This article was created in collaboration with the municipality of Utrecht
When Jacoba Sieders heard that Russia had invaded Ukraine, she immediately knew that she wanted to do something for the Ukrainians who had to flee. In the shower the idea arose to lend a room and her cello to a professional Ukrainian cellist, but that turned out completely differently. Jacoba has now been a host family for the Ukrainian Valentina (42) and her two daughters Anastasiia (19) and Victoria (9) for more than two years.
Jacoba’s plan all started with her cello. She then had RSI, a collective name for muscle and joint complaints in, for example, arms and neck. As a result, Jacoba could not play her cello. “Cellist is who you are,” she explains. “You don’t just play an instrument. You are a cellist through and through, it is part of you.” She realized that there were people in Ukraine who were about to flee and could not take their musical instrument with them. She decided to lend her front room and cello to a Ukrainian cellist.
She posted a call on Facebook and soon 17-year-old Anastasiia responded. “She was happy with a place to sleep for a few days and happy with the offer to continue playing the cello,” says Jacoba. But those few days turned into more. “They have remained to this day. And how special it is.” Jacoba describes them as “super nice people”. She feels responsible. “You read nasty things in the news every time. Then I think: at least ‘mine’ are in the right place here. Their father has been fighting at the front from day one.” Jacoba regularly receives texts from him such as ‘God bless you’.
Receipts from Kyiv
After just a few weeks, Jacoba went on holiday herself. “I heard that other host families found it difficult at first, but it didn’t feel that way to me at all. It felt like it had never been different with them in the house.” She describes the three as roommates, just like in a student house. “When I’ve been on holiday, I bring them presents. And vice versa too. Then I get coupons from Kyiv.”
In recent years, Jacoba has learned a lot about Ukrainian culture, including all kinds of delicious recipes. She also follows the news about Ukraine closely. “I feel personally involved.” She is looking forward to meeting their husband and father and seeing the whole family together.
Jacoba realizes that everything is going exceptionally positively. It helps that the family has its own floor, kitchen and bathroom. Jacoba does notice that, for example, their cooking and eating times differ greatly. “If you always wanted to do those things together, that could be difficult. But here everyone can have their own rhythm. Unless we arrange something nice together for dinner.”
She regularly eats with Valentina and helps Anastasiia with her IT training. ‘Vica’, as Jacoba calls Victoria, speaks good Dutch and goes to a primary school nearby. “It is a nice place to live. We never have any friction, but of course there is always a bit of give and take.” She sometimes regrets that she cannot furnish the extra rooms, but that is the only thing. “That purely concerns my house, which I cannot fully use at the moment, but of course that doesn’t mean much.” Furthermore, having a young child at home, with some occasional problems, is not without its challenges. “When raising children, it is of course not without the occasional fight. You really hear that.”
Arranged quickly
Contact with the municipality went smoothly from the start. “Before they came, I immediately made an appointment at the municipal office. I wanted to know what all needed to be arranged. I didn’t know how it would go, no one knew that yet.” Ultimately, their BSN numbers and a debit card were quickly arranged. “We then went to the Jaarbeurs for more information. Valentina and Anastasiia immediately helped there as volunteers at childcare and as translators. Anastasiia already spoke good English then.”
Her three housemates now have many connections in the city, both with Utrecht residents and other Ukrainians. For example, they are invited to parties by Jacoba’s friends and meet Utrecht residents through their work. Anastasiia has all kinds of student jobs and Valentina sometimes does some cleaning work. They are also widely found in the Ukrainian living room Vital’nya ANNE. “There Anastasiia made music with other musicians and her sister had dance lessons. Valentina came into contact with Ukrainian parents. One of them now gives Vica piano lessons. Anastasiia also gives music lessons to Ukrainian children from the neighborhood.”
‘All together to Kyiv’
The Utrecht guest households are becoming increasingly better at finding each other. For example, there was a meeting at the City Office last fall and there is a WhatsApp group. Jacoba is very pleased with that. Experiences are shared, questions are asked and, if Jacoba has her way, an invitation will soon be sent for a small concert at her home.
As far as Jacoba is concerned, her three housemates can stay as long as necessary. The future is not really talked about. “My friend and I always say: when the war is over, we will all go to Kyiv on a big bus. But for now I don’t see that happening.”
Since the start of the war, several Utrecht residents have opened their homes to Ukrainian refugees. For example, at the end of last year there were approximately 120 Utrecht households that selflessly hosted a total of more than 230 Ukrainians. In total, there are currently more than 1,600 Ukrainians living in our city, mainly in temporary municipal shelters and with host families.
