COLORADO SPRINGS — While the fight in Ukraine is hundreds of thousands of miles away, it hits much closer to home for some.
“We’re very sad, heartbroken about Kyiv because we have many fond memories there,” said Jenn Dubytskyi, a member of the Peace Corps who served in Ukraine for two years.
From 2011-2013, Dubytskyi taught English in Volodymyr Volynski as part of her job in the Peace Corps. This was also where she met her husband.
“It became a part of me. It’s engraved in my memory, on my heart. I really loved Ukraine. I fell in love with the culture, I fell in love with my husband.”
Since his family is still in Ukraine, the news of Russia’s invasion hit hard.
“We wanted the US to go in and send troops right away and we wanted them to quickly put in the sanctions to cut Russia off swift. Cut off the oil. The little sacrifice we can do with higher gas prices is nothing compared to lives being lost,” Dubytskyi said.
Christian Thomas was also a member of the Peace Corps from 2011 to 2013 in the region of Mykolaiv.
“It was just so awesome working with the students while I was there. We did a lot of English language activities and I just made so many great friends while I was there,” Thomas said.
When Thomas learned of the Russian invasion, her first priority was to reach out to friends who were still in the country.
“I was immediately shocked and horrified and angry and upset. But really, most of all, I was so worried about my friends there — what they were going through and what was happening and were they safe.”
Thankfully, Thomas said she received the news that they were at least 30 to 35 miles away from a town where you could hear the bombs and the firefight.
“They’re just all hunkered down and really scared but also seem relatively calm and honestly very hopeful,” Thomas said.
Both Thomas and Dubytskyi said Ukrainians have a strong spirit, which could help them overcome this war.
“I feel the Ukrainian people are strong, they’re resourceful… Ukraine will prevail,” Dubytskyi said.
They said they’re now hoping for a swift end to the conflict, hoping the country which has become so near and dear to their hearts will survive so they can one day return and make more memories.
“Walking to my class and seeing my kids and just knowing that they’re just like us, their smiles and the fond memory that I have of that street, walking down the street in Volodymyr Volynski, I’ll always remember,” said Dubytskyi.
If you’d like to support Ukraine, you can do something as simple as showing your support over social media. Or, you can write letters to your government or even donate to support the war effort.
