The Rebirth

                                                                  The Rebirth 

The people don’t even understand how valuable it is that they have a bright sky above their heads and live in peace. On February 24, 2022, Russia attacked Ukraine. The invasion began in the eastern Ukrainian territory of Donbas. Thousands of people died on this day. The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, declared martial law in Ukraine and officially broke diplomatic ties with Russia. Vladimir Putin’s actions were condemned across the world and within Russia and this happened when I was only eighteen years old. The war affected people all over the world, and I am no exception. The war changed the route that I planned to follow and led me to immigrate to the U.S.         

At the beginning, my choice to move to the U.S. was directly related to the war in Ukraine.  Because of the war that Russia started, I could not stay and build my life in Saint Petersburg, since I did not agree with the current government.  In Russia, I was surrounded by people who thought it was right that Russia attacked Ukraine, which I completely disagreed with. People whom I considered friends said that Ukrainians should be killed and felt proud that Putin started the war. Nevertheless, the war did not physically affect the Russian people; they did not have to fight for their lives. Therefore, all my friends were indifferent to the war. This is the reason why I stopped believing in a bright future in Russia. Even before the war, the salaries were small, and with a higher education, it was difficult to find a job. During the war, the situation worsened even more. Consequently, all the above issues resulted in my decision to immigrate to the U.S.

The war opened my eyes to the terrible realities and made me truly value life. Through my Ukrainian friends, I learned the true causes of the war and was grateful for not being subjected to Russian propaganda. When I moved to the U.S., I met more Ukrainians who told me about the real situation in Ukraine, as the Russian media often distorts the truth. Moreover, the media consists of propaganda. While Russian media claimed it was just a special operation, I learned that Russia was attacking residential buildings, network towers, and people. In Chicago, I heard so many stories from Ukrainians who were forced to leave because of the war. Therefore, I realized how important it is to appreciate that I am safe in the U.S.

In addition, I was one of those who participated in protests against the war, which greatly affected my relationship with my family. In Saint Petersburg, there were protests where people shouted, “No to war” and I actively expressed my position in support of Ukraine. The consequence was the arrival of the police who dispersed the crowd and arrested some people, but I managed to escape. Ultimately, my grandmother found out, and we stopped communicating due to our different opinions. Moreover, I actively expressed my position on social media, to which I received a lot of angry comments from Russians who disagreed with me.

Living in Chicago has given me a freedom and peace that I never would have experienced if I had stayed in Russia. I realize that I am grateful for the decision to move to the U.S. because here I am safe. The war led me to feel the value of my life and greatly influenced it, but in the same way, it made me stronger as a person and allowed me to start fresh in the U.S. I hope that one day, the war will come to an end and people will be able to experience the same feeling of safety that I have found here.