Starting a new Life in Iceland and attending University as an International Student
3,445 kilometres lie between Ukraine and Iceland. There is no direct travel connection between the two countries, and very little history ties the two together. It was the distance between the two countries that attracted Igor Stax to Iceland. He left Ukraine, his birth country, under unique but unfortunate circumstances and made his way to the Nordic island of Iceland to seek refuge. He took all the opportunities that came his way to build his life anew and is currently studying at the University of Iceland. This is his story.
Growing up in Ukraine
I was born in Ukraine, in a region called Chernihiv. Most people believe their childhood to have been the best. You do not have any problems because your parents do everything for you. My childhood was interesting, even perfect in my eyes, but my parents worked in factories and never earned the living they deserved for their labour. There was no money. My mum worked in a textile factory and her employers would offer her clothes instead of wages. Most people living in Ukraine are poor. Today most survive on $150 a month. Just to rent an apartment can cost you $100. A lot of these issues that people face are due to the corruption in the country. Politicians have stolen a lot of money from their people.
Paving a Path
I went to university in Chernihiv and completed my studies in Pedagogy and Mathematics. I liked to write. I wrote poems. I wrote articles. I began a blog. I wrote about corruption. I wanted to see change and I wanted to drive the change in my region. I really wanted to change something. A journalist reached out to me, invited me to write for their newspaper. I wrote for them and some other outlets too. I became more brave I guess and did investigative journalism unlike other journalists in my city. For many journalists the truth is not as important as how their relationship is with these corrupt politicians. It is more important for these journalists to see politicians smile at them, shake their hand or invite them for coffee. This is success for these journalists, to form fake relationships. These things were never important to me.
Investigative Journalist
For the last 12 years in Ukraine I worked as a journalist investigating corruption. Corruption is widespread in Ukraine and I was interested to understand why. I was working for a media outlet that was closely linked to a political faction and politician. This politician wanted me to investigate if another politician was corrupt. They said they would fund my investigation and so I agreed. Then these two factions that were opposed suddenly found it in themselves to compromise and I was told to stop my investigation, and that it cannot be published. I lost my job. So journalists are hired and used as pawns to investigate corrupt politicians but if said corrupt officials make friends, the journalist loses their job and the investigation is nullified? Yes. Journalists are not told to fabricate lies, because there is really so much corruption that all information is true and there is enough dirt to bring these people down. I wrote articles, made Facebook posts and YouTube videos discussing this topic.
Journalism in Ukraine
It is a very difficult job, people are afraid to be journalists because owners of media outlets are afraid to publish articles that challenge the government and corruption. The media business is not so lucrative in Ukraine and is mostly used as a propaganda tool to further the interests of certain factions in Ukraine. For example an owner/editor might paint a certain politician in a favourable light and in return the said politician will provide the owner with financial favours. I have had doors shut in my face, been given the finger and told to leave because I caused many problems for these politicians. I was illegally denied entrance and access to public buildings and offices. Denied meetings. The government, prosecutors office and police are closely linked and run a corrupt network and this is why many affluent and authoritative figures get away with committing crimes. The police and prosecutors turn a blind eye. What I wanted to do for Ukraine brought me a lot of problems and no change. I was hoping that other journalists would feel inspired in my region so we could come together and become a force of change. Instead I was labelled crazy.
The Last Straw
In my region in Ukraine the parliamentary elections were happening and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) accused the nominee of criminal activities and said that he had committed crimes against the country. I was hired to investigate this minister. This city where I went is the criminal capital of our region and there is a mafia-like presence. When I went there no one knew me but I received messages online and via SMS warning me to be careful. I was changing apartments often. A man came up to me once and told me that I would be raped if I did not leave the city. I immediately wrote a letter to the police to explain to them the threats made to my life. The police did nothing. Even a member of parliament sent me a threat through Facebook. I felt like I was in a thriller movie. I still did not stop. I carried on with my investigation. I made a video message to the president of Ukraine that had over 20,000 views. I explained my situation. I said ‘I speak to you because for the past 20 years these people hired by the government have not done their job’. Local people gave me a lot of information, especially those who had been wronged. I was attacked during the day, in bright daylight, they beat me. I went to the hospital, got a concussion and some stitches. Yet I still wrote open letters to the Government, Ministers and persecutors with no further reaction. A lot of journalists in Ukraine have been killed. No one is punished for these murders. Their stories were a lot like mine. First they send threats, then they beat you and then they kill you. My country did not give me the most basic thing that it should give its citizens, which is to protect my life. I asked for help from the President, Minister of Interior, and persecutors… they all said this was out of their control. I was a member of the Union of Journalists of Ukraine, after being beaten, I was expelled from the union because the Head of the union worked for the people I was investigating. That was the last straw.
Iceland
Iceland was one country that I could come to with a Ukrainian passport. It was also important to me that it was far away from Ukraine and that there were no direct flights from Ukraine to Iceland. It was also important to me that Iceland was the best country for freedom of speech, and the best country for journalists. I had to declare that I needed protection, refuge. It felt like a breath of fresh air arriving in Iceland. When I was in Ukraine I could not trust anyone. I could not believe anyone. Poor people can do anything for money, so I could never talk to just anyone. In Iceland I can go on the street and not have to look over my shoulder. My first appeal for protection was rejected because Útlendingastofnun did not believe I had enough views on my YouTube channel. I found that explanation very surprising. I reapplied. After one year I sought asylum. In that one year the government supported me, I got money for food and had a roof over my head. They gave me the one thing I really needed. I got the opportunity to learn Icelandic, which I was eager to learn because I like to study. I want to speak the language of the people. It was also a good distraction from thinking about Ukraine and keeping me away from depression. I kept busy. I went to the gym, ran, swam and kept learning Icelandic. I liked my body to be exhausted, but my mind fresh. If I did not have these things then all I would think about is that they would kill me. I would not get asylum status, and that I would be deported. I would have gone crazy.
University of Iceland
Unfortunately, I do not speak Icelandic as well as I want to, but I went to courses and I never stopped learning. I continued with language courses, and I got enough knowledge to take the exam for the ‘Icelandic as A Second Language’ at the University of Iceland. I want to thank the government. As a refugee you get a loan so you can study. I came with no money, so that loan was very helpful and useful. I find it difficult to make friends at the university because I cannot trust people so easily. My past bad experiences have left a strong impression. But I like to work hard. I spend most of my day learning Icelandic. My main problem is I do not have many people to speak Icelandic with and practice what I learn. Still, every new step you take gets you closer to speaking better. I want to be a journalist here too. Life is slowly getting better. I swim in the ocean. I run and go to the gym. I study and work hard. I am meeting people who are interested in the same things as me, especially the group of friends that swim in the ocean with me. I am hopeful to be able to live my life as I wish.