A UKRAINIAN mother revealed what preparing for first Christmas as a refugee in Buckinghamshire was like.

The woman, who gave her name as Olena A, arrived to a village near Chesham with her husband and nine-year-old daughter around six months ago from the troubled Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, which sits 70 km from the Russian border.

They were welcomed by a “very nice” host family couple, who were able to house the family, and have “helped us with everything and every step of the way with local life,” Olena said through a translator.

The 42-year-old mother explained the resilience her daughter has shown: “The reason we chose England is our daughter is nine-years-old and she speaks English fluently. We arrived on a Saturday, and on Monday she was already at school.

“She has already shown very high level of education and knowledge, and the tests she has done here had high marks. She’s now at U-5 level at school.”

The couple decided to leave Ukraine because of the “future and education” of their daughter was the highest priority.

“We’re trying to keep ourselves as positive as possible in this situation to give a normal environment to our daughter – to given her an opportunity to study here, to communicate with students of her age.

“We’re trying our best every day,” said Olena, who is eagerly learning English with her husband to integrate in their new home village. 

Olena’s mother, sister and the sister’s family remain in Kharkiv in uncertain conditions with problems with electricity supply, which limits access to internet.

She said: “The most difficult thing is, when some relatives are in danger all the time. The last two or three weeks were very difficult because the internet connection because the very high [number] of attacks by Russia.

“We’re trying to connect with the Kharkiv family as much as possible in order to hear they are okay.”

In normal times, Ukrainians celebrate on January 6. However, the Ukrainian government announced the country will mark Christmas on December 25 like most western countries, Olena said.

She has already started preparations for the Christmas celebration together with the host family, whose friends and family will join in.

She said: “I’m going to prepare the traditional food I always used to make in my past life in Kharkiv - the duck with apple and a special French salad Olivye, which is very common in our country.”

Olena will also serve Kutya, one of 12 traditional Ukrainian Christmas dishes made of rice, nuts, honey, dried fruits and raisins.

Before the war, family and the godparents of her daughter used to join the family for Kutya on January 6 to “celebrate all together.”

“Nothing can change this custom and tradition, and we will keep it even here,” she added.  

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