I was looking over some of my old notes and came across a couple of articles I published 15 years ago. Rereading them now, I realize they were the first reporting I ever did. They were how I got into journalism.
I really appreciate this. My father's side of the family had a similar journey in 74', but I was never inspired to ask him more about it probably because whenever he'd recount the story he'd jump straight to life in America, specifically NYC. I know he looks back at Italy fondly though. My dad has soviet brain worms, but I'll have to take the time to ask him more specifics about his journey soon.
Also ghettoized Soviet community that listens to Pugacheva made me chuckle. Having grown up in similar communities between Queens and Brooklyn I'm always amused by the Soviet time warp situation. I kinda love it cause particularly in NY the multi-ethnic ex-Soviets more or less live peacefully together with the exception of drunken brawls and grim faces.
Reading about your immigration experience is a trip. Ours was mostly identical, I remember the shock of how rich everyone in Austria seemed... But we didn't stay in a camp at any point: the two or three weeks we spent in Austria, we were put up in a simple but beautiful hotel in the foothills of the Alps. When we got to Italy, after a short stay in a dirty hotel in Rome we were sent to ladispoli on the shore of the Mediterranean not far from there, basically to fend for ourselves as far as I remember. We rented an apartment with one or more other Soviet families, my parents found work in some factory, while I spent my days riding a bicycle around town exploring the city dump and the stretch of beach littered with condoms and needles. The Italians hated us, the town was in retrospect economically depressed, and the 5 months we spent there were mostly something to forget. I was 10. I have a picture of us at the Vatican-our sole cultural excursion- just like the one you posted one time...
Yasha, I can't remember if I've mentioned this book before...I'm assuming you didn't need to travel with so much vodka? ;-)
"...In the twilight of the Cold War (the late 1980s), nine-year old Lev Golinkin and his family cross the Soviet border with only ten suitcases, $600, and the vague promise of help awaiting in Vienna. Years later, Lev, now an American adult, sets out to retrace his family's long trek, locate the strangers who fought for his freedom, and in the process, gain a future by understanding his past..."
One of my old bosses was an economic refugee from Bulgaria...set off with US$100, her son and one suitcase to Zimbabwe of all places. Crazy stuff was happening in those days...waking up to find your bank no longer existed, for example.
Wild times.
"...Bulgarian economic performance declined dramatically at the beginning of the 1990s after the disbandment of the Comecon system and the loss of the Soviet and Comecon market, to which the country had been entirely tied. Also, as a result of political unrest with the first attempts to re-establish a democratic political system and free market economy the standard of living fell by about 40%, and only started to stabilize significantly after 1998 after the fall of Jean Videnov's socialist government. It regained pre-1989 levels by June 2004..."
When you mention product shortages during perestroika, it makes me wonder whether people emigrated voluntarily or because daily life had become too difficult. Thanks
a few different reasons but these are among them. although it started well before perestroika. my parents for instance were already willing to leave in the 1970s.
I really appreciate this. My father's side of the family had a similar journey in 74', but I was never inspired to ask him more about it probably because whenever he'd recount the story he'd jump straight to life in America, specifically NYC. I know he looks back at Italy fondly though. My dad has soviet brain worms, but I'll have to take the time to ask him more specifics about his journey soon.
Also ghettoized Soviet community that listens to Pugacheva made me chuckle. Having grown up in similar communities between Queens and Brooklyn I'm always amused by the Soviet time warp situation. I kinda love it cause particularly in NY the multi-ethnic ex-Soviets more or less live peacefully together with the exception of drunken brawls and grim faces.
hahaha holy shit
I appreciate all these peeks into a world I will never know.
Reading about your immigration experience is a trip. Ours was mostly identical, I remember the shock of how rich everyone in Austria seemed... But we didn't stay in a camp at any point: the two or three weeks we spent in Austria, we were put up in a simple but beautiful hotel in the foothills of the Alps. When we got to Italy, after a short stay in a dirty hotel in Rome we were sent to ladispoli on the shore of the Mediterranean not far from there, basically to fend for ourselves as far as I remember. We rented an apartment with one or more other Soviet families, my parents found work in some factory, while I spent my days riding a bicycle around town exploring the city dump and the stretch of beach littered with condoms and needles. The Italians hated us, the town was in retrospect economically depressed, and the 5 months we spent there were mostly something to forget. I was 10. I have a picture of us at the Vatican-our sole cultural excursion- just like the one you posted one time...
Great Story Yasha ! Your book Surveillance Valley is among my favourite books ever ! Are you planning to write another book in the upcoming years ?
Yes definitely.
Yasha, I can't remember if I've mentioned this book before...I'm assuming you didn't need to travel with so much vodka? ;-)
"...In the twilight of the Cold War (the late 1980s), nine-year old Lev Golinkin and his family cross the Soviet border with only ten suitcases, $600, and the vague promise of help awaiting in Vienna. Years later, Lev, now an American adult, sets out to retrace his family's long trek, locate the strangers who fought for his freedom, and in the process, gain a future by understanding his past..."
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20758069-a-backpack-a-bear-and-eight-crates-of-vodka
yeah, lev’s a comrade.
One of my old bosses was an economic refugee from Bulgaria...set off with US$100, her son and one suitcase to Zimbabwe of all places. Crazy stuff was happening in those days...waking up to find your bank no longer existed, for example.
Wild times.
"...Bulgarian economic performance declined dramatically at the beginning of the 1990s after the disbandment of the Comecon system and the loss of the Soviet and Comecon market, to which the country had been entirely tied. Also, as a result of political unrest with the first attempts to re-establish a democratic political system and free market economy the standard of living fell by about 40%, and only started to stabilize significantly after 1998 after the fall of Jean Videnov's socialist government. It regained pre-1989 levels by June 2004..."
When you mention product shortages during perestroika, it makes me wonder whether people emigrated voluntarily or because daily life had become too difficult. Thanks
a few different reasons but these are among them. although it started well before perestroika. my parents for instance were already willing to leave in the 1970s.