Olga and Liubov Myrochuk fled their home in the town of Irpin, outside Kyiv, after a neighbor called to say the war was starting. Olga and her daughter Liubov Myrochuk. Olga Mirochuk The couple crossed the border into Poland, and with the help of a friend, eventually found a place to live in Abbotsford, BC. Story continues below ad “We have to start our lives from scratch because we have nothing,” Olga Myrochuk said in an interview outside her temporary home in Abbotsford. “We come here with only one suitcase because we didn’t have time to plan our trip, our trip to Canada.”
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Now, Myrochuk lives in a townhouse complex with several other Ukrainian families. He said the Ukrainian group usually holds a Bible study once a week, where they sit and pray for those returning home. It’s nice to feel a sense of normalcy with other families who speak the same language, she added. They share their struggles of immigrating to Canada, sometimes speaking through a WhatsApp message, and occasionally getting together to host a traditional Ukrainian picnic. Trending Stories
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Story continues below ad Myrochuk said being surrounded by people who have gone through a similar journey has helped her, but the pain of seeing war in her country is still a daily battle. “For me, it’s hard to understand that I’m in a new reality and I have to start (a) new life because my heart is in Ukraine,” Myrochuk told Global News. Olga Myrochuk’s neighborhood in the town of Irpin, after it was destroyed by Russian bombing. Olga Mirochuk Her friend, Zlata Zolotarova, moved to Canada almost five years ago and is now helping Ukrainians adjust to a new way of life. “I wanted to help Ukrainians because I’m Ukrainian and it wasn’t difficult because everyone came to help,” she said. Zolotarova added that the transfer of Ukrainian refugees to Canada was quite easy, but there were delays in the approval of documents. Some refugees who work in trades or speak fluent English are offered jobs. Story continues below ad Myrochuk’s road will be more difficult. “There are some jobs like cleaning and construction (here), but I’m looking for a job that matches my training (as a teacher),” she said. She will also have to figure out how to support her extended family back home, still stuck in a war zone – her sister, brother, mother-in-law and father-in-law. She also wants to become more proficient in English and write a children’s book, documenting the struggles Ukrainian children faced during the conflict.
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Myrochuk’s biggest wish is to one day return to Ukraine, visiting different parts of the country to help children and their families struggling with the effects of war. Story continues below ad Despite the obstacles, Myrochuk said she is grateful to have found such a loving community. “I am so grateful for Canada. The people are so welcoming.” Myrochuk said it’s been a nice experience living in the community in Abbotsford, as it allows her to feel a sense of normalcy with other families who speak the same language. However, what is most important is that everyone in the community relates to the pain and struggle of living through a war. Myrochuk said the bond is something that has created a deep connection with people who may have been strangers to begin with. For now, as Myrochuk looks ahead to the future and the many obstacles in her way, she said a warm welcome is just one of the many things Canada can offer Ukrainian refugees. © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
