Immigration motifs
Immigration was, of course, a lightening bolt, a doorstop, a derailment for me, as a developing human, and for my parents, as humans cruising along. I can't believe I haven't written more about it. I should be capitalizing on it; I should be producing personal statement after personal statement about how I've overcome the odds as a self-made daughter of poor immigrants. (That's tongue in cheek, because I'm anything but self-made) But aside from the fact that I've always felt that's cheating, I just don't think I could find words, phrases and structure to write about it in a cohesive way that wouldn't be boring and cheesy. Plus, what aspect immigration do you pick to write about? What about it? It was fun? It was tough? It was stressful? It was hungry?
Maybe just some notes?
1) Bribing
To the soviet Russian, nothing ever happens on its own. You know that old saying, if you want something done, do it yourself? I'd change it to "if you want something done, bribe someone." Ex-wives could be given a lump sum to sign all release papers. The customs agent who controlled what we were taking out of the country could be dealt with, for sure. (Incidentally, our guy knew my dad from high school... And only felt up my mom once to make sure she wasn't smuggling valuable art in her bra...) But what to do abroad?
Everyone knew that when we were being taken to shuffling center number 1, Vienna, chances were, you'd end up in an off season ski resort up in the mountains, shut off from civilization. A very lucky few ended up in a more desirable location, somewhere in the city. We, a group of people scared to death, landed in Bratislava, and stood around waiting for transport to take us to the Austrian destination. There was a lot of cliquing, and men smoking in circles, and plotting ways to get the driver to take you to a place in the city. Those who were prepared had spare bottles of vodka, and would stealthily approach drivers and organizers from the HIAS, wink wink and slip them the bribe.
Well, I don't think my parents thought that far ahead, but we ended up on Wassersteinstrausse, on the Friedensbruche metro stop, right by the river...
2) Sales and making extra money
The HIAS paid a small amount of money for families to live on. If I remember right, it was 360 schillings per head of household per week, and 120 schillings per family member per week in Vienna, and even less in Italy. In Italy, we were also supposed to find an apartment and pay rent, so most people ended up in small towns and villages around Rome, renting summer apartments from rich Italians for twice the price. We roomed with another family of four in a two room apartment. Their little girl, aged two, slept in a makeshift bed made of a suitcase for two months.
Needless to say, money was tight.
So, people turned to alternate ways of making money. I don't know how, since it was not possible to phone or send letters back to Russia, but people knew that what works is selling valuable commodities to interested europeans. Commodities were: caviar (200 schillings per can!), lace, traditional Russian jewelry boxes, cheap electronics. People brought extra suitcases of stuff to sell. Each small town that had Russians in it in Italy had a little makeshift market every Sunday, and Russians would go and set up booths.
Again, we failed to be prepared, but it was hard not to get caught up in the fever of the trade, so we ended up selling our camera, all our linens, all handmade lace napkins, and a very special stork designed thermos.
Other ways tomake extra money included, and oh god, I can't even believe it! Window washing. Yes, you know that bum that jumps your car at the red light and washes your window with a dirty squeegee against your will? That would be Russian children doing it in Italy. My parents didn't let me, because I was only 11, but I hated them for it.
3) Cheating
How to get more than one ride out of your busticket: soap the ticket before you stamp it, then you can simply rub off the stamp.
How to halve your heating bill: break into the meter and turn it back.
4) Food
First meal in Vienna: spiral pasta with ketchup, sauteed liver and chocolate cookies.
Sunday meal in Vienna because all the stores are closed: Home made potato chips.
Best discovery: The Fleischmarkt!! The cold cut bin had cold cut ends in it, chunks of delicious salami and bacon I'd never ever smelled before.
Secret treat: pudding!
Saddest and happiest experience at the same time: being stopped on the street by a Viennese man who offered me 20 schillings and a chocolate bar - just because we looked so sad. He gave it to my parents, got back into his car and drove off!
Unbelievable new smells: the smell of french fries and beer in the frosty Christmasy air, and knowing that I can't go in to have some because we can't spend the money...
Most popular food product in Italy: turkey wings because they are cheapest. AKA "Krylia sovetov, or Wings of Communism." Creative ways to eat them: turkey soup, turkey burgers, turkey salad, turkey aspic...
