We Miss Bashkortostan, Won't Return: A Couple's US Life
Abroad, the chance to meet a Tatar or Bashkir is sometimes higher than in Moscow, especially at Sabantuy festivals — they are even held in America. A Tatar woman from Bashkortostan tells about her life in the US — our heroine Elvina, or Ellie as locals call her. Almost 10 years ago, she with her husband and child moved overseas and fell in love with the country where she now also builds a business.
Moving and adaptation in the US
Elvina, Ildar and their little daughter moved to the US in 2018. They had no plans to stay permanently in a foreign country, but circumstances changed (they did not disclose them for their own reasons).
At that time, as Elvina says, their English was at a school level. Essentially, they arrived almost without language. Quite quickly they realized: American English is very different from what is taught in lessons.
«We initially lived in a suburb of Chicago, and for the last two years we settled in Palm Coast — a small town in northern Florida. But apparently, the blood of nomads makes itself known: we are planning another move, though we don«t yet know exactly where. The climate here is still not »ours«, it»s too hot,» Elvina shares with a correspondent of UFA1.RU.
According to her, the local mentality is not as different from home as it may seem from the outside. Americans have a real cult of family: relatives communicate closely, stick together as one big and tight-knit group, just like in our heroes« homeland.
«I like that people here are responsive, kind and happy. Not everywhere, of course, but for the most part. The only thing I never got used to is the food. The attitude toward us here is the same as toward everyone. The country is multinational, so it«s hard to surprise Americans with an accent or appearance. However, they become especially interested when I say I am Tatar, because I am very often mistaken for a Latina,» says Elvina.
It turns out that many Americans hear for the first time about the existence of nationalities like Tatars and Bashkirs. Therefore, the Tatar family gladly initiates foreigners into their culture — building a bridge of friendship, so to speak. Elvina admits that the hardest thing about moving is finding friends in a new place, especially when surrounded by people of a different mentality.
Tatar culture and daily life overseas
«No matter how far we have gone, Tatar culture can«t be knocked out of us; we love and preserve it. This is especially expressed, of course, in our daily life. Favorite Tatar curse words — instead of a thousand words, cleanliness and order — and no street shoes at home, as is customary among Americans. In food we also remained true to ourselves, we cook familiar dishes at home, we never got used to local cuisine,» says Elvina.
Surprising but true: there are quite a few Tatars and Bashkirs here. Most often they meet at Sabantuy festivals — yes, they are held in the US, and not just in one or two states, but in many. The best one, in Elvina«s opinion, takes place in Florida. At such events, the woman often acts as a sponsor.
«For me, this is another reason to express what is in my blood,» admits the woman who has lived in the US for almost 10 years.
Everyday life in another country
Elvina works from home as a specialist in document preparation and processing. In her free time, she makes candles. Over time, she managed to monetize her hobby as well.
«At home we speak three languages — Tatar, English and Russian. But our teenage daughter Safina«s mentality is already more American. She quickly learned English as a child and now not only speaks but also thinks in it. At the same time, she does not distance herself from Tatar culture; she absorbed, it seems to me, all the best, even though she does not know her native language. We tried to instill it from childhood, but she could not »grasp« the language. However, she can read and write in Russian; we maintain this level with extra lessons,» says Elvina.
Comparing life in the US and Bashkortostan
Elvina is a native of Tuymazy. However, after years of living in another country, she and her husband are beginning to forget what it is like to live in Bashkortostan, and therefore do not see a global difference between America and Russia.
«But if I try to remember, the first thing that comes to mind is the walkability of everything. In Bashkortostan, I walked a lot because everything was nearby. In America, that won«t work: the nearest grocery store is 10 minutes by car, and an hour on foot. At the same time, in the US there is almost no exposed ground, and therefore no dirt. In public places, all soil is seeded with lawn or flowers, or at least covered with wood chips. And in Florida, you won»t find black soil at all — just sand, which is carefully planted with vegetation,» says Elvina.
The most global difference between the two countries, the native of the republic called tourism.
«In Bashkortostan, there are incredibly many beautiful places, but infrastructure is lacking — trails, toilets, roadside hotels, affordable fuel. At least that was the case nine years ago; perhaps many things have changed now. But my mom says that if you travel around the republic, you have to do it with a tent and a portable toilet. In the US, it«s easier: tourism is developed both within the country and at the level of individual states. We, for example, have visited 28 states; many we have been to several times, and some more than ten. I have already been to the Grand Canyon three times,» Elvina shared.
What do you think of Elvina«s story? You can read a similar one, but in reverse: how does a foreigner live here in Ufa? An exchange student from Egypt told our editorial office about this.
