ould use to escape. It was very scary to drive as there were many cases of bumping into mines on the roads, but we had no choice. Mom’s classmate invited us to her place. She lived in Lviv, and at that time, it was calm there, so we agreed and decided to go to her.
It was the most difficult trip of my life. We traveled to Lviv for four days due to unrealistic traffic jams and curfews. During this time we managed to spend the night in Kremenchug, then we spent the night in Uman in a Jewish hostel, and then in Ternopil where we were sheltered by my brother's girlfriend. Finally after four days without normal food,water and sleep we got to Lviv. We were there my for two weeks until they started bombing in Lviv. We made the difficult decision to cross the border into Poland. There, we met my dad's friends who were happy to see us. They helped us buy tickets to America, but the tickets were unrealistically expensive. Therefore, instead of a direct flight, we had to first fly to Italy, then from Italy to Portugal, and from Portugal to New York.
Now, I live with my uncle and aunt in New Jersey, go to an American school and really miss my relatives in Ukraine. This war has hardened my character. I have had to grow up too fast. I’m shocked that I study in an American school. I’m here without my loved ones, and only with my mum, but we are strong and we can handle everything. It is very hard to understand that my dad, my older brother, my grandparents and many more of my relatives remain in the burning Kharkiv. They cannot sleep peacefully because of the situation in the city. Every night they fall asleep with dreams of a peaceful life. I miss and love them very much, and I believe that soon all this horror will end and everything will fall into place.
Thank you for a quiet life without explosions of shells and missiles, beloved parents.