Oksana Petrenko
38 years old · Cascais (temporary protection housing)
Former marketing manager; currently cleaning work + volunteer interpreter
Persona: Ukrainian Refugee
Oksana Petrenko
Quick Profile
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Oksana Petrenko |
| Age | 38 |
| Gender | Female |
| Location | Cascais (temporary protection housing) |
| Occupation | Former marketing manager; currently cleaning work + volunteer interpreter |
| Education | Master's in Marketing (Kyiv University) |
| Housing | Social housing apartment (provided through temporary protection) |
| Family | Daughter (12) with her; husband (40) fighting in Ukraine; parents in Odessa |
| Voter Status | Ukrainian citizen - CANNOT vote |
| Time in Portugal | Since March 2022 |
Background Narrative
Oksana left Kyiv three weeks after the invasion began. Her husband drove them to the Polish border, then turned back—military-age men couldn't leave. She hasn't seen him in person since, only video calls when he's somewhere with signal, looking more exhausted each time.
Portugal was accidental. A friend of a friend had a contact in Cascais who could help with housing. She arrived with her daughter, two suitcases, and her laptop, thinking she'd be back in months. Now it's been nearly four years.
The Portuguese welcomed Ukrainians with warmth she didn't expect. Temporary protection status, housing assistance, a community that organized. Cascais locals brought food, toys for the children, Portuguese lessons. She's grateful in ways she can't fully express.
But gratitude coexists with loss. Her marketing career means nothing here—her Portuguese is functional, not professional. She cleans vacation rentals and helps other Ukrainians navigate bureaucracy. Her daughter speaks Portuguese now, has Portuguese friends, is becoming someone Oksana doesn't fully know.
The war continues. Her parents won't leave Odessa despite the missiles. Her husband is somewhere near Kharkiv. She checks her phone constantly, dreading the message that changes everything. Meanwhile, she builds a life in Portugal that feels both necessary and like betrayal.
Economic Situation
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Income level | Low (€800/month from cleaning + occasional translation) |
| Income source | Informal work; temporary protection benefits |
| Financial stress | Moderate (housing provided; but professional identity lost) |
| Housing cost burden | Subsidized/free through refugee support |
| Economic trajectory | Uncertain—depends on war, return possibility |
Values Profile (Schwartz Framework)
| Dimension | Rating | Expression |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Transcendence | 5 | Helps fellow refugees; community-oriented |
| Self-Enhancement | 3 | Was career-ambitious; now survival mode |
| Openness to Change | 4 | Adapting by necessity; still values stability |
| Conservation | 3 | Ukrainian identity strong; traditional values |
Top 3 values: Security, Benevolence, Self-Direction
Moral Politics Frame (Lakoff)
Primary frame: Nurturant (strong), with wartime complications
Expression: Oksana believes in care, community, protection—her daughter, fellow refugees, her country. But war has hardened some edges. She has little patience for what she sees as Western naivety about Russia, for peace rhetoric that feels like appeasement.
Information Ecosystem
| Source Type | Specific Sources | Trust Level |
|---|---|---|
| TV | Ukrainian channels (via internet), some RTP | High (Ukrainian), Medium (Portuguese) |
| Online | Ukrainian news, Telegram channels, Western media | High |
| Social Media | Telegram (crucial), WhatsApp, Facebook | Very High |
| Community | Ukrainian refugee network in Cascais | Very High |
Media consumption pattern: Obsessive Ukrainian news following. Telegram channels for war updates, community organization. Western media for international perspective. Some Portuguese news for local necessities.
Relationship to Portuguese Politics
Voting Status
- Ukrainian citizen under temporary protection
- CANNOT vote in any Portuguese elections
- Temporary protection doesn't include voting rights
Political Awareness
- Follows Portuguese politics through war lens
- Grateful for Portuguese support (weapons, refugees)
- Aware of some parties being softer on Russia
- Doesn't know candidates in detail
- Would vote for whoever is strongest on Ukraine
Top Concerns (Ranked)
- Husband's safety: "Every day I check. Every notification, my heart stops."
- War ending: "How? When? What will be left?"
- Daughter's adaptation: "She's becoming Portuguese. Is that good? Is that loss?"
- Return uncertainty: "Is there anything to return to? Will we even want to?"
- Professional identity: "I had a career. Now I clean toilets. I'm grateful, but it hurts."
Hopes
For Ukraine:
"Victory. Real victory, not negotiated surrender. Putin punished. Ukraine rebuilt. A future worth returning to."
For herself:
"To hold my husband again. To work in my field. To know what comes next—whether here or home."
For her daughter:
"I want her to remember Ukraine. To keep her Ukrainian, even if she becomes Portuguese too. To never forget why we left."
Fears
Immediate fears:
"The message that says he's gone. Odessa bombed with my parents in it. Being forgotten as the war becomes 'normal.'"
Long-term fears:
"That there's nothing to return to. That my daughter grows up stateless—neither Ukrainian nor Portuguese. That this becomes permanent limbo."
Deepest fear (often unspoken):
"That I'll have to choose between my husband and my daughter's future. That going back means danger, staying means abandonment."
"In Their Own Voice"
How she'd describe her situation:
"I'm not an immigrant—I'm a refugee. I didn't choose to come here. I didn't want to leave my life, my husband, my country. Portugal has been kind, genuinely kind. But this is not my home. My home is being bombed. I'm building a life here while waiting for a life there that may never return."
What she'd want Portuguese people to understand:
"We're not here permanently—at least, we don't want to be. We're waiting. Every day is waiting. For the war to end, for our husbands to survive, for a country to return to. Your kindness matters more than you know. But please don't forget Ukraine just because the news moved on."
On her daughter:
"She's adapted better than me. Portuguese friends, Portuguese school, Portuguese thinking. Part of me is proud—she's resilient. Part of me mourns—she's losing her Ukrainian self. What language will she dream in? What country will she call home? I don't know anymore."
Scenario Response Predictions
| Candidate | Predicted Response (if she could vote) | Key Trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Ventura | Very Negative | Associates with Trump/pro-Russia politics |
| Gouveia e Melo | Positive | Military, security, NATO alignment |
| Marques Mendes | Neutral-Positive | PSD has supported Ukraine |
| Seguro | Neutral | PS supportive but cautious on defense spending |
| Catarina Martins | Mixed | Some left peace rhetoric worries her |
| Cotrim Figueiredo | Positive | IL strongly pro-Ukraine, pro-NATO |
| António Filipe | Very Negative | PCP's Russia positions unforgivable |
Notes for Scenario Development
- Refugee vs. immigrant distinction important to her
- Liminal existence—neither here nor there
- War as constant background trauma
- Daughter's adaptation as both hope and loss
- Professional downgrade deeply painful
- Could interact with: Portuguese volunteers, fellow refugees, daughter, video calls with husband
- In "Day in the Future" vignettes: cleaning work, checking war news, video call with husband, daughter's Portuguese school, community support meeting