s house, we set up a basement and went there every night, the siren was right next to my grandmother’s house and the sound of it made me feel a lot of fear and hatred. We stayed there for 2 weeks and decided to go to Lithuania, we offered our grandparents, aunts, cousins, neighbours, but no one wanted to come with us, we asked them, but it was all in vain. We gathered after these 2 weeks, it seemed to me that it was an eternity, these serenades, planes, cruise missiles, tears. We went to Lithuania because my stepfather was there, he came there for work and was supposed to return home on 23 February, but he didn’t, so we decided to go to him. We were travelling through the Moldovan border and on the way to him we saw many bombed buildings by the Russians and my heart broke with pain that it was all in my country. On the 3rd of March we left Ukraine and in Moldova we were 3 days there we lived with three other families in one apartment one woman died the keys to her car and we stayed to go all together she drove badly so my stepfather came to us in Moldova to help us. Then we went to Romania, where volunteers helped us and we spent the night in a camp in sleeping bags and it was already 6 March, my birthday, it was not at all how I imagined it, but I was grateful that I was alive and I was okay. And we drove on to Slovakia and then Hungary, where we spent the night, but in a hotel where they took almost all our money and it sucked, it was smoky, but we spent the night and then my mum looked in her handbag and realised that she had lost her licence, it was trash, but we were still driving on. And now we are already in Lithuania, we don’t know where to live, but kind people help us and give us their house to live in, it was very old and they were going to demolish it.
You signed, travelled, searched for many documents. And now I am still here in Lithuania, I am very grateful for its support and many Ukrainian symbols, but I still do not feel like I did in Kyiv and I dream of returning to peaceful Kyiv!
My mother and I miss our native Ukraine very much
It’s just a photo of a beautiful sky in my hometown
I feel very nostalgic when I speak about Ukraine with my family and I would like to return to live there
It was a picture taken by me as I watched the sunrise, I realised that soon I would be far away from my native Kherson
Every time we talk about my homeland, I am overwhelmed with sadness, memories of the past, the underestimated happiness of the pre-war period
Of course, I have a desire to return to Ukraine, but so far only to visit
This composition in the photo was made by me and my friends, and I remember it because we were together at the time
I like to talk about Ukraine with my family, mostly on sad topics, but there are other things too
I want to return to live to Ukraine , but after my studies
This is a picture of my mother who supported me during the journey and never let me lose heart. After migrating, I excelled in chemistry. I am concerned about the fate of my country and Ukrainians, but I would like to return to live there.
This photo was taken exactly 10 kilometers from the border with Poland. When we crossed the border, arrived in Warsaw, and were at the reception center for Ukrainians, I started crying without realizing why, probably because of all the fuss with the new country and city.
I’m worried about my relatives (grandparents) who don’t want to leave, at least from the Donetsk region
I have a great desire to return to my home country and study at university there, to visit Donbas
This photo was taken on my second day in Greece, when we first arrived on the island. We lived in Greece for a little over a month, then moved to Lithuania. In Lithuania, I was already among the top 20 students in programming in Lithuania.
It’s very hard for me to remember my life before the war and moving, everything was easier and I knew what would happen the next day.
Yes, I don’t know about living there [Ukraine], but I really want to visit regularly.
This is a picture of my cat Busya. She is currently in my hometown of Nikopol with my mom and family.
When I speak with family about Ukraine, it’s only memories and warmth in my heart…. I would like to return to Ukraine.
This photo I am sharing with you signifies a new stage of challenge in my life. In this photo, I can no longer perceive the world as before.
25.02.22 We spend the night in the basement and occasionally run to our neighbor’s basement because it is bigger. This is how our week goes. Siren after siren, explosions, something burning, power outages, no warm water…
05.03.22 At night, a shell hit our neighbors’ house on our street, and the shock wave shattered our windows. 06.03.22 The main bridge has not yet been blown up, so our neighbors are planning to leave for the West of Ukraine and offer us to go with them. But there are only 2 seats available…
We decided to go…
In the evening of March 6, we packed our backpacks, one for each person. Dad was not coming with us.
