Alex Volodin, 45, his wife Vika, 44, and two sons Denis and Dima (4 and 2 years old respectively) had recently moved to their apartment in the new residential complex in Dnipro, a Ukrainian city that was a center of the USSR`s aerospace industry and continued producing engines for space ships after Ukraine became independent.

Alex ran his small private business, a car repairing workshop. Vika looked after kids and improved her seamstress skills. They expected a quiet and happy life. Things drastically changed on February 24, when Russia launched large-scale aggression against Ukraine. 

 Alex and Vika had barely known their neighbors, but there was no time for long introductions in the first days of the invasion. Every adult got the piece of duties. The owners of registered firearms united into a territorial self defense squad.  Other men carried heavy sandbags constructing barricades around the buildings. Women made Molotov cocktails mixing petrol with machine oil and polystyrene in glass bottles – simple and handy tools against Russian light-armored vehicles.

Meanwhile neither barricades nor Molotov cocktails could rescue from Russian long-range missiles that were raining down on peaceful Ukrainian cities and towns, bringing deaths and destruction. Alex and Vika decided to flee the home in search of the safe haven for their children as far from Russia as it was possible. 

Whereas Australia was among the first overseas countries that started issuing visitor visas for Ukrainians promptly, Alex and Vika chose it as the best destination. In the middle of March they started their way. 

During the first month of the war about 100 000 Ukrainians fled the country daily and the Ukraine-EU border crossings were filled with refugees (there is no air connection with Ukraine since February due to hostilities). To avoid sticking in days-long queues Alex`s family went to the south-west where Ukraine shares the border with Moldova, which is a pathway to Romania, the EU member, from where one can take a flight all over the world.

There are more than 1000 kilometers between Ukrainian Dnipro and Bucharest, the capital of Romania. Moving with 3 dependents through the roads of the war doesn't resemble a usual trip. Buses are overcrowded, fuel is a shortage, motels are overbooked. Travel expenses soared up and when Alex and his family finally reached Bucharest they found that their funds were not sufficient for a flight to Australia.

It was a disaster. 1000 kilometers away from home, with no money and no income: before leaving Alex transferred his workshop for the needs of Ukrainian resistance.

 When one does not know what to do, he or she often goes to church. So did Alex. His family was welcomed in a local Christian community that transformed their church into a shelter for Ukrainian refugees that continued arriving. Mattresses on a floor are not the most comfortable bed ever, but this is much better than staying on a street in March with its +7 +10 degrees C and night frosts.

In despair Alex shared his problem with a local clergyman and he promised to help. It took about a month for the parish to collect several thousands euros, 70% of the necessary sum. Alex added the rest, all family savings, and finally they booked the long-awaited flight to Sydney.

From other Ukrainians who had come to Australia earlier he knew  that Settlement Service International (SSI) was helping Ukrainians with a temporary accomodation. He contacted the SSI office and the next day after arrival their family moved to an apartment for a 4 weeks free stay.

 Living in a city like Sydney is stressful, highly competitive and expensive. Alex understood this pretty well after the free accommodation term expired and he paid the first bills that took away almost all Centrelink allowances. He spoke very little English and needed advice from someone who was familiar with the Australian realities. Alex started searching Facebook groups using Ukrainians in Australia tag and saw the profile of Olha Lyeskakova, JobEntry.au, who dealt with displaced Ukrainians since the beginning of the war. From Olha he  found out that the volunteers of Orange community, NSW, launched the program to support newcomers from Ukraine. She suggested Alex to exchange bustling Sydney for Orange, a lovely town famous for its gold mining history in the XIX century and for its wineries nowadays. He agreed and with the help of JobEntry.au they found a job for Alex in PJL Group, a family owned company from Orange that provides services to the mining, earthmoving and construction industries. The company had a position in machinery maintenance, work that matched with Alex`s previous professional experience. JobEntry specialists helped Alex to get prepared for an interview enhancing his speaking skills and he went through it smoothly. 

Today Alex, Vika, Denis and Dima keep integrating in the Orange community. As a sort of “welcoming gift” their family received a second-hand reliable Toyota Camry from Vicky and John Waters, a local family who is deeply involved in support for displaced Ukrainians. Alex has already proved himself as a good worker. Vika awaits a childcare program for the kids to start attending an English course at TAFE. Also locals gifted her a sewing machine, so she could return to her hobby.
 

 “I have never planned to leave Ukraine –  Alex says – but the war has crossed our previous life plans and expectations. Orange is a friendly and open-hearted city and I believe it will be a good place to stay for me and my family. And our kids will not wake up at night due to the missile explosions that make buildings shaking”.

There is a big piece of paper on the mirror of a wardrobe in their new house.  The paper is written with English words. Alex`s family plans to become a trusted part of the local community and look forward to a day when they can easily speak to their new friends without a dictionary.