So different Russians in New York: an immigrant shared 'bitter experience'

New York has a large number of Russian speakers. Many of them, over the years, were not able to assimilate. The author of the truth about life in the USA channel Yandex Zen shared her observations on how Russians live in the Big Apple. She also told how she managed to get an American master's degree, despite the dubious advice of compatriots.

The information below will be useful for anyone planning to live in New York, raise children here, open a business and build a career. And also for everyone who is just curious about how life works in the largest city in the United States.

Russians in America

According to the author, the Russians in America are divided into two bright categories: some assimilated, while others could not do this.

“There are Russians who have understood and accepted this country. As they say, smile at the world and it will smile at you in return, ”the author said about the first category of Russian Americans.

Others are those who could not find their place in this huge city. They complain that life at home was better, complain about what significant people they were there and what unrecognized geniuses were in a foreign land. Also, this category of people is accustomed to receive benefits and benefits "in all legal and illegal ways."

“In New York, a large stratum of immigrants from the post-Soviet space lives in this way, and these are not necessarily elderly people. They do not speak English, although some of them genuinely believe they can speak the language. They learn about what is happening around only from Russian-language television channels, ”said the author.

To characterize such people, the author recalled an old joke: “An immigrant from Brighton calls a friend in the CIS:

- Oh. Ours are all here. We cut our hair at Fima's, buy groceries from Izya, fix shoes from Lenya. We have Russian shops, Russian books and Russian television.

- All clear. Well, how do you like America in general?

- America ?! And we don't go to it! "

Bitter experience

According to the author, envy and dishonesty are “the calling card of many representatives of this Russian mini-kingdom in the USA”.

When she arrived in New York, she went to college, located in Brooklyn. She wanted to know what to do with her Russian Master's Evaluated Diploma.

According to the immigrant, she met many compatriots in the office of the Brooklyn branch of the college. After talking with them, the author found out that she should not show her diploma to anyone.

“Hide it, burn it, eat it! If you don't, you will have to pay tuition fees. Therefore, never tell anyone about him again, ”the author recalls that conversation.

Also, her new friends recommended that she re-study and certainly in the same college.

“6-7 years old and you will be fine. You are so lucky that you hit us! We'll take you! " They said.

Since the author had not yet mastered in New York and did not understand how everything is arranged here, she asked if she could go straight away to study for a master's degree with the diploma she had. However, in response, I heard that with her level of English, no one would accept her anywhere.

“I thought none of them spoke to me in English, so how do they know how bad it is? I began to be tormented by doubts, ”the author recalls.

On the subject: Higher Education in New York: What Immigrants Can Count on

After such instructions, the woman fell into despair. She could not afford to spend a few more years studying. Moreover, at that time she had two very young children.

“Now I will stand at the counter of a Russian store for the rest of my life, weighing sausage and counting cents to paycheck,” she thought then.

Later, the author of the material met a "prosperous Russian American." She told how things really were, and "where exactly to send this Russian office with its wise advice." Therefore, the newcomer immigrant ignored the dubious instructions and published her diploma, deciding to go straight to the master's degree.

A few years later

Within a few years, our heroine received an American master's degree. Her knowledge of English was enough for this.

“Two master's degrees in a resume and English acquired over the years of study were not at all superfluous when looking for a vacancy. Yes, I took out a loan and paid tuition fees. I paid it off long ago, starting to work fully, ”the girl states.

According to the author, she is glad that she did just that, not obeying the "smart and knowledgeable" compatriots and without wasting years wasting, starting her studies from scratch.

“This is how we are all different here. Be vigilant, dear comrades, ”she urged the newly-made immigrants.