07.03.22We were already on our way, and I will never forget the silence that reigned in the car. There was no one on the streets except for the police. We drove through villages, through fields, because the usual straight road was dangerous.
We managed to leave, we crossed the bridge. After a while we found out that later other cars started shooting.
There were big traffic jams.
We got to Boryspil just in time for the curfew. We were sheltered by a family with 10 children. They are very kind people.
Later we went further…
09.03.22 We are in Stryi (Lviv region) with our relatives.
At night, an air raid was announced throughout the Lviv region. My mom, cat and I were hiding in the bathroom.
There was no connection with my dad.
11.03.22 We finally got in touch with my dad, he told us what was happening in Chernihiv and said that it was good that we left. Mom was thinking about how to get Dad out of Chernihiv.
13.03.22 Mom finds a car with people who are also leaving, and Dad goes with them.
16.03.22 Dad arrives. We are together again. But it’s not for long. My parents want us to go abroad. And they decide to do it.
On 20.03.22 we board the bus Lviv-Warsaw with my mother. Dad stays in Ukraine.
We are not traveling alone, but with our friends.
We waited at the border for about 5-6 hours.
21.03.22 In Poland, we are picked up by a car and sent to Lithuania.
The first days were like a fog, we did not understand what, where, how.
But in Lithuania we were well received.
A month later, my mom found out she was pregnant. Good people helped us, and my mom got a job at a Lithuanian-Polish school as a Ukrainian language teacher.
Now I have a sister. Dad volunteers in Ukraine. I have found many acquaintances and friends in Lithuania. All the projects that Lithuania provided for Ukrainians helped me feel better.
This is not the end of my story, it will continue… And I hope that in the future I will be surrounded by good and sincere people.
I cannot talk about it [Ukraine] calmly. I am scared that I will never be able to go to my home. But I understand that it is impossible to go now, it is not safe there yet. My grandmother and father are already used to the sirens, and it’s very scary to realize that it can’t be like that.
Yes, I want to return to Ukraine, perhaps even for further residence.
This photo shows my dog Knopa. Throughout the trip she was by my side and supported me like no other. It was enough for me that she was just there, trying to play with me, which encouraged me and made me happy. I am very glad that she is with us now and she is alive. When I moved to Lithuania, my family and I faced only one problem: starting over. Here we had no acquaintances, no friends, no one. We were completely alone here. After migrating here and for some time I started going to the gym, drawing a lot, writing my own works, started embroidering a lot and going for walks. It was also here that I developed a passion for volleyball.
Sometimes I get very sad because I remember so many cool moments that happened to me in the pre-war and war periods.
To be honest, I would really like to return to my city to live there, but I doubt that I will be able to do it because of the military situation and the mining of my city.
This photo is from the last meeting with my friends
Every day it [Ukraine] looks more and more like North Korea.
I’d like to go for two or three weeks, but it’s scary to cross the border and be there [in Ukraine]
This photo has a very deep meaning in my life, because we, like all other Ukrainians, had a very hard time leaving our hometown. We were leaving with two cats who were also afraid of explosions and risks to their lives. So for me, this photo describes all the difficult moments of my life.
When my family and I think back to the memories we had in Ukraine, we probably miss that time very much and probably regret that we didn’t value life so much before the war, because we couldn’t imagine that this could happen to our dear Ukraine. That’s why these feelings are more sad than happy
Yes, of course. My family and I miss our home
This photo is very important to me. I took it when I was at a concert with a friend whom I hadn’t seen for a long time.
