1.
Q.Tell us something about two of you: your
professions, where you lived in Russia, where you worked
and why you decided to come to America.
A.
My husband and me graduated from Moscow State University
as physicist in a years when Russia was USSR. Than,
the same as many people in our generation, we had more
than ten years of unpredictable bur captivating life
and career. Finally we both worked in different pharmaceutical
companies in Moscow. My husband managed his own small
business and worked as business development director
of just constructed pharmaceutical packaging factory,
producing antibiotics. I was coordinator of international
projects in biotech company. Last years we traveled
a lot visiting many countries around the World, and
we decided that it would be very interesting and useful
for our outlook to try to live in other country for
a while. We had an opportunity to come to USA as legal
residents but we did not use it till this year.
2. Q. I understand that
you plan on applying for American citizenship, do you
have any ideas on where you would like to live and do
you already have work here?
A.
We have chance to get American citizenship
during few years because we get status "Parole
for public benefit". Half of our college
friends left Russia in the beginning of 90th and
many of them stay now in USA working in universities
as physicists. Why the most of our friends who
have left for America have not returned back?
What does it mean to live here? We came here to
look ourselves what is life in USA. When we planned
our trip we thought that it will take few month
and we will stay in Los Angeles, California where
one of our university friends lives now. But we
came to New York first and we are still here.
We already visited Washington D.C., Philadelphia
and Baltimor. |
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It took two months to decide whether or not we want
to stay here in USA. It was not easy time. But we decided
to stay and now we have no plan to go back. Next month
we are planning to move in New Jersey. We found that
it is difficult or impossible for us to find here the
same kind of job as we had in Russia, so we still have
no job. But we realized that America is the best place
in the World for starting new business. For the first
time in many years my husband have a lot time, so he
learned how to write US patent applications and already
has composed his own application. Right now he is engaged
in promotion of his invention. Our daughter studies
English in ESL school in Manhattan. She is very excited
to study with students which are from Japan and Latin
America and other places and we see that her education
advanced as never before. As for me, I couldn¡¦t
imagine my life without dogs and I¡¦m trying
to find a job which is connected with dogs. I hope that
in a month or two it will be clear what we are able
to do here right now and what we have to leave till
better times.
3. Q. What especially
appeals you about living in the U.S.?
A.
Of course, New York and other American cities where
we have being are different from what we saw before.
Many of our American friends have invited us to visit
them as soon as we have arrived. We already enjoyed
visiting to Cathi & Tom DiGiacomo and Barbara &
Stephen La Vere. It was great! A lot of thanks all of
them! Of course, we do not believe that in few months
it is possible to understand life and people, but we
already have our first impression which, as many people
believe is the most right. First of all, people here
are very kind and are honor. Second, life is more predictable
here. As we found out from our previous experience,
those people, who have a dream and who know what they
really want, often get it. For America it is more truthful
than for any other place in the world. Of course it
might take a lot of time and efforts, but it is especially
clear when you know how things happen in Russia. It
is especially important for our daughter. Her dream
is to to attend in college and become the architect.
Third, we enjoy nature which is surprisingly rich here.
It is possible to see many species of animals even in
New York City. If to sit quietly in the backyard of
the house of our friend in Staten Island for a long
time, especially tonight, it is possible to meet with
raccoons, squirrels and opossums who are crossing back
yard in their favorite routes. We also are enjoying
ocean views. We both a fans of photography and made
a lot of impressive pictures here.
4. Q. How many Chinese
Shar-pei do you have and did you bring them with you
or will they be following later (or at all)? Tell us
a little about them.
A.
It is an especial story. I can tell about my dogs for
hours till somebody do not stop me! First shar-pei image
which I saw was a small black-n-white picture in a book
of German author in 1989. You understand that I had
fallen in love with this breed immediately! Two years
late, in Moscow, I met the first shar-pei in my life.
