Team Herald
MARGAO: A timely decision to leave Ukraine just when the tensions were building up with Russia helped Davorlim girl Rachel Gomes to reach home safely on February 18, much before the war broke out. However, she is keen on returning to Ukraine for completing her education, once the situation normalises.
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“I am praying for the end of the ward at the earliest as I definitely want to go back to Ukraine and complete my education,” Rachel told Herald on Wednesday.
Narrating her journey and the hardships faced in Ukraine, Rachel said that in the beginning of February war clouds had started hovering over Ukraine. But nothing was sure.
“We were expecting that the officials of the University would ask us to return home. However, nobody took the situation seriously. After February 10, things started getting serious, but still everything was under control,” she said.
She further said that there was information that the Russian army may declare war against Ukraine by February 16 and hence the students were asked to leave at the earliest.
“Finally we decided to leave and at that point the officials from University told us that they will continue with the offline classes in two weeks. There was confusion. Initially we weren’t allowed to leave the campus and Ukraine,” she said.
Finally, she along with few others travelled to Kiev, thereafter to Sharjah and from there to Hyderabad. From Hyderabad they went to Bengaluru due to unavailability of direct flight and then to Goa.
“I felt relieved when I came back to Goa. I was restless and very worried. Thankful I reached home before anything started. I feel very blessed after returning back to my home and joining my family,” the youngster from Davorlim said.
Her parents Domnic Gomes, and Jenny Fereira called it a God’s miracle that their daughter returned safely. They are still praying for the safe return of all the other Goan students who are stranded in Ukraine.
Her father Domnic Gomes said that he was very worried when to hear that Russian army had lined up along the Ukraine border.
“I asked my daughter to return back to Goa immediately seeing the situation in Ukraine going from bad to worse. I managed to send some money to her. I always used to pray for her. She is only our daughter,” he said.
