“It’s like I was in the USSR”: a Ukrainian woman spoke about her life in the USA

Almost a year ago, a Ukrainian from Lutsk Nastya Baugh, under a program of cultural exchanges, went to Anchorage (USA) for several months. But the temporary journey unexpectedly changed the whole life of the girl: over the ocean, she found her love. Ukrainka in an interview with the site Today.Lifestyle talked about her experiences living in America. ForumDaily publishes an abbreviated version of the material.

Ukrainian in the USA. Photo: facebook.com/closetosky

— How did you get to the USA?

— Came to America thanks to the program Aupair – I was going there to work as a nanny. But it so happened that I met a guy, fell in love and got married. I met Jace, my future husband, on one of the first days of my stay there. I was walking around the center of Anchorage, looking for where to sign up for a gym. I wrote out several addresses on the Internet, but one institution did not indicate prices, so I decided to go and see what was there and what it was for. I come to them, and it’s so beautiful there and there are separate rooms only for women... At first I was “redirected” several times - go there, then here and back. But, in the end, I ended up in the office where they actually register new clients. There was only one employee sitting there - my future husband, Jace Jacob Boen.

We met and started talking. He says: “You have such an interesting accent, where are you from?” I say that I am from Ukraine. He knew that there was such a country in the world, but nothing more. Then he asked about the national currency. I showed him 50 hryvnia. I don’t know why, but he wanted to buy them from me. I asked about the rate... and then it was about two dollars, but he gave me five. That’s what I thought: it’s been a long time since the rate was so profitable. In short, that day we spent a total of five hours talking. Then they exchanged business cards and I left. Already at home I thought about everything, counted the money and decided that I couldn’t afford this gym. I called to cancel my subscription. Well, he said “ok”, and then a week later he writes to me: let’s go for coffee one day. So we started walking and meeting. And a few months later they got married.

— What struck you in America?

- Huge distances. Here, if you go somewhere, there are always people around, minibuses driving by. That is, you can drive up at any time if you are tired. This is not the case here - in some directions transport does not go at all or goes very rarely. Sometimes even in the city you have to drive through the forest. I was also amazed that each business has its own building: the bank is separate, the cafe is separate, the store is separate. That is, there are few such complexes where everything is together.

— Do the US really have ideal roads and services?

- Service sector - yes. It happened that I brought torn jeans to the store. The sellers allowed me to use this amount (the cost of the jeans) to choose another product... But there is a problem with the roads in Alaska. When I was in Houston, there was nothing there yet. And here the snow is melting and along with it the road. Maybe they just don’t have time to repair it due to the huge areas. I saw that in the summer there was a large-scale reconstruction going on - all the roads were being repaired at a rapid pace. They pay high taxes for this. But right now there are big potholes on the highways, and that’s bad: you’re driving at speed and can’t stop because there are a lot of cars behind you, but you risk running into some kind of puddle.

— Are the products there tasty or not?

- Very tasteless! They add various additives and emulsifiers to their dishes for taste. Because of this, I constantly want to eat. Although when you buy food yourself, it’s not good: vegetables, fruits, even potatoes are tasteless. Kiwis, for example, lack sourness and are not juicy; they are very large in size. Bread is like a sponge: you can squeeze it in your fist, and after a few seconds it takes on the desired shape again. Of course, there are special bakeries where the bread is good, but few people go there, because it takes a lot of time.

— You said that this reminds you of the Soviet Union?

- There is such an impression! Everything is the same - food and even clothes. It was as if she had arrived in the Soviet Union. And although I have never lived there, now it’s as if I have moved in.

“You said that it’s better to always smile there.” Why?

- Firstly, because everyone smiles at you. And you must admit, it looks a little strange when you walk around gloomy.

It is allowed to carry guns here, and everyone is alarmed if you do not smile. They might think that you thought of something there. Therefore, it is better to smile - nothing bad will happen to you.

— Is it true that in Alaska there are moose and bears walking around the city?

- Yes, but not around the city, but on the outskirts. At least that’s the case in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city. And in smaller towns in the state, bears can even get into a house. There are a lot of moose, so it’s scary to walk alone in the evenings.

— What should you do if you meet a bear on the street?

“You have to raise your hands and sing loudly - to show that you are also a predator, not a victim.” But usually bears attack only if they need to protect their offspring, but moose can. In general, there is no point in running from bears. They run very fast. Also, you don’t need to climb trees or anything else, because they will still get you. We must stomp our feet and pray...

— Do people living in Alaska get paid extra?

- Yes, but these are not exactly additional payments, but dividends for Americans who live here permanently - for at least three years. They are paid once a year from one to two thousand dollars. That is, if there are five children in a family, everyone will receive money.

— What is the average salary there?

“I think the minimum wage is $9,5 an hour.” That's about $1600 a month. Although you can easily get 15 dollars an hour, then you will get more in a month.

— What do you spend the most money on?

— It costs a little more than a thousand dollars to rent an apartment.

— How much do you pay for utilities?

— Utilities are relatively inexpensive. We have electric heating - we pay $70. Connecting a phone costs, for example, 60 dollars - the first number, the second - 35, the third - 25. If you want high-quality Internet, pay extra. In general, almost all Americans live on credit. It’s safer and easier for them than for us.

— Is it possible to save money from your salary?

— It’s realistic, especially if a husband and wife work in the family. Although a lot also depends on what you eat and what you buy. I think it’s quite possible to save $500.

— What myths about America and Americans can you refute?

— I heard that Americans are all very rich. Actually this is not true. There are a lot of beggars here. But if a person tries hard and wants to achieve something in life, then he can earn money for an apartment and a car. For example, my husband’s grandfather worked in construction. He had such a contract that he worked for six months and not for six months. But a person lives comfortably and does not deny himself anything. I recently flew to Mexico. That is, whoever wants it earns it. It seems to me that this is the case in any country... I know that people who clear snow are paid well - $40/hour. Although there is not always snow - this is the first thing, and secondly, such work is designed for a certain number of hours - two or three a day, then that's it - look for another part-time job.

— Is it true that you can buy a car with one salary?

- I think yes. You can buy a used car, because few people here buy new ones. There are very cheap cars, but they need to be fixed. You can find budget options even for 20-40 dollars. Well, yes, it will be a “killed tarandike”, but still. For just 400 dollars you can buy an absolutely normal car, and for two thousand you can buy a “peach”.

— What else surprised you?

— Yes, something surprises you every day. It happens that I will say some phrase, for example, “you are like Don Quixote,” and they don’t know who it is. They don't read. And even those who study literature at the university know only a certain period - French literature of the 17th century, for example. Americans don’t know their classics, like Dreiser... It’s a little strange to me, in our country all this starts in the sixth grade. That is, in this regard, they are less educated and very narrow-profile. If you are an anesthesiologist, then you don’t know anything else other than this. And suddenly someone has a broken arm, such a specialist will not even be able to tell you what happened. I think this is strange.

— Are ordinary Americans sincere people?

- They will always help. If you cry, they will come and ask if you are okay. It happens to us that they just pass by.

I remember I once had a flat tire in my car. The man who was driving behind me, signaled, I stopped and he helped me to remount everything.

In addition, they are very open to other people. They are really interested in what is happening in your life. Although the people there are different, as elsewhere.

— What can you advise a person who is traveling to the USA for the first time?

- Just enjoy! Don't be afraid to speak English. I was very worried about my accent. I thought that they wouldn’t understand me, but on the contrary, they love it. If you don't know something, ask. They will always give you advice and help. They’ll even give you money – this has happened to me!

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