Holiday Reunion in a New Land
By Nara Shin
Kateryna is a young mom-of-two, living in the Thrive Center. She joined our center in September as a Ukrainian refugee. Her journey, marked by separation and challenges, reflects the complexities faced by those seeking safety. Originally planning to move to the States with her husband, daughter, and son, Kateryna ended up coming here alone with her one-year-old son Mark due to a documentation complication. After three months of living here in Spokane alone, Kateryna was reunited with her husband at the Spokane International Airport on November 30. Today, we talked to her to retrace her steps from a few days before she left her country.
Before the Russian-Ukrainian war started, Kateryna was a music teacher at a private music studio in Kyiv, Ukraine. For 12 years, she taught teenagers music with her passionate, joyful heart. Even when the war started, Kateryna tried to stay in Kyiv with her family for 1.5 years, but when the war continued with increased danger, she had to leave her home for safety and security. It was a long way for her. With two young children, she had to drive for long hours to Hungary. Even while they were moving and staying in Hungary, they continuously looked for plane tickets to America to find a secure place to stay.
However, the family could not find a safe place to stay in Hungary. Kateryna and her husband started their United for Ukraine (U4U) visa application with their dream to hope for opportunities since then. Nevertheless, they had to relocate to Switzerland due to ongoing documentation complications. Initially staying at a friend's house for a week, they eventually made the difficult decision to move to a refugee shelter for the ensuing weeks. It was a crowded space for the family to stay. The place was like a gym with plastic walls that divided people’s rooms without doors, and there were 550 individuals in one space. The facility only had four restaurants and four bathrooms for everyone.
After two months of staying there, their U.S. visas were ready. They were dreaming again to move to the States and at least live a better life. However, at the airport when they were entering the security checkpoint, Kateryna found out that her husband’s and daughter’s first names were misspelled in the U.S. visa.
“I was confused. I was shocked. I didn’t have time to decide slowly. Everything was decided so quickly,” said Kateryna through a translator. In the face of this unforeseen challenge, Kateryna and her husband made the difficult decision to temporarily part ways, each heading to opposite sides of the earth.
Even coming to Spokane was not easy for Kateryna. It was just a 12-hour journey, but due to the complications and delays, she arrived in Spokane after 19 hours. Alone in Spokane with her son Mark, she found a temporary refuge in her friend’s house for one week. Her friend–also a Ukrainian refugee–played a pivotal role in introducing Kateryna to the Thrive Center for additional support.
In September 2023, Kateryna officially moved into the Thrive Center. Adjusting to a new environment, she had a sense of happiness. Kateryna found herself waiting for half an hour in front of crosswalk signs because she didn’t know how American crosswalk signs worked. She had to return to the Thrive Center for Wi-Fi to search how to cross the street. It did not irritate her, but she felt happy to be silly and learn new things in a safe environment. Far from being irritated, these experiences brought her joy, as she felt a sense of delight in being a bit silly while learning new things in a supportive and secure environment.
On the flip side, Kateryna carried a heavy burden in her heart. Every morning at 5 am, Kateryna called the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to rectify the documentation errors for her husband and daughter. Due to the language barrier, Thrive Center’s General Manager Anna Bondarenko helped translate and call the department. However, things were not going as easy as Kateryna hoped, as the everyday call continued until November.
Ultimately, all the complexities were resolved. Kateryna picked up her husband and daughter on the last day of November at the Spokane International Airport. Reflecting on her journey, Kateryna expressed gratitude for Thrive. “Thrive is a big resource. Big support. Thrive is a bedrock for our lives here in America. I have a community here around people who can support me or just talk to me,” Kateryna said through the translator.
When questioned about what she wishes the Spokane community to understand about her homeland, Kateryna expressed that people here may not be fully aware of the dire situation in Ukraine. She said, “My land, my sky, and my home are destroyed. My people are crying because of the fire, bomb, and signal…We’ll never be able to come back home.”
As for her aspirations for the future, Kateryna shared that she doesn't have big plans. Her simple yet profound desire is to reunite with her family and live together. “The war taught us to take care of what we have right now and take care of people. I just hope for a normal life,” Kateryna said.
With her wish, Thrive hopes to be the cornerstone of support for Kateryna and her family, offering refuge, guidance, and a caring community. Not only providing necessities, but Thrive also wants to be a beacon of hope, providing a vital support system in Kateryna's and other refugee family’s journey toward a brighter future.