After the move, it was difficult to understand people because of the language, and to make some documents
I feel a little sad when I speak about Ukraine that I am not at home now
I would like to meet all my relatives and then go back [to Lithuania]
This is a photo from Batur volcano, it shows that everything is possible and we never know where our difficult and twisting path will lead us.I really liked this place very much, it is very soulful and peaceful. We found peace after leaving this country.
We had a very difficult journey across the border of Ukraine, traveling in a car under fire, then in a crowded train, and crossing the border for a very long time. During my time in Lithuania, I also took third place in the Lithuanian Enduro Cup and participate in various road cycling competitions. It’s heartwarming and sometimes sad to speak about Ukraine, but we have no relatives there, nothing. I would like to stay in Lithuania.
The last photo I took in the Poltava corps garden before the war
I get sad when we talk about Ukraine
I wish I could go back
In the first days of the war, when there was no food left in the shops, we had pike caviar from pike caught by my uncle and enough bread and butter. For me, this photo shows that no matter how completely different my relatives and I are, we still stay together and stand for each other. For me, it was a great success to find friends in Lithuania because I had almost no friends in Ukraine. I think that the biggest problem we faced during the move was the separation from my father and aunt and uncle, we are family and we are used to going through difficulties together, and now we are all divided into three.
I miss them very much and want to go home, I want to hug them all and kiss the cat
I wanted to go to KNMU in Kharkiv, but I understand that studying in Europe is more in demand, so while I have this opportunity I should take advantage of it, but I am more than sure that I want to go to Kharkiv and visit as soon as possible
This photo is of my pet cat, she is sitting on my father’s motorbike, in front of our house. I miss Ukraine very much and would like to come back to visit
This photo reminds me that there are good people and good things always come back, we were leaving Ukraine and one person found out about it and then told another, and it was the owner of a restaurant. This man fed us for free, because we hadn’t eaten for about a day.
I have mixed feelings talking about Ukraine.
I would like to return to live there if the war ended, but we visit every year
This photo is the view from my window, in my house, in Odesa. And when we moved, it was difficult to find a house because the relatives we were supposed to live with abandoned us. But somehow, with grief on the floors, we survived and moved to Lithuania. After moving, I found a lot of hobbies and friends.
I don’t talk to them [family] about these things [Ukraine].
I would like to visit Ukraine.
For me, this photo has a great meaning because it is associated with Kharkiv, with training days and training camps. When we moved, we faced financial problems, it was very hard, but after a short period of time, it became much better. I made a lot of real friends and I have a lot of family in Lithuania.
Everything is painful, everyone is very sad, while talking about Ukraine
I would like to visit my family [in Ukraine].
This photo was taken with my closest friend, whom I miss immensely. We always used to walk in this park. This photo gives me a sense of home, of being safe. There were a lot of challenges, mainly the fact that we were travelling without any insurance, but fortunately we were lucky enough to meet a family with whom we could stay for a while.
I try to avoid open conversations because this topic is very traumatic for me. I am afraid to discuss the news that is happening in my country, it brings me a lot of pain.
I want to come to visit, but I am very afraid to return to live there permanently.
I just have good memories of this place, I used to go for walks with my friends and there were funny stories there: One morning, I woke up and as usual I started to get ready for school, I was getting ready and my mum came and asked me where I was going, I said to school and she said what school the war is on the street, I didn’t believe it at first I thought she was joking, and then I went to read the news and really, I was in shock and couldn’t believe it, I thought it was a dream. After 2 weeks, we started packing and my father insisted that we leave, my grandmother lived with us and we wanted her to come with us, but she refused to leave, I was crying a lot. We had agreed that we would go with my brother’s godmother through Poland to Lithuania, but at the last moment when we were supposed to leave, she took off and went through Moldova, and my parents thought, and God be with her, we went through Moldova too. We got to the border between Ukraine and Moldova by taxi and then walked. When we crossed the border, we met people who were helping others with water and food. People started to approach us and offer us water and food, but my mother refused everything and one man asked where we were going, my mother said that we needed to go to Chisinau and he offered to give us a ride for free. I was shocked and thought my mother would refuse, but she agreed. I was scared, because an unknown man in an unknown country offers us a free ride. But my mum agreed ���, I slept the whole way because I was crying a lot and tired of all the stress. He drove us to Chisinau and I was shocked when he took our bags, opened them and put a couple of bottles of water in them ���. After that, my dad’s friends came to pick us up and we stayed with them for a week, where I made friends with the daughter of my dad’s friends, she was 23 years old ���. Then my dad came and we stayed with them for another week, and then my dad paid some uncles and they took us to Lithuania ���. I’m still in shock from my mum, but the uncle who drove us to Chisinau was cool and every time I remember him with a smile.
