The article has been automatically translated into English by Google Translate from Russian and has not been edited.

'We will definitely be back': how refugees from Crimea began life from scratch in America

'09.07.2019'

Source: Voice of America

After the illegal annexation of the Crimea, many Crimean Tatars were forced to leave home and seek refuge in Ukraine or abroad. Journalists "VOA»They visited a young Crimean-Tatar family, which settled in the American city of Pittsburgh.

Photo: video frame

Five-month-old Ali Safin is the firstborn in the family of Marat and Elmaz. The Safins emigrated to the United States 8 months ago, leaving behind family, friends and a successful business in Crimea. They asked for political asylum in the USA.

The love story of Elmaz and Marat coincided with the events of the revolution of the merits and annexation of Crimea. Russian troops occupied the peninsula when Marat and Elmaz were preparing for the wedding.

“In such a situation, we do not understand what to do. Nobody understands. There are no clear instructions from the government on what to do. Everyone says - calmly, do not panic, but we need to do something. Certain actions are taking place on the part of our activists. The Crimean Tatar people support Ukraine. We knew that the Russian army was entering, but what would be the reaction of Ukraine, the Ukrainian military forces, the international community? We were waiting for this reaction and did not understand why everything was happening for so long. On the Russian side, crowds of people are in favor of the annexation of Crimea to Russia, they are holding a referendum, a rally, and we are participating in this. The airport is closed, banks are closed, nothing works, ”Marat recalls.

Photo: Voice of America frame

Marat and Elmazy, in a hurry, get married and after a few weeks move to Odessa. Four years lived, plying between Simferopol and Odessa. News about the beating of activists in Crimea, the arrest of friends, night visits of people in masks to relatives became everyday.

“The car comes to you in the morning. I don't know why they have such a joke, at 6-7 in the morning, when people are still sleeping, come in and do searches. It is unclear where, who, just people in black, in masks come with weapons and are looking for something. They check computers and phones, ”Elmaz says.

On the subject: Personal experience: how to go to the USA and start life from scratch

The decision to move to the United States came after another beating of Marat in Odessa.

“It was evening, they attacked me, I managed to fall, cover my face and head, but I got my ribs and legs,” Marat says.

Marat remembers - they beat him with rubber truncheons. An appeal to Odessa law enforcement officers did not bring any results. When they boarded the plane to New York, Elmaz was seven months pregnant.

“I was scared, because the first child, there is no help, the parents are far away, what will I do there. Well, in general, everything is so - "boom", with a clean slate, and even a child to boot. It is difficult, but we made up our minds. I said - if you decide, I'm with you. Where am I without him? ”Elmaz says.

Photo: Voice of America frame

“When we arrived, our friends helped us a lot. We lived for five months with our friend for free. He gave us a roof over our heads and our only expenses were on food. The United States protects people both strong and weak. In this case, we managed to get Medicaid, and this covered, say, more than 90% of our expenses. Thanks to this, we managed to save the little money that we brought with us, we were able to rent an apartment and stayed for food, ”Marat says.

Now Marat is waiting for refugee status and work permit. At the same time he passes the exams for a truck driver. The tourist business market, which Marat successfully worked in the Crimea, here, according to him, has long been occupied. However, Marat is not afraid to start from scratch.

“It happened several times in my life that we started from scratch. When we returned to Crimea from Central Asia, we started from scratch, then from Crimea to Odessa from scratch. There was no fear, just - Just Do It! I just do it and am not afraid, I have no choice, I have a family, and I cannot sit and think - but life was like that ... Although sometimes I remember. But now - just Just Do It! ”, - says Marat.

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The Crimean Tatar community of Pittsburgh is small but very friendly. Marat and Elmaz's closest friends live within a few blocks. Gather every Sunday.

Now they are carrying out plans to create a public organization that would help the Crimean Tatars, who remained in the Crimea.

“The further we leave, the more we have a craving for the Crimea, for our culture and traditions. And with the birth of a child, we feel responsibility, we must pass on a piece of our traditions, ”says Marat.

Elmaz dreams that they will return and the son will freely speak in his native language in the liberated Crimea: “We will return, we will definitely return. I want Ali to grow up in the Crimea too, with brothers and sisters, to see all our traditions, our weddings, our holidays. ”

“If we see the headline that Crimea has finally returned, then, of course, we will return to Crimea,” Marat assures.

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