How I became an American mother-in-law
'23.03.2018'
Source: Our Texas
Actually, I'm a scoop. My daughter and I lived quite tolerably on my modest salary, in the summer we went to rest in the Crimea and did not think about the fact that gas, electricity, rent would be more expensive ...
The state thought for us. And it wasn't bad. My daughter studied at the institute and went in for sports. But then "perestroika" began, and everything changed dramatically, says Olga Shurepova, author of the book "Tales of an American Mother-in-Law", for the project "Our Texas".
I failed to “restructure”, honestly worked on the old work and received pennies for it. And the daughter’s scholarship was even less. Degrading poverty has come on all sides. There was hardly enough money for food. We never dreamed about new clothes, we used to wear old ones. And the old clothes of optimism does not add. The daughter had a boyfriend with whom she met 5 years. But something went wrong with them, and they broke up. One day, after another quarrel with her fiancé, the daughter came home crying. She closed in the bathroom and roared there for another two hours. She was very worried about this gap and lost faith in herself. It hurt to look at it. I realized that no one would help us and I had to find a way out of the situation myself.
"The salvation of the drowning is the work of the drowning themselves." Somehow I accidentally read an ad in a newspaper: “Dating. Europe. America". For this you need only photos and brief data. Hooray! The abroad will help us!
But the daughter didn’t like this idea: “I don’t want to marry a foreigner!” “Why get married right away? - I objected. - You will correspond, get new friends, learn the language. It's so interesting. We will not lose anything. And you will believe in yourself again. And in general, no water flows under a rolling stone. ”
Photographed went early in the morning
The day before, my daughter went to the beach with her friends and was badly burned. I looked at her and thought - God, only good photos come out! The young photographers looked at her approvingly and assured her that everything would be all right. And so it happened, a cute pretty girl was looking at the photo. We sent photos to agencies and somehow forgot about it. They continued to live as before. But soon the groom "went jamb". Letters began to arrive, the telephone rang.
First, the French responded. Ulbert was a funny and funny guy. He called his daughter almost every day and chatted with her for 40 minutes. They sang their favorite songs on the phone, both adored Freddie Mercury. They discussed their favorite foods and other nonsense.
But soon the calls stopped. Apparently, Ulbert received a bill for the negotiations.
Then she received a letter from the Frenchman Jean. He inherited a village in a wonderful corner of France. He decided to become a farmer and invited her to come. “You will not milk the cows and feed the pigs,” Jean assured. “You will sit in a clean house at the computer and manage the entire farm.” But the daughter did not want to live in the village, albeit in France. And in vain.
"Greenpeace" Paul invited her to participate in the campaign against pollution. Life has become more interesting. Another letter came from France. The owner of the furniture store, Patrice, even sent documents for a visa. He sent photos of his shop and another photo, where he is sitting in an embrace with drunk girls. My daughter did not respond.
We received a call from the agency:
- Why does not Mademoiselle Alexandra answer Monsieur Patrice? He sent the documents, and it costs money!
“Because Monsieur Patrice sent me a photo with drunk girls,” Sasha answered.
- Sorry, we'll find out this question. Thanks for the information.
Patrice did not write more. And the agency did not complain ..
A young guy came from Canada and invited my daughter to a restaurant. Looks at her, smiles. And Sasha is actively absorbing the coveted chicken, already cracking behind the ears.
- Eat, baby, eat. You're so skinny. And your eyes are very beautiful, ”he said gently.
Then the Americans began to write and call.
In the evening, the bell rang. A thin voice asks in English to Alexander.
“She's at work,” I reply, “but what should she give?” What is your name?
“Michael,” a voice sounded in the phone, “tell her that I’m now in Odessa, I’ll be in Kiev in two days and call.” I really liked her and I want to meet her.
“OK, Michael,” I replied, “come over.” I will give everything to my daughter.
But Michael never arrived. Probably, on the road he was intercepted by nimble Odessans.
Called another American - fair-haired David
Military, works under contract in Saudi Arabia. He was waiting for Sasha at the main post office with an interpreter. I saw her - tanned, tall - and was stunned.
Sasha cheerfully says: - Hello!
David happily: - Do you know English? - Not! - the daughter answers even more cheerfully.
He laughed. They walked around Kiev for a long time, chatted, went to a cafe. In the morning, David flew to Saudi Arabia. Letters from him came often. “When my friends saw your photo,” David wrote, “they said that I was a fool and that I should have taken you away with you right away, even in a suitcase.” In May, David was again going to come to Kiev, meet with relatives. But then the letters stopped. From the newspapers we learned that in the city where he served, there was a clash of the local population with the Americans. Many Americans died. God forbid, killed the poor man!
Several letters came from America at once. The tall, beautiful Bob from Boston wrote to Sasha that when he saw her picture, he fell in love. And now he is working hard in the summer to come to Kiev and get to know her. Bob sent Sasha flowers, sweets, parcels. Congratulations on the day of St. Valentine's birthday. Often called.
Фото: Depositphotos
Among the letters was a letter from the future son-in-law.
Russell approached the issue in a businesslike manner. He was interested in her views on life, family. He asked if she loved children. This is important for him, as he wants to have a family and children. I ask my daughter:
- If you get married, how many children would you like to have?
