With highs and lows, 2017 is nearing its end. It is a good time for conclusions. In this context, IPN sought to see how 2017 played out in the lives of Moldovans at home and abroad. Was it the year that brought them a resolve to build their future at home, or did it strengthen their desire to leave? Was it the year for opening or closing businesses? A truly wonderful occurrence maybe? Today we peer into 2017 as it unfolded for mathematics professor Ana Mihailevschi, ex-editor at the “Adevărul de Ștefan Vodă”, who has emigrated with her family to the USA.
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“2017 - the Chinese year of the Fire Rooster, the year I was born in almost half a century ago. Born in Moldova, 2017 had me reborn in the USA,” claims Ana Mihailevschi, who has emigrated with her family to the United States of America almost two and a half years ago. She says she had never considered emigration, although many of her friends had moved to different parts of the world. It wasn’t easy to decide on emigration, having spent over 40 years in the homeland.

“We built a house, planted an orchard and a vineyard, raised two children, and dedicated ourselves to our crafts. Deciding on emigration, we tried to be objective, to calculate all advantages and disadvantages. Understanding that we would have to start from scratch, to find a new path. With one thousand words learned in English, one thousand dollars in my pocket, joined by my husband and my son (17 years old), I was sitting on a plane, troubled by the idea of the new life ahead of us,” added Ana Mihailevschi.

New York reminded her of Brașov, with red brick houses, same trees, flowers; as though she wasn’t tens of thousands of kilometers away from home. The first year was tougher. “We had to learn to speak, walk and interact anew, with a new world. It took us some time to find stable housing and employment. Thanks to our friends, who hosted us and offered information, we didn’t feel the burden of the emigration’s initial period. New York, with its 10,000,000 people, is still a quiet city, with a moderate dynamic, where everyone patiently awaits his/her turn at the cash register, bus, train, which was striking for us. We felt the real pulse of the city when searching for jobs online, where a fresh posting would instantly get thousand of views. That was when I realized that New York never sleeps. That is how my transition began,” reminisces the Ștefan-Vodă professor. Hardships bind and strengthen bonds more than anything.

Where there is patience and a will, worries make way to harmony and stability. It is something that our protagonist attributes to her family as well. 2017 was the year that witnessed the rewards of the efforts made since their arrival to the USA. “Self-knowledge, self-trust, hope in the following day, daily hard work have molded into a frame of stability and conviction that we are on the right path. On this path, we have met people with different culture and visions, yet all were warmhearted and with boundless soul. We learned something new from each encounter. But I have always rejoiced in my own family, who is always by my side,” mentioned Ana Mihailevschi.

She says America is country of many opportunities, with a well-defined system. The Law applies to anyone, regardless of status, religion or race. “In my opinion, this is the most important criterion for freedom. Only under such conditions can one live a life without prejudice, humiliation, or psychological abuse. I am glad for the chance to present my children with another culture, another way of thinking, and the opportunity to build their own future. I want to thank Alina Marin for the challenge. I had the opportunity to revise the road we’ve travelled in our two years here. Happy holidays! Best wishes — the Mihailevschi family, New York.”

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