By Ava Fleisher
Pound Ridge resident Svetlana Shmulyian immigrated from Russia in 1995 via a graduate program scholarship. Because she fled for her safety, she was able to stay here as a refugee. Today, she’s a U.S. citizen and an award-winning singer and songwriter.
When and why did you immigrate to the United States?
I immigrated to the United States as a young adult in 1995, right after the fall of the Soviet Union. On one hand, there were a lot of opportunities to jump in and maybe start a business or do something exciting. But on the other hand, a lot of the structures that we relied upon as children fell apart. So it was not predictable. And with that, a lot of unsafety came; it was pretty unsafe to be a young woman.
My dad found a scholarship to study for a master’s degree in nonprofit management at The New School. I was one of the youngest participants. I remember landing in JFK, and everything about New York and about this country was so free compared to where I came from.
Growing up, did you ever picture yourself immigrating to the United States?
The Soviet Union was a completely closed society. It was like North Korea: nobody got in, nobody got out. It was very much censored. Growing up on the outskirts of Moscow, with my mom and dad being engineers, it was not in the cards for me to get out of the Soviet Union. I didn’t necessarily have this strong desire to go. It was only when my dad brought me the opportunity that I was like, “Okay, I guess I’ll try it.” But again, from literally day one in America, just the freedom blew my mind. I saw people walking on the street in the East Village in their pajamas, and nobody cared. As opposed to where I grew up, where you had to be fully dressed up and put on an armor of clothes to both fit in and not be noticed. You know, it’s like a giant dresser fell off my shoulders when I came here.
What was the process of obtaining your citizenship like?
In the Soviet Union, many religions were persecuted or prohibited. So when the Soviet Union fell, people started exploring their cultural backgrounds. We didn’t grow up religious, but I started exploring what it means to be Jewish and went to my first synagogue. At the same time, radical groups emerged, with people chanting neo-Nazi slogans because that became their religion. There were attacks on places of worship, and we were harassed on the streets. But I was very lucky because I was able to claim refugee status in America based on a fear of future persecution. That put me on a train to apply for a green card and then eventually citizenship.
What was it like adjusting to a new life in the United States?
At first, there was a sense of euphoria, experiencing new things in a new country; I was just so grateful to be here. Then I realized, “How do I create genuine connections with people?” I met a man who was part of these bohemian circles that had a lot of Russian events. He invited me to parties, but I never replied because I was so busy. But one day I did, and it changed my life. I met 200 people who became my family. I just opened myself up and submitted to the culture. I was like, “Okay, I’m different, but everybody’s different here.”
What was the biggest culture shock you experienced?
In Russia, there was a collective mentality, but America is very individualistic, which can be beautiful but also difficult in all relationships. I love being helpful and giving and serving a purpose, and I guess I’m still shocked sometimes at the individualism. Also, here, there’s a lack of judgment. You’re not going to be judged on what pants you’re wearing. Americans can just let go and enjoy life more, which I love.
Have you been back to Russia since immigrating to the United States?
A few months after I arrived, I started feeling very strange, almost transforming and lonely in some ways. On a whim, I booked tickets to Russia, and almost immediately, in the first second of being there, I saw how different I became. The things that made me uncomfortable before made me even more uncomfortable, and it solidified my choice to be in America. I always spoke my mind and didn’t hold back, and that’s not expected of women in that culture. I haven’t been back since.
This article was published in the July/August 2024 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.
Read other profiles in this series.
Ava Fleisher
Ava Fleisher is Connect To's star intern and a local high school student. When she’s not writing, you can find her spending time outdoors, reading, or volunteering in her community. When she grows up, she would like to pursue a career in journalism and travel the world.
