The Girl Who Lived Through War
At seventeen, most teenagers worry about exams and friendships. Namira Hasan had far bigger concerns—surviving a war in a foreign country while holding onto her dreams. Her journey to Ukraine for medical school was meant to be the start of something new, not a fight for survival amid missile attacks and chaos. Yet, in the face of danger and uncertainty, she found resilience, hope, and the strength to rebuild. Namira’s story is more than just chasing a dream—it’s about resilience, survival, and discovering strength in the face of unimaginable adversity.
Boss Naari: Hi, Namira. Thank you for being with us today. Can you share your experience of moving to a different country for your studies? How was life in Ukraine?
Namira: The decision to move abroad to study was not easy, I was riddled with guilt. I kept thinking that if only I had studied harder and scored better in NEET UG, my parents wouldn’t have to bear this financial burden. Doubt lingered in my mind and I kept wondering if I was even capable of doing this. Then, my brother who was in India on a holiday, gifted me a book named, “The Rules To Break” by Richard Templer. After reading that book, there was a shift in my perspective. It made me realize that not getting a seat in India was just a setback, not the end. If I used this opportunity to study and work harder, I could still succeed. More than anything, I wanted to make my parents proud and prove that their hard-earned money wasn’t wasted on my education. With those thoughts and dreams, I stepped into Ukraine, ready to begin my journey.
As I stepped out of the airport in Ukraine, I was met with talk of a carefree, easy going life where studying seemed optional, which left me with a sense of unease I couldn’t quite shake. Then, my brother reassured me not to fall into the trap of peer pressure and focus on finding good friends along the way. At 17, living away from home for the first time was scary but I slowly started to love my life in Ukraine so much that I would rarely feel homesick.
Boss Naari: It’s great to hear that you grew to love your life in Ukraine. But being away from home at 17 must have had its lonely moments. How did you cope with loneliness?
Namira: As much as I loved my life in Ukraine, it wasn’t without its challenges. When summer came, I was alone in my room for a while. I would look out my window and see the local families getting together and having a nice time, it made me miss my family even more. That was the first time I cried in Ukraine, overwhelmed by homesickness. But technology was a savior. Whenever I missed my family, I would video call them. We wouldn’t always talk much—just being on camera and going about our things made me feel like I was still with them.
Boss Naari: When you first heard about the possibility of war with Russia, what went through your mind?
Namira: Ever since I arrived in Ukraine, I had been hearing rumors about a war breaking out. So when I heard it again this time in 2022, I assumed it was just another rumor and didn’t think much of it. The explosions started early in the morning, luckily the place where I lived had no impact. When I woke up around 8 a.m., I saw a huge line outside the grocery store near my house. Curious, I checked my phone and found countless messages and missed calls from my friends—that’s when it hit me. The war had begun.
Boss Naari: Once the war began, how did the atmosphere around you change? Can you describe what you witnessed?
Namira: Hastily, I headed to the grocery store to grab all the essentials I might need. Meanwhile, the media and news channels were exaggerating the situation, making my parents worry sick. I called my mom to reassure her that I was safe and that we, students, would figure out a plan to get out of there. The flight charges had skyrocketed due to the war, so we had no other option other than to wait. Then, on the 3rd day, the person who ran an Indian mess near our place announced that he would arrange a train for all the students to get to the Romanian border. So, everyone packed all the luggage, settled everything with the house owner, and vacated our place.
That day at 4 pm, around 200-300 students were waiting at the train station. We waited around 2 hours, yet the man was nowhere to be found. Panic set in. We were stranded in a foreign country, unsure of what to do or where to go. It felt like being stuck in a train station with no ticket, no destination, and nowhere to turn, except this wasn’t just a missed train. This was a war, and we were trapped in the middle.
Views from Namira’s window just after the war started.
Boss Naari: That sounds very scary. I can't even imagine how you must've felt, Namira. Can you tell us what happened next and how you got back to India?
Namira: The 2 nights I spent there were restless. I couldn’t sleep at all, haunted by nightmares of the war. I wanted nothing more than to escape and be in the comforts of my home. One of my friends that spoke Russian arranged a cab to Moldova, which was about an hour from Odessa, where I studied. But the reality of war had driven up desperation and price, the cab driver demanded $100 per person for a short ride. At that point, we just wanted to get out, so we agreed. Luckily, he dropped us off at the border checkpoint, where volunteers were handing out blankets and food.
Namira stranded at the Moldova-Ukraine border
After crossing the border, we were given a free taxi ride to the capital of Moldova. A friend of ours, who was still in Odessa, arranged for us to stay the night in a church. The next morning, after a quick breakfast, we set out for Romania. We found shelter in a rural school for 2 days, where we met so many other students and immigrants who had also fled Ukraine. The volunteers and organizers did their best to keep our spirits up, and despite everything, their kindness stood out the most—they even cooked Indian food for us, making us feel a little less far from home. On the third day, buses took us to the overcrowded airport. With no space inside, we spent the night on the bus. The next day, after what felt like an endless wait, we finally boarded a flight home to Delhi.
