Life During the War Between Latvia and Ukraine Stories About People Beside Us

February 24 marks a year since the news of Russia's invasion of Ukraine shocked the world Shock, fear and disbelief in what is really happening - these are just some of the emotions that people felt both in the war zone and around the world.

Some asylum seekers from Ukraine have moved to Latvia, meanwhile Latvians have been looking for ways not only to help them settle in among us, but also to support the brave defenders of Ukraine who have stayed and defend their homeland In the following, we invite you to flip through the archive pages of "Cālis.

lv" and familiarize yourself with or refresh your memory with stories about people who were not afraid and avoided talking about the war Stories and reflections about Ukrainians, Latvians and lives that were irrevocably changed on the morning of February 24.

'I felt like a world champion ' Latvian 'Sveiks' Atvars Aniņš in the Ukrainian war "This morning I looked in the mirror quite by chance (the previous 10 days I didn't really see it).

I liked what I saw there A man, calm at heart, self-confident, self-respecting.

I had not felt this feeling for a long time, maybe never at all The mirror was with defects, but what I saw is what I was driving for," is one of the posts near the front in Ukraine, where Latvian Atvars Aniņš spent the first three weeks.

"I realized in the war that I wasn't living so badly before " Ukrainian Tuta about saving in Latvia The popular program of Latvian children "Tutas lijes" has now acquired a new form for Ukrainian babies.

And its main character is played by music teacher and vocalist lidija baranova But everyone calls him Lida.

She is glad that she can, like in Ukraine, do something for the children We start a conversation about creative works and children, then we move on to the heavy topic of the war - how the window panes of Lida's apartment and the whole house fell out, how the little girl Laura was sleeping in the bathroom and how the family left Kyiv in circles to the state border, crossing roads with inscriptions "Caution! Mines!".

About how Latvians signaled on the streets on the first day and offered help on the road Reinis Pozniaks - a volunteer who drives cars to Ukraine: I do it so that I don't lose my mind Disasters, misfortunes and also war tear off masks and roles, revealing the essence and core of a person.

And then surprises can happen Different - both pleasant and unpleasant.

I have known Reina Pozniak, the hero of this interview, for almost 20 years, and I will be honest - the determination with which he got involved in the volunteer movement, helping Ukraine, surprised me Very pleasantly surprised.

'Mom, I don't understand anything!' How Ukrainian refugee children study in Latvia Children of Ukrainian asylum seekers can study in Latvia only in the national language - that's what politicians have decided Not everyone can do it.

Many chose to study in online schools in Ukraine, but are hampered by bombings, power and internet outages, and having to look after students while parents are at work The solution to the problem is offered by the informal "Ukrainian school in the EU", where lessons are conducted only in Ukrainian and according to Ukrainian standards.

Can it? Ukrainian father of 10 children in Dobele: we will not starve ourselves, we will help others Late hour A hotel where one floor is occupied by Ukrainian refugees.

Someone is making noise downstairs - a homeless person One Ukrainian is called to help.

He asks: "What are you making noise? I have children here, and families that I brought from Ukraine, trying to sleep " Word by word, the homeless man inquires, "How much did you bring? Fifty?" Oh, do you need anything?" The Ukrainian, without hesitation, tells off the need - we need bicycles! After some time, the homeless man arrived - with three bicycles.

The Ukrainian asks doubtfully: "Did you steal?" "No! Where can you steal in Riga? Cameras everywhere!" The war in Ukraine turned into a war in the chat room of a kindergarten in Latvia "War", a child's question about what is happening in Ukraine was answered by a teacher in a kindergarten where children from russian-speaking families study This situation caused a sharp discussion among parents, where some parents insisted that the teacher should keep her political position to herself and that she should not forget that she works in a Russian-speaking kindergarten.

How was the teacher supposed to act in such a situation, asks one of the parents, adding, that he himself defends the teacher's point of view Ukrainian women's stories: give birth, stay in the homeland, live in the "I could not leave my husband and son" mode for the time being.

