"Weren’t you afraid?"

It’s the question I’ve been asked most often since returning from Ukraine.

Well… it is a war zone.

Before I went, I prepared as thoroughly as I could. I imagined the worst: death, dismemberment, PTSD—whether for me or someone alongside me. I carried a self-applied tourniquet and practiced using it. I wore dog tags. I had a flak jacket and helmet marked with my name and the word “Volunteer” in Ukrainian—though thankfully, I never had to wear them.

We carried a fully stocked first aid kit. We discussed countless “what ifs.” I memorized the locations of nearby shelters. I went in with my eyes wide open—and kept them open the entire time: calm, but alert.

I felt as prepared as I could be. But of course, no one truly knows how they’ll feel until the moment arrives.

That moment came one afternoon, after crossing through a checkpoint into the Donetsk oblast—an area with intensified fighting. I looked up and saw a drone, maybe 100 yards away.

“Drone. On our left,” I said calmly.

No response.

“A drone. At 9 o’clock,” I repeated.

A few seconds passed. Then Peter confirmed: it was a Ukrainian drone, out for training.

Did I feel fear in that moment? No.  It was something fiercer—an adrenaline-powered clarity. Everything felt immediate, alive. There was urgency, yes—but also a chilling calm, like my body knew exactly what to do.

Afterwards? Yes.  A wave of relief hit me.

Each day, we made strategic decisions to avoid frontline shifts and possible danger. When we arrived late in Odesa, we made the hard call to not pick up humanitarian aid waiting at the port—knowing drone strikes typically target that area at night.

We chose hotels on the outskirts of towns or tucked among taller buildings in lower-rise structures. We avoided unnecessary risks. While there’s no such thing as truly “safe,” we aimed for the safest available option every time.

I trusted my travel partners’ judgment and they trusted mine.

And no – I wasn’t fearless.  I was aware.  I was prepared.  I stayed present.And yes—sometimes, I was afraid.

But I went anyway. And I’d do it again.

Jennifer

Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