Mila’s son, Nazar, whom I met in October 2022, is close to being 18. May have turned 18 in the time since he arrived in Poland. Like most young people at the shelter, he spends much of his time on his phone and it took a little while to get to know him through broken English. He and his sister, Nataliia, are here with Mila, and their story is similar to many other stories. While they’re from Western Ukraine, an area that’s not an active war zone, there are still random missile strikes, sirens and warnings, causing anxiety and disrupting life. Mila’s husband is in the war and, like many women who come to Poland, they are trying to save their kids. Save them from the anxiety of war, save them from fighting in a war, save them from crimes committed during a war, save some semblance of a childhood.
When I returned in the Spring, their living situation had shifted within the Foundation- they had lived in a large room on the second floor, sharing the space with about 15 other people. Now they had their own space, a converted office on the first floor. Much needed privacy, but I was told that Nazar was unhappy, he had become depressed due to an altercation at the Foundation with someone who, as a result, was asked to leave. He felt powerless and vulnerable and he often didn’t leave their room. He wanted to return to Ukraine to fight alongside his father, but Mila wouldn’t allow it and instead arranged for him to live with his godmother in Portugal. This happened a few days after I arrived in Poland and Nazar was packing the last of his things. I planned to meet them in the morning before he left- his bus was to arrive as early as 4 AM but that time could shift if there were issues on the Ukrainian/Polish border. I said my goodbyes and expected to see him in the morning, but he asked me to stay, to wait until he had showered- there is a daily queue for the one shared shower- and he told me his story of what happened in between Fall and Spring. He was thoughtful and I couldn’t tell if he was happy to leave, he’s technically an adult, but has lived around and with his family his whole life. Was there anxiety about leaving his sister, his mother? Their lives had already changed so drastically in one year.
Nazar and Mila.
Nazar describes the altercation between himself and an older man who’d been staying at the Foundation for a bit. The older man was immediately required to leave once Krzysztof understood what happened.
I arrive in the morning to find Mila, preoccupied, checking for texts from the bus driver on arrival updates.
It’s 5:30 AM, the bus is a little late, and Nazar gathers his suitcases for his trip to Portugal.
If there was a question about how Nazar felt about his trip, this photo answers the question. This is the happiest I’ve seen him since I met him. He was optimistic about this new chapter.
Waiting for the bus.
Nazar boards, he’s the only passenger on the bus that originates in Ukraine and stops around Europe, picking up mostly Ukrainians who want to go farther into Europe, and those who are returning home to Ukraine.
One last hug.
Saying goodbye.
A wave of emotions- happiness and relief that Nazar is going to Portugal, to his godmother, where there will be work opportunities and safety, but immediately after the bus leaves, tears come.