I have recently befriended a guy in his early 20's who came to the U.S. over a year ago from Moldova. He goes by the name Slava. For those of you a little rusty on your geography, Moldova is a former Soviet Bloc country nestled between Romania and Ukraine. Moldova declared its independance form the Soviet Union in 1991. According to Slava, Moldova is still very much a communist country, although the country has undergone many economic reforms since it broke away from the Soviet Union.
I asked Slava endless questions about his home country, about life there, his education, his work, why he came to the United States, and how he likes the U.S. As pessimistic as I am about the future of the United States, it is encouraging to hear folks like Slava speak about the opportunities and freedoms in the United States. Before coming to the United States, Slava worked construction in Moldova, 14 hours a day, for $300 per month. He said people are very poor there and, although the government hands out money to the commoners, there are no goods to spend the money on. "What to do with this money?", Slava Said, "To buy shoes in Moldova you wait in long line and it costs $300. The same shoes here in U.S. cost $50." "There is nothing you can do in Moldova. It is too difficult to start a business in Moldova. The government doesn't let you. Here in U.S., if you want to do something, you just do it."
Unfortunately, that is not entirely true of the U.S., but compared to the state of things in Moldova, the U.S. is still a much better option. That is, if the Moldovan government will let you leave. "In Moldova, if you want to leave, the government has to give you permission. Sometimes they give, sometimes they don't."
I asked Slava what he was taught in school. "It's communist country, you know? All they teach is Marx. F*** Marx. I don't like Marx."
I asked Slava what he thought of Americans. "Americans don't know what they have. They don't know how good they have it. I went to 7-11 and a guy sitting outside said 'Give me a quarter'. I thought, Ok, its just a quarter, I'll give him a quarter. Then, when I came back outside, the man said 'Give me another quarter.' I ask him, 'Why I should give you another quarter?' You just sit here. I not give you another quarter." Slava was absolutely shocked to come to the United States an encounter able-bodied people just sitting around outside of a store. The sad thing is, the bum sitting outside of 7-11 all day every day begging for change probably makes more money every month than Slava made working construction in Moldova.
"Why did you come to the U.S.", I asked Slava. "I come here because I want to work and make something for myself."
Isn't that beautiful? His answer was not, "I come to U.S. because it is rich country and it will give me money, it will give me job." No. His answer was, "I want to work and make something for myself." I said to Slava, "I'm glad you're here." Slava has had a tough time finding good work here in the United States. It is only going to get harder for him as our omnipotent government makes the economy worse with its bailouts. Slava said he wants to drive a truck because he can make good money doing that. Good money to him is $3,000 per month. Of course, that is good money, but most Americans wouldn't think so. Americans believe they are entitled to $60,000 a year minimum for a 40-hour work week, paid vacation, sick days, and health insurance simply for having been born. Slava would probably have to work 10 hours a day minimum to make $3,000 a month driving a truck, and he wouldn't have paid vacation, sick days, or health insurance. That doesn't bother him. He just wants to make his life better, and be free to do so to the extent that he can. He has seen first hand what happens when taking wealth from people by force and giving it to people who haven't earned it becomes a legal institution.
I wish more people like Slava would come to the United States. I wish our country made it easier for them to come here and work. People like Slava truly understand what it means to be an American much more than most Americans do. That is saddening, but inspiring at the same time.
