The War in The East: an interview with Renton Mathes

Recently one of our fellow students embarked on a trip overseas with the goal of visiting Ukraine. What follows is an account of his experience which may help give us some context into the daily lives of those living under threat of war, and perhaps help us to better appreciate our lives here in Canada.

Interviewer: Ukraine is currently a no-fly zone, how did you manage to get in?

I flew out of Canada at Toronto to Zurich, Switzerland on connection to Warsaw, Poland; then a short train ride to Krakow. From there I took a bus across the border. The plane flights not including layover was probably 16 hours then the train and bus added another 7 hours. I saw many beautiful buildings on my way there and esspecially once I was there. What particularly struck me was the way you could clearly see three historical periods in the east. There were the beautiful churches and castle ruins from the medieval era full of texture and intrigue. Then there were the horrible brutalistic boxes that come from the Soviet era. And finally the modern American style buildings; big glass boxes with screens of advertisements all over them; hollow and reflective. To see so clearly three time periods allowed one to notice certain relationships between them in how they relate to the human being which enters them.

I: Let’s return to the logistics before discussing the cultural elements further. Did you experience any difficulties at the border?

Not at all. I was surprised at how easy it was and assumed that I would have to answer lots of questions. Even when I eventually came back home to Canada, I faced very little scrutiny. There was no pressure to keep me there.

I: And while you were there in the country, did you face any harassment from local authorities or even the public — because you are a young man of military age, perhaps it was strange to see you out freely in the city not in military clothes?

I thought I would have to answer for myself constantly so I kept my passport, drivers license, and student ID close by at all times, but not once did I need to show it to someone in the city. In fact there were lots of young men around; either students, workers, or military and the people of Ukraine were generally excited to see me and have an opportunity to practice their English. They would ask me how to say certain phrases properly or try to make jokes in English. It was overall a pleasant experience. 

I: Did most people speak English?

In almost every restaurant or store, the people spoke English. There were a few places I needed to use some basic Ukrainian or google translate such as the supermarket, in a rural village, or at a parkade. 

I: So you said the bus ride into Ukraine was only a few hours, that means you were staying in the Western most part right?

Yes, I was mainly staying in Lviv and a small town south of there. 

I: And did you experience any military threat or warnings?

Probably a week before my trip, Russia sent a significant strike on Ukraine involving some missiles as well as the usual drones. It was my understanding that it takes them a month to prepare and launch a strike like that, so I was pretty confident I would see less action. That being said, I did hear two air alarms go off the week I spent there. And the city further south from me was struck by a drone… so there was some risk, but I paid attention to the protocols and went to the appropriate shelters. I will say, I was probably the only person who took the air alarms seriously. Most people ignore the warnings because they have a job to do or they are sick of it and don’t see a big risk anymore. 

I: So people generally just tried to carry on leading normal lives?

I would say so. I did notice they were affected by the war and the stress it puts on both the economy and one's psychology. Those who were older were living very simply. The best way to describe it is like they are living in the Great Depression. Food is cooked in large quantities and you are expected to over eat to build fat. Everything that can be grown or farmed is and if you aren’t the farmer, you are buying from the farmer. It was delicious and everything was fresh. The older people also knew how to take care of everything in their communities because the government or private companies could no longer be relied upon to fix electrical, plumbing, or road maintenance issues. However, the young people tell a different story. They are living like it might be their last night. They spend practically all their money drinking or on clothes. Alcoholism rates have apparently risen substantially since the war started.

I: Would you say the young people in Ukraine are similar to young people in North America?

In some ways, sure. They are very influenced by North American social media and music. However they have a higher expectation of clothing style, beauty products, and food quality. Many of them find us North Americans generally to be lazy, overweight, and behind the trends of technology and style by at least 10 years. Furthermore, they are not shy at all; acting in ways which we as Canadians might find to be impolite. They happily bump into each other walking in the street or stores, they will call out to you randomly in the streets or other public venues trying to make friends, and they are highly patriotic. 

I: Would you say they have been highly propagandized?

I think so. It’s definitely pervasive on television, social media, advertisements etc. But they tell me it’s viewed with suspicion like how we in Canada see scam callers. There are some who want to fight and die in the war, but most just want to enjoy their lives. The people are told “the war is almost over, just hold on another month.” But they have been told this for three years. Something I thought was beautiful to see was the level of identification with their nation. Given Canada is currently facing threats from America and has, for some time, failed to distinguish itself from our southern neighbour, Ukraine looks like a wonderful example of a smaller population resisting a massive influence and I found the experience inspiring. I had several conversations with Ukrainians who knew full well that Canada could easily become a part of America if we don’t act carefully. Maybe that’s a topic that deserves its own full article. Perhaps some things we could learn from Ukraine is that they are proud of their history, they care deeply for their land and the food they produce from it, and they care about their communities and relationships, particularly family. We as Canadians have been greatly influenced by the isolating forces of American culture and media, but our often harsh weather demands hard work and sacrifice, a greater sense of community, and a celebration of what makes us unique as Canadians. Now is as good a time as ever for Canadians everywhere to reflect on what their citizenship means to them and how that extends into their lives. What would you do if our trade war with America turned for the worse? Would you be willing to give up your life for this beautiful country or to preserve our values? What are those values? What does it mean to you to be a Canadian? These are some of the questions I will be asking myself in the coming months and my answers are going to be influenced by my trip to Europe.

I: Would you recommend a trip like this to other students?

I would only recommend something like this for the journalistically inclined who have connections. Although the Canadian dollar converts very well, which can afford a luxurious vacation there, I would caution against it because there is still a real safety threat. Otherwise I would highly recommend students look to visit other places in Europe to get a sense of the history and the values they have. But I don't regret that I did this. I learned a lot and was greatly inspired by the people, the art, and architecture there. I hope to bring back some of that energy to Canada.