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Immigration Timeline
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Moving to America
My name is Valeriya Kosyhk. I come from Vladivostok, Russia and I plan to start a new life in a better place. -
The Journey to the New World
I've decided to leave my hometown in Russia and move to America. The extreme poverty rate and lack of oppurtunity in Vladivostok has persuaded me to journey to the New World. Since the Homestead Act has just been introduced, I think I could use that to my advantage in finding land in America. I have now decided to ask my brother Kostya to come with me to America. We have discussed that taking an ox cart or a train would be the cheapest way to get to Germany or maybe France. -
At Sea
Once we got to France on the train, we made haste to find a ship that we could sail to Boston on. For such little pocket money we had left, we could only afford to live in steerage. Steerage is about as pleasant as sleeping with pigs! It's crowded, dirty, and uncomfortable in a 6x8ft room. There are two narrow rows of metal bunks and all of the necessitites had to be supplied by ourselves! The only thing nice about it is that my brother and I are not seperated, that truly is a relief! -
In America at Last!
We have finally arrived and France is beautiful! If only life could go just as we dreamed it had... The living conditions are poor and cost $1 a week in tenements, unclean and unsafe apartment buildings. When we got off the boat, we were bombarded with these men and young boys offering jobs and an unreasonable price for our possesions but luckly a kind gentleman I met aboard the ship told us to steer clear of them. -
The Homestead Act
The new law established a three step process: filing an application, improving the land, and filing for deed of title. Any U.S. citizen who had never borne arms against the U.S. Government could file an application and lay claim to 160 acres of land in Massachusetts. If my brother and I can gain enough money to travel to Massachusetts, then we can finally call some land in the West for our own. -
Better Land in the West
After we learned of the hope brought from the land offered in the Homestead Act, my brother wasted no time in asking others how to journey to Massachusetts. The poor living conditions that cost too much money is enought to make any immigrant want to leave. I hope now that my family and I can finally start a new life outside of Russia. -
Why Must They Stereotype Us?
One of the most challenging problems we have faced would have to be adjusting to this alien country and learning its language. my brother and I have to learn how to cope with the stereotypes of us being Mafia-style criminals and spies. Adding to these other challenges is the threat of exploitation from our employers willing to overlook limited fluency in English. -
The Journey Continues
Now that my brother and I have commited to changing directions and to move to Western America, I feel that we've finally taken control of our life. Kostya has been asking around work what the fastest route to Massachusetts is and I have been figuring out where the closest train station is so we can purchase our tickets. I feel confident that starting a new life in the west will be better for us. Although our provisions are getting quite low, pay day is coming up sometime soon so we can stock up. -
Must I Really Learn a New Language?
Since my arrival in the West, rarely anyone speaks my language so I guess we must learn to speak theirs. We have heard that people who immigrate as adults tend not to learn much except most basic words and phrases in English, and continue to speak their native language at home. If we want our family to thrive on this new land, we must learn more English in order for our children and then their children to learn and then fluently speak it. -
Finally Settled in the West
Since we recently settled in the west, my brother and I have found some other Russian immigrants and were able to join their already established Russian neighborhoods. Furthermore, finding jobs for my brother and I was substantially easier than finding them in Paris because we all speak the same language. While previosly being merchants back in Russia, some job closely related to that must be easy to find here. I have also been thinking of sending my father and mother down to expand our family.
