Letter From A Train…. Ask, Engage, Do Good. An Unexpected Reward. Learning About “Rave” And Politicians Beware Of Millennials… Decisions Have Election Consequences
A journey by train from Kyiv, Ukraine, to Warsaw, Poland, is a first-class or second-class experience, absent delays which are common given the situation in Ukraine. Three trains for approximately twenty-four (24) hours, including waiting time.
Boarding No. 705 in Kyiv-Pasazhyrsky at 17:00 (5:00 pm) arriving to Warszawa Centralna at 15:00 (3:00 pm) the following afternoon.
Arriving at 05:00 am to the train station in Przemysl, Poland, disembark for a two-hour wait until 7:18 am for the Express InterCity Premium (EIP) train to Krakow, Poland, arriving at 10:05 am and then another EIP train (this one with a luxurious First Class similar to Eurostar Business Premier) at 11:34 am from Krakow to Warsaw arriving at 14:23 (2:23 pm).
Full disclosure: forgot about the one-hour time change into Poland. Flustered upon arrival to Przemysl about clearing immigration and customs in time for the next train… Even seasoned adventurers have their awkward (or backward in this instance) moments where clarity takes a nap.
Boarding the train in Przemysl, my two reserved window seats (one for luggage) in First Class face one another across a 2x2 table with fold-out leaves. The train carriage fills quickly. A young woman sits diagonally across from me. An older woman sits next to me.
As I knew from checking previously train schedules, tickets may be sold absent a seat assignment-unless there is a no-show or the conductor intervenes, prepare to stand for the duration of the journey- or find a seat in the restaurant car, but they fill quickly with ticketed passengers- who can then ironically have access to two seats.
A woman from Ukraine in her thirties (my guess) takes a single seat across the aisle, until a ticketed passenger comes along to claim it. Then the woman tries another seat, similar result.
A young woman from Ukraine seated diagonally across from me, who is thirty-two (learned this later, but share it now), black hair, right-side nose piercing, stylish costume, engages with the searching-for-a-seat traveler. They are speaking Ukrainian.
My moment to ask and then engage. Does the traveler need a seat, I ask. The black-haired woman says that the traveler has a ticket but no seat assignment- which I began to suspect was the issue. Why not use my second seat? The black-haired woman (I know, sounds now like a song lyric) translates to the traveler who hesitates a moment, surprised by the offer, but accepts. Problem solved? Not quite.
I explain to the black-haired woman that I have paid for two seats, my luggage (backpack) can be placed under my seat. The traveler may have my second seat. The black-haired woman translates again to the traveler. What is the cost of the ticket I am asked. I responded there is no cost- I do not need the seat, the traveler should have a seat.
The black-haired woman translates to the traveler who motions appreciation. The black-haired woman shares that I am being kind. I respond that my gift of the ticket was the only appropriate response. One learns a lot about oneself in these moments. A moment to reinforce the good.
And now the conductor arrives. He is not on our team. He comprehends that I have two tickets. However, the traveler is going to another destination, so the value of my extra ticket does not solve the seat issue of the traveler. The black-haired woman is translating for the traveler, interacting with the conductor. I am motioning- as I do not speak Polish. The three of us lose. Train conductors are like captains of a ship, pilots of an aircraft- what they decree is a decree, no appeal. What would you do- find the train engineer? The traveler must depart the gifted seat, which will again support my backpack.
Heartbreaking to watch the traveler gather her belongings- like watching a deportation, eviction. Coming from Ukraine- watching another person not have the choice to remain where they are because someone else is forcing them to leave has unfortunate resonance.
To remind: On 24 February 2022, the government of the Russian Federation instructed the armed forces of the Russian Federation to invade the territory of Ukraine and to invade further territory of Ukraine that had been occupied since 24 February 2014.
I ask the black-haired woman if I could have done more. The response is what I offered and tried to elicit from the conductor was kind- I remember her using that word, kind.
So, we begin to engage, as I had hoped from when I first saw her. One of those faces and demeanor which conveys purpose, conviction, with clothing that conveys attitude. One of those personas where you glance because the face, demeanor is interesting, drawing towards. This is when one who is curious acts upon that curiosity…. We take chances. In this instance, the conversational portal had already been breached.