Than I observed of this breed at dog shows and carefully
collected all information about this breed, which as
I found, had some health problems. When in 1994 I bought
my first shar-pei, I already had Great Dane. My Great
Dane is still alive and almost 14 years now. My first
shar-pei is black horsecoat bitch Blacky iz Shanhaja,
she is extremely smart, understands all worlds, and
so committed for cooperation with people that sometimes
it seems to me that she is a creature who able do human
things, including phone calls. She became my first champion.
She will be 8 years old soon. Her dam is 11 years old
and this line never had health problems. I use internet
and e-mail since 1996. As results I bought some shar-peis
from breeders living in USA. These dogs allow me to
build a foundation of my kennel and my breeding program.
I have been a member of CSPCA since 1997. My mahogany
male Chesapeakes High Flight Dao became the most popular
stud dog in Russia and neighbor countries. He completed
Champion of Russian and Club Winner and recognized as
the best stud dog at Russian National Specialty during
few years. My fawn Caddy's daughter Kozyhills Caddys
Living Doll has five Champion titles and a class winner
on World show in 1998. I visited a lot of European dog
shows and now my 8 shar-peis have 17 champion titles
in different countries. Some of my shar-peis live with
co-owners. I hope to bring few my dogs here to show
them to obtain the AKC Champion title.Few days ago my
chocolate female Daoshao Undina (daughter of Chesapeakes
High Flight Dao) finished her Estonian and Ukrainian
champion titles. Now she is ready to come in New York.
I really enjoy this breed. I love to show my dogs. I
think that this is best way to find good friends around
the World.
5. Q. How many Shar-pei
would you say are in Russia today? Is the Club there
very active? Are you member? Tell us about the growth
in numbers of the breed.
A.
The first Russian breeder who got shar-pei puppies
was Oleg Yushin. It happens in 1990. During 12
years shar-peis were very popular dogs in Russia
and became a numerous breed. I think that there
are about 6 or 7 thousands shar-pei in Russia.
Russian shar-pei club was established in 1997.
Cathi DiGiacomo and Ann Hickman judged first Russian
National Specialty. Jocelyn and Mike Barker judged
second Nationals. Tatiana Grishina is now the
president of Russian Shar-pei Club. Of course,
I'm member of Russian Club. I'm also the editor
of Russian shar-pei magazine. |
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6. Q. What would you say
have been some of the biggest changes in Russia (or
Soviet Union) in the last ten years?
A.
As far as changes are concerned, of course, they are
tremendous and impressing. The Soviet Union was totalitarian
country surrounded by "iron blind". A lot
of people not allowed to travel abroad, and even to
talk and correspond with the foreign friends was difficult
and sometimes impossible. It's especially crucial for
dog breeding. But things are changing. Many dogs breaded
in Russia at last 10-15 years now win at the largest
international exhibitions. As for me, some of my best
friends are Isabella Pizzamiglio (Khambaliq kennel in
Italy), Guy Delwiche (Le Ru d Mazarin kennel in Belqium)
and, of course, many breeders in USA. My puppies happily
live in USA, Italy, Great Britain, France, Hungary,
Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, etc. It was impossible
to imagine 10 years ago. Concerning the life standards,
yes they have grown in Moscow and big cities, but there
is a lot of places in Russia where people's life became
worse than it was in USSR. The life style in Moscow
became the same as in many European countries. But life
in Russia is more nervous and less safe than in USA.
There are a lot of poor people. Government, public institutes
and taxation system are not effective and serve basically
themselves. Ecology became a big and widely recognized
problem. We are far from politics, but such things as
defaults and ecological cataclysms distress all the
population.
7. Q. Is there more interest
in dogs, dog shows or are citizens more interested in
raising the living standard for their own comforts?
A.
Breeders and owners of kennels are a special kind of
the people regardless of nationality. Such people do
not think about matters of comfort but only about their
(or another's ) dogs. I think that it distinguish breeders
in all countries from other "common" people
much more than national and regional peculiarities.
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