My friends had recently quit their jobs to backpack through Europe and I was traveling to London quite a bit for work. I had decided that I was going to take two weeks off after my next London visit and meet them wherever they happened to be located at that time.

When they told me they were going to be in Kyiv Ukraine, I thought nothing of it and booked my flight. I can't say that Ukraine topped my list of places I had hoped to meet them in Europe, but I was excited regardless.

As I made my way into the London office, my coworkers inquired to my vacation plans, wondering where I was jetting off to once I finished my training class. As soon as Ukraine left my lips, silence fell across the room. Finally, someone chirped up and asked "why in the world are you going to Ukraine? Are you trying to join the war?"

I had no idea what they were talking about, but now I was worried. I immediately text my friend.

"My coworkers think we are crazy to go to Ukraine, there is a lot of fighting going on there."

"We will be fine, we are already here."

Not all convinced, but certainly not dissuaded, I boarded my British Airways flight to Kyiv. I convinced my friends into picking me up from the airport, citing the ongoing conflict as reason I would not taxi alone.

Fun fact: Kyiv has multiple airports, Borispil International and Kyiv Zhulyany. I landed at Borispil International while my friends awaited my arrival at Zhulyany.

Having recently (2022 recent, after Russia declared War in Ukraine) watched Winter on Fire, the documentary covering Ukraine's fight for freedom that started in 2014, I am utterly amazed that the city of Kyiv was in the condition it was in when we were there. I do not recall seeing rubble or destruction, instead remembering being surprised at the liveliness we encountered for a country that was in conflict.

We were met with nothing but kindness in Kyiv. Our first night, we found ourselves in multiple clubs, dancing the night away. When we emerged the sun was rising, I was stunned. We took the metro to an outdoor bar on the Dnieper River, sipping Ukrainian beer around a firepit. We did a lot of wandering, taking walking tours led by locals our age, learning more about the history and the events taking place. A visit to the Bessarabian market had us exchanging glances, but we proceeded to buy supplies to make ourselves dinner. We sat at a beach alongside the river, enjoying the end of summer sun. We watched espresso being served out of the trunks of cars and the glistening of golden domes against the bright blue sky.

Watching the current events taking place in Kyiv and the entire country of Ukraine, I am deeply saddened. I wish I had paid more attention to the events taking place while we were in Kyiv, had asked more questions, had taken in more of the city. I feel grateful to have had the opportunity to visit and experience the kindness and strong spirit of the citizens of Ukraine. I only hope the rest of the world gets to experience this someday too, when Ukraine finally finds the freedom they have been fighting for.