From waiter to American deputy: the story of a Russian-speaking immigrant - ForumDaily
The article has been automatically translated into English by Google Translate from Russian and has not been edited.
Переклад цього матеріалу українською мовою з російської було автоматично здійснено сервісом Google Translate, без подальшого редагування тексту.
Bu məqalə Google Translate servisi vasitəsi ilə avtomatik olaraq rus dilindən azərbaycan dilinə tərcümə olunmuşdur. Bundan sonra mətn redaktə edilməmişdir.

From a waiter to an American deputy: the story of a Russian-speaking immigrant

Yuri Rashkin came to the United States in 1988 from Moscow at the age of 13 as an ordinary Soviet teenager who had difficulties with English and had little idea of ​​the country in which he was to live. Today Yuri feels like a full-fledged American - he has taken place not only as a business, but also as a public figure.

Photo: Shutterstock

Yuri is a member of the Rock County Assembly in Wisconsin, he is known in the Russian-speaking diaspora for his hosts in Russian, in particular, political programs Rashkin Report and "Our America". In addition, Yuri broadcasts about Russia on American radio in English, and for many acts as a kind of bridge between the “American outback” and distant Russia.

Features of socialization

“I arrived with almost no knowledge of the language and improved my English along the way. The usual American school helped me a lot in this, where I went along with the rest of the children, because I understood: the language must be adopted from its native speakers. Music education also helped socialization. For example, I was invited to play in an orchestra. In high school, I became interested in theater, which also greatly contributed to my communication skills. Nevertheless, I still avoided jobs that required good English, and even went to college to study as a composer, trying not to recruit language classes, ”Yuri recalls.

In addition to music, Yuri Rashkin managed to work as a waiter and conducted surveys of the population by telephone, which gave him such necessary practice.

On the subject: How much does it cost to go to the cinema in the USA, and why Russians consider it a luxury

“At first I thought that I might have problems because of the accent, but then I realized that this is a common occurrence in the USA, because many people came from somewhere and speak with an accent. He does not interfere with either living or even participating in politics, ”the former Muscovite assures.

Way to politics

For some time, Yuri was engaged in the mortgage business - he helped people find loans to buy a house. After the economic crisis of 2008, he was forced to give up business and received a master's degree in public communications, after which he began to teach at a local university. It was then that his political career began - a Russian immigrant put forward his candidacy for elections to the Janesville City Council.

Photo from the personal archive of Yuri Rashkin

“At some point, I realized that I didn’t want to be a person who sits in a coffee shop, reads a newspaper and scolds politicians for what they are doing, without being able to influence it. I decided that it was better to be an active participant in the events and try to change something. When collecting signatures to get on the ballot, I knocked on every door and asked people what exactly they care about. I remember that one of the local issues was the decision of the city manager to build a swimming pool, which did not suit some ordinary people. The second question concerned the advisability of building a tunnel under the carriageway, which would facilitate the crossing of the street. I was interested in how exactly everything is arranged, how the system works, how minor problems are solved, what worries the townspeople, ”Yuri recalled.

According to him, the Americans reacted to his idea to run for local government quite well, since it is generally accepted in the US to encourage public initiative. In Janesville, Yuri began to actively interact with local trade unions and, as a Democrat, supported their work. He successfully won the election and became a member of the city council.

In a new post

According to Yuri Rashkin, the inhabitants of the American hinterland were primarily concerned with how the state spends their funds. Some, for example, did not support specific initiatives of the city authorities, believing that they would empty the treasury or lead to higher taxes. Others, on the other hand, wanted the state to do something for them. That is why it was impossible to maintain neutrality in such conditions, and it was important for each deputy to clearly define his position. Yuri explains: his main political credo is to hear all sides before making a decision.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York.

“It often happens that after that it becomes obvious who is right. Having collected all possible information about the situation, I make a decision that, in my opinion, is most in the interests of people. After that, it doesn't matter to me how others vote. Of course, not all MPs then report to their constituents, hoping that they will be re-elected "by inertia." Often this calculation works, but for those who rely on this pattern, it is important to remember that any public display of disrespect for voters, especially shortly before the elections, can destroy their political career, ”he warns.

Prohibited Tricks

As for the dirt in politics, the deputy admits: even at the lowest level, unethical actions are possible, but everything, as usual, depends on a particular person.

“When you are trying to get elected somewhere, all people who hate your opponent come to you. They bring you all the dirt they have. It depends on the decision of each person whether you take everything that is given to you, or begin to figure out what of this is falsification, what is obtained illegally, and what is simply not worth making public. However, the use of unworthy techniques often causes a negative reaction from voters, ”explains Yuri.

Photo from the personal archive of Yuri Rashkin

“I remember the husband of my opponent in the democratic primaries called me a 'socialist'. This information appeared in the newspaper. His wife eventually won the election, but several thousand people voted for me and then admitted that they did it largely because they believed that she had no right to insult me. In addition, in the words of her husband, some heard a veiled hint: they say, if you are from Russia, you must be a socialist, ”says Yuri.

However, in general, contrary to popular stereotypes, Yuri Rashkin assures: in the American hinterland, almost no one associates his surname with Russia, and he did not face any problems because of this.

“In addition, I began to assimilate immediately upon arrival, and have never been part of the Russian community, so the locals did not perceive me as such. The surname Rashkin, oddly enough, for the Americans does not resemble the word "Russia". Rather, they react to the unusual name Yuri. It turns out that this is a female Japanese name, and that is what one of the anime genres is called. In fact, in the USA it is more important what you are as a person than where you came from, ”the immigrant explains.

Read also on ForumDaily:

How much does it cost to go to the cinema in the USA, and why Russians consider it a luxury

How to find a promising job in the USA: a successful example of an immigrant from Russia

Opinion: why some immigrants do not settle in the United States

Lived and returned: how the pandemic prevented immigrants from Russia from settling in the USA

How does an American-Ukrainian family with different political views get along in the USA?

Into American Politics from Kazakhstan: Immigrant Goes to Local Council in California

Miscellanea policy Our people immigrant Russians in the USA
Subscribe to ForumDaily on Google News

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis. 



 
1073 requests in 1,187 seconds.