Mariya outside her house in Kiev.
When my family arrived in New York City on November 28, 1998, we were filled with both apprehension and excitement. We had left our old lives behind in search of a better life in the land of opportunity. Thirteen years later, this land of opportunity is the only place I truly consider home.
I had spent the first six years of my life in Kiev, Ukraine. At the time of my birth, no one in the family harbored any thoughts of leaving the country. However, the 1990s brought the collapse of the Soviet Union and severe economic depression to its former republics. Also anti-Semitism was on the rise as the people looked for someone to blame. Although conditions were not as bad as those faced by the 19th century Jews who suffered under the pogroms, my parents and relatives feared that violence could break out. One by one members of our extended family left to seek their fortune and safety in the United States. My parents and I were the last of our family to leave Kiev.
In order to enter the United States my family needed to obtain refugee status. The process was not easy, but after numerous trips made by my father to the Moscow, in order to plead our case, we were finally granted asylum and allowed to enter the United States. Upon our arrival in this country, my family had certain advantages that no all immigrants possessed. First, my parents were well educated and both have graduated from college. Furthermore, we had family connections and our relatives did their best to ease our transition and help us get settled as quickly as possible.
Mariya at home in New York City.
This is not to say that everything was easy. Learning English was very difficult for my parents and they had to learn the language while trying to find work in order to support their family. Meanwhile, I was also thrust into an English-speaking environment in the form of elementary school. Not being able to communicate was a real challenge.
Ultimately, coming to the United States has proven to be a wise choice. Being in this country, I have been able to experience the best of both worlds. My parents have done their best to keep our heritage alive by speaking Russian at home, celebrating Russian holidays, and keeping up with events in Ukraine through the news and members from our extended family who still live there. At the same time, I have enjoyed the opportunities that America has to offer in terms of freedom, a chance to obtain higher education, and the chance to meet people from backgrounds that differ greatly from my own. New York City is where I grew up and is filled with precious memories. It is the place where I became who I am today and I will always be proud to call it home.
