How I was leaving my home. Day 2

Day 2. February 25

- Hello. There should be 2 rooms for us booked for my name.

We came to the hotel Sputnik in Lviv at 8 AM. It was calm and quiet there. If there were not the "Bomb shelter" sign on the wall, one would think that there is no war.

We were given two wonderful rooms. We went up to the third floor with our suitcases and we fell on the bed. Then we went to breakfast.

It was about 10 AM, there were not many people at breakfast. A couple was sitting at the next table, who were actively discussing how they were not allowed to cross the Ukrainian border for unknown reasons. They were talking loudly like it seemed they wanted to be heard and seen. I did not pay any attention, although, of course, I was interested a lot about the topic of crossing the border. But I thought, what are these conversations and opinions for? I will go there no matter what.

We had breakfast and went to our rooms. The children were overexcited after a night in the car. They did not want to sleep, they were fighting and crying.?

Then in Lviv, I did not know that me, my children, and my mother would spend 4 days ahead in the car and that this would be the most difficult road in my life. The road to survival in the truest sense.

But I foresaw something and internally tried to get used to this thought. I decided that we would spend the night in Lviv and in the morning we would go to the Polish border. I didn't know exactly where. Everyone wrote and said different things, but it was clear that there were full houses and traffic jams at all borders.

I tried to sleep, but there was a motor hum in my head, and there was a feeling of sand in my eyes. I took a sedative, but it didn't work.

I just lay in my room with the curtains closed. The brain no longer had to concentrate on the road. And my emotions started to go out. I wanted to switch off, try to relax. Gradually, confidently, accompanied by a dull lingering pain, thoughts of my apartment began to cover me.

I bought an apartment in Borispol three years ago. Omitting descriptions of all the complexities of how I did it, I want to say that this is not just an apartment for me. This is my home.

I grew up and spent my childhood and youth in the South of Ukraine - Melitopol, in a military town. My grandfather was a military man. The sounds of airplanes are the most familiar sounds for me, and the sight of the military has always instilled a familiar sense of security.

I did not plan to buy an apartment in Boryspil. Living in Kyiv is very good and comfortable. But God always knows better and understands what you really need. And when I went to see it, I fell in love with this modest kopeck piece at first sight and realized that I am just back home to my childhood.

Gradually, month after month, I furnished it with great love and warmth. Three new years in this apartment were the best in my life ... A large library, a closet full of stylish jackets, jeans and shoes that I love so much. A small collection of perfumes, the last of which, Chanel Chance, I bought myself as a gift for starting to work at iDeals Careers.

I didn't take anything of that.

Over the past year of changing jobs and rethinking my professional path, I have completely transferred all my work processes online and created my ideal workplace on my large loggia.

It hurts me the most to remember him.

The company I work for fully covers the cost of creating a comfortable home office that you need. And when I found out this, I immediately bought myself a table with a removable top. It was a wild dream, as I, as a trainer and speaker, used to work standing up in the audience, and now I could also work standing up, but already on my balcony. And it was awesome. A week before the invasion, I bought a huge blogging lamp with perfect light, planning three tons of events and moderation. My home workplace was fully packaged.

I was very happy.

For all the time of my life in Boryspil, I fell in love with this city and people - you know this feeling when you move to a new place and slowly meet new acquaintances and friends. Waiters in restaurants know that you drink coffee without sugar and always bring coloring books because you are always with children.

Cashiers ask how the children are doing, and in the viber group of your house neighbors always write who forgot to turn off the headlights and warn that the battery of the car will run out.

In Borispol, we lost our scooter several times, and they always returned it to us, not to mention the numerous hats and toys that spent nights with the guards of Fora or Silpo - everything was always returned to us.

In the courtyard of our three houses lives a local guard, a very serious and responsible dog Barmaley, who barks at strangers and wags his tail to natives. He is loved and fed by the whole yard.?

I hope he is ok now.

I know cleaners and pharmacy salespeople, waiters and owners of local restaurants and co-working spaces, the best manicures and pasties…

School, friends of my sons, class teachers

I miss it all deafeningly, but so far I can't cope with it at all.

By the evening of the 25th, many foreigners had came in the hotel. Mostly Indians and Koreans. They walked along the corridors of the hotel noisily discussing the conditions of crossing the border, and I packed my things in my room and internally accumulated strength for the next breakthrough.

At 5 am on February 26, I woke up from the sounds of an air raid alarm. I went down to the reception and they told us to go to the bombing shelter.?

Two hours later we left for the Polish border. The third day of the journey has begun.

To be continued.