Side Quests: Finding Purpose in Ukraine

I can't honestly say I knew why I was going to Ukraine for the first time this summer. I just knew it was the right thing to do and I couldn't sit home and do nothing. I was pretty sure the rest would work itself out when I got there. I have a lot of faith in movement; if I'm making forward progress, then God can make subtle changes to me direction along the way. But you have to be moving to allow that to happen.

Because my expertise is military mental health, I just assumed that is where I needed to direct my efforts. I still call that my Main Quest. In true Henry Cavill fashion, I keep finding these really amazing Side Quests along the way. 

Help99: Freedom Convoys

I volunteered to drive in a convoy from Estonia to Kyiv because driving trucks is one of my skill sets. Who knew hauling horses all over the USA would come in handy someday in Ukraine? I didn't know they were filming a documentary about it (The Convoy Film) because I probably would have passed on that. So I'm glad I didn't know, because I would have missed out on the friendships of a lifetime. How amazing is it that you start out with 22 strangers on a Monday, and by Friday, you're eating off each others plates family style, sharing every nook and cranny of your life, and brainstorming how to bring more awesome projects to Ukraine? 48 hours of trauma bonding will do that to you. 

I've spent months in Ukraine talking to anyone who will listen about mental health, and still didn't feel tangibly productive until I joined this 1-week road trip from Estonia. Handing off trucks and gear to military units, meeting and talking to them in person, asking them what they need on the next trip and then brainstorming how to source those items, is potentially the most addictive feeling I've ever experienced. Having a soldier rip the patch off his arm and slap it on mine with a grin and a thank you is almost overwhelmingly emotional for me. Ukraine has put so much life and purpose back into me that I am repeatedly startled to be thanked for the work we are doing. I don't have enough Ukrainian to explain the emotions, and a thank you seems so inferior. They don't realize that they are saving my life by allowing me to be present and helpful in this way. 

Please explore the following links for more information, and consider becoming a financial supporter of the 69th Sniffing Brigade. It's ridiculously exciting to see my name on every single truck as a supporter, and you might even get invited to drive in a convoy. If you're worried about donating money and not knowing where it goes, this is a fabulous option to make sure your donations reach actual military units in the form of the supplies or vehicles they specifically requested to do their jobs. It doesn't get any more tangible than that. 

IG: The Convoy Film

IG: 69th Sniffing Brigade

50 Birthdays, 12 Countries and Ukraine.

My 50th birthday was in January, and I decided to gift myself as much world travel as possible within the year. I had two basic goals; I was looking for a foreign country where I could work remotely for half the year, and I had also been looking for ways to volunteer in Ukraine. I didn’t know at the time that those would be one and the same. 

I made a plan to visit 12 countries over the course of 6 months, with 6 weeks dedicated to finding a volunteer job in Ukraine. Whether by divine design or happy accident, I went to Ukraine first, and ruined myself for all other countries.

The Scottish and Italians were delightful, but didn’t capture my heart like Ukrainians. European countryside is gorgeous, but not as awe inspiring as Ukraine. Artwork and architecture were lovely everywhere, but not as varied and vibrant and prevalent as Ukraine. All European food is better by default, but still not as good as Ukraine. Am I biased? Yes. Completely. I absolutely can not give you an unbiased opinion about Ukraine. I'm so in love with it that I know I'm over romanticizing all aspects of it, but that's how amazing it feels to me. It's the place my heart started beating again.

As an independent woman who prefers to travel alone and never needs help with anything, Ukrainian men were always so quick to offer help, that it just became easier to let them. I didn’t know enough Ukrainian to argue the point and they were so kind about it that it just became habit to accept help. Then I traveled by train with two large bags through eight more countries, and over 3 months, only one Scottish man offered help. Granted, I’m strong AF, I don’t look like I need help and I don’t really want help. But a train full of German soldiers sat by and watched me load suitcases in the overhead for other women and didn’t even make a move to help. Sure, I’d probably reject the help, but that’s not the point here. It was the same in Italy, Switzerland, Austria, and more, but I was most disappointed by the soldiers in uniform.

Along the way, I was able to visit a few Ukrainian friends displaced by the war. They were fantastic women who befriended me during my initial journey to and from Kyiv. Several times I ran into mildly uncomfortable situations and just needed a friendly face to help me through it. Every time there was a Ukrainian woman there who was quick with a welcoming smile and an invitation to join them for a meal. They even let me practice my very basic Ukrainian language skills. I might have fallen in love with Ukrainians before I even arrived. I have kept in touch with these women and try to visit them each time I go through their cities. 

A dear friend left Ukraine before the war and is building her life in the USA. We recently discussed politics and the varying degrees of dumpster fires offered by different countries. I told her it’s the same with people; everyone has baggage. The trick is to find the person who is worth the baggage, and has baggage you can live with. No one and no where is perfect. Every country has politics, corruption and ugliness. You just find the place where your heart beats loudest, and you choose to live with the baggage. 

