I interviewed my grandfather, Yuri Manirko, who grew up in the Soviet Union. He lived in the city of Odesa located in Ukraine. 31 years ago, this country was one of the republics of the Soviet Union. Yuri moved to the United States at the age of 36 in 1994, in order to start a new life with his family.
Photo of Yuri Manirko as a child in 1972
Why did you and your family make a decision to leave the country where you spent your whole life to move to the U.S.?
“I wanted my children to live in a free country. The Soviet Union was a socialist nation, and the people were living there almost like slaves. Citizens were not able to live, work, or travel where they wanted. They needed permission from the government to do almost anything. Education and healthcare was free, but that does not mean it was good. The government didn’t even let me visit my friend in Eastern Germany.”
What was life like in the Soviet Union and how did it differ from life in the United States?
“In the Soviet Union, the government controlled absolutely everything. Also, there were 3 types of jobs: farmers, factory workers and jobs that require a good education like engineers, scientists, ect. My mother was a distinguished medical doctor, yet, her salary was lower than that of a factory worker. Blue collar jobs that require no education were much higher paid than scientists, doctors and engineers. This was incredibly unfair and, frankly, took away the motivation for people to study or excel. Life was terrible in the Soviet Union, and living here is much better.”
What was your home like when you were growing up?
“My parents and I lived in a communal apartment. It was very small, and we lived there with 3 other families. Each family lived in a small, single bedroom. We shared one bathroom and a tiny kitchen with three tables. Oh, and to get hot water in the bathtub, we needed to make a fire.”
Odesa is a large city with, roughly, a million residents. Getting around could get tricky. Most American families own one or two cars, but that was not the case for you. How did you and your family get around the city of Odesa?
“A few people owned a car, but not a lot. Most people used public transportation, and had to squeeze into a bus or a trolley. It was available all around the city. Public transportation never ran on schedule. You could easily end up waiting for a bus for an hour in the freezing cold, even though there was supposed to be one every 10 minutes.”
What was your favorite part about going to school in the Soviet Union?
“The soviet children were in the same class of about 30 people from kindergarten to 10th grade, so friends were always in the same class.”
What was your least favorite part of school back there?
“They forced us to work very hard for 6 days a week (Monday – Saturday), and our teachers did not hesitate to scream rude things at us.”
What did your family do in the summer and where did you go on your vacations?
“We didn’t go on vacations, but luckily, we lived near the beach, so my parents would sometimes take me there in the summer.”
Were you able to travel to other countries around the world?
“It was prohibited by the government.”
What kind of hobbies and extracurricular activities did you and your friends have growing up? Were the non-school activities similar to the ones we have in the U.S.?
“I was part of the track and field team, and I spent a lot of time out on the field. I started in 4th grade and stopped in 10th grade. There were a few other extracurricular activities available, but I only took part in track and field.”
How did shopping for supplies such as food, clothing, school and craft items in the Soviet Union differ from shopping in the U.S.?
“The grocery store had very few items. If you wanted to buy meat, cheese, etc., then you would have to go to the farmer’s market, even though the farmer’s market was much more expensive. Each family spent about 75% of their income on food.”
What was your favorite food in the Soviet Union?
“Fried eggs and beef stew.”
What stood out to you the most when you moved to the U.S.A.?
“Honesty and dignity.”
You witnessed the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. This was three years before you got a chance to move to the United States. What changes have you witnessed around you, once Ukraine was declared an independent country?
“I was surprised that nothing had changed. People voting in the first Ukrainian election elected a person from the communist party. After that, I realized that the people didn’t understand freedom.”
You have been living in the United States for almost 28 years. Are you happy with the decision you made almost 30 years ago to relocate your family and restart your life?
“Absolutely! Even now, I wake up in the morning thinking about how happy I am to live here, in the United States.”
Thank you for telling me about what growing up in the Soviet Union was like.
Photo of Yuri as a Pioneer in 1966
The Lighthouse 