Hello to everybody! I am Russian woman, married to American guy

[gemini]

 I am Russian woman from Saint-Petersburg, married to American guy for 7 years. Let me know if you have any questions.

[ECOCKS]

Welcome! Where do you live and we always enjoy hearing how you found things as you adjusted. In your case, 7 years is a good deal of experience, please don't hesitate to share your experiences.

[gemini]

Welcome! Where do you live and we always enjoy hearing how you found things as you adjusted. In your case, 7 years is a good deal of experience, please don't hesitate to share your experiences.

We live in Chicago.
This is our story. My husband was always interested in everything related to Russia. He knows Russian history better than I do. To visit Saint -P was his dream. He planned to travel to Russia and meet a Russian woman (me). He thought: if we didn’t get alone he would have fun anyway because Saint- P is a beautiful city and there are lots of interesting place to see.
I had the similar thoughts: The guy will come, I will show him the museums and parks, and he will probably invite me to the nice restaurants.  If we don’t like each other, I have nothing to loose. I will be able to practice my English after all.
He came over; we went to the museums and palaces, and restaurants. He came to Russia for 10 days.
We were engaged on 9th day of his visit.

[Shadow]

Welcome Gemini. I hope that you will have a good time here on the forum.

[Ooooops]

Let me know if you have any questions.

What kind of questions?

[SMS60]

Gemini



Have you found a job in the 7 years of being in the US? If so, what type?

[GoodOlBoy]

Let me know if you have any questions.

Hello Gemini and welcome to RWD. 

Wow...7 years in the GoodOl'USA!

If it is not to personal of a question, what did you do in Russia (job, education, etc.) and what do you do now in Chicago?

Also, do you have your citizenship yet?


GOB

[gemini]

What kind of questions?

As I understand, the purpose of this forum is to know more about Russian women and Russian-American marriages. I am Russian woman and our international marriage survived 7 years.

[Faux Pas]

Welcome gemini! Good to have you on board. A 7 year marriage certainly would make you a valuable contributor to the forum. 

[Blues Fairy]

As I understand, the purpose of this forum is to know more about Russian women and Russian-American marriages. I am Russian woman and our international marriage survived 7 years.

Welcome gemini.
This is the kind of forum where you won't get a lot of questions unless you venture your opinion proactively on various subjects.    

[Ooooops]

As I understand, the purpose of this forum is to know more about Russian women and Russian-American marriages. I am Russian woman and our international marriage survived 7 years.

Oh, I see...   Ok, I am a Russian woman and our international marriage survived 15 years.   Feel free to ask me as well.   

Welcome to RWD!   

[ECOCKS]

We live in Chicago.
This is our story. My husband was always interested in everything related to Russia. He knows Russian history better than I do. To visit Saint -P was his dream. He planned to travel to Russia and meet a Russian woman (me). He thought: if we didn’t get alone he would have fun anyway because Saint- P is a beautiful city and there are lots of interesting place to see.
I had the similar thoughts: The guy will come, I will show him the museums and parks, and he will probably invite me to the nice restaurants.  If we don’t like each other, I have nothing to loose. I will be able to practice my English after all.
He came over; we went to the museums and palaces, and restaurants. He came to Russia for 10 days.
We were engaged on 9th day of his visit.

One of the more refreshingly honest posts on the board.

You're going to be a goldmine.

Browse a bit and see what topics interest you enough to make a comment, correction or elaboration.

Again, WELCOME to the community.

[gemini]

One of the more refreshingly honest posts on the board.

You're going to be a goldmine.

Thank you for these comments.

[gemini]

Gemini



Have you found a job in the 7 years of being in the US? If so, what type?

I am physician, I had to pass all exams for medical school again (I did) and to go through residency again. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find a residency. It was painful experience for me.

Here I am, thinking what to do with my life. I am use to sit in Borders and study and I found some interesting books there. I've read in one of them: Do what you really like to do. So I was thinking: What I really like to do?

