Our people in the USA: Meeting an American with an American airplane changed the life of a Russian journalist

Galya was a journalist for the Pravda newspaper for many years and was involved in Arctic research. An incident changed her life: on board a military plane she met an American. This story is about what Galya Morrell and her two sons experienced and achieved over the years of living in America. Her story is told by "Voice of America«.

Photo: Voice of America frame video

Galina moved to America when she was 35 years old. New York itself was a terrible and terrible city, but step by step it began to get used to it.

Galina was born in Moscow, although her grandparents from the far north. She grew up an ordinary Soviet child. She was distinguished from other children by the fact that she lived not with her parents, but with her grandparents. Parents were very busy people. Mom was a scientist and pianist, and her father was the head of the office of the Soviet Prime Minister.

Photo: Voice of America frame video

Photo: Voice of America frame video

In 17 years, Galina made a report on one front-line soldier for the “Youth” program on the radio. This report was heard by the head of the military department of the newspaper Pravda, Timur Gaidar. He really liked it, and he invited Galina to do the same report for the military department.

From that moment on, Galina began her collaboration with the newspaper, which lasted for many, many years after that.

Photo: Voice of America frame video

In 1991, on board a military plane flying through Siberia, Galina saw a charming American man who had a lively discussion with the military.

This was her future husband, Steve. He made an offer to Galina literally three months after they met, and soon they got married.

Photo: Voice of America frame video

Then the couple had a question before them where to live. Steve had such a job that he did not stay in one place for more than two days. After thinking, they decided to live in New York.

“His plane flies from Canada to Australia, he makes a stop in New York. He is flying from Korea to Chile and will visit us again. That’s how we settled here,” says Galina.

When Galina married Steve, she raised two young sons, and he had four children.

Photo: Voice of America frame video

Interestingly, Galina quickly found a common language with his ex-wife, who had also gotten married by that time. She allowed her children to move to Galina in New York - to live and study. So Galina ended up with six children in her arms.

Photo: Voice of America frame video

“I came to America at the age of 10. I came here with my brother and mother,” says Sergei Morell. - It was unexpected. I came here when my mother’s husband changed jobs.”

Sergey recalls that they moved all the time. First they lived in Norway, then some time in California, and then they ended up in New York.

The first months and years after moving to America were not easy.

“This is probably due to the fact that it was emotionally difficult to adapt to the new reality. I was completely alone because my husband was traveling all the time. We saw him once every two or three months. Therefore, when you are alone with six children who study in different schools, you need to adapt, and it was not easy,” recalls Galina.

Sergei also recalls that it was hard for him to remain without friends, relatives, grandmothers and grandfathers who lived in Russia. And, of course, interfered with the language barrier.

“The most acute memory is the first day at school, when I came to a completely different school, where no one speaks Russian,” recalls Sergey.

Photo: Voice of America frame video

The children did well in a public school, which is free in the USA. And once Sergey was given a tutor for a good study, which would have cost dear if it were not for the performance of children.

“Children from 80 countries studied at the school and spoke 96 languages ​​at home,” says Galina.

She believes that the main educator of her children was not she, but life itself.

“The fact that they grew up in such a city and could see such different sides of life with their own eyes predetermined a lot in their fate. On the other hand, every summer we went to the Arctic or the mountains - on unique ecological expeditions for children,” says Galina.

In addition to entertainment, the children did a good deed - they cleaned up the garbage on the top of the mountain.

Photo: Voice of America frame video

Sergei remembers his unconventional childhood with a smile. “When I was little, I was fascinated by music and travel. I always strived to learn something new,” recalls Sergei.

Galina devoted her life to the Arctic for a reason. Her grandparents were from the north, and she grew up talking about those places. Now she is engaged in documenting the life and traditions of the endangered peoples of the north. This can be done only in communication with the elders, people who turned 80, and even 90 years. That something else remember. Indeed, in a few years no one will remember this.

Photo: Voice of America frame video

In the Arctic Galina is inspired not by nature, but by people. There is no enmity and envy, and everything is divided equally: at home, food, clothing. Here is another world, not like big cities.

In New York, Galina is fascinated by the fact that this is an insanely inquisitive city. After all, there are people who are not interested in the Arctic. There are a lot of those who want to learn more about it. At the exhibition comes a lot of visitors who are interested, ask questions.

Photo: Voice of America frame video

After the children of Galina grew up, they support her mother's fascination and help her with finances for expeditions.

Photo: Voice of America frame video

Arriving in the US, Sergey knew that he wanted to become a chemist, like a father or grandfather. Enrolling in university, he changed his views. He did not want to work in the laboratory all the time, so he began to study business, but he still worked in chemistry. After graduation, Sergey decided to take a short break. He traveled to Asia, Africa, trying to understand himself and his future plans for the profession. Then he ended up in New York, where he worked for a year at an investment bank and realized that the whole atmosphere Wall Street not for him.

Photo: Voice of America frame video

As a result, Sergei found a job that helps him combine interests - traveling and doing interesting work. He works at an investment fund, where knowledge of chemistry and finance is required. What matters to him is how human activity affects the environment.

Photo: Voice of America frame video

In her free time, Galina and Sergey love to run in Central Park at any time of the year.

Sergey admits that in 17 years, New York has become his home. He likes the fact that at any time he can go to another area and, for example, order himself dishes from any cuisine.

“Living in America, I realized that anything is possible here. America gave me the opportunity to realize myself,” says Sergei.

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