Halifax offered the kind of safety Nata Kostenko was seeking after Russia turned her home in Ukraine into a war zone.
Have you ever had one of those “A-Ha” moments? One of those epiphanies where you suddenly realize you’ve reached some sort of milestone in your life and things might never be the same ever again? Nata Kostenko knows what it’s like.
For much of her early 20s, Kostenko was a digital nomad, travelling across most of Europe, Asia, the U.S., South America, and Oceania. She created a career as a digital designer in 2015 and, despite some visa issues, it allowed her to work almost anywhere just by turning on her computer and connecting to the Internet. She visited 54 different countries before coming to Canada, lived briefly in Estonia and Sweden, and never really worried too much about where she would go next because she could always return home to Ukraine. That all changed when Russia ramped up its full-scale invasion of her country in February 2022.
Previously, her parents ran their own business, but it became impossible to keep it running after Russia escalated the war. In fact, the three were actually scheduled to return home from a vacation when the war entered its full-scale invasion phase. Kostenko was suddenly thrust into the role of family breadwinner.
“Before, I always knew if something happened I could crash on my parents’ couch. Then, in February [2022], I realized I needed to have a couch for my family to crash on. It was a big, grown-up moment,” Kostenko says.
The first stop after leaving their vacation in Egypt was Lithuania. Many Ukrainian refugees fled to Lithuania after the war escalated, but Kostenko says, “I still didn’t feel safe there, or in Europe in general.” Lithuania also shares a border with Russia and if Ukraine can be invaded, many believe Lithuania and its fellow Baltic neighbours could be next.
She tried locating to Berlin for a month after settling her parents, but still didn’t feel safe enough, in part due to what she calls “war triggers” and a large number of Russia supporters. She decided a bigger change was needed.
“I like the Canadian approach. They created a simple process to get an open work permit for three years. It was very soothing,” Kostenko says.
That was the first step to eventually moving to Halifax, Nova Scotia. She arrived in the city on Aug. 1, 2022 with just an emergency visa, her backpack, and a carry-on bag half-filled with a winter coat. It was a big adjustment.
“I knew no one in Nova Scotia. So, I made an effort to talk to people as much as possible. It’s the only way in Nova Scotia; meet people and then they introduce you to others and soon everyone wants to help. It was a pretty softlanding for me.”
Kostenko says it wasn’t easy to restart her career in Nova Scotia, but one of the biggest challenges was actually finding a place to live. The housing crisis is especially hard on new immigrants looking for their first Canadian residence. They have no track record in this country, they may lack pay slips, credit scores, or referrals to offer prospective landlords as proof they can meet the monthly rent. Kostenko says she was finally able to find a space due to the recommendation of a Nigerian professional she met online.
However, she managed to keep working online with some existing clients and eventually landed two new Canadian clients. She now does work as a service designer and researcher, although her status as a sole proprietor means isn’t building work experience toward securing her permanent residency.
Kostenko’s use of newcomer programs has helped her fit into her new community. “The Welcomed In Halifax Program really gives you a nudge to get you to know the community around you,” Kostenko says. The program offers a year of free public transit and access to recreation centres. She made extensive use of both, taking classes on Zumba, yoga, tai chi, acrylic painting, and the Women Outdoor program. The library is another go to, and not just for books. She has borrowed a musical instrument (a cajon), used a soldering iron in the Creative Studios for her hobby, attended free concerts, and used LinkedIn Learning.
The one thing she has found in abundance are people willing to lend her a hand to help her get established.
“People are curious and want to learn more about Ukraine, and they want to help. If you’re a good person, you will find people here who want to welcome you. I got sick once and so many people reached out to see if they could help me.”
She has also found similarities between her new community and her homeland.
“Everyone is so proud of their heritage here,” Kostenko says.” It’s very heart-warming and similar to Ukraine in that way. They’re also similar in terms of their humility. Nova Scotia doesn’t shout ‘We’re the best!’ all the time.”
There is one question Kostenko hears quite often and she likes to answer with a quote from a famous Nova Scotian immigrant. “People ask me what I’m going to do after the war. I remember hearing Tareq Hadhad of Peace by Chocolate answer a similar question by saying. “Canada is not a hospital. You don’t move out when you’ve recovered.’”
Kostenko has some advice to other immigrants thinking about making the move to Nova Scotia. “Try to ‘feel’ your way into the decision. You can try logic and question everything, but if your gut says do it, then trust your gut.” She says it’s very important to listen to your intuition when making such important life decisions.
