Streetsheet

Streetsheet Stories, poems and pictures by Big Issue vendors and friends

DENIS VISITS UKRAINE IN 2011 AUNT LUDA GETS A LIFT FROM SERJ

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THE FAMILY HOME IN LVIV DENIS’ UKRAINIAN FAMILY

My Heart, Ukraine

Iarrived in Australia from Ukraine in 1993. I’d just turned nine years old. I had been in a car accident when I was three; I had brain damage. And my dad’s brother brought us here. A lot of our family is still in Ukraine, in a town called Lviv. I have heard from my Aunt Luda. Her daughter Julia and son Serj left for Moldova to stay there for a while. But Luda is afraid to leave; she has a sick husband who stays at home. There’s not much food around to eat. Hospitals have been blown up. Everybody’s packing up and leaving, but the men have to stay behind – a lot of my schoolmates, the same age as me, 37, 38, 39… And kids of 18 and 19 are staying to do their service. It’s heartbreaking.

I feel really sad, and angry at Putin at what he’s doing to innocent people. I feel I am supposed to go there and help, but you can’t if you don’t have money. So what I’d like to do is make this story for people to understand how it looks in a world of people who don’t have shelters, who don’t have homes, who don’t have food. They struggle every day. Civilians are killed every day. It’s just so ridiculous.

I went back to Ukraine to visit in 2011. I was happy to see friends, cousins, uncles, aunts, my grandma. Lviv is a beautiful city with beautiful people. There are trams, outdoor pools for swimming, you can go walking, or skiing in winter. It’s sometimes poor, but you live how you live. I miss home. I miss friends.

I would ask people to support the Ukrainian people and try to help. Talk. Give a bit of charity. Aunt Luda is asking to stop the war, to give it up, go home Russia.

Summer Fun

I’ve been working in Windsor this summer and have met loads of people who have been really happy to see me back working. I had a great holiday in Shepparton, seeing friends and going for walks and having some nice meals. The pizza was my favourite. Thank you Big Issue staff for your support.

JEFFREY WINDSOR I VIC

ABBA Love!

I just love ABBA. Every night I like to sing along with my favourite ABBA songs. I also really like the tribute band Björn Again. Last year when I was told ABBA were going to be on The Big Issue cover Ed#648, I started to cry because I just love Benny and Björn. They are great songwriters. My favourite songs are ‘SOS’, ‘Money, Money, Money’ and ‘Mamma Mia’.

STEVE J ARKABA WOOLWORTHS, CASTLE PLAZA & ZUMA’S I ADELAIDE

One Fish, Two Cat…?

How can we choose the right pet simply by how it looks? I had four choices: a fish, cat, dog or rabbit. Well, people can be indecisive when choosing a pet. Kids tell their parents that they can look after all four (mind you, they don’t know how expensive it is having the one, let alone all four), but at the end of the day, kids go through phases and quickly lose interest.

Let’s break it down. Which pet gives you the most satisfaction or joy? Firstly, fish: You put it in a bowl,

ALL VENDOR CONTRIBUTORS TO STREETSHEET ARE PAID FOR THEIR WORK. feed it, change the water every so often and stare at it. (How exciting!)

Secondly, cat: You feed it, you feed it some more, and then they go out to hunt for their prey. Make sure your cat is locked indoors all day.

Thirdly, dog: Dogs are highly skilled, just like humans. A dog also loves its exercise, and as a bonus can protect you and your home – no other pet can do this. Dogs can also be very playful, the list can go on and on about this pet.

Fourthly, rabbit: It eats and hops, is fluffy and cuddly, and can be adorable. Sorry, that’s it.

In my opinion, the best family pet is a dog. It can give the kids a break from playing video games, and a bit of the outdoors is great too.

DAVID L MYER BRIDGE I PERTH

MICHAEL IN HOLIDAY MODE

Life’s Beachy

I took a week off work and went to stay at West Beach Caravan Park. It’s not far away, just on the other side of Adelaide. I went there because they have a brand-new wheelchair-friendly cabin. It’s great – everything is very well organised, especially the kitchen and the bathroom. It also has a deck with a barbecue area, which my carer and I enjoyed a lot. The cabin is great! It’s right next to the beach – 10 metres away! I would definitely go again, and I recommend it to others who are looking for an access-friendly beach stay. During my time off work, we also took a drive to Tailem Bend, on the Murray River. We got to see the new racetrack that was built recently. There weren’t races on; we just wanted to see the track.

MICHAEL L JAMES PLACE, THE BODY SHOP & ADELAIDE ARCADE I ADELAIDE