Sharing a bowl of selfmade Ukrainian borscht along with your neighbours is one method to make associates in a brand new nation, in response to the primary refugee to reach within the UK after Russia invaded her nation three years in the past.
Ukrainian refugee Valentyna Klymova, 72, now settled in Erith in Kent, has carried out simply that, lovingly making ready the normal soup containing beetroot, different greens and meat inventory, served with a dollop of bitter cream and rye bread. She gives it to English folks she is aware of and says it has had a constructive reception. In flip, she has embraced quintessentially British fish and chips, though she has not but tried to prepare dinner it at dwelling.
“Sharing food is a good way to get to know people,” says Klymova.
She was one of many first folks to go away Ukraine after Russian tanks rolled in on 24 February 2022. Her daughter Nataliya Rumyantseva, 46, who has lived within the UK since 2008 and works right here as a tutorial, was anxiously glued to the information as the specter of the Russian invasion grew within the weeks earlier than the warfare started.
Klymova lived in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest metropolis, which is simply 19 miles (30km) from the Russian border and has been closely bombed by the invading forces.
“Mum knew I was keen for her to leave Ukraine before the war started, but I tempted her by booking her a spa holiday in the west of the country close to the Hungarian border so that she could get out quickly if necessary,” says Rumyantseva.
As quickly because the invasion started she instructed her mom to stroll throughout the border into Hungary. Klymova joined the primary queue of individuals ready to cross. Pre-war, the border was common for folks crossing each methods between the 2 nations. From Hungary she flew to Paris below the EU’s Schengen settlement and since the swiftly arrange UK visa scheme for Ukrainians had not but been finalised, she discovered herself crisscrossing the French capital between the UK’s visa processing centre, the embassy and the consulate, earlier than lastly getting a visa. Rumyantseva joined her in Paris to assist her navigate the paperwork.
“After three days we finally had the permission to travel and got to Gare du Nord to take the Eurostar to the UK. The UK immigration officials at the station told us Mum was the first Ukrainian they had seen travelling to the UK since the Russian invasion.”
As for a lot of Ukrainians who arrived within the UK, there have been challenges for Klymova. In response to authorities figures, 214,400 Ukrainians have arrived within the UK for the reason that warfare began, with an estimated 42% of them subsequently returning to Ukraine. The vast majority of those that have settled are ladies and kids, and Klymova is amongst 6% of those that are over the age of 65.
Because the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches, the long run has change into more and more unsure. Her flat in Kharkiv continues to be standing and her furnishings and different issues stay as she left them as a result of she initially thought she could be away from dwelling for only some weeks.
“I used to come to the UK for joyful reasons to visit Nataliya before the war started, but this time I was running away from my country and felt lost and overwhelmed,” says Klymova. “Nataliya had asked me before the war to learn English. I was in my early 60s then and said I was too old. When I arrived here after the war started, I was 69 and for the first time I began to learn the English ABC. I’m still attending college to continue to improve my English.”
“Sometimes in Kharkiv there are sirens which last for 16 hours. It is very hard,” says Klymova.
Life within the UK is rather more peaceable. She has embraced many British traditions and says that the welcome she has acquired and the variety of the individuals who stay right here has modified her personal attitudes. “Because I have been so well received here it has made me more open to diversity. There is more of a monoculture in Ukraine. The UK is a very good country for refugees.”
She says it took her some time to get used to the visitors being “the wrong way round” however now she loves travelling on London transport, significantly the quantity 99 bus. “People are so polite here. One of the first phrases I learned was ‘thank you driver’ when you press a button on the bus to request your stop.”
Together with studying to like English meals, she adores the English seaside, usually visiting seashores alongside the Kent coast, in addition to countryside such because the Cotswolds.
For now, Klymova is attempting to take life in the future at a time and within the pursuits of her blood strain tries to not spend all her time serious about the destiny of her beloved nation.
“I am so grateful to English people. Strangers say good morning and good evening which doesn’t happen in Ukraine and people are so helpful with giving directions. Even the dogs here are better behaved than the ones in Ukraine. The only negative thing here is the weather. In Ukraine, we have three times more sunny days than in the UK. The weather here is really sad.”