Namira and her friend’s with the cab driver
Boss Naari: That must have been an incredibly overwhelming experience. Can you tell us how different Ukraine was before the war compared to when the conflict started?
Namira: Once the war started, everything fell silent. The hospitals on my street, once bustling with people and sirens, felt eerily empty. The only vehicles on the roads were military ones. Fear hung heavy in the air, especially among us students. We barely ate, and sleep felt impossible—each night haunted by nightmares of war. Amidst it all, the kindness of the locals stood out the most. Despite being outsiders, we faced no hostility. In those uncertain days, it didn’t matter where we came from, everyone stood together.
Scenes from the Shelter in Romania
Boss Naari: Having witnessed everything, What made you decide to return to the war zone despite the risks?
Namira: The only thing that made me go back was the goal of finishing my education and getting my hard-earned degree. A few of my friends had already gone back to resume their studies. By the time I decided to go, it was already late so I had to go to another country to get the visa, I decided to go via Turkey. A few days before my flight, a central Cathedral in my city was attacked. My parents grew anxious, as churches were supposed to be safe, places where people sought refuge, not targets. After spending nearly 1.5 years at home, the uncertainty became suffocating. Relatives and friends didn’t make it any easier—they would question my parents’ decision, saying that I should have just studied in India. But I knew I couldn’t stay back any longer. I booked another visa appointment, and this time, I got it in Abu Dhabi. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise—I got to meet my brother and spend some time with him.
Odessa’s severely damaged Cathedral by Russian missiles
Boss Naari: Returning to Ukraine, knowing the situation was far more dangerous, how did that experience feel?
Namira: The first week felt quiet and almost normal. I was happy to be back, and staying so close to my old place filled me with nostalgia. For a brief moment, it felt like nothing had changed. But then one day, we received warnings about incoming missiles and drones. I decided to finish my dinner and go to the shelter. Just as I cleaning up after dinner, I heard a huge explosion. A missile had landed just 1km away from my house. A chill ran through me as I realized that I had planned to take a walk on that very street earlier. Thank God I didn’t. Then came another update—the drones were approaching from the sea and would soon enter Odessa. Me and my friend rushed to another friend's house, seeking safety in the basement.
For the next few days, I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking what if a missile landed near me or directly on my house? I dreaded staying alone in this situation, so I started searching for a roommate. But I had no luck. There were times when I felt like packing my bags and going back to India. But when I moved in with my friends, I felt safe. The comforts of being around people you knew pushed me to stay back. For the next couple of months, the attacks continued. The safety bunker was quite near to us, so during an attack, we would seek refuge there. Even during the monsoon, when Odessa was hit by storms, the airstrikes didn’t stop. Weekends were the worst—it felt like there was never really a break from it all.
Boss Naari: That sounds incredibly tough. It's amazing that you have made it through everything. What helped you get through the most difficult moments during the war?
Namira: It was an unfamiliar experience for all of us—both students and locals alike. But the local's reaction to it was very surprising to us. They were so resilient, at times seeming unfazed by the war happening around them. They used to say, "We have to go on with our lives, else how can we earn our food?" When the first missile was launched, I was standing near my building, shivering with fear and I saw one of my neighbours walking her dog on the street. And another stepped out just to get some milk. Seeing them carry on with such courage gave me strength. Also, the war brought me so much closer to my religion, praying became my source of hope and courage when everything else felt uncertain.
Boss Naari: That kind of resilience is truly remarkable. It’s incredible how people adapt even in the toughest times. How did the experience of surviving a war shape you as a person?
Namira: Initially when I came back to Ukraine I had second thoughts about my decision. But now, looking back on everything that had happened, I am glad that I stayed back. Before the war, I used to be very nervous in social situations, something as simple as grocery shopping felt difficult as I couldn't speak Russian well. But after living in the war zone, something changed in me. I became independent, and more confident, and managed to juggle 2 jobs while keeping up with my studies and final-year exams. Being able to support myself financially was a huge thing for me, something that I always dreamt of. Moreover, the way others perceived me changed as well. The same relatives who said that choosing to study in Ukraine was a mistake, are now saying how strong I am. It’s funny how perspectives shift with time. If I had chosen an easy way out, none of this would have happened.
Dr. Namira and her MBBS: a symbol of strength, far beyond just a degree
Boss Naari: You are truly amazing, Namira. The way that this whole experience changed your perspective on life is very interesting. At last, For someone far from home, especially from India, what advice would you give on coping with challenges in a foreign country, especially with the media talking about wars & conflicts globally?
Namira: Leaving our home for a foreign country is not at all an easy task. It's a mixture of emotions, a hint of excitement of a newfound freedom, a bit of sadness as you leave your family and friends back, and also a bit of nervousness as now you have to face the whole new, strange world out there alone. There will be moments where you would feel like quitting and going back. But I strongly believe that if we weren’t capable of handling the challenges in front of us, God wouldn’t have placed them in our path. As the Quran says, "No soul is burdened with more than it can bear". Never think about any setback as Why do I have to go through this while others don’t? Everyone has their struggles, even if they aren’t always visible.
