The Buznia family had a normal life in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, until the Russian invasion began and they had to flee their country. Now, after moving into the spare bedroom of a Dublin family's house, they "feel at home" again.
Andrii, Helen and their two sons, Mihail (10) and Tolya (8), woke at 5am on February 24th to their house shaking from Russian shelling nearby. They slept underground for five days before deciding to leave.
They travelled to Moldova by bus, then walked 15km to Romania, carrying their bags. From there, they got a flight to Ireland, which cost about €1,000.
The journey was traumatic and exhausting, but they tried to distract the boys by turning it into a game.
“We didn’t know where to go and who to trust. I lost my family, I lost my house, I lost my friends. I didn’t know what was waiting for me, and I was crying. The children were asking me, ‘Mum, will we see our grandma? Will we see our grandpa?’” Ms Buznia said.
“For the children, it was like an adventure. I said kids, you’re like Frodo and Sam from Lord of The Rings, imagine you have a huge adventure to go to the border with your ring.”
They arrived in Ireland last Sunday week, March 13th, and moved in with Dan, Paula and their two teenage children in Dublin 6. The couple prefer not to give their surname as they do not wish to be the focus of the story, although there is a personal history that motivated their decision.
“In 1944, my mother was a Latvian refugee from the Russian army,” Dan said.
"They were in a refugee camp for about six years in Germany, they escaped west and finally settled in England. So we said since we have the space here, we could take a family. It's the least we felt we could do."
‘Helping humans’
He added: “You can’t solve the world’s problems, but you could really help some individuals. You’re helping humans.”
Paula and Dan registered with the Irish Red Cross to pledge accommodation but felt the process might be somewhat long and daunting.
They found a group of volunteers called Irelandhelpukraine.com, set up by Anton Krasun, a Ukrainian living in Dublin, pairing refugees with host families.
Dan and Paula registered with the group and within a few days they had the contact details of the Buznia family.
They spoke via WhatsApp to prepare for their arrival, and Dan picked them up at Dublin Airport when their flight landed.
“This was very fast because they put people in contact with families. It was very easy. And through groups like Anton’s, they said if you could only do it for a few weeks, that’s a help.”
Having them in the house is just like having an extended family, Dan added.
Now that they are settled, Mr Buznia, who was a marketer in Ukraine, said he would like to find work, while the children have been offered a place at the local school.
Since their arrival in Ireland, Mr Buznia said they had been shown kindness.
“We have so much gratitude for the understanding and support. They’ve allowed us to feel at home. We’re not in our home, but we are home. It’s really unexpected. Dan and Paula and their children help us live a normal life,” he said.
Ms Buznia added: “My son says he wants to live here. He said the family likes Star Wars so they’re cool.”
Chess
The family chose to come to Ireland because it is an English-speaking country, but also because of their love for the place and its people.
The local community has dropped off toys and clothes for them, and the boys now play chess with other children living in the area. Mihail celebrated his 10th birthday here on Sunday.
"In Ukraine, people love Ireland and Irish people. When we were in school, our teachers told us a lot about Ireland, Scotland and Great Britain. That is why it wasn't an alien country, because we know about the people, the culture and traditions," Ms Buznia said.
“Every day a neighbour brings something for us. Everybody is willing to help. The people here are just so full of love and care. It’s very special.”
