Demian: “Today I brought my bike because of all the things I have, it has value for me, a spiritual one”
Demian: “Today I brought my bike because of all the things I have, it has value for me, a spiritual one”
Demian, 17 years-old, stands in the sun at Romexpo, the UNHCR Community Center for refugees in Bucharest, Romania.
Demian and his family left Odesa, Ukraine, by car in April 2022. His mother was pregnant, and accompanied by his two siblings and their grandparents, they travelled to safety, crossing the Danube by ferry. Entering Romania, they were welcomed by volunteers and humanitarian organizations. At first, the family slept in a school gym on their first night. Then, with the help of local charities, they were moved to a hotel, until the baby was born.
"Today I brought my bike because of all the things I have, only it has some value for me, such a spiritual one, I would say.
We have a lot in common, a lot of stories, adventures, some difficulties we went through together, some unexpected ups and downs.
Because with it I get emotions that I love. I feel like I'm flying on it, and then I am the pilot. I feel free. And this feeling is very important to me. Because I don't have any other thing like my bike - there is no other thing that I value.
I had to sell my last bicycle [in Ukraine], because it was in very poor condition, quite old, damaged, and it was simply impossible to ride. With the money that we got for it, and what we saved here, we bought a new one.
When I ride, I do not think about anything, I just live and enjoy the moments, the moments that fly by every minute and second. That's why it is so dear to me, that's why I value and appreciate it so much."
What does solidarity mean to you?
"Solidarity means for me mutual respect. For example, when I was riding my bike in the city, I met a Romanian who was handing out stickers with Ukrainian hearts. And he stopped me and started telling me how to help Ukrainians. He didn't know that I was Ukrainian. He told me everything in English, and when I heard it, I said that I was Ukrainian. We stayed for a while and had a good talk, took a selfie. And then we left in a great mood. His heart-sticker, I still have it. I put it under a cover and always carry it with me."
