Team Herald
MARGAO: Anezka Prerna Fernandes hid in bunkers for almost three days as Russian bombs were falling on Ukraine. Fearing for her safety, the 20-year-old joined thousands of others, including Indian students, in devising an evacuation plan.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
She reached home on Thursday afternoon to the relief of her parents Milton and Pearl Fernandes who hugged her even as tears of happiness rolled down their cheeks.
Anezka was one of the Goan students who chose Romania as their point of departure. She managed to board the bus, but with no other option left she along with others walked nearly eight kilometres to reach the Romanian borders. However, she did not encounter any major problems reaching the borders.
She was doing her six years degree course in medicine at National University at Vinnytsia.
Speaking to Herald, Anezka said rumours about the war had heard since January. “We had licensing exams coming up in June and hence we all were confused on what decision to take on our future course of action. On the other hand we were also worried about prices of the flight tickets, when the Indian Embassy told us to leave Ukraine, if classes are not essential,” she stated.
However, on February 22 she decided to return back to Goa, and booked flight tickets, as the situation worsened.
“Shockingly, we were informed by one of our friends that the airport at Kiev was under attack, and hence everybody panicked. We were told to hide for safety, as the Russian army was coming closer to the Ukraine borders. Nobody had any idea what was to be done,” she told Herald.
Anezka, along with her friends decided to fly back home and had to travel to one of the borders, wherein Romania, Poland has opened their borders in order to evacuate stranded students and others.
“One of the teachers managed to hire a bus for us and we travelled from Vinnytsia, a city in west-central Ukraine, and chose Romania as our destination. We were dropped eight kilometres from the borders and walked from there with our luggage,” she said.
She added that they did not encounter any problem at the time of walking towards Romania, but heard horrifying tales of situations which forced them to hide in bunkers.
“We were altogether nearly 2000 students at the Romania borders. It was much cooler and the temperature was minus two degrees. However, volunteers from Ukraine and also from Romania were helping all. They were very kind. All were waiting to cross the border. There was chaos, many were seen crying,” Anezka further narrated the journey which she had never expected. At one point during the crossing it snowed.
She will now have to wait for normalcy in Ukraine to return and complete her degree. “I have already invested three years in studies, and want to finish the course,” she said.
