I lived in Russia until I was 30, two years ago, working as a journalist and copywriter, but then felt uncomfortable in my own country. Democracy, freedom of speech, innovations – all the signs of civilization were cut, step by step. Like all of my friends, I traveled abroad every year, and the contrast between “here” and “there” was disappointing. No wonder I began thinking of emigration. But where?
Countries like Canada or Australia are not interested in my services, as a Russian journalist. I`m not a Jew, so Israel won’t accept me, too. Germany has free education, but I already have two diplomas. The problem seemed not easy to solve. While thinking, I decided to live in Ukraine for a while. My father is a native Ukrainian, I’ve visited the country several times and had friends there. Besides, I heard that Ukraine is going to become a EU-associated country, so why don`t take a chance?
I lived in Crimea for a year, sea swimming, drinking wine and doing some freelance job. Then felt bored and moved to Kyiv. It was November 2013, right before the EuroMaidan Revolution, that changed everything dramatically.
Maidan showed me the real Ukrainians, their demand for changes, and their young nation forming. And then Russian President Vladimir Putin`s showed HIS face – after he annexed Crimea, violating the treaties, and started a shameful war on Donbas. What is even worse, the huge majority of Russians supported all those deeds. Being in Moscow in March, I took part in a rally against war in Ukraine, was arrested and spent one day in the police department jail. (By the way, I met many nice people there, we talked all night long, even reading rhymes from memory.) That became the last straw for me. I understood that things in Russia are not going to change during my life. Maybe they will never change at all.
I returned to Russia to spend last summer with my friends and then began my preparations to move to Ukraine permanently. My fathers’s origin gave me ground to ask for a permanent residence. Not all my friends understood me. My parents were even afraid for me – will Ukrainians be happy to see me, won`t they send me to war? “Imagine a German guy coming to Soviet Union during WWII – do you think he would be met warmly?” – they asked.
(I also remember the question that Ukrainian consul asked me when I first called him to clear the details. He wondered, why did I want to move to Ukraine, having no relatives nor flat there. I could hardly answer.)
But still I decided to take a chance. My Kyivan friend sent me an invitation, and in January 13, I stepped from the train on the platform of Kyiv Central Railway Station.
Since then, half a year passed. I received my permanent residence permit, though it turned out to be a hard task – Ukrainian bureaucracy still has much in common with that in Soviet Union.
And, of course, starting everything from the very beginning, in a new place is always hard.
But now almost all the problems are solved, I rent a room on Heroiv Dnipra metro station and look for a fulltime job in Kyiv. Life in Ukraine is much cheaper: my friends in Moscow do not believe when I tell, how much does cherry cost here.
To sum it up, emigration to Ukraine turned out to be more complicated than I thought before, but I feel no regrets. Now I know that I will stay here for long, and may become a citizen after a couple of years. Local nature, food and women are attracting me more than ever, and I already speak some Ukrainian. Things are not going ideal here, but still this country has a European perspective – unlike Russia, which goes straight in the opposite direction. Well, not with me.
