In 1998 my family made a huge decision in their life, to leave Russia for the USA. They put their entire life behind themselves in hopes for a better life for the youth. Not knowing what they would find- they set forth and ended up coming to a little town in the Bronx named Riverdale. With very little money and no American educational degree my Family picked up whatever work they could find, from cleaning houses to caring for the elderly. Salvaging what little money they could put together, slowly but surely the cultural integration had began. Although we were in the Bronx, my building happened to be very Russian- it almost felt like I was growing up in Russia. But I wasn’t, I was living in Riverdale, and I had wound up living here my whole life from preschool to highschool. I had grown up in America, with American values all while remaining Russian in the heart. My grandparents hold a great influence for preserving the culture through me and for that I am very greatful. 

– AM

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant