I am Olena Olkhovska, a nurse and pharmacist from Ukraine.

The war began while I was on holiday in Bulgaria. In a single moment, a vacation became an exile. All we had were our documents and a few personalмitems. I didn’t have to leave anything behind, because I never had the chance to return for it. An entire life was sealed behind me.

To me, Bulgaria is a small paradise. Of course, there are challenges: the language, finding work, the cultural differences. But my desire to speak Bulgarian fluently and beautifully is what keeps me going. The qualities I value most are honesty, kindness, and integrity — and that is precisely what I see
in the people here.

Today, if you were to ask me where I want to go, the answer is simple. It doesn’t matter where, as long as my daughter, her husband, and my grandson are there. They are my home. Because true victory lies in the strength to go on. To go on helping, loving, and living.