Our Women in America: 5 Success Stories

These women managed to find themselves after moving to America. Independent and decisive, they began a new chapter in their lives, starting a business or realizing themselves in a profession. ForumDaily tells the stories of our women in the States, who became the heroines of a special project publication "Our Texas"dedicated to 8 March.

Фото: Depositphotos

From medicine to art

In the early years of perestroika, a young aspiring Russian physicist who emigrated to America met at a scientific conference on Lake Baikal a young girl, Darya Penionzhkevich, who had just graduated from the institute and began her career as a doctor in residency. It was love at first sight, but young people had just begun their lives, each had a serious career. For many years they were separated by 10 thousands of kilometers, but they loved each other and dreamed of being together. They managed to meet in Russia and in Europe, but no one could imagine that it was possible to leave everything and go to another country.

One day, having met in Andorra, they realized that they could no longer part. One of them needs to give up everything - career, friends, home - and leave... At that time, Daria was actively involved in social work, was a deputy, a member of the federal youth parliament. Later, she became the head of the Health Administration and, knowing the difference in the healthcare systems of the United States and Russia, she understood that moving to America would put an end to her future career. At the same time, they both understood that a physics professor in the USA is a well-to-do person who can support his family, but a physics professor in Russia, unfortunately, means life on a completely different level. In addition, Daria understood perfectly well that it would certainly be better for her husband and children to live in the USA. Love and family played a key role in her choice.

In 2013, 2 hearts are connected. English Daria did not know, all her diplomas and achievements were not needed by anyone. Cultural shock was gaining momentum, but Daria did not give up: she began to intensively learn the language, write articles for magazines, conduct seminars and visit clubs for international families. So she had her first friends, very soon the company of acquaintances around began to turn into a large community, and a year later Darya had a little son.

Her husband understood that for a person who is accustomed to being ahead all his life, the life of a housewife becomes a difficult test. It was at this moment that fate helped again. Friends talked about selling their business - a creative space where everyone loved to go and paint in the evenings. A few days later, the idea of ​​buying had already grown into negotiations. Daria realized that she had the strength to do everything much better and in her own way. What stopped her was that she needed to start from scratch a business that she had never done. The husband put an end to the doubts by presenting on March 8 the documents on the organization of a new art corporation, in which Daria became president.

It was the day from which the new life began. Not knowing the language well enough, with an 4-month-old son and an 5-year-old daughter, without knowledge of the artindustry, she begins to search for a room. Then there were repairs, advertising, a logo, a website, drawing pictures for classes, a search for artists for exhibitions ... In just a few months, a new art gallery and studio appeared out of nothing.

Now for Daria’s family this is their second favorite home, within whose walls interesting exhibitions and concerts are constantly held. Every day in the evenings the studio is filled with people wanting to have a good time and draw. Art classes for children are very popular. Music lessons are also held here. The gallery began to gather a large Russian community and hold joint holidays. People have their birthday parties here. But all this once seemed like just a dream, a pipe dream that no one believed in. But life has once again proven that nothing is impossible. The main thing is to believe and move forward, together with your dream and your love.

With the aroma of coffee and baking

Olga Rosenstein owns a cafe in Houston. “My passion has always been cooking. As far as I can remember, I have always loved to cook, collecting interesting recipes, creating something myself, adapting well-known dishes to the tastes of my family,” she says.

Olga and her husband immigrated to Israel from Georgia in 1989, where she trained as a pastry chef and worked in her specialty for many years. Then the dream of owning a cafe was born. “The biggest impetus was a trip to Brussels, when, while walking along the small streets, we came across an absolutely magical cafe,” Olga recalls. — It was a very small room, decorated in Versailles style, with 4 or 5 tables. They brewed excellent coffee and served miniature portioned desserts. It was love at first sight, after that trip I nurtured my dream all the years.”

But life had its own plans. In 2009, Olga’s husband was offered a contract in the USA, and the couple immigrated again, now with 3 children. “Of course, everything was much more complicated than we imagined. As in any country, it has its own mentality, its own nuances and a target audience that is different from other countries. Therefore, first of all, I began to gain experience in the field of cooking and organizing the delivery of ready-made dishes to various events and celebrations. I worked as a chef in a Russian restaurant and as a co-owner of a cafe, then we opened our own catering company. These works brought invaluable experience that could not be acquired otherwise,” Olga shares.

My husband helps a lot in business. He mainly organizes, and catering could not exist without his help, admits a business woman. Later, the couple opened their cafe and bakery. However, this is not going to stop. They already have big plans, but Olga prefers not to talk about them yet.

Emergency psychological assistance

They say that psychology is an ephemeral science. Psychologist and artist Julia Drozdova considers her profession very important.

Yulia has been interested in psychology since childhood, first received a philological and pedagogical education, and later graduated from the Faculty of Psychology of Moscow State University. In Moscow, she worked as a personnel director and consulting psychologist in psychological centers. And since Yulia’s husband worked in the Moscow office of an American company, the move and return to America was expected. Yulia’s husband, a Russian American, met her in Moscow.

So 3 years ago her family ended up in Oklahoma. Thorough preparation for the move - several meetings with a family psychologist, drawing lessons - really helped to adapt to a new culture, to different rules of the game.

According to Yulia, drawing really supported her in the first 3 months of her life in Oklahoma. Then she was invited to teach Russian at a high school. “The guys were wonderful. As a psychologist, it was clear to me that they lacked basic communication skills. They didn’t know how to negotiate, didn’t know how to show sympathy or be attentive to each other. Of course, I couldn’t resist, and we trained communication skills on the basis of studying the Russian language,” she says.

