Life in Sweden. Chapter 1. How It All Began

We spent the spring of 2022 in Chernivtsi, a beautiful city in western Ukraine. It became not only a pleasant place to stay but also a kind of temporary refuge for us. In April, concerts were finally allowed again, and we immediately returned to performing.

Our first concert took place in the Hall of Organ and Chamber Music, located in an Armenian church. It is hard to describe this place in words — a unique combination of architecture, atmosphere, and acoustics.

At that time, Tima was working on Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in G minor.

There was a Hoffmann Bechstein grand piano in the hall — an instrument that fit the space perfectly. Tymofii truly fell in love with it.

Later, in Sweden, he had the chance to play many excellent Yamaha grand pianos in Lutheran churches. Yet, interestingly, he still remembers that instrument in Chernivtsi as something special. Most likely, it wasn’t just the piano itself, but the combination of the hall, the acoustics, and the overall atmosphere.

The concert hall was full. It was the first performance after a long break.

About halfway through the program, during my performance of Lysenko’s “Elegy,” an air raid siren went off. By that point, Tima had already finished his part.

About 20–30 minutes later, the alarm was lifted, and I returned to the stage. However, a significant part of the audience did not come back — no one knew how long the situation might last.

After that, we had several more performances, but our thoughts gradually began to shift.

We understood that the situation would not improve quickly. And that we had to consider leaving Ukraine — at least for the sake of our children.

At that time, Canada launched the CUAET program, offering long-term visas with the right to work. Many people began applying.

Relatives temporarily moved in with us, planning to relocate to Canada. We also decided to apply — more as a backup option than a firm decision.

At the same time, we started actively researching different countries. We spent a lot of time on YouTube, comparing options and trying to understand where we could build a new life.

Canada seemed attractive, but it didn’t give us a strong sense of certainty. We returned to the idea several times, but doubts always remained.

The only thing I felt confident about was the city — Montreal. A cultural center with a strong appreciation for classical music. During my time working on cruise ships for the French company Ponant, I had the opportunity to interact with French audiences, and I always enjoyed it greatly.

However, practical concerns played a major role: distance, cost of living, and especially housing.

A one-time financial support may sound appealing, but I clearly understood how quickly that money could disappear. And then what?

Another important factor was logistics. From Europe, it is relatively easy to return home if necessary. From Canada, it is a completely different story — much more expensive and complicated.

In the summer of 2022, we returned to Kyiv, finalized our affairs, and began preparing for the move.

Every evening, I continued researching different countries. Gradually, the decision became clear.

Sweden turned out to be the option where even the disadvantages didn’t feel critical. At some point, it simply became obvious — this was our choice.

At the end of September, my family left Kyiv.

The route was simple and stress-free: a night train to Poland, followed by a flight to Stockholm. We deliberately planned everything with extra time to avoid unnecessary pressure.

In Poland, they rented a nice apartment in the city center at a reasonable price. My younger son still remembers it fondly.

The flight itself was surprisingly cheap, but luggage significantly increased the cost. In the end, the taxi ride in Sweden cost more than the flight.

In Stockholm, I booked a hotel in advance. Yes, it was expensive, but after a long journey, I wanted my family to have a proper rest.

The hotel was quite unusual — with round windows resembling portholes — and located very close to the migration office.

The next day, the paperwork began. It took several hours to complete.

After that, they were sent to a temporary accommodation.

The conditions were simple: a small room and shared facilities. Not comfortable, but it was the first step.

After a couple of weeks, they were relocated to the city of Gävle.

Interestingly, it reminded me of my hometown Feodosia — similar in size and atmosphere. They stayed there for about a month.

Then it was time for the next decision.

They could stay in Gävle, move north, or try to get into a larger city.

I suggested not insisting too strongly but mentioning that being in a bigger city would increase our chances of finding work.

At that moment, we came across a post about a pianist position at a ballet school in Gothenburg.

This became an important factor.

Soon after, my family received tickets — they were moving to Gothenburg.

The new accommodation was significantly better, and there was a chance of getting a private apartment later.

In the end, I didn’t get the job at the ballet school. However, Gothenburg turned out to be a great fit for us.

It is a lively city, more compact than Stockholm, with plenty of energy but without feeling overwhelming.

And the nature — that deserves a separate story.

I will talk about that and much more in the next chapters.

Thank you for reading. To be continued.

Volodymyr Slakva
pianist and piano teacher