PUBLISHED ONAugust 27, 2022 6:42 AMByKhoo Yi-HangThey have to deal with language barriers, rising costs of living and an unfamiliar environment, but anything is better than the hellish landscape that is the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
A family shared their experiences escaping Ukraine and coming to Singapore in an interview with Lianhe Zaobao on Saturday (Aug 27).
"People were running with their bags, everyone was in a hurry," 50-year-old Mayya Dzhos said as she teared up. "I could not believe that this could happen."
Dzhos lived in Odessa, Ukraine with her family including twin daughters, Paulina and Angelina, 13, and son Greb, 14, prior to the invasion by Russia.
The woman also recalled that when the invasion occurred, she slept on the ground floor of their house together with her children. Their bags were packed with essentials as they were ready to leave at the drop of a hat.
And when they left, the family had to travel a lengthy route that began in Vinnitsa. They went from Vinnitsa to Moldova, then to Poland, and then Rotterdam. Next, they travelled to Istanbul where they finally caught a flight to Singapore.
Dzhos and her children had to endure about 90 hours on the road before they reached Singapore on March 8, Zaobao reported.
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Said daughter Paulina: "When we arrived in Singapore we felt better. I was like, 'Finally, I'm safe!'"
Angelina chimed in: "I just felt relieved and happy — it's a new country, a new city, everything was new to me."
Being away from the war didn't mean that the family's troubles ended there — living in a new environment also meant other difficulties to deal with.
Dzhos admitted that she doesn't speak English, and that the weather here is very different from what she was acclimated to, it even triggered some traumatic experiences for them.
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"In the beginning if we went outside and it started to rain and thunder, the girls would come home crying because it reminded them of rocket showers and sirens," the woman added.
And the peace they've found over the past six months may only be temporary as other worries plague Dzhos' mind.
On top of her children's school fees, she must support her parents and her eldest son, who are still in Ukraine.
The 23-year-old is not allowed to leave the country because he is of conscription age in Ukraine and could be called on at any time to enlist.
The family's time in Singapore might also be limited.
Dzhos and her children can only remain in Singapore because her husband is working for a shipping company here, but his contract ends in less than three years.
"We are planning to return to Ukraine, but since the war is there, nobody knows when it will end and what will happen.
"Before the war we were planning — dreaming for many years ahead. But since the war began, the situation has changed. We cannot make plans for the future."
Despite all this, she still maintains hope.
"The most important thing in the future is that my eldest son stays alive. I want to give him a tight hug when we return to Ukraine."
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khooyihang@asiaone.com