My life and experience in immigration. Блог о моей жизни в иммиграции.
…inspired by a conversation with my son
Have you ever driven a car with the steering wheel on the right side? In the US?
There are 76 countries with left-hand traffic (that is, with the steering wheel on the right side of the car). and America is not one of them.
How much wine do you need to loosen your tongue?
I just need to smell the cork. Americans call it a cheap date.
I had a glass of wine tonight. I had more than one reason.
My tongue is loose, and there is no one to talk to.
My husband is at work. On Saturday. Welcome to the American dream: a 6-day work week.
Continue reading “Lovely Saturday”And here it comes – October 20. 7 years ago, on this day, I crossed the US border. 3 planes, 36 hours on the way, and I’m on the opposite side of the globe. The time difference with Tomsk is 11 hours in summer and 12 hours in winter.
You know what question I was asked most often (well, besides “Where are you from?”) – “How do you like it here?”
Continue reading “7 years in the US”Last night rain washed away the city’s dust and dried drops of fog from my car. It left only traces of the Crackle’s nose on the inside of the rear windows.
Last night rain, as usual, came with the wind. A couple of times its gusts made me think WOW! and run to the window to check if the fence was in place. Yep, it happened once that the fence was lying in the place where it should have stood.
…five-thirty in the morning, the first half cup of coffee, I scroll the FB on the phone and see a friend request from a man from Indonesia. He has 3 posts-photos: he, he and a woman in a headscarf, he and a woman in a headscarf with a child in her arms. Not a word in Russian, and only the name of the place of work in English. And … 1284 friends! 1284! I stare at the phone in surprise: how did he “make” so many friends, and most importantly, why?
Continue reading “When a quantity does matter”Hello autumn! I missed you.
-What are you knitting?- Daniel asked
-I want to knit a sweater, – I answered
-Why do you need a sweater now? After all, the day after tomorrow summer-perplexed (however, as usual) my husband
-Well, it‘s cold in the library in the summer because of the AC, so I’m preparing for the summer, – I
I lied. In fact, I start to miss autumn in the spring.
I don’t get along with summer. It’s true. Since childhood.
Continue reading “Hello Autumn”This is not an ad or a review. This is what has accumulated over five weeks of hot summer and home renovation work.
With bright eyes and joy in his voice, Daniel announced that a solution for the design of the front door was found.
-You can’t imagine! I didn’t know what they could do!
Continue reading “Professional”Sunday night. Daniel and I sat on a breezeway. We were sad. His brother, Claude, with wife, Charlene, had just left. A simple dinner with them was the highlight of 2020 for us.
We sat and looked at our own strange yard. The grass is scorched by the sun and trampled by 10,000 steps of 3-5 contractors a day. Next to the hedge is a dump of ladders and stepladders covered with plastic. Not far from it is another pile of boxes with shingles, also covered with plastic. In front of the house, the view is not more beautiful.
Continue reading “Long-term construction in American style”I used to think that you should only write blog posts about success, positive or at least funny stories.
But how can I come up with something fun and positive if I’m feeling guilty?
I always feel guilty when Dan has to go to work and I stay home. I think I should earn more money, do more housework, be smarter, better etc, and generally that he deserves … an American wife.
Continue reading “His not perfect nor american wife”-I cannot wait until the contractors finish the job, – Daniel.
-Let’s face it. You created such an unusual design. It took them forever even to start.
-Well, yes…no. I would call it different, – disagreed Daniel and continued his breakfast.
Continue reading “Different vs Unusual”