Ukrainian Diaries

Crossing into Ukraine by land is a test of patience but for a girl named Daria on a bus from Italy, it became a Netflix-level drama. And so it was for Ukrainians and me today.

Enjoy the episode or read a 1-minute reflection here.

This episode was originally published on January 6, 2026.

Image: Gandalf/Sir Ian Murray McKellen by New Line Cinema

The Ukrainian digital ecosystem has shattered the bureaucratic masochism. I booked a doctor through a mobile app, Helsi (just the way a Ukrainian would pronounce “healthy”) at midnight and sat for an online consultation the next morning. No traffic, no queues, just resolution.

Enjoy the episode or read a 1-minute reflection here.

This episode was originally published on January 2, 2026.

Photo from www.digitalstate.gov.ua/about

Christmas in Ukraine has officially migrated to December 25th. The shift to the Gregorian calendar feels logical and European, yet the internal clock of my childhood still ticks toward January 7th.

My early memories are anchored in the quiet, post-New Year lull of my grandparents’ table. It takes more than a decree to reorder the architecture of nostalgia.

Enjoy the episode or read a 1-minute reflection here.

This episode was originally published on December 26, 2025.

Photo: Carolers sing in a carriage of the Kyiv Metro on December 25, 2023. Photo by Leonst