On a clear evening before Christmas in Phuket, far away from the snow and cold, Ivan, a Russian, and Olena, a Ukrainian, met by chance in a cozy beach bar. Both were far from home and bore the heavy burden of a conflict that divided their homelands. But here, under the stars and with the gentle sound of waves in the background, they found common ground: their desire for peace.
Despite their different backgrounds, Ivan and Olena soon discovered that they had a lot in common. They shared stories about their families, their childhood memories and the dreams they had for a peaceful future. The warmth of the conversations made them forget the cold distance between their countries.
Deciding to make a statement, they planned a Christmas celebration together. They decorated a small pine tree with homemade ornaments representing symbols of peace and unity. They cooked a feast, a mixture of Russian and Ukrainian dishes, as a metaphor for harmony and fusion.
On Christmas Eve, with the modest tree glistening in the moonlight, Ivan and Olena sat on the beach, their feet in the warm sand. They exchanged gifts, simple, meaningful things they had found or made. Their conversations were deep, about hope and fear, about love and loss.
As they looked at the stars, they each made a wish. Not for themselves, but for their countries. A wish for peace, for an end to fighting, for a world where people like her are not separated by borders or conflict.
That night, on that quiet beach in Phuket, Ivan and Olena found something precious: a friendship that transcends the borders of countries and conflicts. They realized that while they might not have the power to change the world, they did have the power to change their own little part of the world, one friendship, one Christmas celebration at a time. And maybe, they thought, that was a start.
About this blogger
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Known as Khun Peter (62), lives alternately in Apeldoorn and Pattaya. In a relationship with Kanchana for 14 years. Not yet retired, have my own company, something with insurance. Crazy about animals, especially dogs and music.
Enough hobbies, but unfortunately little time: writing for Thailandblog, fitness, health and nutrition, shooting sports, chatting with friends and some other oddities.
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In 1992, during my deployment to the former Yugoslavia, I went diving for a few days in Split (60 Hour leave).
Drink a beer on a terrace in the evening and chat with the locals. At 22 p.m., 2 jumped up and had to return to Serbia before the checkpoint closed. The other 2 (Croats) wished them a good trip and stayed for a drink with us.
She said they had been friends for 30 years and will remain so.
It's not the population that wants war, it's just a few elite and the government.
As humans, we just have to learn to think for ourselves and not be misled by a few power-hungry Idiots and their propaganda.
In a war, young people who do not know and do not hate each other kill each other at the behest of old people who know and hate each other.
Merry Christmas
French