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Life kept going on and still keeps going on the way it has been. And that is terrifying.

Iryna Manzholenko| Opinion contributor

Several weeks ago, people in Kyiv were preoccupied with buying gifts, decorating their houses and wrapping up all their arrangements for the winter holiday season.I was the same way until one of my friends shared her concerns about the accumulation of Russian forces at theborder.

Still, it didn't hit me. I figured surely he isn't so sick in the head that he would dare to try to take over my country.

Life kept going on and still keeps going on the way it has been. People go to work, take care of their kids, have a glass of wine on the weekend and that is terrifying. That illusive peace blurs our vision of the real danger lurking behind our backs.

This bizarre normalcy of life took my mind off the current state of affairs in Ukraine. You naturally want to distance yourself from all the negativity, especially during the festive season. Plus, I dont watch TV, so I didnt have daily exposure to news to feed my anxiety.

However, the more I started digging into the situation, the more my concerns grew. The rate of escalation on the border seemed to be so steady that I started wondering whether it may be more than just an intimidation game. And it kept piling on: military friends talking about possible directions of invasion, American exchange students and friends putting their plans in Ukraine on hold and moving out of the country, videos about preparation for possible military actions, and international friends wondering whether I was OK and asking about my backup plan.

A detailed look: How US and its allies could respond to Russian invasion of Ukraine

Backup plan? Why would I have one of those?

Then I gave it a second thought and began to work out when and how I would react.

But I do not plan to leave my country.

America has a duty to act: Putin plans to crush liberty in Ukraine. Free World must unite to stop him.

The main reason I plan to stay here is that I love Ukraine, and I do believe my country has the potential to become a powerful state. Ukraine is a young country that became independent from the Soviet Union only in 1991. And it takes time and effort to establish our own way of life economically and culturally, especially with neighbors constantly trying to hinder that process.

Although I do not plan to leave my county, I should be prepared for any course of events. Some basic things such as keeping enough cash and a package of documents and essentials ready to go calm me and bring a sense of stability in volatile times. Knowing that my family members are instructed about their actions on the invasion also reassures me.

Alexander Vindman: US can stop the horror of a Putin war in Ukraine. But time is running out.

The currentsituation is messed up in all respects.

On the one hand, I see Ukrainians rushing out of the metro station to go to work, kids running around,laughing at some silly jokes, and restaurants and venues providing fantastic service to the best of their ability. On the other hand, I see news and articles about Russian troops and weapons at the border, international negotiationsand possible sanctions imposed on Russia if it invades Ukraine.

There is still time: Biden needs to get Ukraine right. America's security depends on it.

It sometimes feels like I am a "Stranger Things" character who keeps switching from one reality to another with constant clashes of parallel universes. I would be content and composed while simultaneously having a sensation of something evil dwelling just across the eastern border.

Honestly, I am readyfor the season finale, when the good overtakes the bad and we, the people of Ukraine, can live our best lives in our sovereign, progressive and peaceful country.

Iryna Manzholenko is a resident ofKyiv, Ukraine, who works as a military interpreter.

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Daily life in Kyiv these days feels a lot like if 'Stranger Things' had a Ukraine edition - USA TODAY