“Minimum 2's or 3's,” she answered. - I love babies and have always regretted that I have no brother or sister.
Russell really enjoyed it.
- OK, I was going to come to you in the summer, but I do not want to wait. I will arrive in March, - he wrote. And he came. They spent together a few days. We went to the theater, in the Lavra. There was a translator with them everywhere, since Sasha knew little English. Then Russell wanted to meet me. And invited us to the restaurant. Cute, blue-eyed, he did not take his eyes off the entire evening. He told about himself: the average American is not a businessman, but his earnings are stable. Loves children and animals. She loves to travel. In people, she appreciates kindness and decency. After dinner, they put me in a taxi and sent me home, and they themselves went to the circus; Russell heard a lot about our circus and wanted to see the show.
In the evening, the daughter comes home excited, confused:
- Mom, he offers me to marry.
- Well, what about you? - suddenly I was frightened.
- She said that I would think about it. This is so unexpected.
- Right, think. Take your time, look at how many letters: Bob, Alex, John, - I dissuaded.
- What kind of mother you are prosaic, - for some reason, my daughter was offended.
The next day, Russell came to her work, led him to a cafe and asked about her decision.
Sasha said she had not decided yet. He smiled: “I understand you and not in a hurry, this is a very serious question. I will wait as much as you say. ”
A few days have passed.
“Today I will answer him“ Yes, ”my daughter told me. - You know, I like him, and he has good eyes. With him somehow reliable.
They sat in a cafe. And when Sasha said this, Russell, excited and happy, began to kiss her hands:
- Thank you! I will be a good husband and I will do everything for you to be happy too.
He took Sasha to a jewelry store to buy a ring. She was confused: “Why? It is not necessary to do this! ”
“This is our way,” answered Russell, “for now you are my bride, we are engaged.”
Before leaving, he left Sasha money for an English teacher and a visa for the bride. My daughter stood in a queue in the offices, making out a visa, and at home she was collapsing from exhaustion. Russell often called. He said he was bored, waiting for a meeting. And the documents are ready. For a visa I had to go to Warsaw. All our relatives gathered at the station. Doubts, wishes, advice, tears. Kind words of farewell.
I was like in a dream and did not fully realize that Sasha would fly straight from Warsaw to America. It did not fit in the head.
The train arrived in Warsaw early in the morning.
Next to the station was an American hotel.Holyday inn". Russell booked a room there. More than modestly dressed, with “sovdepovskimi” checkered bags, we entered the hotel and were stunned: soft leather chairs, fountains, a winter garden, porters. They looked at us with suspicion.
Sasha independently approached the receptionist, called the names - and immediately the doorman jumped behind our bags, escorted to the room, smiling and bowing. Entering the room, we were stunned again. But quickly settled. I took a bath with shampoos. Sasha brought me a gin and tonic. We were not surprised at anything. Rested, put themselves in order and went down to meet Russell. In the seats sit respectable, imposing "Uncle Sam". Look down on us. We are silent, like sparrows, waiting. A taxi pulls up, Russell gets out of it: he is just dressed, with a backpack. Jumped out of the taxi and ran past us to the receptionist.
I say to my daughter: “Go!” And pushed her lightly. She quietly called out: "Russell!".
He turned around, threw his things, ran to her, hugged and did not let go. Whispers:
- You have become even more beautiful, I really missed you, I love you!
So, embracing, they stood in the middle of the hall. And then I was surprised to see that all these haughty "Uncle Sam", the doormen, the clerk rose from their seats and began to applaud. They approached them, smiled, said something good, congratulated. And then three days running around Warsaw. My daughter had to undergo a medical examination, X-ray, to pass tests. Russell took a taxi in the morning, and we were running in all instances. And finally, the most important thing remains - an interview in English at the American Embassy. There was a huge queue. But Russell went to the guard, said something to him and missed us. No wonder my daughter was studying English. She coped, answered all questions and surprisingly quickly received a visa.
“Don't worry,” Russell told me, “a visa for three months.” During this time we get to know each other. If Sasha does not like America, she will return to Kiev. But I hope that everything will be fine, and in the fall you will come to our wedding.
I obediently nodded my head, but knew little about what I was talking about. What is America? What wedding? I was escorted to the train. A daughter went on a long journey: Warsaw-Miami-Dallas. The phone woke me up at night. Sasha called from Dallas.
Flew normally, but very tired
So many impressions that does not fit in my head. When they entered the house, Sasha saw on the table her favorite white roses and a map of her native city of Kiev. And his sincere admiration, the desire to make her happy, dispelled the last doubts. A week later, the parents arrived. Sasha they really liked. Mother wrote me a letter that they were happy to have such a kind and beautiful sister-in-law. And they are also happy for their son, because they see that there is love between them. Three months later, they played a wedding. And I was able to come to the celebration. And led her daughter to the altar. So I became an “American mother-in-law.”
11 years have passed. I have two grandchildren growing up. These are sunshine in my life.
Every year at Christmas I come to visit the children. And in the summer they go to Ukraine. I traveled all over America: Las Vegas, Disneyland, were in the mountains of Colorado, on the ocean, I saw the Grand Canyon, the Great Lakes. I learned the traditions and lives of ordinary Americans. That's what I want to tell.
