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May 10, 2011 Hello, Maria!How are you doing? I hope everything going well in your life, especially at your new job. Tell me more about it. I want to know everything: how you commute there, what your responsibilities are, how many people work there, etc. I have been very busy lately especially since I was hired by a modeling agency. It is very hard to combine one stable job in retail, a modeling job with a crazy schedule and requirements to attend every casting they call for, and school with its homework assignments, which have been accumulating incredibly throughout the whole semester... Well, spring semester will be over soon and I will have more time to enjoy my life! Although I have many things to do, last Sunday I decided to go to Yosemite National park with my friends for relaxation and recreation. Indeed, it really helped me because I feel fresh and full of energy as if I had spent a month on vacation. It's amazing how one day spent in nature can restore all balance, refresh a head from negative thoughts and give an inspiration to create and love everything around! I can't even describe how beautiful it was there! I will just send you some pictures. We arrived there pretty late so we had to hurry up in order to get to the top of the waterfall and go back down before sunset. We climbed at a very fast pace making very few stops to rest and observe everything around. It was very good 7-hour long exercise for me, which I hadn't done in a long time. By getting to the very top we all were out of breath and energy but when we saw the cliff and the huge waterfall coming down we had a great feeling of happiness that made us forget of everything... It was one of the best days of my life and I will keep it in my memory forever! My advice to you is if you have a chance to escape into nature, do it! You will gain an amazing experience like I did! Remember, good company is a plus! Miss you!  May 3, 2011 Hello, Maria!Every time I write you a letter I remember those happy times in your company. I wish you were here with me and could experience all these new things that I do. I am really happy that I live in America because every single day I explore something new and exiting. Although when I lived in Russia I used to think that America was homogeneous and ordinary, now I realize that it's very many-sided. Nowhere in the world can you meet so many people from so many different places, I believe. America is so powerful because all these people have different attitudes and approaches to everything. Thanks to this diversity of population in America, they can achieve high results combining totally different ideas and points of view. Hopefully, I will contribute my part to the variety of successful thinking in this country too. However, I've heard that the patterns of diversity are not the same throughout America. I haven't visited many states in the US so I can't speak for them. I can assume that Americans are more hostile and less tolerant towards immigrants and different ethnic groups, like somewhere in the middle of America. Well, I can understand them from some point. This is their land and they expect people to be similarly proud of America and its legacy as they are. New immigrants mostly live in their own communities and don't rush with process of acculturation, just like me. I still refuse to become more Americanized when many of my friends are eager to look and behave like true Americans. Yesterday I had a funny incident at work with a new employee. She started telling me and my coworkers about her previous workplace and the annoying manager who was Russian. She mentioned the manager's terrible accent and belonging to another country where she should have stayed… At that moment I realized our immigrant's position in Americans' eyes… This fact is very sad and disappointing, but I still like living here because not all people are like that! Sorry, I have to go to work now! Kisses! PS. My coworker felt so awkward when I sad that I am Russian! 
April 25, 2011 Hello, my dear friend!How have you been? Is there anything new in your life? Summer is coming soon, so you are probably getting ready for the new season. I remember those times when I needed to buy new clothes for every season. It is so much easier here in San Francisco because the weather is pretty much steady. It is the same +14 °C in winter and summer, spring and autumn. Isn't that nice? Sometimes the temperature might rise few degrees during summer time, but it can rise in winter as well. Nevertheless, it is still cold for me in San Francisco… The reason is the wind. Due to the location of the city, it is windy all the time. I can't get used to this weather; I don't even remember the last time I wore a skirt or a dress. The most interesting thing for me is that many people in the city wear only sleeveless shirts and shorts all year around! I really don't understand how people can take it. In Russia, we dress according the weather, so if it's hot we wear skirts and shorts; if it's cold we wear coats and jackets. Every time I complaint about the weather, Americans ask me how I lived in Russia with its sharp frost... I just say that I used to dress appropriately! Another thing that amazes me is that some residents look like they are dressed for cold weather, wearing a coat, a scarf, and even gloves but what do they have on their feet? They're wearing flip-flops! In this weather, Russian would only wear boots with wool socks inside! I assume residents are used to the weather and don't get cold anymore. I wonder how many years it will take me to start wearing flip-flops at least in the summer in San Francisco. Well, I hope you enjoy the warm weather of spring and warm up under the sun after the long Russian winter! Miss you! Cheers. April 12, 2011 Hello, Maria!!How have you been, my dear? I remember that your birthday is coming soon so take my congratulations in advance! Do you have any special plans so far? (I will definitely call you, you know.) I will not get tired of repeating that I like living in America for its opportunities. However, I have observed one more thing that makes very me angry. Everything is based on business, money and lies! How many times have I been deceived in making a decision to buy something! Nobody will ever call it deception because they actually give all the information about a product or service or additional charges somewhere in the end of the advertisement or promotional leaflet, which is written in very small letters and marked out with a very little star. I understand that this is business and this is how the market works but I don't like this approach. There are many promotions going on in any field in America, so you might think that you are getting the best deal. Eventually, you end up paying even more than you initially expected to spend just because you believed their words without considering that there is an underlying trick. For example, recently I changed my cell phone service because I found a very economical plan, and they were promoting it charging just 40 dollars per month. Apparently, 40 dollars is the price not including this, that and some other fee; moreover, the promotional price is only for the first month of service! So I pay 90 dollars per month which is more than I used to pay for my previous mobile operator with better quality of service. The same situation happens in stores when they put big signs promising 40% off. People go to the register and find out that it applies to some kind of cardholders of their store; as a result, they buy the merchandise for full price anyway because very few people dare to say no. I have been in a situation like this many times so