How a Russian with a pregnant wife fled to the USA from the dashing 90s with $ 350 in his pocket - ForumDaily
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How a Russian with a pregnant wife fled to the USA from the dashing 90s with $ 350 in his pocket

Alexander lost everything in 90-s and decided to move to the USA together with his pregnant wife. His story told edition «Lenta.ru report».

Фото: Depositphotos

It all started back in the distant 1988 year, when, as a second year student at the Far Eastern Polytechnic Institute, I realized that I didn’t want to live in a country of shortages, flea markets, Afgan with his 200 load, Komsomol and communist slogans. Then I thought about a country where you can live in peace, study, work and just relax as I personally would like.

In 1993, I got married, and we moved to Moscow so that my wife could graduate. From the first days of my life together, I told her that I did not see myself in Russia and wanted to leave. She supported, but did not completely believe in the seriousness of my intentions. Yes, and how to do it when you 25, and you have no money or rich relatives.

17 August 1998 year The Russian government и Central bank announced a technical default on the main types of government securities. That day I realized that I, a beggar, had been taken away from those crumbs that I tried to save up, surviving and clinging to life in those very "cheerful" nineties.

On the morning of August 19, my wife and I went to the Australian embassy with the naive hope that they were waiting for us there. Hope evaporated after a minute of communication with a very nice employee of the embassy. The questionnaire on legal immigration was given to us without any questions, but that was all. The same story was repeated in the embassy of New Zealand.

In all the questionnaires, I found an absolute similarity in the conditions under which you can still get a legal residence permit. It turned out that the ideal candidate must be younger than 27 years, have a higher education and a minimum degree, work in the specialty for at least ten years and, of course, fluently speak, write and read in English. In a word, Goodbye, my dream, goodbye! At the US embassy they said to us from the doorway: “America is not rubber! Have a nice day. ”

Фото: Depositphotos

After that, I decided to study how people manage to go to the States for permanent residence. It turned out that there were several such options: win a green card, be a political refugee, apply for family reunification or get a tourist visa, stay there and try to legalize on the spot.

There was no one to advise, there was no Internet, and we decided to follow the path, as it seemed to us, the simplest. Found a company that helped us prepare for a reasonable fee a package of necessary papers for obtaining a tourist visa, and got in line for an interview.

Having received all the necessary documents and bought plane tickets to New York, we realized that at the beginning of life in the New World we have only 350 dollars. So I began my immigration - a pregnant wife, not a word in English and without any idea about where we went.

We rented an apartment in one of the most disadvantaged areas of Philadelphia for 250 dollars, because there was simply no money for the best.

We started living in a place where every night, African Americans kill someone, and cops kill African Americans. I even had time to work there: they robbed me, and they simply did not pay, and insulted me in English, one day I almost even got killed ...

I then worked on a night shift at a gas station paired with an Uzbek. I did something at the checkout, and he laid the goods on the shelves. I saw with my side vision that he quickly jumped up, ran into the back room and closed the door behind him. I turned my head and found myself pointing Smith & Wesson 38 caliber. After the replica in a calm voice, “Put money in a bag,” I gave 78 dollars in trifles and offered to pick up cigarettes to everything else. Unknown took only money and left, and only then I realized all that had happened. I was shaken, but not from fear, but from the realization that I could lose my life. I remember all this as a nightmare.

My second job was in a vinyl window factory. The owner was a Pole, they paid me five dollars an hour in cash. At that time, we were a little bit offended and moved with our wife and little daughter for a couple of blocks in the direction of the Polish region. Life has become safer and more convenient. Everybody around us spoke Polish, and this was our first foreign language, which we learned while living in America — English became the second.

I worked a lot: in the morning - at the factory of windows, then I went to a restaurant to wash dishes, mow lawns or repair fences. In general, he did everything that brought at least some income. Sleep accounted for no more than six hours a day.

Believe it or not, despite all the difficulties, we never thought about returning back. And not because there was a dislike for the country or something else, but because there was just another goal. It simply did not arise in our thoughts. We believed in ourselves and that we could achieve what we came for.

The area in which we lived, the Poles have mastered for a long time. There are their supermarkets, restaurants and even their carnivals, held in conjunction with the Irish Diaspora. For the first time, these unique parades made a huge positive impression on me. In addition to free hot dogs, bretzels and Coca-Cola, it turned out to be really fun. For three seasons we have not missed a single such carnival parade.

The residence permit in the US (green card) as a result, we received through the employer. The whole process took about a year and cost us about one and a half or two thousand dollars. But we were really lucky with the lawyer and the situation itself, so we are rather a rare exception to the rule.

Later, I accidentally met a guy who then suggested that I become his companion. He worked in the cleaning business of large stores such as Walmart, Kmart, The Home Depot etc. I agreed, and later opened my company. In about a year, it already had 75 workers, and the turnover was just over a million dollars. So I lived until the check came. As a result, I was charged a penalty for not paying a very important tax, which I was underpaid all this time because of my own ignorance.

I ran to lawyers in an attempt to find a way out and salvation from this bribe, but everything was in vain. One lawyer said to me like this: “In this country, son, you can take black by the throat, pull him into the square and shoot him, and your punishment will depend on your lawyer, but if you don’t pay taxes, then no lawyer will tell you will not help".

For four years, 150 has accumulated thousands of dollars, and I had to pay it all.

My business began to fall, as disagreements with the partner were added to the debts. After much deliberation, it was decided to get my engineering degree and start looking for work in the specialty. And I found, and quite quickly. I had already learned the language and discovered a new world called New York.

This was my first engineering experience in America. As it turned out, the school of Soviet knowledge literally saved me. I knew how and knew what American engineers had no idea, and it gave me a huge advantage. I received all the necessary licenses and permits for work, I was overgrown with acquaintances, and, most importantly, earned a reputation.

A new crisis in my life began in 2008, when the US economy collapsed and unemployment began. By that time, my wife graduated from college, got a specialty “physiotherapist” and worked in a hospital, which gave me time to concentrate on finding a new job. I had to relearn for what was claimed. So I got into the pharmaceutical industry and excelled as an engineer. There still is work. My wife went further in science and wrote a doctoral dissertation. We have two wonderful children, and I do not regret that I once left.

Of course, every country has its pros and cons, and the States are no exception. For example, medicine is undoubtedly the most expensive pleasure imaginable. On the other hand, they repair people expensively, but qualitatively. And in which case you can sue, because it is also a country of lawyers.

When I come back from Europe, I understand how comfortable, safer and more comfortable life in the USA is. It feels that a lot gives a feeling of comfort: wide roads, smiling people on the streets, caring staff. All this suggests that we were not mistaken with the choice of the country of residence.

In conclusion, I would like to say that Russians are treated well in America. I have never met hatred of our brother. Here, a person is valued for his personal qualities and abilities, and not on the basis of nationality. This is a country of immigrants.

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