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Wasted Journey?

William Ehart

WE OFTEN WRITE at HumbleDollar that saving and investing aren’t everything. Spending money on the right things—such as fulfilling experiences—can also be a great investment, especially if the dollars bring ample happiness.

Nearly seven years ago, I thought I’d wasted $4,000 on a foreign trip. But the law of unintended consequences has since worked in my favor.

The 2015 trip was supposed to be an investment in my career. I thought I could make a difference in the world and become a freelance foreign correspondent. I failed. I couldn’t interest any major publication in a story. At least The Christian Science Monitor gave me the courtesy of a polite response.

What was meant to be an investment became an expenditure that I never would have made at that time in my life, just for the sake of traveling. Yet I now properly view the money “spent” as an investment that will pay dividends to my son and me for the rest of our lives.

We didn’t travel to a touristy locale. We went to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, a post-Soviet republic where reformed-minded citizens had risen up successfully against an extravagantly corrupt pro-Russia leader in 2014.

Our hotel overlooked the main site of the uprising. Ukraine was then—and still is—under siege by a jealous neighbor. All the talk now is of a potential large-scale Russian invasion. But the fact is, Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine immediately after the uprising, seizing Crimea and slipping troops and heavy equipment into parts of eastern Ukraine, ostensibly to support pro-Russia separatists.

I have no family ties to that part of the world. But I was grandiose enough to think I could help rally public support for a free and independent Ukraine. I didn’t pretend to be a war correspondent, and have never been a foreign correspondent. But I felt that, far from the frontlines, I could write compelling stories about victims of the war. I’ve been a journalist most of my working life, with personal profiles and emotive writing among my strengths.

I took my then 16-year-old son with me. I wanted to get his mind out of Harry Potter books and ground him in reality. It doesn’t get much more real than interviewing horribly wounded soldiers, with the help of a translator, in Kyiv’s woefully underequipped Central Military Hospital.

In that, I succeeded. My son has always been fascinated by exotic languages. He later furthered his interest in Eastern Europe and took many Russian courses while majoring in linguistics at the University of Pennsylvania. Recently, he received a conditional offer for an important job in which his Russian skills will be crucial.

My son wowed my friend Nadiya and her husband Yevgeniy last year with his Russian conversation skills. They turned to me and began speaking in Russian. I said, “Don’t look at me, he’s the genius.” Both Ukrainian and Russian are widely spoken in Ukraine.

What about me? I’ve formed relationships with many of the Ukrainian-American activists in the Washington, D.C., area. They met and formed charitable organizations while protesting Russia’s actions. They’ve raised money to help war victims and advocated that U.S. arms, particularly antitank missiles, be provided to Ukraine. The Trump administration did so in 2018.

I’ve written online articles stemming from the trip, for which I received no pay. I also donate modestly to two charities that help war victims, and I do a little pro-bono PR work for one of them. I frequent Ukrainian festivals, where I am greeted warmly and buy items—like a traditional shirt with vyshyvanka embroidery for my sonto support Ukrainian causes.

As often happens when personal ties are formed, business relationships are forged as well. I’ve rented my family’s beach condo to two of the friends I’ve made. And I frequent Nadiya’s jewelry business, much to my daughter’s delight.

Have I swayed public opinion on Ukraine’s behalf? Have I become a globe-trotting author? No. I have seen the faces of the wounded veterans, war widows and orphans, however, who have been helped by my online articles, donations and PR work.

I have made a small difference in their lives, and a big one in my own. And I may have helped my son launch his career and a lifelong passion. That’s one heck of a father-son trip.

William Ehart is a journalist in the Washington, D.C., area. In his spare time, he enjoys writing for beginning and intermediate investors on why they should invest and how simple it can be, despite all the financial noise. Follow Bill on Twitter @BillEhart and check out his earlier articles.

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Michelle K
2 years ago

I love this! I believe the best things in life happen with no planning and by chance. Great to hear your interesting story.

Laurynas K
2 years ago

William, if you want to cooperate or coordinate some support actions, you could connect to Jonas Ohmanas, the head or organisation Blue/Yellow. He is legit and active supporter of Ukraine.

https://www.blue-yellow.lt/en/

John Goodell
2 years ago

I love this.

Andrew Forsythe
2 years ago

William, thanks for an interesting, and different, article. You definitely turned your trip into something very worthwhile for your son and for you. Well done.

R Quinn
2 years ago

A few years back I spent ten days traveling around the Ukraine and Crimea, even went to the opera in a beautiful new theater where I got hollered at for putting my hands on a newly polished railing. While we were there, there were pro Russian demonstrations all over the place. I don’t know what the Ukrainian people want, but I’m pretty sure the empty threat of economic sanctions against the likes of Putin will not help them.

James McGlynn CFA RICP®

Great story. Do you believe it is safe to visit now? Did you contemplate visiting Chernobyl as well?

William Ehart
2 years ago

Thanks James. Chernobyl wasn’t on the agenda. It’s probably too risky to visit Ukraine now, but it may depend where you go and what risk you are comfortable with. One has to take very seriously the possibility of a major Russian operation with efforts to cause damage, on way or another, anywhere in Ukraine.

Ocher
2 years ago

William, thanks for sharing your experience. Often times taking risks and being open to other cultures and experiences yields unanticipated benefits. I recall fondly the 6 weeks I spent as a teen in Mexico City with my family. That experience whetted my interest in languages and travel. As an adult, I had the opportunity to travel – mostly to Europe – with my children. Now as adults, they have traveled the world for work and pleasure to many places I’ve never been. Part of the benefit from my perspective is that they have become world citizens. Our daughter works for a refugee organization in the US and is currently working to resettle Afghan refugees. We have developed friendships in other countries – Germany, Japan, Nepal – that enrich our lives in countless ways. Thanks for sharing your lovely story and reminding us of the importance of connecting with other peoples and cultures.

battambang nicolas
2 years ago

Excellent article, William, and one which resonated greatly with me. Given many of the poor journalistic standards around, today, perhaps you should take it as a compliment that your articles were not accepted. Maybe, they were too truthful. At least you tried, as per the old adage, “Better to die on your feet than to live forever on your knees”. You are clearly a fine example to your son, so well done for this and for this article.

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