Cameroonian Moves to Yaroslavl and Calls Himself Russian

Denis Constant, 27, moved to Yaroslavl in 2022. He had dreamed of coming to Russia since he was 16, seeing no future in his native Cameroon. In an interview with 76.RU, the foreigner spoke about how difficult it was to adapt to a new country.

Denis admitted that leaving his family was sad and that he had doubts. But his desire to succeed proved stronger.

“I always dreamed of a big life. I started reading books and listening to conferences. I realized that a dream can come true. But the kind of life I want cannot exist in my country. Going somewhere where I know nothing — not the language, not the culture, where I have no friends — was very scary. The first month I suffered; it was hard. You do not understand anyone, and no one understands you,” Denis said.

Is life in Russia difficult?

Learning the language is the number-one problem for foreigners. Denis was no exception.

“It is very difficult and, to be honest, boring. Learning Russian means repetition, repetition, repetition. You think that after a hundred repetitions you already know everything, but that is not the case. Later I realized that over time the brain gets used to it and will remember,” the African man said.

The Russian mentality also struck the foreigner. Denis admitted that he had come to the country thinking Russians might offend him.

From Russian national cuisine, the foreigner has already tried everything. Denis liked two dishes most of all: dressed herring (herring under a fur coat) and pancakes. He has not tried vodka because he avoids alcohol.

He started a family with a Russian woman

Denis met his future fiancée, Ulyana, on social media in 2024.

“I was sitting at home when I got a notification on my phone that someone wanted to add me as a friend. It rarely happens that I later write to people who add me. But that day I just thought: ‘Well, let’s talk.’ And then I invited her for a walk along the embankment. It was not some complicated beginning — just two understanding people meeting,” Denis told a 76.RU correspondent.

In December 2025, Denis became a father. The couple had a daughter, and the baby was named Isabella-Leyla. The young people have not yet entered into a legal marriage, but they live together.

“We have problems with documents. My country does not allow marrying a foreigner without permission. You need to collect documents and signatures, then send them to Cameroon. All this takes a very long time. We are still waiting,” the young man explained.

He feels like a local

After four years in Russia, Denis already calls himself Russian. In his very first year in the country, he decided that he would stay here forever and would visit his native Cameroon only as a guest.

“I am already Russian. I do not look like my people, except for the color of my skin. Who I am now and who I was when I first arrived here are two different people.”

You can learn more about the Cameroonian’s move to Russia in our video report above.