Georgia                   Crossing Boundaries          24 September 2023


   On 21 September of last year, I held my final anti-war picket
   in Russia.  Just three days later, I was forced to leave my hometown
   due to police persecution, temporarily placing my fate in the hands
   of The Unknown.  As you might guess, I'm writing this note
   for a reason: today marks exactly one year since I left Ozyory.

   At the moment I was leaving my hometown, I was unaware that
   the police were looking for me; I only found out a few days later.
   Another two weeks passed before I found out that my mother had been
   taken in for questioning by criminal investigators, and that I was
   wanted.

   It's heartening to realise that, as of now, my life is not under any
   immediate threat.  Even more gratifying is the fact that, thanks
   to my "escape", I was also able to evacuate my mother from
   the clutches of the Russian Federation, where her continued stay
   promised nothing good.

   This vast journey, which began exactly one year ago, continues
   to this day.  In this year, many events have occurred: good and bad,
   joyous and sad, happy and tragic.  I find it rather amusing that I
   left Ozyory as Mikhail Podivilov, but arrived in Sakartvelo as René
   Coignard.

   Despite facing numerous challenges along the way, and being fully
   aware that I'll still have to face and overcome many burdens
   and adversities in the future, I recognise that I'm always moving
   forward.  A bright future awaits me, and I'm the only one who can
   author it.  I will surely create this bright future.  I am creating
   it right now.





              Copyright (c) 2023 contact@renecoignard.com

                       Powered by Weblog v1.17.7