Here is what my last 24hours+ looked like in Kyiv - everything is happening at the same time - life, love and the fight for freedom. All possible thanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Brave People of Ukraine and the World who keep standing brave together. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to be here and live my best life, no matter what.
Recap of the events: @kurazh.kyiv [ongoing flea market with social focus] is happening this weekend. I am here with my friend @annetkarnaukh representing the @vpodoba.concept. My friend @katerynaherasechkina is fundraising for the @shieldsukraine [you can win an Aston Martin car by donating 200 UAH (4 Euro 43 Cent) or more, while the foundation will buy necessary equipment for the frontline]. The market is focused on the following issues: fundraising money to support those at the frontline, as well as medical personnel and needs (for instance, at the stand of one of the Ukrainian banks you can buy merchandising with the words of a Ukrainian writer). You meet the same writer - @serhiy_zhadan - but this time in military uniform (as he joined the army recently) at the other stand where you can take a test on your knowledge of the soldiery. Next door, a lecture on the charity project @theblueyedproject that turns the wishes of the children at the frontline and de-occupied villages into reality, is being held. There I hear the story of the discotheque party being organized for Yuliia (a child with an inclusion background). Later on, I find myself on the dance floor as well, as these days, we are all in desperate need of dance therapy to process everything that is happening to us.
These are just a few conversations I experienced in the last hours. This is my first post telling how we live in Ukraine today. We can go through this chapter only together - we need each other as a community to protect our right to be free, and as I learned today from the multiple replies to the question - what is freedom?
Freedom is love, honesty, hugs, being accepted, not drinking pills every day, having food on the table for breakfast, having a home, being at home, being among people who accept you. I wish us all to find freedom inside and the strength to protect it when needed.
Slava Ukraini.
P.S. I was typing this text as a caption to a reel on Instagram, but the text was too long, so I am posting it here. If you want to see the video, click here.
