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What to Do in Case of War (Read It NOW if You Live Abroad)
The refugees I hosted taught me some shocking but important lessons.
Ps: If you are an asylum seeker in Poland, check this link. It will be very helpful to you.
I live in Poland, less than three hours from the Ukrainian border, where a war is currently raging.
Because I’m assuming you never read my bio (who reads it after all?), I start by saying that, besides being a writer, I am also the owner of a tourist hostel in Warsaw. We frequently host international backpackers and transit tourists.
But not right now. Almost all of my rooms are occupied by people who have fled the war in Ukraine, a country that, until recently, was not on the list f the most dangerous places in Europe.
Many of my guests now are women, children, and elders. Some have arrived after days of traveling through difficult border crossings, checkpoints, and congested roads.
Every day, I have to reject over 30 calls from people requesting a room because we are full and have a waiting list. It is painful to see.
Having said that, it has also been a learning experience. I discovered what these people wished they could do before the war starts by talking to them.