The coveted item: ice cream. Those display cartons that have all the Hood ice creams on them looked festive and myserious. Once every few weeks, we'd have something.
Fruit: mandarins. aplenty. by box. in March in Italy.
New words: SCONTI! means "sale" in Italian
5) Making temporary tight friendships
What choice did we have?
Who knew where we'd all end up?
Maybe just some notes?
1) Bribing
To the soviet Russian, nothing ever happens on its own. You know that old saying, if you want something done, do it yourself? I'd change it to "if you want something done, bribe someone." Ex-wives could be given a lump sum to sign all release papers. The customs agent who controlled what we were taking out of the country could be dealt with, for sure. (Incidentally, our guy knew my dad from high school... And only felt up my mom once to make sure she wasn't smuggling valuable art in her bra...) But what to do abroad?
Everyone knew that when we were being taken to shuffling center number 1, Vienna, chances were, you'd end up in an off season ski resort up in the mountains, shut off from civilization. A very lucky few ended up in a more desirable location, somewhere in the city. We, a group of people scared to death, landed in Bratislava, and stood around waiting for transport to take us to the Austrian destination. There was a lot of cliquing, and men smoking in circles, and plotting ways to get the driver to take you to a place in the city. Those who were prepared had spare bottles of vodka, and would stealthily approach drivers and organizers from the HIAS, wink wink and slip them the bribe.
Well, I don't think my parents thought that far ahead, but we ended up on Wassersteinstrausse, on the Friedensbruche metro stop, right by the river...
2) Sales and making extra money
The HIAS paid a small amount of money for families to live on. If I remember right, it was 360 schillings per head of household per week, and 120 schillings per family member per week in Vienna, and even less in Italy. In Italy, we were also supposed to find an apartment and pay rent, so most people ended up in small towns and villages around Rome, renting summer apartments from rich Italians for twice the price. We roomed with another family of four in a two room apartment. Their little girl, aged two, slept in a makeshift bed made of a suitcase for two months.
Needless to say, money was tight.
So, people turned to alternate ways of making money. I don't know how, since it was not possible to phone or send letters back to Russia, but people knew that what works is selling valuable commodities to interested europeans. Commodities were: caviar (200 schillings per can!), lace, traditional Russian jewelry boxes, cheap electronics. People brought extra suitcases of stuff to sell. Each small town that had Russians in it in Italy had a little makeshift market every Sunday, and Russians would go and set up booths.
Again, we failed to be prepared, but it was hard not to get caught up in the fever of the trade, so we ended up selling our camera, all our linens, all handmade lace napkins, and a very special stork designed thermos.
Other ways tomake extra money included, and oh god, I can't even believe it! Window washing. Yes, you know that bum that jumps your car at the red light and washes your window with a dirty squeegee against your will? That would be Russian children doing it in Italy. My parents didn't let me, because I was only 11, but I hated them for it.
3) Cheating
How to get more than one ride out of your busticket: soap the ticket before you stamp it, then you can simply rub off the stamp.
How to halve your heating bill: break into the meter and turn it back.
4) Food
First meal in Vienna: spiral pasta with ketchup, sauteed liver and chocolate cookies.
Sunday meal in Vienna because all the stores are closed: Home made potato chips.
Best discovery: The Fleischmarkt!! The cold cut bin had cold cut ends in it, chunks of delicious salami and bacon I'd never ever smelled before.
Secret treat: pudding!
Saddest and happiest experience at the same time: being stopped on the street by a Viennese man who offered me 20 schillings and a chocolate bar - just because we looked so sad. He gave it to my parents, got back into his car and drove off!
Unbelievable new smells: the smell of french fries and beer in the frosty Christmasy air, and knowing that I can't go in to have some because we can't spend the money...
Most popular food product in Italy: turkey wings because they are cheapest. AKA "Krylia sovetov, or Wings of Communism." Creative ways to eat them: turkey soup, turkey burgers, turkey salad, turkey aspic...
The coveted item: ice cream. Those display cartons that have all the Hood ice creams on them looked festive and myserious. Once every few weeks, we'd have something.
Fruit: mandarins. aplenty. by box. in March in Italy.
New words: SCONTI! means "sale" in Italian
5) Making temporary tight friendships
What choice did we have?
Who knew where we'd all end up?
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