In America, Julia managed to start doing what she knew and loved well - psychological counseling. She studies parent-child and family relationships and adaptation issues in the United States. “We are like cucumber seedlings, which take a long and difficult time to take root after planting in the ground, and only regular care helps the plants become strong and begin to bear fruit. No matter how successful a person is in his career, smart, seasoned, prepared, moving is always stressful: another country, people, rules of communication, language, food, finally. What if we imagine that a woman in her homeland was a successful professional? What about building a new family, new relationships? How to communicate with a child who has adapted faster than you, it is easier for him to speak English, and he refuses to speak Russian? And he’s not at all interested in communicating with his Russian grandparents? Is it scary to speak a foreign language? Where to get strength? And then the psychologist will help you emotionally level the situation, fit yourself into new realities, “prescribe” your future and realize yourself,” reflects Yulia. Having experienced the process of adaptation in a new country, she now helps others find themselves and realize themselves.

Dance of life

Many representatives of the Russian diaspora in Houston know Alla Rosenberg as a dance teacher and choreographer in the Uzory ensemble and in the Radost children's theater, as well as a soloist in the Gypsy Dance Theater dance group. She often collaborates with the famous gypsy musician Vadim Kolpakov, performing fiery gypsy dances.

Alla is not a gypsy, but many years ago, Mary Ayknor, the wife of Alex Kogan, considered a temperament in the Jewish girl from Ukraine that is hot enough to perform such dance compositions. Together they studied in the video how the gypsy dancers work. Alla took private lessons from the famous singer and dancer Leoncia Erdenko - the continuer of the great Gypsy dynasty.

Before this, there were modern dance and vocal classes from the age of 6 in the Kiev House of Pioneers, performances at the largest venues in the city, then moving to Houston with the whole family. “When we moved, I was 13 years old. I went to school, but I really missed the stage and dancing,” recalls Alla. Therefore, she soon began classes in the “Patterns” ensemble, although, according to her admission, she was not previously interested in folk dances, she was engaged in modern pop dances.

Alla became a soloist of the ensemble, and soon began helping the director Alena Kochurova work with children in younger groups. When asked if her parents said that “dancing is good, but we also need to think about the future,” Alla laughs and answers that her grandmother was her main adviser in this matter: “She told me that I should be independent and have a serious profession. I am a good granddaughter and listened to the advice. She entered the University of Houston and became a teacher. I taught mathematics in grades 6-7, but still at school they knew that I was a dance teacher and gave lessons.”

Now Alla does not work at school, concentrating on dance lessons, and deftly combines classes with raising 2 small children, who also have their own schedules. “I often receive orders for individual lessons to prepare children for various festivals, dance concerts, competitions... But not only the younger generation is my students. Couples of different ages come to me for help in choreographing dances. I especially love working with young couples who are getting married. After all, everyone wants their first wedding dance to be flawless. I have a lot of experience working with people learning to dance for the first time as adults. And, of course, my performances are in great demand - solo and with the groups mentioned above,” says Alla.

For women of all ages, she has her own advice: “Even when your schedule is busy with children, work and family, you need to find time for yourself. The routine of life tends to dull our talents. Dancing, singing, drawing, sewing, playing the guitar - all this provides a positive mood and restores inner balance. And this helps with everything. Love yourself and your life!”

Medical path

Irina Sobolevskaya has been working as a therapist in Houston for almost 20 years and is well known in the Russian diaspora. “There are patients who come to me from the first days of work. We grew up and grew old together. And the children of my patients, whom I remember as babies, have now grown up, become adults and come to see me,” she says.

Looking at this calm, confident, successful woman, it is difficult to even imagine what difficulties she went through in order to remain true to her profession after emigration. Irina moved to America in 1990 year. By this time, she had already graduated from the Medical Institute in Moscow and worked at the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology. After the move, as often happens, social status has decreased. But if someone gives up, Irina did not give up and with firm steps went to her goal - to be a doctor.

The main problem was lack of knowledge of English. Irina went to study at a community college, but realized that there was no quick progress in language learning here. Then she went to work as an orderly at Memorial Hermann Hospital. “It was hard, I sometimes cried at night. But the goal was set,” recalls Dr. Sobolevskaya. Thanks to this work and communication with medical staff, Irina quickly learned the language: both colloquial and professional medical terms. After several months of work, she was able to go to Kaplan courses (Kaplan Test - courses for preparing doctors to pass exams). This was followed by passing exams, confirmation of the diploma, and then Irina completed her residency again for 3 years.

However, Irina Sobolevskaya did not return to the profession of gynecologist. She chose to work as a therapist for 2 reasons: there was high competition in the gynecology department, and practically no foreigners were hired, but most importantly, the gynecologist had more night shifts, and Irina had 2 small children who required attention. “I didn’t want to often leave two kids at night with dad – I felt sorry for both the kids and dad,” she laughs.

In addition to the prescribed examination or treatment, Irina recommends to her patients to eat right, eat less fried and salty foods and exercise more. She herself often visits a sports club and leads an active lifestyle. But my favorite thing to do when I have free time is to visit my children, who do not live in Houston, and 2 wonderful grandchildren.

See also:

Five ideas for female business from Russian immigrant women

Women's work: how to work for yourself in America, in the beauty industry

5 high-paying professions in the field of beauty and how to get them

8 professions that can be mastered in six months

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