When we talk to my relatives who stayed in Ukraine on the phone, I sit in the corner of the room and feel sad, and after talking to them I feel sad for a couple of days.
I really want to visit my grandmother in Ukraine for at least a week.
This photo was taken with my friends, whom I miss so much. We always went out together and had so much fun. This photo was taken on 22 February, before the war. This photo gives me a sense of home, that I am safe and that I am in my own environment.
Talking about your home country and war can evoke sadness, anxiety, concern and even fear. It is a complex and emotionally charged topic that can trigger different reactions in different people. Strong emotions, memories of the past, and concerns about the future can arise in such conversations.
Yes, I really want to go home…
This picture represents the time when we were sitting on the Polish border and had no idea what would happen next
Talking about Ukraine gives me fond memories
The journey lasted 4 days, it was hard, we couldn’t sleep or eat, we heard the siren all the time and were frightened by loud sounds, the worst memories in my life. After migration, life got better, the whole family is together, although far from home, but the main thing is that we are alive. I go to school, dance, volleyball and have the opportunity to develop as a person.
On the one hand, I am proud of my strong and unbreakable homeland, and on the other hand, I am teary-eyed about what is happening in Ukraine, but we are still waiting for victory!
I can hardly call Ukraine home. I would like to visit it only as a guest.
This is a toy that my best friend made for me, we have been friends since childhood. Now she remains under occupation without the possibility to leave. She gave it to me as a souvenir of our last meeting
I miss Ukraine very much, I feel injustice because I cannot return home because of the occupation. I ask my parents to go to Ukraine, but they say it is dangerous
Yes, of course I want to visit my family. I will return to live after the war is over
This photo is a pie made by a family who took us in after we migrated. It showed us that we were accepted here and that they were ready to help us in any way they could. After living here for a long time, of course, we realised that there are more opportunities here than in Ukraine, as an EU country. Since my dad had been living here for some time, not much has changed in his life. But here my mother was able to advance her work. She noticed that in Ukraine her work was not as appreciated as here.
When the topic of my native country comes up, I immediately feel a sense of urgency, a desire to return home. But at the same time, you realise that the place where I live now is like a second home, and there is a misunderstanding about whether I really want to go back there or stay at home.
Perhaps most of all, I would like to return there as a guest, and come there regularly as if it were home, but as if it were a guest
I was very sad to leave my relatives and my beloved cat, who had been with me for 9 years, she healed me, always came to me when I was sad, but when I left, I had to leave her with my grandmother
I feel ashamed because I left my city and my relatives are under fire
I want to go home, but I understand that it is dangerous in my city and my future cannot be as good as abroad, but I would like to go at least for a few weeks.
This photo captures the moment we arrived in a new country, symbolising the hope and challenges ahead of us. The biggest challenge was overcoming the language barrier, but over time we not only adapted, but also achieved significant success: we found jobs, joined local communities and made new connections.
I feel sad because I miss my home country, but I also realise that as long as martial law is in place, I will be better off abroad. Talking about my home country with my family evokes nostalgia and mixed emotions, strengthening the connection with roots and heritage.
Yes, I would like to go there for a while to visit my family and friends
This photo is very important to me because this sea is in Odesa and Odesa is the place where I lived and was born. We used to go to the sea very often.
