A flurry of activity
The Christmas month has begun, and our work with Ukrainian refugees in Austria is no exception.
I used to dread this time of year thinking it was so stressful, and tried to get stuff done in November instead. This year, I’m taking the exact opposite approach. Trying not to stress about anything Christmas-related and instead trying to keep doing what we have been doing, with adjustments for the holiday season.
The Secret Santa project is a hive of activity. Small groups have formed for each of the dorm & motel addresses across Austria, volunteers from both a Russian-speaking mommy group in Austria and Austrians who follow me on Twitter. I still have chocolates at home, but not nearly as many boxes as a few weeks ago, as the elves have been slowly arriving to collect little chocolate Santas, big chocolate Santas, candy canes, Christmas packaging and stickers. I get messages like “Polina: Tuesday 9am 20 kids” and I prepare the items accordingly. All of the elves are very grateful for the donated chocolates as this frees up their financial budgets to do other little gifts for the children, teens, and in some cases, even the adult residents. The dorm I have written so much about, the problematic terribly sad dorm in the 11th district, is getting the royal treatment. The Russian speaking volunteers are making lists upon lists of who needs what used clothes, transport tickets — everything you can imagine. Surely it will not be financially possible to grant every wish, but the effort is Herculean and time consuming. Huge respect and gratitude.
We have another Christmas project with an Austrian flavor: Austrian Christmas cookie decorating for kids. Another volunteer, who has already donated so much of her time to help mothers apply for child benefit here in Austria, volunteered to bake homemade Austrian authentic Christmas cookies and invite Ukrainian kids to decorate. Two groups of 20 kids, one Saturday and one Sunday in December. Train of Hope kindly offered us their space, and voila, within 24 hours the sign-up sheet was full and I have now opened a waiting list! Meanwhile other people are writing me: Ukrainian refugees, Ukrainians living for a long time in Austria, asking me where they can volunteer. I heard about a Ukrainian group of entrepreneurs trying to open up a side business doing kids’ party entertainment, I say why don’t you bring your giant white polar bear and entertain the kids while they decorate (and eat!) the cookies. In short, I am trying to manage a lot of different balls in the air, connect many different communities, and find synergies, whether through fundraising or volunteering or simply sharing of knowledge.
This morning my Telegram group was talking about several recent incidents of vandalism against Ukrainian-license plated cars in Austria. Many of them are also searching across Europe for generators for their family members back in Ukraine. Winter is here and while those who arrived last spring are certainly “settled” by now, at least most of them, I keep thinking every day about the new waves of refugees, when they flee cold apartments in Ukrainian cities, where will they go? Are plans being made? I really hope so, and we don’t hear anything because those in charge are busy doing their jobs, busy working to find housing solutions. I truly hope.
This photo is haunting. One day those moms and kids may say it’s too hard to stay in Ukraine, we are going to head to Europe. Are we ready? Also read this insightful thread (with photos!) about the reality of everyday life in Kyiv now. Generators. All anyone keeps talking about. Sold out already across most of Austria.
The planned power cuts are going to continue as Ukraine has to reduce the pressure on the already damaged and weakened network. That is to say, even before Russia gets to work again, which surely, it will. Because Putin has nothing else to offer beyond staged meetings with actresses playing grieving mothers. As some wise observer noted, nothing in Putin’s Russia is real, everything is propaganda. Nothing but death. When real sons do come home in body bags, that is real.
I went to an interesting panel discussion yesterday in Vienna’s Burgtheater on the future of Russia. My thoughts (very briefly):
This morning I mailed off six more €50 grocery store gift cards to addresses across Austria. Am now racing out the door to deliver three more cards to women living in a temporary refugee hotel in Vienna. Thank you that this is still possible!
The photos and words of gratitude also keep coming in. They brighten these grey late November days.
Thank you for reading and for your continued support. One day at a time, it’s all any of us can do.