March 2025

Last month I started my post by saying that I spent 10 days in Ukraine, now I’m back in Ukraine, this time for a longer period. I’ve been only for 2 nights and I managed to do quite a lot of things. Life in Ukraine moves so much faster for me. On Sunday I: moved from my hotel to a flat, went to the Cat Cafe, attended an event, had my book club meeting, went to volunteer for 15 minutes before my friend came to pick me up for dinner, after that I went to meet a group of volunteering friends and joined them for drinks afterwards.

Life in UK was not very quiet either, with a visit to the Brontë Parsonage Museum, a lovely day out at the Hencote Vineyard, a trip to London where we stayed at the Kew Gardens Hotel and Restaurant, where I went to the National Portrait Gallery. I went to Oxford for an alumnae event, celebrating Women’s Day. Back in Liverpool, I went to see No iconic images and helped with 2 events showcasing paintings made by Ukrainian children affected by war (many displaced). As I blogged and linked to all those highlights, I will not talk about them, to keep the post as short as possible.

I am so glad to be back in Lviv. This was the view from my hotel room. It was the same in which I stayed the first time I went to Lviv, in April last year. I’ve been back at this hotel for a few times and they know me. See below how lovely the room is.

Going to Oriel, as an alumnae, for an event celebrating women was just fantastic. There are many events, but for some reason it seems they mostly happen when I am in Ukraine or away. We had a drinks reception, see the top left picture, also notice the painting of the late Queen. My vegan option for the 3-course meal is on the right. It was delicious. We had cocktails in the MCR afterwards. It was really lovely.

We went to Manchester for a Ukrainian event, celebrating all of Ukraine’s culture with songs from different parts of Ukraine, including the Crimean Tatars. It was wonderful, 3 hours of dance and song, the various traditional costumes. I bought a couple of books, a pair of socks, and some matches (same as the ones in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2).

I mentioned previously that on my first full day in Lviv I went to an event. It was so special. It was a meeting with veteran Sergeant Mykola Vyuk and the author of the book, about Mykola’s life. As it tends to happen with these events, there were more military there, including a woman. It was so inspiring. I bought the book and I will read it when my Ukrainian is good enough to be able to do that.

Cat Cafe, the first stop for an espresso and quality time with the furry friends. She is very friendly, last November she favoured my husband and stayed on his lap.

1. Rally in Manchester. 2. New friend. 3. Brontë Parsonage Museum (from the day before). 4. Pancake Day. 5. The implications of Putin’s wars with Ambassador Natalie Sabanadze. 6. French PM. 7. Victoria Amelina’s book. 8. Hencote winery tour and wine tasting, followed by a superb lunch. 9. Cake. 10. Bird. 11. The raised bed has a new colour: summer damson. 12. Kew Gardens Hotel, London. 13. National Portrait Gallery. 14. 40 years of women at Oriel. 15. Consolidating the state: challenges and opportunities in postwar reconstruction of Ukraine [previous day]. 16. Step Into Ukraine 2025 benefit concert. 17. Matches like the ones in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. 18. US shows weakness, russia doesn’t want peace. 19. Liverpool Hope University exhibition is now ready for visitors. 20. Launch event at Hope University. 21. Sunflower Dreams Project had a wonderful launch at the Parish Church in Liverpool. 22. No iconic images – a special exhibition at Open Eye Gallery. 23. Beautiful songs by the Ukrainian choir. 24. Doulingo. 25. Liverpool. 26. Cakes. 27. Gifts made by people in Liverpool for the children doing art therapy in Lviv. 28. Preparing for my trip. 29. Back in Lviv. 30. Event with Sergeant Mykola Vyuk. 31. Books in March

I read a book in Romanian for the first time in over a decade. I bought it in January, when we went to Romania. I have a few more and I am looking forward to reading them too.
From the books I read this month, I would recommend the books by Applebaum, Harari, and Amelina. The last one mentioned, by Amelina is unfinished because she was killed by the russians in a pizzeria. Reading parts of the books that are finished and parts that are edited, but contain her notes is chilling. Her voice should be heard. Read the book if you can.

Books in March:
Remember When by Mary Balogh – 3.5 stars
Autocracy, Inc by Anne Applebaum – 4.5 stars
Gândurile mele din vremea războiului by Regina Maria – 5 stars
Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari – 5 stars
Looking at Women Looking at War by Victoria Amelina – 5 stars
From russia With Blood by Heidi Blake – 4 stars
River kings by Cat Jarman – 2 stars