 

So fair warning; if you visit Ukraine, it will change you. It might make the rest of the world pale in comparison. But if you’ve spent 50-years looking for the place that brings you back to life, just be prepared to find it.

Poland to Kyiv: A Quick How-To Guide for Traveling to Ukraine - Updated as of August 8, 2024

Updated August 8, 2025 to include my new hacks for train travel into Ukraine.

If you are considering traveling to Ukraine, please be sure to consider your own safety first. I found Kyiv to be very safe, aside from the occasional air raid. Assuming your intention is to volunteer and/or support UA victory in some way, you will be welcomed with open arms. However, at the moment it takes some serious dedication just to get there. At no point did I feel unsafe, even as a woman traveling alone, though Przemysl did feel sketchy af at 11pm on my first time through. Seeing it in daylight is extremely helpful to shake that feeling, but services are still limited. 

When I started this trip, I didn't have a Ukrainian phone number, which can be limiting to booking train tickets. I found a work around that I used until I got a UA sim card. The Ukraine Rail App has a limited timeframe in how far in advance you can purchase tickets, and they can potentially sell out the day that timeframe opens. Polrail Service has a slightly longer timeframe in which you can purchase tickets, and they do the hard work for you. If you don't have a UA sim card yet, I absolutely recommend letting Polrail handle the booking for you.

First things first, fly to Poland. There's a variety of ways to do this, and I'll leave that up to you. I originally flew into Warsaw and stayed a night at the Courtyard Marriott at the Chopin airport, only because I was so exhausted by that point and needed a break before the train from hell. 

I have since changed my flight scheduling and I fly directly to Krakow from Amsterdam, because my first night goal destination is Przemysl. Do whatever makes you happy, but also know that a few extra days in Krakow is absolutely worth the effort. Auschwitz and the Salt Mines are worth a visit, at the very least. 

You can use the PKP Intercity app to book train tickets in Poland, which I definitely recommend. Sometimes the line for tickets is long at the train station. For the airport metro connection, you can buy tickets on the train, either from a kiosk where you can tap your card, or directly from the Train attendant. I take the metro from Krakow Airport to Krakow Glowny, and then another train to Przemsyl. I use Booking.com to book an apartment in Przemysl for the night, linked below. I stay the night and then I catch the 0935 train to Kyiv. There will be a significant line to get through border control. If you want to be at the front of the line, plan to be at the train station by 0730. If you don't care where you are in the line, just show up by 0830. I'll do an update with specific location information about Przemysl when I have more time.

https://www.booking.com/hotel/pl/chombud-apartamenty.html (Przemysl apartment)

**HOT TIP #1** Polrail Service opens ticket sales about 10 weeks in advance. If you don't have a Ukrainian phone number, this is probably your best option. I recommend creating a free account, which takes a day or two to get approved. Use their handy dandy International Trains button to book from Warsaw or Krakow to Kyiv (Kiev). You enter all your personal details, and it spits out your options. 

**HOT TIP #2** Choose whichever train departure and arrival time works best for you, but know that the sleeping cars are generally not climate controlled. They take longer going through passport and border control, and they are not comfortable for sleeping or sitting. If you want a/c in the summer, pay for First Class seating, which is generally only available on the last train of the day. As a bonus, there will also be a food service car with snacks and drinks, which is not available on the train with sleeping cars. As someone who tried both, I'd only book the First Class seating going forward.

**HOT TIP #3** Bring your own food, water, and snacks, especially if you take the sleeping train. It's also not a bad idea to bring cash if you take the First Class train, though they can take credit cards if the machine has reception. It doesn't always work, so having PLN, UAH or EUR is a good idea. Your safest bet is to assume nothing will be available in Przemysl. 

You can use Uber, Bolt or Uklon apps for taxi service in Ukraine. The metro is pretty fantastic, and can get you from the main train station to almost anywhere you need to go. I prefer the metro, but if you have a lot of luggage, a taxi is probably easier. 

**HOT TIP #4** Get a UA SIM card as soon as you can. I upgraded to an iPhone with a dual SIM option, and my personal USA phone number is an embedded SIM. This allows me to dual SIM my Ukrainian number at all times, and I can turn it off when I'm in the US. This is absolutely the easiest way to handle it, but additional ways are listed below.

You can get a SIM from Kyivstar or Vodafone pretty cheap and easy. You mainly need the UA number for the Ukraine Train app and Kyiv City app to buy public transit tickets. The app seems to reset every two weeks, and asks again for the phone number and 2 factor verification, so it's not enough to just have the number. You'll want the SIM card with you in case it times out at a randomly inconvenient time. 

You can also just use your credit card or phone with Google/Apple pay inside the metro. Just look for the gate that has the credit card symbol, and the little glass box where you tap your card or phone. 

I stay in Kyiv for 6 months out of the year and travel back and forth from the US at least twice a year. I will also work on another post about recommendations and expectations within the city itself. Please feel free to reach out with any questions, as I'm happy to be helpful if at all possible.