"Dear Natasha,
Soon I am leaving for Russia. I don't know if I will ever return to the US. I would not say that my experience living abroad would encourage anyone.љ Most assuredly, it would be the opposite. You may just note somewhere on your website that "not everyone was successful trying to feel at home in America." For some Russian women, America turned out to be "a tough nut to chew"..."

Olga (the name has been changed) came to the US four years ago. She has been trying to find anyone in similar circumstances, but never succeeded. While in America, she met a Russian man. They fell in love with each other and got married - and there the troubles began. Neither were able to legalize their status. Theyљ still wait for their Green Cards without any result. Those of us who have also had to struggle obtaining all the necessary papers from the INS, and those who don't speak English fluently, know how embarrassing it could be to get any assistance or service properly rendered to you without "the proper documents". Olga is still in love with her husband.љ She would prefer to go to Russia instead of following the advice of her friends who had divorced their Russian husbands in order to stay in America.

Olga's family does not belong to any particular community which could offer them help and support, she does not possess a strong enough character to be persistent in the search for a decent job. There is not much luck making friends either. Most of them have successfully managed to overcome the initial problems, which all immigrants usually encounter within the first years abroad. For Olga these problems seem to never disappear. She almost lost interest in life and the capability to find joy in anything. There are lots of reasons which brought about such devastated results. The things which may seem insignificant to many have been hurting her day after day.

"I have never experienced such pain and humiliation before. Nobody has ever treated me like a human being here. I encountered ridicule and rudeness everywhere I went: in the dentist offices, in the hair saloons, at employment agencies... I came there with my problems seeking help, but I left belittled and neglected. When I tried to express my feelings, they laughed in my face. I could not object - I have neither the vocabulary, nor anyљ rights in this country.

Natasha, thank you for giving girls like me an opportunity to share my life here.  I wish you and all other Russian women good luck. Just because I could not make it here doesn't mean that others will also fail."

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