The Soviet system absolutely did not want to leave its citizens alone. The young family was constantly visited for inspections: "Are you behaving properly? Are you upholding the reputation of a representative of the USSR?" But in reality, the strict officials wanted only one thing: to get as many gifts as possible from those working abroad. Otherwise, a negative reference and refusal to extend the work contract.
From their modest salaries, Victor and Stella had to set aside money for "tribute." A "bully" would come to visit, eat, drink, receive a bag of "souvenirs," casually and commandingly say: "I see everything is fine with you," and then continue on his route. Money was tight. Therefore, every trip home for groceries had "strategic" importance. One day Stella was returning from Ukraine. She was bringing groceries: salo, buckwheat, oatmeal, sunflower seeds... And her mother also gave her a specific dish like pickled garlic. Let her son-in-law and grandson try it; they must be missing home cooking.
The customs officers, who did not like the strong smell, pointed Stella to the room for personal inspection. The officers, pointing at the garlic, ask: "What is this?" But she cannot explain; she hasn't learned Swedish well enough to translate the phrase "pickled garlic." She can only say: "My husband plays football for you." The customs officers shrug, spread their hands: "We don't understand anything." In the end, the products were confiscated and thrown into the trash. Stella herself was allowed into Sweden.
Well, well! She arrived. Without groceries. Upset, even cried: "What will I tell my husband and son? What will I feed them?" In short, a real tragedy. Victor, hiding a smile, then comforted her: "We'll get by somehow."
The car pulled up to the house. Zakharova entered the room and saw that her son had a video game console, a luxury unaffordable with their earnings at the time. Stella became even more upset. "Dear, calm down. Come, look in the refrigerator," her husband led her to the kitchen. She opened the door, and there were jars of black caviar...
It turns out Victor had started a successful business. He had plenty of free time. On a typical day he trained, on weekends he played a match, and then home. And he had a lot of energy. So Khlus, without hesitation, immediately accepted the offer of his friend Mikhail, who had long lived in Sweden: "Vitya, why are you struggling? You won't make any money with your football. Join me." Mikhail had a company selling household appliances.
Gothenburg is a port city. Ships from various countries call and moor here. Including from the Soviet Union. Most often, so-called banana boats arrived. They did business with their crews. The sailors got TVs, tape recorders, refrigerators that were scarce in the Union. And they paid with whatever they could – both money and products.
Business was booming. This caused great envy among the embassy staff. Stella and Victor tried to ignore it all. When the Union collapsed, the diplomatic mission workers sang a completely different tune.
The athletes began to live independently. Without control from the bygone "united and indivisible." Cooperation with the sailors was diverse. Once, one of the Swedes they had met wanted a parrot. "Vitya, do your sailors go to Africa?" "Of course." "Can they bring me a real parrot?" "We'll arrange it." Another banana boat moors in the port, Khlus goes to them: "Can you deliver a parrot?" "No problem. They fly like sparrows there." They discussed all the conditions. Victor called the Swede: "The cargo will arrive in two months. Get a large cage ready."
Two months later, the ship appeared on the horizon. Tugs brought the vessel to the pier. The mandatory customs inspection began. And Victor, Stella, and the Swede settled in a café on the embankment to wait for the sailor. He arrived, but his hands were empty. And you can't hide a parrot in a pocket; the bird is big. "Did it fall through?" the Swede worried. The sailor gestures that everything is fine. He opens his jacket flap and takes out a newspaper rolled into a tube, unrolls it, and there is a parrot. They snapped their fingers. The bird came to, shook itself, stood on its feet, turning its head: "Where am I?"
Business did not interfere with sports. Khlus signed a contract with another club – Elfsborg. Already independently, without such a "good" intermediary as Sovintersport. After three and a half years of living in Sweden, they were able to buy a house themselves. There it is easy to do, having a permanent job. Take a loan – for an apartment, car, other needs. At first, Zakharova found it unusual that everyone lived on credit. But then they got used to it. The family moved into their own cottage in a quiet, respectable area of Partille. People with moderate incomes live there. Everything was going well.
But for happiness, Stella lacked a real occupation. Working as a trainer in a health group did not appeal to her much. She found out that business courses are organized in practically all cities of Sweden. In Gothenburg, there was also enrollment. But it is very difficult to get in – the group has only ten people. They accept on a competitive basis. You are enrolled, taught, and even paid a stipend. But you need to present a project of your future activity: what you will do, what income you plan to earn. This is considered by a special commission that makes the final decision.
What to surprise the Swedes with? And they had to surprise, because no one was waiting for them, citizens of another country, with open arms in local business. Standard plans would hardly impress the commission. They needed to find an unoccupied niche. They racked their brains: "What do we know best? Where do we have connections and contacts? In sports. That's what we need to start from."
They thought it over, argued, assessed their own strengths. They wrote that they want to open a company that will organize training camps for teams from other countries in various sports. Professional clubs would come here for about two weeks. The groups are large (primarily they were talking about footballers and hockey players), they would leave a lot of money in the country. The Swedes quickly calculated: "Indeed, it is beneficial for us. We enroll both of you in the courses."
In the first lesson, the lecturer said: "You are all future businessmen. Remember this rule: if in the very first year you get a huge income, you can close your company immediately. After that, only a decline will follow. But the business should only go uphill." A normal economic postulate.