now I carefully read every detail of promotions! Well, Maria, I know everything is gonna be ok! Miss you! March 15, 2011 Hello again, my dear friend!Today I realized that here in America dreams come true more easily than they would back home. Remember when we were students; we thought we would never find a good place to work at because we didn't have any well-positioned relatives who could help us get hired. And I am positive that it is still the same situation in getting a well-paid position in any establishment in Russia, isn't it? In America I can feel that it is possible to make a career and succeed if you are capable and have initiative. I like this meritocratic approach. I cannot give an example of myself making a brilliant career, but I have met many immigrants who within 4-5 years of living here had made a promising career. I think it's great because I was so tired of the unfairness in Russia. Besides, everything is easier to reach not only regarding a professional career but also any other personal goals or secret dreams. In Russia, due to strict public opinion, people are concerned about revealing their innermost wishes, which consequently remain pipe dreams. In America it is quite normal for a successful businessman to ride a bike to work or for a nurse to dance as a go-go dancer in a club. It's amazing that this is not judged as much as it would be back home. That's why people don't hesitate to try things that seem interesting to them. Another amazing thing is the possibility of buying anything you want! Banks in America give credit to purchase anything you wish whether you have money or not. I understand that the purpose of banks is to make more money this way, but on the other hand, this is an excellent chance for people who are still in process of studying to start living a comfortable life (and for other people, of course). It is still difficult to get credit in Russia, as hard as it is to find a job to pay for all the debts. Sorry, I've got to go right now! Will write you later! March 8, 2011 Hello my dear friend!I hope you have been well. This time I am going to share my thoughts about food consumption in America. It's no news to you that Americans eat a lot; that's why many of them are fat. You can't imagine how often they eat and what they eat. They eat everywhere: in movie theatres, during classes in school and while walking on the street. I understand that it is related to a busy lifestyle, but can't they, for example, wait until class ends or at least go out of the classroom. When I see people eating in movie theaters, I feel like they came to enjoy the food not the movie. And you should see what they eat!!! My coworker who is constantly complaining about her weight has soda and potato chips every day for lunch, and I see a lot of people like her. Don't they learn it in school about healthy nutrition like us? Don't they understand that their health depends on it? Maria, you don't want to know how much they can talk about food (just as we do about cosmetics). The other day I overheard a conversation about a dish in some restaurant, and they talked about it for 30 minutes! What can you say about food besides whether it was tasty or not. They talk about it over the radio, television, and every second commercial is about food. For us, a meal is just the way to quell our physical instinct and get essential nutrients, isn't it? Well, at least here in San Francisco rational nutrition is being promoted so many people buy organic food from special stores and farmers' markets although it seems to me that there are no naturally grown vegetables or fruits in this country. I can't wait till I come home and eat natural vegetables and fruits grown in my parents' garden... I am going to cook "cream of broccoli soup" now and I hope there are still some vitamins in this American broccoli. I'll keep you updated! Bye! February 14, 2011 Hello my darling!I forgot to tell you that it has been already 4 months since I moved from San Rafael to the city of San Francisco! I enjoy living here very much! San Francisco is a beautiful city with amazing views and great architecture! I am not going to tell you everything because I want you to come and see it yourself!!! One of the fascinating features that you will definitely like here is the strong energy of the hills. You've probably heard a lot about the special charm of San Francisco… No wonder why many songs, poems and quotations are dedicated to this magnificent city! But there is something that stops me from calling it "the city of my dreams." There is a vast number of homeless people who make the picture of the city sad and dangerous. Not only do they look unpleasant, but they also often harass and scare peaceful residents by hustling for change, screaming on the streets and sometimes chasing people. Because most of them are drug addicts or alcoholics with serious mental issues, I avoid walking on certain streets during the daytime, and I don't walk at all by myself in the evenings. I want to be able to walk anytime anywhere! Their presence affects my freedom! That is not fair! Do you think they care about the cleanness of the city? Absolutely not! They only litter this beautiful city. And you don't want to know how some areas stink!!! I am surprised that people here are so tolerant of homeless people that they give them money. I know many people cannot help it but why give them money when they can try to earn it themselves? They make excuses for them. Moreover, bums get money, food and clothes from the local government, while some people work day and night in order to make little money and pay high taxes to support homelessness in San Francisco. Honestly, sometimes I get irritated when people get upset with me when I start talking about the homeless problem. Many Americans don't understand my concern. Likewise, I don't understand their attitude toward homelessness. Why do they support people who don't want to make any effort or take any responsibility? Well, I have to go! Will write to you next time! February 4, 2011 Hello my dear friend!This is my first letter to you since I left our beautiful country. I should tell you that a lot of things have changed in my life including my points of view. You know, Maria, I think I have become more tolerant than I used to be to other people, their values and traditions. The reason for that is the diversity of the American population. You cannot even imagine how many different people live in this country!!!! I don't generalize Americans anymore because it's hard to identify who real Americans are: some old Chinese lady who grew up in the US and still can't say a single word in English or a hopeless gangster somewhere in a ghetto who never went school but proudly claims that he is American? I can bring thousands of examples, but that's another topic… You know, when you look at a map, you see so many countries and there is no chance that you will ever visit them all, but here in America it's possible at least to meet people living in those countries, which makes me feel that I have already been to their countries. This is the best part of living in the US, I think. Looking back to my point of view when I used to live in Russia, I realize how narrow it was. We were used to living around people of the same race with the same customs and behavioral patterns, which made us think that people from other countries are different in a bad way. I remember how I used look at Chinese or Caucasian immigrants in Russia with a feeling of superiority. It's such a shame! I've totally changed, Maria! Now I respect people from other countries; besides, I am interested in knowing their culture and traditions. This is it for now Well, keep in touch! |