Year ends but not the war: Surviving in Canada ‘almost impossible’ for Ukrainian refugees

For the first time in her life, Sandy Tarasenko decided not to celebrate traditional Ukrainian Orthodox Christmas.

And she won't be alone. This year, the leadership of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine - not aligned with the Russian church - allowed Ukrainian Christians to celebrate on Dec. 25 instead of Jan. 7.

For Tarasenko, who fled the wartorn country in March, the change has to do with the war, and is a way to reject Russian traditions.

We want to celebrate with the whole world."

On the morning of Dec. 25, Tarasenko's children - Evangeline, 11, Illya, 9, and Oskar, 3 - were surprised to find their gifts under the Christmas tree instead of under their pillows.

Every year, Tarasenko hosted holiday dinners for her family back in Ukraine, but this time she wanted to cancel all celebrations.

Ten months ago, Tarasenko, her three children and co-worker Victoria Perro fled wartorn Ukraine.

Tarasenko's husband had no choice but to stay due to a martial law, which bans 18- to 60-year-old men from leaving the country.

Back in March, the group headed to west Ukraine for a week, hoping the war would be over soon, but Russia's attack on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on March 4 made them realize otherwise.

A couple of weeks later the group landed in Canada.

Struggling to adapt in the country, find housing and in a constant fear of losing their loved ones back home, Tarasenko, the children and Perro were still hopeful to go back to Ukraine.

Now, Tarasenko said she and her children are doing fine" and she is happy her kids are receiving an education. It's not easy to settle in Canada, it takes time. I have to work non-stop."

Tarasenko's parents - Maria, 63 and Liubomyr, 65 - came to Canada this summer. Tarasenko said she couldn't bring them before having stable housing. I couldn't invite them when I was living with hosts and at shelters."

Currently, Tarasenko lives in Oakville and works as French teacher at a preschool in Mississauga. The commute is long but it was the only job she could find.

I got a job but I'm the only one working in a family of six people," Tarasenko said. She worries about losing her government subsidy next summer. I couldn't pay my whole rent and everything else (groceries) before I had it."

But Maria and Liubomyr want to go back to Ukraine, where they have friends and a community who speak their language. Here they can't work because they don't have any certificates and don't speak any English."

Tarasenko said Ukrainians hope the war will be over next year.

For me, surviving in Canada is almost impossible so we will wait for peace in Ukraine. We hope to go back and restore our country," she said. That's my only wish for next year."

It tore my heart to be away from them'

On March 2 around 5 a.m., Perro woke up to the sound of bombs dropping close to her building. She put everything she could inside one suitcase in 15 minutes. That was the beginning of her journey from Ukraine to Canada.

I was living in a high building on the fourth floor in Kyiv, close to a small airport. I just imagined that a bomb could drop down on my house, so I just put some clothes into my suitcase," Perro told The Spectator in the spring. I even forgot a toothbrush, toothpaste, everything," she said.

After living in Halton Region for several months, Perro decided to return to Ukraine in the summer. I came back because I missed my family. It tore my heart to be away from them."

This week, she received the news her dad was being deployed to the front line, 700 metres away from the Russians' bombs and rockets.

I spent the whole evening crying because I don't know what will happen with him tomorrow," Perro said. They are trying to bomb and attack them all the time. A lot of people on his team have died."

Living in Bucha - where Ukrainian police recovered the bodies of 410 civilians from Kyiv-area towns back in April - Perro said the situation is only more precarious.

For the past month, Russia has focused on attacking Ukraine's energy infrastructure causing power shortages and rolling blackouts across the country.

Best-case scenario we have power for four hours and then it stops for another four hours," Perro said. But that's the best-case scenario."

Perro said they didn't have any power or heat for four days. It was 12 degrees in my bedroom. It was really cold."

A lot of my friends and people I know died fighting. It's unimaginable," Perro said. I cannot get it until now that these people don't exist anymore."

But Perro believes everything will be fine.

Our army is very strong. My dad is there and he's fighting. And because I have no choice and I want him to come back alive."

- With files from Associated Press and Canadian Press

Beatriz Baleeiro is a reporter at The Spectator.bbaleeiro@torstar.ca