As a girl from Kyrgyzstan became a taxi driver in Chicago
'21.02.2018'
Source: Sputnik Kyrgyzstan
Already 2, 32-year-old Kaiyrgul Orunkulova lives in the United States, the last year working as a taxi driver in Chicago. She is proud of her work, because she works honestly.
Kayirgul told about compatriots in the USA, her work and rules of the road in an interview Sputnik Kyrgyzstan Rasul Usenaliyev.
- For what purpose did you come to the States?
- 2 arrived in America a year ago. First hit the state of California. A year later, she moved to Chicago, Illinois. Since childhood, she dreamed of seeing the USA, study and work here. Parents helped to realize my dream, and she tried. As they say, God hears the desire of young people, and now the dream has come true. And my goal is to take care of the future of my daughter and show the parents of the country where I visited.
- Tell us about your perception of America.
- Smiles, warm attitude of the locals are good cheer up. The living conditions are wonderful. In California, you rarely meet Kyrgyz, there are few of them. And Kyrgyz dishes were also very missed. I wanted to see other states, other cities, so I moved to Chicago. There are many Kyrgyz, Kyrgyz cafes. I enjoy our dishes.
- There were difficulties when you started driving a taxi?
- 80-90 percent of Kyrgyz in Chicago work as taxi drivers. I also took a taxi driver course, passed the exams, and received a license. It was not difficult, since I know English.
At first, could get lost on the route. Clients treated this with understanding. Knowing the language, I could explain the situation, and then they helped me. In the service station I met a Kyrgyz woman who had been working as a taxi driver for two years. She explained to me on the phone how and where to get there, but basically I asked for directions from my customers. They always prompted. So I pretty quickly explored the city. It was only difficult the first two weeks.
- Remember your first departure?
- Of course. She pissed off other drivers with slowness, listened to obscene words when she confused lines and suddenly appeared from nowhere. But tried not to pay attention to the abuse. I tried, the main thing was to take the client to the address. I can not say that it was very difficult. You should always try, then the result will be.
- How do customers treat a woman taxi driver?
- Many people say that they meet such people for the first time and that they are lucky, they are happy. Now many Kyrgyz women drive a taxi. They are great.
- If you are surprised at a woman driving a taxi, then, probably, there are often interesting cases?
- I have not yet encountered funny situations. But there are still different stories. I tried to work in the evenings. At this time, customers are most often taken to cafe bars. Some of them sit down, but don't know the address, or you bring them, and they tell you: "This is not that." Some fall asleep on the road and refuse to get out of the car. You can hardly wake them up, you have to say that you will call the police. But drunks leave a good tip. I did not work long in the evening shift, now I go out in the afternoon.
- How many hours a day do you work?
- From four in the morning yes four in the evening - on 12 hours. At night, another taxi driver, also a Kyrgyz, comes out for me. Therefore, in the changers are looking for those who live nearby. Here the Kyrgyz communicate through Viber. If you need a car, you can also find it through Viber. The car that I drive belongs to a Kyrgyz who leases it to a taxi company. The car give us two shifts. We pay for rent weekly. New car - Toyota Prius 2014 year of manufacture. Great to drive a new car! In addition, it is a hybrid, so gasoline consumption is small. Daily fuel is poured into 7-10 dollars.
- If it's not a secret, how much do you earn?
- Income depends on experience, how you work. Well it turns out when you get out on time. It's hard to get up early, get tired. If you oversleep and go to work late, miss yours.
But I try not to recycle. Mom, when we talk to her on the phone, always advises that I sleep and have enough rest, fully fed. When I get out on time and work well, I earn 150 dollars per shift. This is in addition to the cost of gasoline and food. But it does not happen every day.
At first I did not know the city and where to get customers. But despite this, the first day earned 170 dollars. I think that I earned well because I did not immediately find the right addresses. Apparently, drove customers in circles along the long path, and that’s how it turned out more money. Now I am looking for the shortest way.
- If you come across Kyrgyz customers, do you bring them for free?
- In Chicago, almost all Kyrgyz are taxi drivers, so they themselves do not get into taxis. But sometimes they come across. Of course, we deliver them for free.
- In Chicago, there are still Kyrgyz who drive a taxi?
- Yes, there are many. In addition, they work in cafes, beauty salons. Most compatriots settle in the northern part of the city. So in the evenings, on returning home, I often see our taxi drivers refueling their cars. There are a lot of Kyrgyz Kyrgyz guys too.
- Are there any cases when you break the rules of the road? Are the laws strict here?
- Yes very. It happens, you want to catch up to red and in a hurry. This fixes the camera. For such a violation you have to pay a fine of 100 dollars.
Once I stood in a traffic jam and took the phone, I didn’t even call, I just held it in my hand. A policeman appeared on the bicycle right away, took away the license and issued a fine. I paid 200 dollars and returned the license. In addition, they can be fined for disembarking a passenger in the wrong place.
- What supports you, what dream?
- All compatriots working so far from their homeland have main goals - to earn money on housing, to help parents, brothers and sisters, to take care of the future of children. I would like all our wishes to come true about returning alive and healthy to Kyrgyzstan and about a good life in our native land. Let the guys and girls who drive a taxi, God protects from accidents. Successes and health them.
PS 32-year-old Kaiyrgul Orunkulova was born in the village of Kok-Kashat, Talas district. She is the sixth of seven children in the family. She has three sisters, two elders and one younger brothers. Daughters Kayirgul in April will be six years old.