The BHW (will now use an acronym) is from Ukraine and traveling to Berlin, Germany, for a multi-day visit with friends. Her parents live in the southeast of Ukraine. BHW resides in Kyiv. Is a graphic artist for a Ukraine-based branding company with offices in several cities, including a three-person office in Los Angeles, California. Has visited New York City, New York, Washington DC, and Niagara Falls, New York (ironically, near my hometown of Buffalo, New York). Loved New York, cool to Washington DC. Primary reasons: People dressed-up in Washington, less so in New York City; more people visible in New York City, fewer people visible in Washington DC.
BHW departed Ukraine for Romania on 24 February 2022, stopping first to visit her parents. Evacuation result was her caring for the two large dogs owned by her boyfriend along with two other large dogs and a cat (who, I was informed, just rolled with the experience, as cats often do).
I was curious as to how BHW processed what has happened in Ukraine since 24 February 2022. BHW was curious as to what I was doing in Ukraine.
The BHW asked if I knew of about the organization in Repair Together. I did not. A “Ukrainian volunteer initiative to restore the communities that suffered from the occupation. PayPal: repairukraine@gmail.com. Join us or donate: qrco.de/bczfOW”
https://www.instagram.com/repair.together/?hl=en
The Ukraine ravers mixing parties with cleaning up war damage: “Ukrainian youth organisation Repair Together have set up what they call “clean up raves.” They invite DJs to play techno music as volunteers and locals work together to restore areas that were recently liberated from Russian occupation.” https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-62478582
BHW shared her involvement in with the organization and explained its purpose and how the use of music (rave). From the BBC: ““We invited DJs, and it was cleaning with music and this gave a lot of energy, motivation and inspiration for our volunteers,” said twenty-six-year-old Tania Burianova, one of the seven founders of Rebuilt Together… We've already cleaned three villages in one region and had nine events. We want to do it [clean] every week.” And with winter coming, they feel the challenges for those in the worst-affected areas will be greater so they need to do more. “Our next plans are to build more than twelve houses in a village that we've already cleaned and maybe we can do more before the winter comes.””
My interest towards BHW was also her thoughts, feelings, from a generational perspective- being one year old when Ukraine announced its independence on 24 August 1991 from the then-U.S.S.R.
Did BHW vote? I shared that her brethren in the United States often were enthusiastic, vocal, opinionated, but as a percentage of their population, did not vote- and if they did vote, was not consistent election to election. BHW did vote- and her friends vote, and they ask their friends to vote.
Her opinion as to whether there would be support by her and her brethren in Ukraine if Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, who is expected to seek re-election on 31 March 2024 (as the United States presidential primaries commence for the Democratic Party and Republican Party), were to submit to the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament of Ukraine), which will likely have its elections on 29 October 2023, a document (cease-fire, treaty, suspension of hostilities, whatever will be its expected contortion of words) relating to the Russian Federation.
If the document defines the territory of Ukraine not as it was on 23 February 2022, but as it does now? On 23 February 2022, the armed forces of the Russian Federation held approximately 7% of the pre-24 February 2014 territory of Ukraine. As of 28 August 2022, the armed forces of the Russian Federation control approximately 20% of the territory of Ukraine as it was on 24 August 1991- when the government of Ukraine and citizens of Ukraine decreed and then voted for their independence from the then-U.S.S.R.
BHW responded with firmness in her voice, with the conviction her presence first was presented to me when I boarded the train. Her friends, and their friends would not support any document that does not return to Ukraine what the armed forces of the Russian Federation has taken from Ukraine. All of it.
Which leads to the question: What options, latitude, does President Zelensky have in terms words to include in any document signed directly, or signed indirectly (with other country and organization guarantors)?
The practical answer, given historical precedence and outcome modeling analysis is most or some of what the armed forces of the Russian Federation control as of 28 August 2022 will remain within their control while Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, remains in office.
BHW is one of approximately ten million millennials (born 1981 to 1996) in Ukraine (population approximately forty-four million). From one media report, “millennials are the largest age group of Ukrainians (ten million). They also form the core of the country's workforce.”
The choice for those elected in Ukraine may be one of the practical (for a cessation, temporary or permanent, to the death and destruction in the country) versus the righteous (morally right, justifiable).
Both choices belied by a deep-seeded conviction that the mere signing of a piece of paper whose signature also includes the President of the Russian Federation may ensure nothing.
Do the views of BHW necessarily extrapolate into representing all millennials in Ukraine? No way to be certain, but I lean toward they do.
Confident of this: BHW and her brethren will be watching… and voting. Politicians beware.
P.S. And…. I never did ask BHW for her name….