The studies lasted six months. After that, they opened the company "VISM-Sport". The name was composed of the first letters of the founders' names – Viktor, Stella, Mikhail. An interesting life began. Phone negotiations, paperwork, meeting and accommodating guests... Through their channels, they contacted teams from the former USSR and told them about the project. Many liked the idea of holding camps in Sweden. Such strong hockey clubs as Magnitogorsk's Metallurg and Tolyatti's Lada, and the football team Rostov came. They trained and lived in Sweden for 10-15 days.
There was no shortage of clients, and very wealthy ones at that. In the early 90s in Russia, as in the entire former Soviet Union, a certain circle of people came into huge amounts of money. However, for most of them, the zeros only increased over the years. Such people, if they wanted, took a sports team under their wing. For example, the auto giant VAZ had previously supported the hockey club Torpedo. But in Soviet times, it was very difficult to compete on equal terms with Moscow's CSKA, Dynamo, and Krylya Sovetov. It was not about money at all. Promising players from the provinces were immediately taken to the capital teams – that was the policy. And when the Union collapsed, the regions decided to create their own superclubs, no worse than Moscow's.
The Tolyatti team, renamed Lada in 1989, became a true leader in Russian hockey in the early 90s. In the 1993/94 season, the club became absolute champion, winning gold medals at the end of the four-round regular championship, and then the Cup of the Interethnic Hockey League in the playoff series. And so such a powerful team came to Sweden at the invitation of the company VISM-Sport.
Khlus met the delegation at the airport and took them to the hotel. As stipulated in the contract, the hotel was three-star. A normal European level – there is a pool and a gym. Viktor and Stella are running around, settling issues. Then a huge man in a modest raincoat approaches them and asks: "Vitya, will we also live here?" Khlus thought he was a masseur and replied: "Yes. You should help." After that Viktor approached the head coach: "What, your masseur wants a five-star?" - "What are you talking about? He's not a masseur at all, he's the son of the plant director. He needs to be provided with all conditions." - "But I don't have that kind of money," Viktor was taken aback. "It's okay, they have it. Don't worry, take them to the most luxurious hotel." They spared no expense on anything. And those who distinguished themselves in friendly matches during the camp were even paid bonuses.
Before leaving, the guests from Tolyatti invited them to a restaurant. Naturally, the most prestigious one. The menu featured seafood dishes. After you place an order, a boat sets off and catches what is needed. Then it brings it back, and the chefs start cooking. The Swedes became wary – a large order, considerable prices. They posted security so that no one would run away without paying. They need not have worried: the Russians paid for everything and even gave generous tips. The waiter escorted them all the way to the car.
Stella was also surprised by such extravagance. Remembering the hard times, she did not throw money away. She had already gotten used to living Swedish-style: measured, according to plan. Today we pay for electricity, tomorrow for water, in the middle of the month a loan installment, and so on.
Watching football and hockey teams arrive one after another, Stella thought: "Maybe invite gymnasts?" But not for a camp, but for demonstration performances – the kind she herself once gave in Latin America. She contacted her former national team friend Nelli Kim: "Let's try. Maybe it will work out." She involved a founder of one of the local clubs. They put up posters around the city. Come! A superteam is coming from Belarus – artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, acrobatics. The show took place in Liseberg, the amusement park area of Gothenburg. They gave two performances a day. The hall was packed. The audience was delighted.
At the same time, Stella got a job as a physical education teacher at a comprehensive school. Her diploma from our Institute of Physical Education (unlike the medical institute) fortunately did not require verification. She was trusted to conduct lessons with first, second, and third graders. She asked for books to be sent from Ukraine describing various active games that develop children's strength and agility. And she began working in the gym and on the stadium. All on schedule – from morning until noon. Very convenient, the rest of the time she could help Viktor.
The children loved her. After all, it was so much fun with the teacher. Every lesson she came up with something new. Today we race with balls, tomorrow we jump with jump ropes, the day after tomorrow we "dive" through a hoop. Different team relays. They ran to physical education classes with pleasure. Stella herself blossomed when she saw that the children liked it and were smiling. From them she was charged with positive energy, optimism, and joy. Constant communication allowed her to study the Swedish language better. She could already make a joke that made the whole class burst into laughter.
Zakharova had to face the fact that strictness and harsh discipline here are not only unwelcome but can lead to the defendant's bench. Punishing, yelling at children – under no circumstances. No matter what kind of child, no matter what he does, according to Swedish laws, you can't even touch them with a finger. In the third grade, there was such a difficult boy. Stella was warned: 'He may even throw stones at you, but you must remain silent. He has a dysfunctional family, his parents are alcoholics.' 'Apparently, I'll have to buy a helmet,' thought Zakharova.
As warned, so it happened. The boy did not obey. He was a hooligan. He bullied other children and, of course, threw stones. He kept trying to run away somewhere. During lessons in this class, Stella literally ran off her feet: she chased and returned the troublemaker to the group. She calmed herself: 'Nothing can be done, I have to be patient. Especially since the lesson will end soon.' But waiting for the saving bell each time became harder and harder. And one day she caught up, grabbed him by the hand and gave him a good shake. Stella glanced at the boy, and he thought for a moment, realized that jokes with this lady were bad, and no longer misbehaved.
Watching their parents, their son Oleg also adapted to the Swedish way of life. But in 1997, the family returned to their homeland, where they live happily to this day.