I don’t usually write mid-month updates, but this time is different because there is a huge change and I want to split the monthly round-up in 2, so today is Mid-April update. I will share pictures and in the monthly round-up will be the collage with a picture for each day. These two weeks I’ve met a friend in Lviv with whom I’ve been chatting for a while now. I went with volunteering friends at two different museums and I went alone to an art exhibition, Unbroken. It’s nice to be back in Lviv, having dinners with friends, and so on.
I mentioned last month that I’m in Ukraine, what I didn’t mention is that we will adopt a cat. Now Volya [Freedom] is with me. Check the post of her story, she was evacuated from a city close to the frontlines in which, by 2024, all the buildings were either damaged or destroyed. Now we are planning how to travel with her to the UK.
I shared a lot of pictures with her, from when I signed the paperwork for adoption to a few at home, so now I share others. Check the post mentioned above for more pics. She has an Instagram account, made just to keep a record, but do follow it if you want to see more of her.
She loves this box, she sleeps in it when I’m away. She doesn’t get out of it when I’m home, but takes her time. She is only sleeping in it during the day, in the night she mostly sleeps on the bed or on the bed-stand. She ignores her bed, pictured above. I used treats for her to stay in it long enough to take that picture.
She loves playing and I’m delighted about that.
Besides spending a lot of time with her, I do volunteering. I take her with me at the camo netting place, where she is very loved. Besides that I went to the kitchen, as before. I also started doing other things, see below.
Firstly I started painting with children who are affected by the war, displaced and/or they lost a parent in the war, usually fighting. I love these sessions.
I also started walking the dogs at the animal shelter. It’s the same place from where I adopted Volya. I go to the cat section for a couple of hours on a day and on Saturday I went for an hour at the cats and walked two dogs for another hour. The dog above was just the cutest. He walked so nicely on a lead, as you can see. It was the first time he saw me and he was so well behaved. I would have been tempted to adopt him if I wasn’t getting Volya. The second dog I walked barely noticed that I was holding the lead, too preoccupied to pull and snack on the grass, funny character.
Last picture is from yesterday, when a Free Azov rally happened in front of the opera. It is incredible how much support there was from the ones passing by and almost all the cars (if not all) honked in support. I hope the Azov defenders will be released soon. It is a shame on the international bodies that they are still in custody.
Volya is a darling (and what a wonderful name!) . I love hearing about all your volunteering- really joyful to hear all you are doing! That’s lovely about the dogs!
Sounds like you’re enjoying your stay in Lviv and your time volunteering. Volya is a beautiful cat. Good luck with arranging her travel back to the UK. #project365
Volya is a beautiful cat, it sounds like she’s very playful. I hope you can travel to the UK with her soon and that it all goes smoothly.
Your volunteering is such a wonderful thing to do, what a lovely person you are.
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Congratulations on your new cat family member, she looks just like Pushkins. When it came to moving Pushkins from South Africa to Dubai then onto the UK we paid pet relocation companies to move her due to the regulations of moving into and out of Dubai as it was such a complicated system. Each country from and to has such different rules. The best thing to do is seek advise from the country you are relocating to. So search for an import company in the UK or speak to a vet in the UK who maybe able to advise you. There is a strict order and time line with jabs, rabies testing and dates flown for you and the vet, including routes by road. Once the process starts it is very smooth and you can do it yourself, you just have to make sure you have all the paperwork. I’m sure there are probably lots of organisations in the Ukraine that are rehoming cats in the UK due to the war, you could speak to. Let me know how it goes.
I sure thought I left a comment here yesterday, but maybe not. I love that you’re working with the children in art therapy and also walking the dogs at the shelter. Such simple things, but important ones!
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Thank you. I talked about the other volunteering I do, like camo and food prep, which is very rewarding as well, but I like that now I have so many different roles. Most days I go to 2 different places each day, so I do varied things. I’m loving my time in Ukraine, it’s so rewarding.
I’m so thrilled you adopted Volya and I hope her transport to the UK will be easy and uneventful. She really is lovely. I’m especially enjoying your volunteer activities, and the painting with children is so important. All good things, Anca.
Thank you Jeanie. The painting sessions are very emotional, but very rewarding too.
So busy, and nice to see how you’re helping and volunteering over there. Your new cat looks lovely, hope you can get her back to the UK ok and she settles in.
Volya is very cute and hope you have a wonderful time in Lviv. Volunteering must be very rewarding.
It sounds like you have been having such a busy time. How lovely to meet a friend in Lviv.
I hope the trip bringing Volya to the UK goes well. She is beautiful!
Painting with the kids and walking the dogs is a fantastic way to spend your time. You are such a kind person.
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