Settlement Services says that there are almost 160 people in the community
On February 24, 2022, Serhii Malamura woke up to the sound of explosions. Russia had started to move into Ukraine.
The family went to their basement because they didn’t know when or where another blast might happen. They stayed there for about a month.
“Not having enough food was the biggest problem,” Malamura told CBC News through a translator. He said that they got by on potatoes and jam and had little to do but sit and wait for the next strike, which scared them.
He said, “It got really hard,” especially for his young children, one of whom was only two months old at the time.
Malamura said that his family’s first sign of hope came when they heard about the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program. This is a temporary resettlement program for Ukrainians who are trying to get away from the war with Russia.
It took the family almost a year to get visas and passports, which was hard because embassies in Ukraine were closed, and to make the long trip from Ukraine to Poland, Vienna, and Canada with the help of a friend.not-for-profit.
They just moved to Canmore a few weeks ago and are now living with a host family there.
Malamura, who is from Skybyn, Ukraine, about 30 km from the center of Kyiv, said, “We’re very grateful.”
“We could never have imagined that they would end up in such a great place as Canmore.”
Community growin
Malamura’s family is part of a small but growing group of Ukrainians who moved to Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise, and Kananaskis in the past few years.
Settlement Services in the Bow Valley says that there are now about 160 people living there. Some people moved to the area because they knew someone who lived there or because they wanted to work in the hospitality industry.
It can be a time with both good and bad things. There is relief to be in Canada, but there is also fear and worry for loved ones back home. There is wonder at the natural beauty of the area, but it is hard to adapt to a new culture, and there is also a housing and affordability crisis in the area.
Liza Kanischeva, a local volunteer who organizes fundraisers and events for the local Ukrainian community, said, “Everyone I’ve talked to keeps telling me how friendly the Canmore community is and how beautiful the area is.”
She also said, “Everyone is struggling and fighting their own war in their own way.”
‘We were lucky
Elizabeth Mokra says that the beginning of 2022 was her “perfect time.” She worked and went to school in Kyiv. When she had time off, she traveled, volunteered, and went to parties.
She said, “We didn’t really worry about our future.”
By February 2022, it was obvious that things were getting worse.
When Russia took over Crimea in 2014, Mokra’s family had to leave Donetsk. He didn’t want to believe it could happen again. Still, her husband talked her into going to the west of Ukraine, just in case.
They woke up on Feb. 22 to the sound of explosions, just like Malamura and his family. Soon, they joined the crowds crossing the border into Poland.
Mokra said, “We were just standing on the road in Poland because we didn’t know what to do next.”
After hearing about the CUAET program, they went to Germany with the help of kind strangers they met in Poland. From there, they went to Canada. Charles Hung, Mokra’s husband, used to be a tour guide and travel agent, so he knew that Banff was a tourist town.
After staying with a host family in Calgary for a short time, they moved here last spring.
Even though they are happy to be here, they admit that the first few months were hard. Both Mokra and Hung had studied English, but it was harder for them to use it in everyday conversation.
There were also things about Canada that were different and needed to be adjusted to, like the tax system and the high number of scam calls.
She said, “It’s still hard, but it’s much better than the beginning.”
Thinking of hom
Malamura and Mokra both say that being in Canada is bittersweet because they still think about their home country.
Mokra sends messages back and forth to the mother of a friend who joined the Ukrainian army and was killed after he joined. Malamura’s phone still lets him know when an air raid is happening.
In a statement written with the help of a translator, he said, “Our scars remain.” “The other day, our middle son saw a low-flying plane and thought it was a rocket. He was getting ready to hide.”
They are making plans for the future right now. Malamura’s kids are going to school, and he has a job and is starting to learn English.
Mokra works at a crystal shop in Banff, which she likes. She wants to apply for permanent residency and study law so that she can help people like her in the future.
“We are putting in a lot of effort. We’re trying to make our lives better, fit in, and feel like we’ve made a new home here “she told me.