Refugees from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine happy to be in Kansas, but jobs hard to find | Commentary

Editor’s note: This is one in a series of guest columns by Wichita-area residents to tell their stories, in their words, spotlighting barriers that deter full participation in the life of the community. Funding for Unheard Voices has been provided by the American Press Institute through its Civic Discourse and Community Voices Fund.

It was January 2023. Cold and frustrating. Our plane gently landed at the cozy airport of Wichita.

Countless thoughts, expectations, and questions filled my mind: “What awaits me and my family?” “How will we be greeted?” “Where will we live and work?”

All of this kept me and my family restless.

And so, after passing all airport checks, we entered the passenger waiting area.

To our great surprise, a large, friendly American family awaited us.

Turning back time a month — that’s how long it took for us to decide to leave Ukraine — we often spoke with friends who have long lived in the USA.

These are our good and faithful neighbors from the town of Vyzhnytsia in Ukraine — Mykhailo and Halyna Holiyevskyi. They welcomed us.

To our immense surprise and joy, our sponsors, Darwin and Vizi Edz, were also waiting for us.

Friends of our sponsors and representatives of the International Rescue Committee organization were there too.

The meeting was so warm that we felt like we were at home with our family.

From the first days of our stay in the USA, our friends, sponsors, the IRC, and the churchgoers of the church our sponsors attend, helped us in everything.

I want to express special gratitude to the IRC organization for their assistance.

The support here is enormous from the U4U program, (the federal government program Uniting for Ukraine, which allows citizens of that country escaping the Russian invasion to come to the U.S. for two years), to arranging our household.

In a relatively short time, we obtained documents for the right to work and social insurance. Our sponsors literally guided us hand in hand through all the organizations, hospitals, and schools.

I came with my wife, Victoria, and daughter, Xenia.

Each of us needed some form of assistance.

The challenge arose because only our daughter spoke English, while my wife and I didn’t know the language at all.

A school for learning English was organized for us, initially at the IRC, and later at Linwood School.

Every day, people we didn’t know worked with us.

Our first month in Wichita, we lived with the wonderful family of our sponsors. We had a homelike atmosphere and family support there.

I want to express boundless gratitude to our friends Halyna and her husband Mykhailo.

It was Halyna who told us about the U.S. government’s program to help refugees from Ukraine.

A month after our arrival, with the help of the IRC, Halyna, sponsors, and their friends, we received accommodation that was fully furnished for living.

I want to emphasize that for eight months, according to the IRC agreement, our housing and utilities were covered by the government.

This gave us the opportunity to fully adapt to life in the USA. We felt American society and culture from the inside, its rules, advantages, and disadvantages.

My family received significant help in the medical field. Doctors helped to enhance my vision, and my wife underwent a complex operation. We’re truly grateful to the government for the excellent medical insurance.

Many people we meet ask, “What struck us about America?” I’ll put it this way: a big, kind, and friendly American heart.

We arrived here with no money, just three suitcases, and a heap of problems.

Now, we have almost everything we need. But, most importantly, we’ve gained loyal friends from both Ukraine and America.

Despite all the positive experiences, there are also downsides to life here.

Finding a job is incredibly challenging, and when you do, it’s often temporary and low-paid.

My wife, a music teacher, works in a bakery.

I worked in an auto service shop for six months, but due to the company’s financial problems, I was laid off.

I understand the owner; he handles his own issues. He previously helped me buy a car, and I’m very grateful to him for that.

I worked diligently for his company, giving my best in everything.

However, business is business. Currently, I’m in the process of job searching.

It feels like one day has passed, and already a year has flown by during our stay in the USA.

We consider ourselves fortunate to be here.

However, most importantly, we wish for the war in Ukraine to end so that all the people who were forced to leave their homes can return.

Back to Ukraine.