Conversations with relatives about Ukraine help keep in touch with shared memories.
Yes, I want to return to Ukraine
This photo describes the stress that my family and I went through because of moving to a new country. It was difficult for all of us, everyone was nervous, even the dog. We are now adjusting, but we miss the old days very much.
All my relatives stayed in Ukraine, and now only my mother is with me. It is very painful to remember what happened, but we support each other
I have a desire to see all my family and friends, but no matter how it sounds, I will go to my homeland to visit
This photo was taken when I first came home after the war started. It was very sad to look at the streets without people and light. There were very few cots, everything in the shops was very expensive, light and water were given every other day (at best), but despite this, we wanted to stay at home.
My family and I only discuss the happy times, we remember how we felt at home.
Yes, I have a desire to return home, but I already think that everything here is just too hard for me, so I will definitely come to visit
It was the last hour before we left, and it was also the biggest amount of snow that winter. For me, it is a fond memory of the wonderful winters of my childhood and the last gift my hometown had in store for me. Challenges my family faced during the departure: a very long border crossing at night, several tens of kilometres on foot
I feel warm sadness and very strong regret because I miss my home [Ukraine]so much
Yes, I want to visit my friends and relatives. To see my native land again and feel the old feelings
I took this photo when my family was leaving Kharkiv for Zakarpattia region. We were travelling for a whole week in two cars and didn’t know what was going to happen next.
During conversations about Ukraine, I usually feel anxious and worry about my whole family back home.
I really want to go home for a while and see my family.
This is the last gift I sent to my best friend before I left for Lithuania. Before going abroad, I spent a few weeks in western Ukraine. Since it was safer and shops were open, I decided to use my last savings to buy a gift for the person closest to me who was forced to celebrate her birthday in a bomb shelter.
Compared to my state at the beginning of the war, I am now more relaxed and only feel a little homesick. At the beginning, any conversation made me cry.
Now I am planning to continue my studies in Lithuania and have no specific plans for the future, but I would definitely like to go back to visit my family.
This photo reminds me that my life has changed forever, now my life is divided into before and after. And not only symbolically, it is separated by a thousand kilometres
It is very difficult for me to hear my grandparents’ stories about how things are in my city, district, and every time I come back, I hope that they will be fine
As much as I would like to go back, I understand that it is impossible, but I hope that I will be able to return to Ukraine someday not as a tourist
This photo was taken on the border with Poland, it was a very difficult time for me because I didn’t want to leave my home country.
Usually, I get sad and start to worry a lot [when talking about Ukraine], because despite the fact that a lot of time has passed, the war is still a very painful topic for me.
I miss Ukraine and my hometown very much. So I hope that in the near future I will be able to go and see my family and friends.
This is a photo of a town in Lithuania that I visited when the war started, and I have a lot of memories and difficulties that I experienced in that town
Whenever I talk to my parents about the war, it is always very difficult for me mentally, but I really want everything to be fine
I really want to see my family and I miss them very much
These are the autographs of my first friends here, we don’t communicate now, but they saved me back then. It’s very hard for my mother to live in two countries, because here we are with my brother and me, and in Ukraine her husband and father are in Ukraine. My achievements are that I have become more open-minded, improved my English and discovered my communication skills.
I miss it [Ukraine], but I think there are more opportunities here [Lithuania]
This photo has a great meaning for me because it reminds me of leaving Ukraine for Lithuania and how scared everyone was of the new country. When we moved, we faced a language barrier, but now we understand Lithuanian much better.
I immediately want to cry when we talk about Ukraine, but for some reason I don’t want to go home. Memories of leaving Ukraine come back. I feel anxious about my home country and scared for my friends and family.
I’d like to go to my hometown to visit, but if I’m going to live in Ukraine, it will definitely not be in Chernihiv, but somewhere in the west.