My Arrival Story

My life in Ukraine was wonderful. I was studying at university with a major in Fashion Design. Everything was going well, but one day, everything changed abruptly. About a month after the war started, we decided to move to the United States. My two uncles lived there, so we had somewhere to go. We packed in just three days: gathering our things, buying tickets, preparing documents. I took only one suitcase with me, and the entire journey cost approximately $2,000. Our route went through Poland, Germany, Mexico City, and then to Tijuana. At the Mexican-American border, we waited for about 8–9 hours until our turn came. Volunteers helped organize the transition and coordinated the process. I can’t say I felt any positive emotions or satisfaction from this move. No. We had already been traveling for almost three and a half days, and I just wanted it to be over. The only thing I wanted was to relax and rest. After crossing the border in San Diego, the volunteers asked us where we were headed. We told them we were going to Seattle. They offered to take us to the airport so we could fly there. But I told my sister that I wasn’t flying anymore — after so many flights, I just couldn’t handle another one. At that moment, I didn’t know that the bus trip from San Diego to Seattle would take over 20 hours. It was a real shock to me. We told the volunteers we were going by bus. There was a bus heading to Seattle, and we joined the other passengers. The first stop was in half an hour — at a church in San Diego, where we were to pick up more Ukrainians. Then, we continued our journey. We made one more stop for the night, and then the trip continued. During the journey, we met some Ukrainian guys who were also going to Seattle. Later, we learned that the bus would change its route and end up in Portland. I had no idea about the geography of the U.S. and didn’t know where we were. Those guys said that their friend would come to pick them up, and they could take us as well. That’s exactly what happened — they took us to our friends, where we started living. Six months after arriving, I found my first job, and two months later, I began learning English. This journey marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life — filled with challenges, growth, and hope for a better future. It’s been three years since we moved to the U.S., and I still don’t regret making this decision.