We have come a long way this week

What a week! After many concerns and thinking, Luba, Dasha, and Mark decided to finally board our car last Monday afternoon and come back with my dad and me to France.

We became professionals at using Google and Microsoft Translator (I genuinely do not know what we would have done with it). Luba is an amazing young woman (35 years old), having a daily call with her husband while being with her two kids, 1,500 miles away, in a different culture, and not speaking nor understanding a word.

I am happy because one of my fears was to bring a familly that I could not get along with. However, my fear has entirely disappeared because we started building a true connection in a few days.

In 5 days, we:

• She brought her family to France from Poznan (Poland)

• We placed them in a temporary Airbnb

• We completed the paperwork for their visa

• We registered the kids for kindergarten and middle school

• We bought them new clothes (they came only with one medium suitcase for 3), so they pretty much had nothing

• We went to buy school backpack and school supplies

• We got them France SIM cards

Luba buying makeup for Dasha for her back to school (all teenagers are the same around the world) :)

I have been amazed by the community. The "charcutier" brought them a fantastic "charcuteries" plate as a welcome gift. People are dropping toys for the boys, new bikes, etc... Simply amazing

On Monday morning, Dasha will start her first day in 7th grade with two other Ukrainian teenagers of the same age, making it easier). The French Government of Education has already created a complete curriculum for Ukrainian kids (Math tests in Ukrainian, special French classes, etc.) I do not recognize my country :)

Mark, who is four, will be going to school for the first time in his life. It will be a lot more complex with him because he does not know how to read, so you cannot use Google translate to communicate. He will be going to school only in the morning for the next two months. What is impressive with him is that he is watching French cartoons and get is starting to repeat words with no accent (his first words are "Merci beaucoup" - Thank you very much

Today, as it is Sunday, we will take it easy (especially me, who is emotionally exhausted). I am looking forward to next week. We will:

• Get her visa

• Open her bank account

• Go meet other Ukrainian refugees so they can start building new friendships

As I have been asked, by many of you, how you could help, I am creating a GoFundMe account that will wire money directly to her, so 100% of your donation will be for her and her family. Stay tuned!

Have a lovely Sunday!