Meeting stories
Morning jog in Odesa.
I have always considered myself a creative person, but not at all sporty. A date in the format of a morning run seemed far from reality to me. But on Date&Donate I decided to take a risk and I didn’t regret it at all. Dmytro met me near the park at seven in the morning, with a big smile and a bottle of water for me. At first kilometers we started joking about our pace and exchanging favorite playlists for running.
It was the most vivid and sincere acquaintance in my life. We seemed to help each other keep the rhythm, not only in running but also in conversation. Two months after our first meeting, we ran a charity half marathon together in Odesa. Who would have thought that one run could be the beginning of a real story?
Culinary adventure in Kyiv.
I've always been a little shy about being a complete novice in cooking. So when Yuriy offered a cooking master class through Date&Donate, I hesitated for a long time. Nevertheless, I decided — I had to step out of my comfort zone!
Yuriy met me in his home studio, where everything smelled of fresh basil and hints of spices. He patiently explained each step of making pasta, and I couldn’t hold back my laughter when the pasta escaped from the pan. In three hours, we not only created a real Italian dinner, but also talked about dreams, travels, and life without filters. At the end of the evening, we agreed to meet again over a glass of wine and without the stresses of the kitchen. It was one of the warmest acquaintances of my life.
Hiking in the Carpathians.
I love taking nature photos, but I've always dreamed of a real hike, not just "going out into the woods," but walking along the trails of the Carpathians with tents, a campfire, and the stars above my head. I met Nastya on Date&Donate. As it turned out, she also had been looking for someone who wasn't afraid of a little bit of extreme.
Our route ran through valleys, morning fogs and steep climbs. Together we learned how to make a fire from wet branches, brew coffee in the wind, and photograph sunrises without any filters. But most valuable of all, we gained a sincere friendship. The kind where people are together not only for the beautiful views, but also because it's easy to be silent together under the stars.
Art walk in Lviv.
Having arrived in Lviv from Kharkiv, not knowing the city at all, I just wanted to relax for a while. But then I found Date&Donate and thought, "Why not try a walk with art?"
Victoria met me near the Opera House and immediately suggested a game: to find your favorite detail on the facades of old Lviv. At first I was confused - the streets were filled with beauty at every turn. But when I saw a carved lion on one of the walls, something changed in my heart. This lion reminded me of my childhood and from this story real lively conversation began between us.
As a farewell, Victoria gave me a postcard with the inscription: “In Lviv, even the stones remember who you were looking for.” And it seems that that day I found something more than just a city.
Acquaintance on SUP boards.
I've never been on a SUP board, but I've always wanted to try it. In the Date&Donate feed I saw a guy offering a SUP meeting on the Dnipro River in the city of Zaporizhzhia. The meeting was offered late - at 8 p.m., but I didn't expect it to happen at sunset. I thought, "Who the hell is organizing a date on a board?" And I immediately responded.
Serhii turned out to be the most calm instructor you would want to have in any awkward situation. We swam slowly, I fell into the water three times and laughed three times like I hadn’t laughed in a long time. In the middle of the Dnipro he took a thermos of lemonade and we just sat on the boards touching the water with our fingers and talked about life. I am a philologist. He is an IT developer. We would never swipe each other on dating apps. But here it was the perfect wave.