 I like to be a doctor of course,  but otherwise I like to help people and I use to do some counseling for the families when I worked as a physician in Russia. I am also pretty happy to be in international marriage and I know lots of women in Russia that can't find a husband, so I decided may be I can help people from both countries get together and be happy. This was the reason I found this forum. I am not sure yet how exactly I will help. May be you, guys have some suggestions?

[ECOCKS]

Sobering.

[GoodOlBoy]

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find a residency........I like to help people..........

Why don't you become a PA (Physicians Assistant)??

This position is higher than a nurse, BUT...Lower than a Doctor.

The position pays VERY well and you don't have to have that "pesky" (and expensive) malpractice insurance.

My Ukrainian neighbor was a Doctor in Sevastopol and she is now an ER nurse in the GoodOl'USA and will be a PA in August of this year.

She has only been here 5 years. 


GOB

[gemini]

Why don't you become a PA (Physicians Assistant)??]



There is Russian saying: If we knew where we would fall we would put some straw.

Lots of people told me: Go! Take the exams and be a doctor. I was very close to make it but competition got too high.
PA is one of the options now but it’s another 4 years of studying, pretty competitive (especially nowadays) and not cheap.

 




GOB

[groovlstk]

Gemini,

What were the most difficult obstacles you and your husband faced in an international marriage? (And I don't mean to get too personal, only that many couples here may encounter the same issues.)

What do you miss most, besides your family, in Russia? What do you like most about living in the US?

[JR]

Welcome! I'd think finishing the path to being a doctor would be easier and less expensive than starting a marriage agency. Here's the link to our most recent hashing of the issue.......

http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=9562.0

[gemini]

Gemini,

What were the most difficult obstacles you and your husband faced in an international marriage? (And I don't mean to get too personal, only that many couples here may encounter the same issues.)

What do you miss most, besides your family, in Russia? What do you like most about living in the US?

I think an international marriage is not much different from any other marriage in my case. I have children and for me it is very important that my husband is a good stepfather.
From the first days of our marriage we were very busy taking care about children and still are. If we are arguing sometimes, the reason is again related to some misunderstandings how to bring up the children but it happens in almost every Russian family too.  Honestly, I cannot remember any problem that is directly related to international issue. My personal opinion: American men are much better than Russian ones in general.

What I miss in Russia? My friend's... not much. Sometimes I feel nostalgia, but not often.
I like lots of things about America. I like the most:
1) The opportunity for a very good education for my children
2) My sons are not the subjects for a draft.

I will ask my husband about his opinion and post it.

[Ooooops]

2) My sons are not the subjects for a draft.

That's right, but there is still "Selective Service" (am I correct about the name?), which exercised during the war time.    Vietnam War is a good example. 

[Sculpto]

Oooops now they have the backdoor draft known as the National Guard.  its a lot more effective than an actual draft because people volunteered for it.  Unless the situation changes dramatically there will be no mandatory service any time soon.

[ECOCKS]

LOL - my wife was horrified when I suggested that our son could consider joining the  US military. FSU military life is, mmmm, challenging.

Then I showed her base housing units, sports facilities, training/school programs, GI Bill program, hospitals and the pay scales/pension benefits. Even better is when an expat friend of ours was hired to manage one of the military R&R facilities in Hawaii. You can still see the concern but she has a much better understanding of the vast differences between conscripts and volunteers or, as they refer to them in Ukraine, contract soldiers.   

[gemini]

My husband's reply.
What were the most difficult obstacles you  faced in an international marriage?

Being married with children after being alone for decades.
 
.
As you see, noting related to an international issue.

[gemini]

Welcome! I'd think finishing the path to being a doctor would be easier and less expensive than starting a marriage agency. Here's the link to our most recent hashing of the issue.......

http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=9562.0
[/quote

Tank you for the link. It was... interesting.