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Valencia: From the Mediterranean dream to a place of passage through the war in Ukraine

(Photo: Alisa in Spain)


In April Alisa y Daniela (Dana) Nesvit arrived in Valencia without knowing if this city will be just another stop on their journey or the hope of a new place to live. I met them by chance without knowing their history and then we even shared some arepas (a typical Venezuelan dish) and talked about the strange world in which this generation has had to live.

Coming to Spain, near the coast, may be the Mediterranean dream of many, but for them, it may be just one more stop on their journey since they fled the war in Ukraine or maybe it will become a safe and warm place to start a new life. It's too early to tell.

Alisa y Dana, are twin sisters originally from Ukraine, 23 years old, one of them is a writer and filmmaker and her sister is creative from the digital world on the tik tok social network with thousands of followers, they transmit a vitality and strength in the midst of such difficult circumstances that have touched them live, who are an example of bravery, courage and dreams to conquer.

They lived a life according to their youth, with many dreams in a free country. Now, their reality has changed drastically, they are more than 3 thousand kilometers away from their home in Ukraine and their daily concern, apart from knowing if their family and friends are safe, is thinking about where they will sleep the next day.

They came to Spain from Poland, and have had the help of many people throughout the process, they still have a lot to resolve, but they are together and have the will to move forward. This is one of millions of stories that travel the world because of immigration forced by war, an increasingly bloody conflict that we cannot and should not ignore.

I share a short interview with Alisa, in response format that I think is the best way to tell her own story about her long journey:


-From what city in Ukraine do you come?

A: "We’re originally from Luhansk, but have been living in Kyiv for the past 8 years. So we’re from Kyiv"

-Do you keep in touch with your family? they are well?

A:"We stay in touch with our family. Mama's in Kyiv, she’s safe and Granma and grandpa are in Luhansk, also safe. We’ve got our group chat in a messenger and we talk every day".

-Could you tell us a little about your departure from Ukraine to Poland?

A: "Our journey from Kyiv to Poland was kinda scary. But not that scary compared to the stories of the citizens of Maryupil or Kharkiv. We decided to leave the city on the second day of the war. Because we knew that it could last for 8 years again. We couldn’t sleep and eat because of the horror of unknown, everyone was panicking, the city looked scary. There already were dead people in Kyiv. So we woke up at 4 am, packed our things in 15 minutes and got to the railway station. We weren’t sure if we would make it there. I was scared there would be bombing again, while we were on our way, helpless and with no place to hide in the car. Than we boarded the train without tickets and got to Poland in 17 long, devastating hours of horror, worrying, depressive sadness and disbelief that it all had happened to us again".

-How many days have they been away from home so far?

A: "We’ve been away from home Since January 25".

-Could you tell me what a normal day in your life was like in Ukraine?

A:"My normal day was pretty simple. On working days I used to wake up early, do my yoga, dress up pretty and go to my work. I worked as a content creator in an IT company. So I used to have a lot of brainstorms; meetings, presentations besides working in my own. I work till 6, so when I’m home, I used to do my workout (or dancing class), then watch something on YouTube and that’s all. On weekend though I had way more fun: I loved visiting cute coffee shops, filming TikTok’s, taking photos, meeting my friends and my mom, drawing, shopping, watching movies".

-And now what is your new normal?

A: "Now I’m trying to make my new normal as much comfortable as possible. There were days when we didn’t know where to sleep, what to do next, we were lost and scared. When you’re an refugee you’re particularly homeless. Even though you have some money and some clothes. You just seat somewhere in McDonalds and search for a free room for tonight on the Internet. That’s nasty. Devastating. Sad. You feel like you need to beg for help even when you have no energy even to wake up some days. But now we’re pretty much ok. We found a wonderful host Daniel in Town in Valencia (Spain), he gave us a room in his house. Dana found a job. I started filming TikToks again. We’re safe and calm, but still miss our home very very much".

-What has been the most difficult day?

A: "Probably the first days of the war we’re the worst. We couldn’t believe it. I was shocked, furious, yet helpless. I texted all of my friends and was trying to help everyone with something cause I needed to be busy. I cried everyday and had no one to comfort me (I often leave my worries for myself).

And there was a bad day like a week ago (the first days of April) when the person who would be our host in England ghosted us and then we were left in Spain with nothing. I was disappointed, sad and exhausted. I spent the whole day in bed. It seemed there was no reason to get up. When a person who promises you help dumps you, it’s the worst".

-You mentioned that sometimes a kind of guilt arises for being safe, when there is no guilt in it. It is a feeling that is often repeated among young people when they manage to leave the country, but there is nothing to blame for it. Do you know that there is nothing wrong with being safe and well, that you are not to blame for the war?

A:"I still feel guilty and I will. I can manage this feeling now, but it’s just in our blood. I can’t feel okay if my people are hurt and I do nothing. So I help the refugees I know and I will volunteer soon. It’s our strength, I think. Compassion. Empathy. That’s why we will win".

There is a very personal reflection on these situations of conflict between countries that I wanted to share with myself as an immigrant, and that is that there comes a time when you learn that surviving is another form of resistance, a thought that both sides conclude is true, after everything is not just about being well for ourselves but also for ours, for those who stay there with the hope that we are safe and do well, that we live in conditions of freedom and respect for human rights, is all that can be expected.

"...I miss home. I really really want to go home".

-Would you go back to Ukraine if the war ends?

A:"I will for sure. I can’t wait to go home. I miss home. I really really want to go home. I’ll start a business, I will help rebuild my city, I will help the people who lost everything. I will continue my career. Kyiv is a very nice, modern, beautiful city, I hope it’ll become the best city in whole Europe ".

-Do you have hope that the war will end soon?

A: "I hope, that the war will end soon. But I’m not sure. I’m already familiar with wars. I know how long they can be. Years and years. But my personal opinion is… 3-4 month and the fire stops. But politically it’ll last for long long years. And I’m scared of new attacks in the next few years, they are more than possible. So, we’ll see. Anyway, I will only return to Ukraine when the war is completely over. Completely. Slava Ukraine"

Alisa and Dana are surprised by the signs of kindness and desire to help from all the people they have met on their long journey, who are invited to visit them in Ukraine if the conflict ends, for them they are people who will always be welcome. And yes, maybe we will have arepas for breakfast with his family in kyiv.


Written by Axia Carvallo - Journalist

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