I come from the city of Kharkiv. I hold a university degree in Documentation and Information Management.
Back home, I worked at the National Aerospace University "KhAI" as the Head of the Laboratory of the Department of Language Training for International Students.
I enjoyed sports, including dancing, rock climbing, and strength training. Photography and traveling were also important parts of my life. I attended various seminars, training programs, and courses, constantly searching for my true path and trying to understand what I really wanted to do.
Eventually, I realized that my future at the university would be in academic research. However, the idea of spending my entire life in a job that did not truly inspire me—with fixed working hours, pre-planned vacations, and a rigid routine—frightened me. I wanted to have greater control over my own time.
While searching for my path, I tried different professions. I worked as a tourism manager, in human resources, and as a recruiter. I even spent some time working in a pharmaceutical warehouse. However, what I enjoyed most was training to become a fitness instructor.
I studied diligently to become a true professional, and thanks to my dedication, I was hired as a trainer at one of the city's premium fitness clubs. I loved working with people, both in group classes and in individual coaching. I was able to manage my own schedule, do work that I truly enjoyed, and maintain excellent physical fitness.
At the same time, I volunteered for a non-profit organization that helped develop leadership skills among children living in villages and small urban communities.
To maintain continuous employment, I also worked as a documentation specialist while managing the website and social media of an extracurricular education institution. This allowed me to participate in the government's Youth Housing Construction Program.
On February 10, 2022, I was placed on the waiting list for an apartment in a newly built residential building with a 0% interest mortgage. In February 2022, my boyfriend also proposed to me, and we were planning to get married.
In short: I had a wonderful job, time for myself, my own home, and a future family ahead of me. But on February 24, 2022, the terrorist state decided otherwise.
Even today, I feel as if I have lived two different lives. One of them is gone forever, yet my thoughts remain there. My parents returned to Kharkiv, and I cannot live peacefully knowing they are there and knowing the situation in my hometown.
It is incredibly difficult and painful to live in a country where you are a stranger and often feel unwelcome. Few people understand how hard it is to build a life, work, and try to fit in without knowing the language well. It is painful to realize how much I could have achieved in my own country and how difficult it is to continue that development elsewhere. Sometimes I feel incomplete.
Today, I work as a sales assistant at a Shell gas station. I have an excellent manager and wonderful colleagues. It was very difficult—and in many ways still is—for me to understand the specifics and pace of the job without sufficient language skills (my German level is A2). My manager believed in me from the very beginning and supported me throughout. My colleagues patiently explained everything, did their best to make sure I understood them, and helped me every step of the way. I was never scolded for my mistakes, and I am deeply grateful for their kindness and support.
Today, I am completely financially independent and no longer rely on the Jobcenter. I have started going to the gym again and traveling around Europe. I rent my own apartment and have everything I need to live comfortably. I still do not have a clear plan for the future, but I am doing my best to build my life again from the beginning.
Personal text by Eugenia Maslova
