Moving to Cyprus changed Artem Zakharov’s expectations, but it was not his first experience of questioning what life abroad would be like. In this conversation, published on 28 September 2024, he traces that change through Moscow, Tel Aviv, Antalya and Cyprus—and explains why another move was approaching.
When home becomes something you can compare
Artem lived in Moscow for almost 30 years. Before travelling for work, he had little to compare it with: it was simply home. Spending much of 2017 and 2018 in Tel Aviv gave him a different reference point.
At first he found Tel Aviv unfamiliar and noticed things he disliked. Returning to Moscow, he began noticing features of the city he had previously taken for granted. He also reconsidered his assumption that life everywhere was broadly the same apart from architecture, climate and currency.
How he arrived in Cyprus
Artem says he spent about six months in Antalya in 2022. When his family was not granted a residence permit, they looked for another destination. After a short stay in Dubai, they moved to Cyprus, where his business partner was already based and they could work more closely on their startup.
Friends had warned him that the island was boring, lacked people and had poor infrastructure. Those warnings lowered his expectations. His own experience was much more positive: he found infrastructure he appreciated and interesting people in technology, startups and business.
These are Artem’s impressions, not a claim that everyone will experience the island in the same way. He also stresses taking an active part in life rather than waiting for interesting things to arrive by themselves.
Why a positive experience can still end in another move
At the time of the interview, Artem expected to leave Cyprus in about a month. His wife had received an offer for a director-level role at a German company, requiring some office attendance. His own business used a distributed team, so he had more flexibility about where to work.
Leaving did not mean that Cyprus had disappointed him. He avoids saying either “forever” or “never” about returning. The next location follows a family work opportunity rather than a final verdict on the island.
What he misses and what surprised him
Artem misses the scale of Russia’s landscapes, familiar urban surroundings and winter memories, including visits to his father’s dacha. He recalls trips to places such as Altai and Sakhalin.
Katerina brings up snow in the Troodos mountains. Artem remembers a beautiful local hike with a light covering of snow amid greenery, although he had not reached Olympus during its snowy period. It was different from the deep winter he knew at home.
The interview holds these feelings together: appreciation of a new place, attachment to familiar places and openness to another move. It is a personal relocation story rather than a ranking of countries.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Cyprus exceed Artem’s expectations?
Friends had described a boring island with poor infrastructure. He found the people, business environment and infrastructure much more appealing than he had expected.
Why was he preparing to leave Cyprus?
His wife had received a work offer in Germany. His own distributed business gave him flexibility to join her; he did not present the move as disappointment with Cyprus.