It is very very hot In Kyiv. I reckon it is going to be another roasting summer in Europe. I am not a big fan of the heat. My pale complexion is not that good in the sun. And there I am complaining again … besides the heat I have nothing else to moan about. I am a big fan of Kyiv, and it is where I feel at home. Er, actually, this is my home. I am in Kyiv now, at home, and am happy to be here.

I have been here for just over a week and so much about this magical place just blows my mind. The construction for starters. Cranes, cranes and more cranes. You cranes. Ok ok, that is a silly joke. But seriously. You can’t believe how much building is going on in the city. I guess these guys know who is going to win the war.

I am also amazed at how many cool new restaurants I have seen that have opened since I was here last September. Now that we are based in Wroclaw I imagine I will be back in Kyiv more regularly. We have a lot of work to finish before year end on the Ukraine film project, which is entering a very exciting new chapter. And sometime in August the small film team from SA will travel to Wroclaw and then will come with me to Kyiv on the train and we will shoot the last part of the film. That is the current plan. Of course, all plans now can change quite quickly depending on the state of the war. If WW III starts then who knows what will be. Anything is possible.

In January of last year, Marta and I both got corona, and we were ok. A lot of folk were stressed in Ukraine about corona because of the perceived lack of medical infrastructure. And by the end of that month I had a moment, in my home office here in the Nest, where I said to myself “I am content” – a month later the war started.

I have chosen a difficult path in life, being a film entrepreneur and storyteller, for some reason, but I have no regrets – I have lived a full and rich life filled with challenges and stress, and it has been intense at times, and often, very humbling, and flowing with inspiration. And I have got to know some amazing people. I have also been very lucky in life, with my other passion, in IT, and I thank God for that. I have also had many disappointments in life and have learned to live with the pain. I have never suffered from jealousy or envy and I thank God for what I have – there are many blessing to count each day. And I am lucky to know some inspired souls in the world and it genuinely excites me when the people I care about are doing good things out there and that they are filled with excitement and inspiration. It inspires me too. And yes, not so long ago I was at peace (interesting word, considering) for the first time. It was that content feeling that I thought was the meaning of life, for me, finally. And then, it was all taken away – just like that.

This film we are working on is helping me deal with the pain. We are crafting a story about modern Ukraine, that we started shooting in 2018. Right now a sense of purpose is keeping me sane. That and the air conditioner. Did I mention it is very hot here.

I spent Thursday night in the small hours sitting on an out-grown Bunster mattress in the corridor. I was not alone. Our one new neighbour was also there, on beanbags. A family with 3 kids and a small dog. Warm, cool folk. And they sure can snore all of them. They must be used to this insane routine. Yup, air raid sirens woke us all up and the two wall rule kicked in – a newly accepted activity in a not so normal world.

Friday night were more air raid sirens and a missile struck a residential building in the center of the city. I reckon most people did not sleep much this night, but the main reason was because everyone was on Telegram, following what was going on inside Russia. This weekend in hot Kyiv the energy has been just incredible.