"I thought I was a citizen of the world, but this week I felt how much I love Ukraine " "I say to a woman who gives birth in war - your child has a very strong destiny".

These are some sentences from conversations with three Ukrainian women, doulas, who are currently still in Ukraine Pastor Edgars Mažis: Tears and not going on an excursion will not help Ukrainians "We need joy that lifts and strengthens!" convinced pastor Edgars Mažis.

He is sad about the division of Christians during the pandemic and believes that Zelenskis, the Jewish successor of little David, will defeat Goliath On Easter, he encourages us to rejoice - both by rocking and by praising God.

The war is not over What Ukrainians lack" I remember working at one computer, accepting donated items for Ukrainians, at the next computer a colleague listened to the Ukrainians who came and their needs.

I heard that the Ukrainian woman next to me said that she has "absolutely no" pots and pans, and there are no funds to buy them On the other hand, a woman came to me, as I still remember today, named Santa, and said - I brought some kitchen things here, maybe someone will find them useful.

What kind? Pans, pots, plates And I turned to the woman who had just asked for it and said - this is Santa and she brought all kinds of kitchen utensils.

They got to know each other, later Santa took the family home, along with all the pans and pots, and helps as much as he can - with job search and other things," says Beate Bövalde, marketing manager of the "Tavi draugi" society In the horrors of war, you can find little bits of happiness.

The story of a Ukrainian and Latvian family Līga Garkuša is Latvian Having once obtained the education of an interior designer, developing a diploma thesis, the main topic of which was wooden furniture, she nevertheless temporarily chose another path - to work in an international business training company.

And while training a company in Kyiv 16 years ago, she also met her husband - the Ukrainian Victor Since then, the League has two lands to stand and fall for, however, she admits that she sees her life and future in Ukraine.

Currently, the family is staying with Līga's mother in Latvia because of the war and does not know when they will be able to go back to their real home However, it is said that in every misfortune there is also a little bit of happiness: the time spent in Latvia led Līga and Viktor to what had been pulsating strongly in their hearts for a long time - they created their own furniture production company.

Once she got an education as an interior designer, developing a diploma thesis, the main topic of which was wooden furniture, but she temporarily chose another path - to work in an international business training company And while training a company in Kyiv 16 years ago, she also met her husband - the Ukrainian Victor.

Since then, the League has two lands to stand and fall for, however, she admits that she sees her life and future in Ukraine Currently, the family is staying with Līga's mother in Latvia because of the war and does not know when they will be able to go back to their real home.

However, it is said that in every misfortune there is also a little bit of happiness: the time spent in Latvia led Līga and Viktor to something that had been pulsating strongly in their hearts for a long time - they created their own furniture production company Once she got an education as an interior designer, developing a diploma thesis, the main topic of which was wooden furniture, but she temporarily chose another path - to work in an international business training company.

Currently, the family is staying with Līga's mother in Latvia because of the war and does not know when they will be able to go back to their real home However, it is said that in every misfortune there is also a little bit of happiness: the time spent in Latvia led Līga and Viktor to something that had been pulsating strongly in their hearts for a long time - they created their own furniture production company.

however, she temporarily chose another path - to work in an international business training company And while training a company in Kyiv 16 years ago, she also met her husband - the Ukrainian Victor.

However, it is said that in every misfortune there is also a little bit of happiness: the time spent in Latvia led Līga and Viktor to what had been pulsating strongly in their hearts for a long time - they created their own furniture production company however, she temporarily chose another path - to work in an international business training company.

However, it is said that in every misfortune there is also a little bit of happiness: the time spent in Latvia led Līga and Viktor to something that had been pulsating strongly in their hearts for a long time - they created their own furniture production company Since then, the League has two lands to stand and fall for, however, she admits that she sees her life and future in Ukraine.

Currently, the family is staying with Līga's mother in Latvia because of the war and does not know when they will be able to go back to their real home However, it is said that in every misfortune there is also a little bit of happiness: the time spent in Latvia led Līga and Viktor to something that had been pulsating strongly in their hearts for a long time - they created their own furniture production company.