“The USA is my main prize in my life!”: Stories of people who won the green card

Photos from personal archive

The lottery of green cards dramatically changed the lives of many people. Every year, such lucky 50 thousands order. But it is worth noting: when you win a green card, it does not mean anything. Ahead of a long registration of all papers, fees and, finally, the move.

ForumDaily talked to the lucky woman, who in March 2016, moved to America as the winner of the lottery.

Ukrainian Elena Carp, lives in the states for almost a year and a half. In the past, was the regent of the church choir. She taught music. She sang on the stage of the Philharmonic. But in parallel with this, she cherished the hope of getting abroad. The dream came true in March 2016.

Knowing about the lottery, as a fairly simple way to break free, Elena decided to try. Happened! But along with the euphoria, immediately had to experience the pain of the upcoming separation from his son. The rules do not allow taking adult children with you. So - the first payment for a miracle! The son of a future American at that time was 22 of the year. And that means - parting for an indefinite period. Gritting her teeth, Elena and her husband went to the United States. What is she there?

Road to nowhere

Elena recalls: “We were essentially flying to nowhere. All that a green card gives is the right to permanent residence. But you have to look for work and housing yourself.”

The couple stayed in the city Natick, Massachusetts. Thanks to an inexplicable accident, before the flight it turned out that school acquaintances of Gennady, Elena’s husband, lived there. They sheltered the guests. I had to find a job urgently.

Being a computer technology pro, Gennady went to work at a construction site. The reason is simple - not enough knew English. And Elena started a new life as a cashier in a supermarket. Not a scene, of course, but something needs to be read.

From the first days our heroine understood that the realities of the USA are different from the idealization of this country by her compatriots. At a minimum, the cashier is not allowed to sit. Ten working hours need to survive! And there was almost no help from the authorities (elementary councils and instructions). But in abundance of complaints and frank discontent of the newcomer.

And yet these inconveniences are compensated by money and household equipment. Hourly wages and adequate US food prices have allowed the ex-Ukrainian woman to live relatively satisfying. Food and clothing costs make up roughly 10% of total revenue. Thanks to this, the family managed to purchase a car in the first month.

Photos from personal archive

The game is worth the candle!

Sharing her general impressions, Elena says: “People are the same everywhere! Many people in the USA helped me. Both advice and action! But life in America should not be idealized. There is injustice in it too. As in post-Soviet countries, you can stumble upon a boorish attitude from your superiors and colleagues. That is life. You have to fight for it. And the game is worth the candle! The atmosphere of America is more lively and vibrant. Coming to visit my son, I feel that everyone in Ukraine is in a depressed mood. There are more than enough reasons for this. Despite all the difficulties that accompanied my departure to the States, I don’t want to return!”

Now Elena is looking for a new job. After the supermarket, she worked as an assistant in a hairdressing salon. There our heroine polished her English and made new acquaintances. But in the end, physical labor began to have a negative impact on the general condition. Then, after working as an assistant for a dental technician for a couple of months, the emigrant decided: “It’s time to raise the bar.” Now, having experience, Elena is set on her main activity in life - music.

I won life in America!

Ukrainian Sergei Rozhko has long wanted to be closer to a better life, to friends who moved to Miami. And when he won a green card and moved to the USA, he spent 8 long years putting himself together bit by bit: “A job, housing, a car, the realization that I want to be and will be an American - all this did not come right away,” says Sergei. “But after 8 years, I realized that moving to the USA was the most important gain in my life, and I consider myself lucky!”

Photos from personal archive

After receiving permission for permanent residence, Sergei ended up in Miami. Not really knowing what he wanted to do, and knowing little English, he got a job in a restaurant cleaning tables: “I didn’t finish any language courses, I just didn’t have time. I learned the language “on the job,” as they say. Lived in a three-room apartment with other emigrants. There were people from Ukraine, Russia, and Moldova. At first it was not easy, difficult work schedule, low salary, I had to pay a lot of bills, but somehow I got by... In the meantime, I was looking for something else.”

An acquaintance advised me to continue my career as a croupier in a casino, which is what Sergei did in Ukraine. He helped send a resume to Denver, which had similar offers. Now Sergey is sure: “Denver is the best city to live. In addition to affordable housing, a wide range of jobs in different industries, and relatively inexpensive living, Denver has wonderful mountain air and nature. As my friends from Florida say, “It’s like paradise here, we want to move here to live.” So I think that I’m basically lucky with my job, the place to live, and America in general.”

Having moved to the USA, Sergei did not become the head of corporations, but works as an ordinary dealer, standing at the table, leading the game: “I won’t say that this kind of work is a dream, but it’s definitely better than it was in Ukraine. But I still have a dream - to study as an engineer. I’m only 35, I think everything is still ahead.”

Photos from personal archive

Online registration for the lottery Green Card 2019 October 3 will start on 2017 on 12: 00 EST and will continue until 12: 00 on November 7 EST. In 2019, 50 will play thousands of green cards, it says official website of the State Department. Instructions on how to apply and fill out all the necessary documents and everything that applicants need to know about the lottery Green Card, ForumDaily collected in one material: Lottery Green Card 2019: start date for receiving applications and information for participants.

Read also on ForumDaily:

The Russians who won the green cards talked about how moving to the USA changed their lives.

Why and how to come up with a lottery with green cards

How to protect yourself from fraudsters when participating in the Green Card Lottery

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