Day in the life of a millennial who fled Ukraine to find peace in Greece, where she can work remotely and avoid the stress of war
Alexandra York
- Jane Kuhuk is a 30-year-old Ukrainian woman who moved to Greece to escape the war at home.
- She wanted to focus on her health and goals and create a safe place for her parents if needed.
This story is part of a series called "Millennial World," which seeks to examine the state of the generation around the globe.
Jane Kuhuk never gave too much thought to her future.
But when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, she decided to leave Kyiv, where she'd lived since college, to protect herself and focus on her career.
"There was so much uncertainty. No one understood what was going on," she told Insider.
The 30-year-old marketing executive who works from home said she felt lost, scared, and confused.
"I wanted to move abroad to create a safe space, like a fortress, in case my family needs to leave Ukraine, too," she said, adding that while she was somewhat scared to make the move, she knew it was the right decision to be able to support herself and her parents if they needed to join her. "I wanted them to be able to rely on me," she said.
What's more, with internet and power outages across Ukraine, Kuhuk needed an environment where she could continue working her remote job as a marketer.
Kuhuk is now in Thessaloniki, Greece, the second-largest city in the country. She lives alone in what she describes as a cozy one-bedroom apartment with a view of Mount Olympus from her balcony. She finally feels safe. The serene neighborhood has allowed her to reflect, for the first time, on what she wants for her future.
"It has been a transitional year for me. I finally got time to think about what I want, about what I feel," Kuhuk said. "And for that, I'm really grateful."
She isn't sure what she hopes for in her future, she said. But she's finally taking time to analyze her goals, which include being healthy and productive, as well as working a job she enjoys.
To achieve these short-term aspirations, she's adamant about following a healthy diet and a daily routine.
Here's a day in her new life, in which she focuses on her health and future.
Wake up and start the day with a workout and breakfast
Kuhuk starts every day with yoga and exercising in her apartment.
Then she eats a healthy breakfast of eggs, vegetables, fruit, and carbs.
"I realized that when you're 30, you probably shouldn't be irresponsible with your health because, otherwise, you won't be productive. So I eat porridge or buckwheat," she said.
Kuhuk has been eating buckwheat since she was young. Along with being healthy, it serves as a reminder of her family back in Ukraine.
Work from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Kuhuk works for a company based in Austin, Texas. Because of the time difference, her schedule is relatively flexible as long as she gets her work done.
Most mornings, she starts work at 11.
She and her boss also have a daily call to discuss things that need to be done that day or week.
Kuhuk takes a break for lunch about 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. During that time, she'll eat and try to go outside for 30 to 45 minutes. Sometimes that means a walk around her city. Other times she'll spend the time sitting on her balcony.
She spends time being outdoors, working out, and cooking because she finds she's more productive at work when she's healthy and active.
Greece is different from Ukraine in that Ukraine is built around very cold winters and very hot summers, Kuhuk said, adding that Ukrainians tended to spend a bit more time indoors. Meanwhile, in Greece, everything is built around warm weather, so people spend much of their days sitting outside on terraces or balconies and at restaurants.
Go for a walk before dinner
After work ends around 7 p.m., Kuhuk makes sure to get in another hour or so outside.
"One of my rules is to spend at least two times per day outside," she said.
She lives in a neighborhood with many families with small children, and she's friendly with workers at the nearby shops and at her local supermarket and bakery.
"Going outside helps a lot, not only because of the sun and fresh air but also because people here are very calm and relaxed. They are the opposite of me," Kuhuk said.
Despite living in a friendly community, she said it's still difficult to be a foreigner.
Kuhuk doesn't have many local friends; most of her friends from home either stayed in Ukraine or fled to other European countries at the start of the war.
"I have a little bit of an isolated life," she said. "But somehow I don't feel unhappy."
Unwind with TV and reading
Because she's no longer surrounded by close friends and family, Kuhuk spends much of her time alone. So she watches a decent amount of TV to substitute that comfortable social interaction, she said.
But Kuhuk is also conscious of her screen time. After turning off the TV and putting her phone down — which she does an hour before bed — she reads a book or her Kindle.
Spend the weekends traveling
During weekends, Kuhuk tries to detach herself from work as much as possible.
"If I keep working on weekends, I can't do anything on Monday. Or by Wednesday, I feel pretty burned out," she said.
If she has the opportunity, she'll take a one- or two-day trip to explore new cities around Greece.
Structuring her days at work and traveling during her time off have helped her reconnect with the life she wants to live, she said.
"It feels like this different, very-real life," she said. "It's so far from laptops and the internet."
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