‘I can find something here for me’: Ukrainians recount journey to Saskatchewan

A nine-hour plane ride and more than 7,000 kilometres later, a number of Ukrainians woke up at the University of Regina on Tuesday.

About 230 people were on the flight from Warsaw, Poland that landed in Regina on Monday night. They were fleeing Ukraine in the wake of the Russian invasion of their country.

Nadiia Filinska and her 13-year-old son are from Lviv, a city in western Ukraine.

She says the scenery in Regina and the people remind them of home.

“People are so friendly, all smiling,” Filinska said outside one of the U of R’s residence buildings. “The people are the same, you know. All the people are good.

“We were so warmly welcomed here.”

After a very busy few days, she found the energy on Tuesday to go for a run and explore what the city has to offer.

“The nature is amazing. I saw two hares, a lot of birds and the lake is nice,” Filinska said eagerly. “I was surprised. The nature is so close to people.”

She doesn’t feel like it will be hard for her to adjust to a new country, but for her son, she knows it will be more of a challenge.

“His English is not there yet,” she said. “He said he’s like a dog. He understands what some people say but he can’t say nothing.

“So he’s afraid of talking to people. He’s afraid of making a mistake.”

Filinska said the boy loves playing chess, and she’s hoping he will be able to enjoy that activity here.

As for work, the 36-year-old woman is very thankful to have a job that allows her to work remotely, but she’s open to a new career opportunity if it presents itself.

“I used to be a dancer and dance coach; I used to have a dance school for kids,” she claimed. “So maybe here, I can try to have some additional income with that.”

Alexander is a 22-year-old man from Odessa, a coastal city in Ukraine’s south.

As he enjoyed a cigarette on Tuesday morning outside the dormitory he’s staying in, he seemed relaxed and content in his new surroundings.

He was asked what he noticed first when the plane got closer to Regina.

“So many fields,” he said with a laugh. “(It’s) very pretty.”

Alexander came to Canada by himself. He said it was hard to put into words what the last few months have been like for him, adding that every day feels like an entirely new experience.

“When I came to Poland, I got the same impression that everything is new,” he said. “Everything is not like the usual. (There were) new people every day.”

Alexander is open to new experiences in his new home and he is excited for what the future holds.

“Hard work is for me,” he said. “I can find something here for me. (I) just need to search.”

The Government of Saskatchewan has said it will accept as many people as possible from Ukraine and is taking steps to allow them to settle into their new home.