Shaughnessy, a teacher who has lived and worked in countries like the United Arab Emirates and Japan, moved to Ukraine to work and build a life in July 2021.
Together, she and her husband lived in the Golden Gate neighbourhood. This was the main gate in the 11th-century fortifications of Kyiv, the capital of Kievan Rus.
“I had the privilege of experiencing what it was like to live in beautiful Kyiv,” said Shaughnessy. “It’s a city full of culture and amazing restaurants, music and generosity. There are buskers in the streets at any moment, in any sort of weather. The parks come alive, there are lovely string lights everywhere. It’s just a really romantic place.”