'I want extreme': a Ukrainian woman spoke about working as a truck driver in the USA

In America, Irina Vornik discovered the male profession. The 40-year-old Ukrainian woman moved from Chernivtsi to California and became a truck driver. Why did she choose this particular field of activity and what pitfalls she came across, writes "Voice of America".

Photo: Shutterstock

“I drive at night, I ride during the day, in the snow and in the rain. Always! I don’t have such a thing that I’m afraid to go somewhere because of weather conditions. Probably, the need for extreme sports has already appeared,” says Irina.

The thief had never driven a car before coming to America. She is a lawyer by education, although she did not work by profession in Ukraine, she was a housewife. She lived in Chernivtsi with her husband and three children until she won the green card in 2018. A few months later, the family was already flying to California.

“We had to start all over again, from scratch, without money, without connections, without anything. I avoided truck driving in every possible way. I studied to be a nurse, worked, cleaned houses, cared for the elderly,” recalls Irina.

But all these works did not allow the family's dream to come true - to buy their own house. The nursing courses Irina attended were closed. Then the girl once again thought about choosing a profession.

“It so happened that I had only one road - to trucking. Because manicure, pedicure, cosmetology - I didn’t like all this. I decided that I would only go to trucking,” says the Ukrainian.

Now she admits that, despite all the warnings, she dearly fell in love with her work.

"I love. I like the feeling when you drive this 36-ton car and control it,” the immigrant expresses.

On the subject: Left Google nowhere: how a Ukrainian woman created a successful startup and moved to the USA

Although the first flight, according to Irina, should have scared her away from driving a truck forever.

“I went to Colorado. When I looked in the mirror, I no longer saw the trailer from behind - it was in the window next to me, and it was already folding. It was scary! In that situation, I didn’t know what to do, because it was my first flight and the first snow... I had never put on chains, I didn’t know what to do with the trailer.”

Now her life is a road. Behind hundreds of thousands of kilometers of track and the same liters of burnt diesel fuel. Of all the states, she was not only in Alaska. Every day, a Ukrainian woman drives about 1100 kilometers. This is a lot for men, he says. But with all this, Irina never forgets that she is primarily a woman. In her truck, you can find a lot of cosmetics, dresses and even high heels.

“Because I want to feel like a woman. I already spend all day in a truck, in sneakers or jeans, in sportswear. But I want something so feminine. When I come home, I wear heels and dresses, because I get tired of jeans and sneakers after a week or two.”

Although it's not easy to be a woman on the road. It happens that at bus stops other drivers start making obscene offers.

“I was washing the windows in my car when one of the drivers came up and said that I should wash his windows too. I asked how much money I wanted for it. I replied that I would call the police and she would answer how much it cost,” Irina recalled the incident.

“I bought a wooden bat, and the woman at the checkout asked me why I needed it. For overnight guests, I answered if they came. She laughed a lot,” the truck driver continued the story.

Irina's husband was at first against such a choice of profession, and they made a deal - to temporarily change roles.

“We agreed with him that I work, and he studies and takes care of the children. When we arrived, it was the other way around. Now I don't even cook anything. It’s all my husband: I come, he greets me with flowers, prepares breakfast and dinner for me. I have no resentment, no anger, because we do the same work, because being with three children at home is also not easy.”

Irina's stable income allowed her family to realize their cherished dreams in America:

“I have a piece of paper on my closet at home that says what I want to do. Business license, open accounts; buy a truck, trailer, car, and most importantly, buy a house. Most of this has already been done, only the house remains. It should already be bought by Christmas.”

Read also on ForumDaily:

No bribes and no personal talk: how an immigrant can succeed in the USA

'Russians are like coconuts, Americans are like peaches': the opinion of a US resident about people from Russia

Left Google nowhere: how a Ukrainian woman created a successful startup and moved to the USA

13 pluses of living in the USA according to a Russian-speaking immigrant

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.