Over last Easter weekend, when we looked forward to spending time with our families, Olena reminds us that for many people, that decision was not as simple as it may seem.
Easter this year, was celebrated on April 9 according to the Catholic calendar and on April 16, by the Orthodox calendar. For many Ukrainians, Easter is a family holiday. Therefore, some Ukrainians who are currently in Great Britain under the Homes for Ukraine program decided to go to Ukraine and celebrate the holiday with their family. Two-week holidays in schools and colleges in UK also facilitated their decision to go home and to see their relatives in Ukraine.
The road from Great Britain to Ukraine takes almost one day. The most popular route runs through Poland. There is a direct train from Hastings to Gatwick Airport and it takes about 1.5 hours in total.
There are many daily flights from London to Poland so everyone can choose the most suitable time of departure for themselves. The flight from London to Krakow takes about 2.5 hours. Then from Kraków to Przemyśl you have to go by train for about 3 hours. Przemyśl is a small town in Poland, located 15 km from the Polish-Ukrainian border. There are 3 trains from Przemyśl to Kyiv every day. The travel time takes from 10 to 14 hours, depending on the type of train. It is also possible to get from Poland to Ukraine by bus. The ticket price is approximately the same as by train, but it takes longer time and it’s less safe.
Considering the length of the trip from Great Britain to Ukraine, some Ukrainians, especially those who have small children, stay in Krakov for a night to have a rest and continue their journey the next day.
Now there are more than a million Ukrainians in Poland who have left Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war.
Ukrainians are very grateful to all the countries that gave shelter and helped them survive in such a difficult time. Many Ukrainians are waiting for the end of war to go back home but for some of the them there will be nothing to go back to…
Therefore, some of the Ukrainians will find their new home in the country that sheltered them.
Rye News wishes Olena and her family, the other Ukrainian families who now call Rye their home and every family living through difficult times, a very Happy Easter.
Image Credits: Olena Karabulya .
Olena remains active in the Rye Homes for Ukraine hub. We know that she found safety and security with her host in Rye. Bonds have been established and we hope that they remain for the future. We wish Olena Best Wishes as she balances life at home and in Rye. Her recordings of her experiences are very poignant for all those involved with the scheme.