Join us in this episode as we hear the story of Diana, a Ukrainian woman living in Spain. She shares with us her family's experience when they left Ukraine two weeks into the war, including the chaos of thousands of people trying to board a train, waiting 10 hours in the rain and snow, and how her family stayed calm despite feeling fear. Diana will also talks about her friends who have returned to Ukraine and why. We'll explore the difficulties faced by Ukrainian refugees living in Europe, comparing their standard of living in Ukraine vs. Europe, and reflecting on the assistance provided by organizations like the Red Cross. We'll dive into why so many Ukrainians have chosen to return home during an active war, as well as why 16% plan to do so according to a UN survey. Finally, we'll hear Diana's story of her family leaving Ukraine for Georgia and then Germany in search of opportunities such as education and jobs before they are able to go back home, as well as what Diana has been doing since then. Join us for this insightful conversation about Ukrainian refugees during the pandemic and hear their stories of courage and resilience!

[00:00 - 09:26] Witness the Chaos: Ukrainian Women Share Their Stories of War, Flight, and Return

• Diana is going to share her family's story of when they left Ukraine, why they left and why they haven't returned.

• Diana's family left Ukraine on March 8th, two weeks after the war started.

• They had a long and hard journey to Spain, including a week in a refugee camp in Poland.

• During the two weeks before leaving, Diana and her family were living in Nira on a Dacha.

• On March 4th, there was a direct hit on the nuclear power station which scared them into leaving.

• They waited 10 hours for a train at the train station.

[09:27 - 19:59] Ukrainian Refugees Flee War-Torn Country, Face Difficult Decisions on Where to Resettle

• 10.3 million Ukrainian refugees have left Ukraine since the war began.

• 6 million have not returned, 3.78 million are currently seeking temporary refuge across Europe.

• Most of those refugees are women and children, as men between 18 and 60 are not allowed to leave Ukraine.

• Diana's family stayed in a refugee camp in Poland for 8 days before moving to Grenada, Spain.

• Ukrainians tend to stay close to home when making decisions about where to live, with most staying in Poland.

• Refugees often move from country to country due to difficulty learning languages.

[19:59 - 28:56] Ukrainian Refugee Reflects on Life Before War: "Oh My God, My Refugee Experience Made Me Realize How Beautiful My Life Was Back in Ukraine"

• • One family went back to Cheese Republic, another to Poland.

• • One woman traveled from Poland to Germany, France, and Finland before settling in Finland.

• • All 8 of Diana's friends have returned to Ukraine.

• • 16% of the refugees Diana came with have moved on elsewhere in Europe.

• • Living as a refugee in Europe is very different from living in Ukraine (50% standard of living).

• • Red Cross provides help with flats and food for refugees.

• • Conditions vary depending on the country and program refugees are on.

• • Italians asked if there was sushi or internet in Ukraine.

[28:56 - 37:51] Majority of Ukrainian Refugees Yearn to Return Home Despite Active War Situation

• Ukrainian refugees living in Spain have enough food, shelter, and security.

• People are trying their best to help them.

• Ukrainians are pretty comfortable under the various refugee programs around Europe.

• 4.3 million Ukrainian refugees have gone back home under an active war situation.

• The main reason for returning home is to reunite with family members.

• It is challenging to adjust to a new country with a different language.

• According to a UN survey, the majority of Ukrainians wanted to return home, but only 16% planned on actually going back.

[37:51 - 46:44] Family Journeys Through Evacuation and Immigration: A Ukrainian Family's Story

• • Family moved to Georgia due to sister-in-law's job and lack of support.

• • Moved to Germany for better education opportunities for nephew.

• • Many people moved to France until other countries offered programs.

• • Ukrainian people abroad support each other by offering places to live.

• • Ukrainian women traditionally wait for men to approach them.

• • Diana is able to attend university in Spain but must know the language.

• • Diana is studying journalism in Ukraine.

• • Family is uncertain about their plans, but grandmother wants to return home.

• • Diana's mother is also in the Match Guarantee database.

[46:45 - 50:09] "No Guts No Glory: Be Bold and Go Get her Boys to Find Your Dream Ukrainian Girl"

• Many people had to find a solution of where to go due to the pandemic.

• Different people experienced different help and had different living conditions.

• Anna did a video called Ukrainian Flats which showed her parent's flat, which was higher than average.

• In Ukraine it is normal for two or three families to live together in one small flat (60 square meters).

• Ukrainian beauties are live streaming on YouTube every single day seven days a week@ukrainedating.tv.

Quotes:

1. "We were doing our best to stay calm but at that moment when we were waited for the train it was so scary. Really scary because people are crazy."

2. "Ukrainians are really brilliant patriotic people."

3. "Oh my God my refugee experience made me realize how beautiful my life was back in Ukraine."

4. "The statistic um the UN did uh a survey and this is maybe a little bit surprising comparing it to what's what's actually happening now but the majority of Ukrainians um survey wanted to return back to Ukraine. So that's more than 50% I presume they they word it the majority of Ukrainians wanted to return on."

5. "My family already said I was just uh you know my friends uh my gut father of Rina he's in Ukraine. He never left Ukraine. They was calling I call him when he has his birthday. And uh he always uh you know invite a lots of friends and he say oh we're sitting at a table

6. "No guts no glory. So go find your dream girl guys. Cuz if you are not gonna make your dreams come true who is."