“You feel like an adopted child.” Ukrainian refugee – about life in Germany

“My only thought was to save the children”

Ukrainian Tatyana Romanyuk left her native Lugansk region in the first days after the start of the SVO. He went to German Stuttgart via Poland and has been living there for over six months.

“Everything happened unexpectedly. When they started bombing and shooting near our homes, all I thought about was saving the children. I have two sons aged 8 and 14. So when I learned that there are evacuation trains in the area where everyone, especially young children, their parents, disabled and elderly people can go, I hugged the guys, collected at least something, and rushed to register, ”Romanyuk said.

According to the refugee, he did not know where he was going at the time. The train went all the way to Lvov, with stops in other safe cities in Ukraine, and it was during the journey that she had to decide where to go next. Romanyuk and his sons left for Poland after getting off in Lvov by another evacuation train.

“There were a lot of refugees, people went to different parts of Ukraine, and many like us rushed to cross the border to feel completely safe. When we arrived in Poland, the volunteers gave the address of an old woman who was ready to let us in, but we were not going to stay with her.

First, Poland was swarming with Ukrainian refugees—more of them than in any other country. Secondly, we just wanted to get away so that trouble definitely wouldn’t touch us. I was driven by adrenaline and instincts. Like a mother who wants to protect her children. That’s why we decided to go to Germany and found volunteers for refugees ready to help in social media groups.”

Everything is paid by the state

After contacting the volunteers, Romaniuk learned that there were German families in Germany ready to temporarily accommodate Ukrainian refugees. In a minibus from Poland, Tatyana, along with other refugees, went to Stuttgart at night and helped her with the paperwork of the family, who had already accepted her there.

“We were welcomed by a husband and wife and two children, who are also sons. They helped with everything – clothes, food, adaptation. They also accompanied us to the immigration service, where they recorded our stay in the country and registered us as refugees.

In Germany, during this registration, citizens of Ukraine are given social benefits for each child and parents – this is the minimum subsistence amount, so that refugees can buy food, things, something for everyday life. “Although prices in Germany have increased since March, there was enough for everything then and now,” he said.

Three months later, the family in which Tatyana lived helped her find her own housing – a fully state-paid social apartment.

“There are three options for housing for Ukrainian refugees in Germany: a family that can be accommodated, a social apartment and refugee camps – it’s kind of like a hostel: everyone has their own room, but a shared kitchen and bathroom. I know many refugees complain about the camps – they are uncomfortable using the communal kitchen and bathroom but I have not heard of them being closed en masse. I think it’s more of a myth,” says the refugee.

No compulsory schooling and “work in the fields” for children

Tatyana said that many other support measures have been introduced for Ukrainian citizens in Germany. For example, from March to May, travel was free even on trains, upon the presentation of the Ukrainian passport in the whole country. It was possible to go from one point to another in Germany. But in the next three months they began to receive a symbolic amount for travel, and now this support measure has been completely canceled.

“In Germany, children must go to school, if they do not attend an educational institution, social workers come to their place of residence and ask why.

Education in a regular German school is compulsory, and our children are taught German. My little one usually doesn’t understand anything and the older one is well adapted as he speaks English.

Here, in general, many people speak English, which makes life easier, just like translators on smartphones. However, the language can be learned here. There are integration courses that are also paid by the state, they teach German, ”said Romanyuk.

Tatyana believes that there is no unemployment in Germany. Any refugee can come to the employment center and they provide him with a job and it is far from being a hard job.

“No one is driven into the fields and factories. Here teachers and doctors are in demand, you can confirm any diploma of higher education and work in your specialty. However, again, knowledge of the language is required. If you master it, they will invite you to work as a profession. If not, they will provide something else you can handle. Now I do not work, because I need to take care of children, study them and try to adapt them to a new culture and way of life, ”admitted Romanyuk.

Those strange Germans

Ukrainians believe that the most difficult thing for refugees right now is to integrate into another cultural area. To him, both the people and the whole situation as a whole seem alien.

“For example, people here save money just like that, not because of price increases. They save on electricity and other resources, and also wear very modest clothing. They leave the expensive Mercedes here not in the appropriate suits and brands, but in jeans, sweaters and sneakers, ”the director said.

Also, Romaniuk noted that the locals seemed very interested. Be sure to ask how they can help – and they will definitely help. So, the caring Germans gave Tatyana’s family a table and a lamp for children, a good locker, bicycles and skates. A cultural program for refugees is also provided.

“We usually organize leisure activities. For example, recently they took children to a large zoo, often on excursions to ancient castles and museums refugees gather. We were in a band a few weeks ago.

Of course, there are also disadvantages, but they are not so significant. Here, for example, you cannot go to the doctor to be examined. You need to sign up for the queue and wait for your time, which may arrive in a week. If something urgent happens, you need to call an ambulance, ”Tatyana said.

“You feel like a foster child in a foreign country”

Communicating with Romanyuk speakers, both with other Ukrainian refugees and German Russians, also helps with integration in the Romanyuk country.

We have private conversations with refugees, meet on trips, and support each other as much as we can.

As for the Russians: I did not see any negativity in my direction and did not show it myself, but I know that some Ukrainians perceive the Russians with some anger. Some Russians like Ukrainians. But that depends on individual people. We all suffered in this situation,” says the Ukrainian.

Now Romanyuk hopes that although living conditions in Germany are very comfortable for him, the situation will soon return to normal, after which he can return home.

“No matter how wonderful everything is, you still feel like a foster child in a foreign country. No matter how polite everyone is, I really want to go home. I know some Ukrainians want to stay here even after it’s all over, they get used to it but my kids and I really want to go back home. And there are many like us.

Although more Ukrainians remain at home. Many stayed at home because they had children of military age and were not allowed to leave the country and did not want to leave them. In addition, there are many bedridden patients and their families in Ukraine, because their relatives will certainly not be able to withstand a long move. They – among civilians – are now experiencing the most difficult times, ”Tatiana concluded.