Career Goals
Alex set his sights on becoming an engineer, spurred by a wish to give back to the country that sheltered his kin. Books became his allies, and his efforts led to a chance to study at MIT at just 17 years.
The top honour, valedictorian, was bestowed upon him in 1980. Completed studies rebooted his drive. Yet, being a Russian in America was proving difficult, leading to a rising feeling of disappointment.
Discrimination
In the early ’80s, Alex found it tough to land a job. He had a Slavic accent. People would often just say goodbye and hang up the phone or shut the door. This time was known as the New Cold War. Lots of people are scared or mad at strangers. Alex was a clever engineer. But people didn’t like him because of where he came from.
So, he fixed radios for a small paycheck. It was tough, but he was a fighter. He liked going to Matryoshka. The folks there knew him well. They are always kind. They would serve him a hot bowl of borscht, even when he had no money.
