Food

Food plays the most important role in one's life. Health depends on the food a person eats. Children must eat home-cook meals daily. That is why I try to prepare soup every day. For dinner, mostly I prepare vegetables and some meat. My family is non-vegetarian. For this reason we eat chicken, meat and fish, but not pork. We like to eat fish. This is a very nutritional food.


I am very happy that here we have a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables round-the year. Some of these fruits and vegetables I tasted for the first time. For example, okra (lady finger). We like mango. Here there are a lot of mangoes and they are not expensive. In my native country it was very expensive fruit. Cantaloupe can be found here round-the year.


In USA, fast food is very popular. In Russia there are also a lot of McDonald's. I think fast food should only be eaten very rarely, but not always.


I am happy that in schools my children like the food served. It is delicious and nutritional.


In USA there is more problem - a lot of obese people. I think a person must choose what kind of food he eats and how much. There is a saying - "You are what you eat".

Easter

On Sunday was Easter. We like this religion holiday very much. Our family went to Chicago. The weather was nice in the morning but windy. First we stopped on the beach of the Lake Michigan.

After that we went to Willis Tower - the highest building in Chicago. It has 103 floors, 450 meters. We observed city and made a movie, but the weather became worse, cloudy and rainy. We could not see far, like in the good weather. But when sunny, you can see not only all Chicago, but 4 states of USA. The biggest surprise for us was glass balcony. We took photos.

We spent two hours and were very happy with this visit. We rested and received good feelings about the experience.

Nickname from Russia

My name is Elena. This name is found from old Greek "Helene" and means "sunlight" or "bright".

This name was very popular during the 1960s and 70s. This name has different variations: Elen, Helen, Gelena. In Russia there are variations: Al'ona, Ol'ona (short form L'ena, L'ol'a).

In Russia names have full (official) forms and nicknames. For example: Ekat'erina = Kat'a, Elizav'eta = Liza, Al'eksandr = Sasha, Ivan = Vania. But some names have only one form, for example: V'ra, Zoia, Igor', Ol'eg.

Moreover, Russian languae uses different forms of nicknames depending on the emotions, relationships: pet names and rude forms. For example, my nickname is L'ena, pet names are L'enochka, L'enus'a, L'enus'ka, L'enok. The rude form is L'enka. These formes are formed with suffix -k (Kat'ka, Lizka, Sashka, Van'ka). The pet names are formed with suffixes - ochk/ -echk, -on'k/-en'k (V'erochka, Vaniechka, Lizon'ka, Katien'ka).

Questions about US citizens

I ask these questions, becouse I want to compare your opinion with mine. Moreover, these problems are interesting for me, because they are important in my old country too.

1. What traits of American people do you like?
2. What can you tell me about most important problems of American society or life?
3. Is higher education prestigous in USA?
4. Can you name three most prestigous professions in USA?

My First Visit to the USA

This story is about my first visit to the USA.
I came here with my daughters in November 2009. One month later my kids started studying in school and I sturted to study English in January. Now it's difficult for me to write about my feelings in this new country, because I have only lived here for 3 months. I like the education that my kids are getting. I like the living conditions. I am glad that my family (my husband and my kids) are finally all together. The past 12 years my husband was living here without us and sometimes he came to St.Petersburg to visit us. Now I think I'm happy, although life is not easy. I hope that it will be all good in the future.

About Us

Guloona
I am a Pakistani immigrant and I came to America in 1995.
I have three kids, and am a housewife.
I hope I will learn something that beneficial for me and my family's life. (inshallah)


Baran
My name is Baran. I am from Pakistan. I am a mother of 4. I have been living in Skokie, Illinois for past ten years.

Osmanthus
I'm a stay home mom from Hong Kong. I've been in U.S.A. for more than ten years. I have two boys. Other than take care of my family, I like to do cross stitch in my spare time.

Elena
My name is Elena. I am from Russia, from Saint-Petersburg. I am living in USA for 3 months. I am living in Skokie. I am not working now. Now I am studying English. I have 3 kids: my youngest daughters are 12 and 6. They are studying in the school in Skokie. My oldest daughter is 20. She is studying in St.-Petersburg in university.

Vinou
I am a Haitian women I have been in america for 5 years. I have a daugther . Before l lived at Philadelphia now I am in Chicago for 1 year.