Oksana’s experience of adapting to life in Germany has profoundly changed both her priorities and the way she sees herself. Before she was forced to leave her home, Oksana lived a peaceful and stable life. Stability and security were the values she cherished most. In Ukraine, she worked as an accountant for fifteen years and later as an economist. Her work revolved around documents, figures, and organization. She felt comfortable within her team, successfully balanced her career with raising her two children, and never sought dramatic changes in her life. But fate had other plans.
“I am like a broken cup that has been carefully glued back together. I keep living because there are people I have to live for, and because I want to help Ukraine.”
Oksana had never dreamed of living abroad. Moving to another country had never crossed her mind.
— I didn’t even have a passport. My life turned out completely differently from anything I could have imagined. The war forced us to change. It was incredibly difficult, but many of us Ukrainians found the strength to overcome ourselves and start over from scratch. Today I no longer work in the profession I was trained for. But instead of sitting at home and crying, I chose to act. I want to show how strong we are. Even in the darkest times, we continue to live, move forward, and rediscover ourselves.
We carry a great responsibility—to our children, our loved ones, and to Ukraine. It is important for me that I can help my parents, who stayed in Ukraine. Work helps keep the painful thoughts at bay. It is possible—and necessary—to start over. Yes, it is difficult. But we are Ukrainians, and that means we can overcome anything.
— Please tell us about the first days of the war.
— February 2022... Explosions echoed all around us, and missiles flew overhead. Together with my father, we made Molotov cocktails in our yard. We simply had to do something, because sitting and waiting was unbearable.
After spending a night in the basement with my children, I realized I had to get them to safety. They were terrified. Even now, it is painful to return to those memories. It was horrifying. Within three hours, we packed everything we could. We managed to leave only thanks to the volunteers of the Territorial Defence Forces. At that moment, I thought only about my children. They are my strength. They are my wings.
— You had a stable professional career in Ukraine. How did your working life change after moving to Germany?
— I worked as an accountant for fifteen years and spent the last two years as an economist. My entire professional life revolved around documents and numbers. I have always valued stability. But in Germany, I had to discover a completely different side of myself. Today I work as a sales assistant at a gas station. At first, everything was extremely difficult: the German language and the emotional challenge of adapting to a new life. But work became my refuge. It helped me keep the painful thoughts and grief at a distance. Little by little, my German improved, my fear disappeared, and I gained confidence. At the same time, I began to understand how everything works here. Today, I can look people in the eye with confidence. I work, and I have become part of German society. I feel comfortable with my colleagues. Especially in the beginning, they supported me immensely, and that support gave me strength. Germans truly help people who are in need.
Whenever I can do something meaningful, I feel happy. If someone praises me or simply says a kind word, I feel as though I could fly. It fills me with joy.
— How did you overcome the language barrier?
— At first, I felt embarrassed. I would even hurry past my neighbours just to avoid a conversation because I didn’t want to feel awkward or foolish. Today, we talk to each other every day. I realized that there is no need to be afraid. You simply have to take the first step, and little by little, everything falls into place. When I started working at the gas station, my German was still far from perfect. Even so, I showed from the very beginning that I was capable of working hard. My manager saw my potential. After only one week, he trusted me with the cash register—handling money, numbers, and accounts, all the things I have always been familiar with. People often tell me, “You know how to manage your time well.” I suppose that is true. Today, even the management sometimes asks for my opinion. There are no easy roads in life. Everyone has their own path. This is mine. The Germans were surprised. They told me, “You are intelligent, tidy, and well organized.” Now I even help with part of the accounting. I truly enjoy it. This is the direction I want to continue in. I just need to improve my German a little more.
— Besides working, you also volunteer.
— I am the kind of person who cannot sit still. Every Saturday, together with other Ukrainians in Passau, we make trench candles for the front. It is a place where people gather who care about Ukraine just as deeply as I do. We talk, support one another, and in those moments I feel that I am among my own people.
— You mentioned that you love cooking. Is that also one of your sources of strength?
— Yes, I truly love being in the kitchen. I enjoy cooking, baking, stewing, and preparing meals. It brings me peace.
I love welcoming guests because, to me, food is a language without words. When I see people smiling as they enjoy the meals I have prepared, I feel as though I am back home. Even at work, when someone orders a coffee or a sandwich, I always try to prepare it with care and warmth. I love treating people to good food made with heart.
— What emotions and feelings are most present in your life today?
— I feel an immense love for my children and my husband. But since the beginning of the war, I have experienced moments of loneliness more and more often. When no one is around and all the day's tasks are finished, silence arrives—and with it, loneliness. That is when I get into my car, turn Ukrainian songs up as loud as I can, and simply drive wherever the road takes me. It is my way of breathing again, my little escape. Inside my car, I feel safe. It is my own little space where I hear my language, my Ukraine. My heart aches for my parents, for my country, and for the life that was shattered.
— I have often seen you and your daughter wearing traditional embroidered Ukrainian clothing. You also chose to wear it for this photo session.
— When we arrived in Germany, the very first thing I asked my mother to send us was our embroidered clothing—a dress for me and embroidered shirts for my children. The vyshyvanka is my greatest treasure. Whenever I wear it, I feel strong, proud, and truly myself. It is much more than clothing—it carries the warmth of home with it.
— What do you dream about today?
— I dream of peace. I want these horrors to finally come to an end.
For me, peace means inner calm—the ability to wake up in the morning without fear.
I wish this for all Ukrainians, wherever we are and whatever work we do. We cannot be truly happy while there is still a wound in our hearts. I am probably like a broken cup that has been glued back together. I smile, I work, I live. But every morning, the first thing I do is read the news from home. Only when I know that everyone is alive and safe can I feel a little calmer. At this time, it is impossible to truly be at peace. That is why I will say it again: I dream of peace.
And until then, I keep going. Because we are Ukrainians. And we will endure.
Interview and editorial editing:
Slava Onufryk, Ukrainian journalist and volunteer
