Russia Three - Text
The speaker is a 34-year-old Jewish female, born and raised in Moscow, Russia. She emigrated to Louisville, Kentucky in 1992, where she works as a costume designer for a theatre. She discusses some of the differences between her working life in Russia and in the United States. The recording was made by Rinda Frye on February 16, 2000 and edited by Paul Meier on February 29. Running time 00:04:05.
TRANSCRIPTION
I came from Moscow in 1992 (um) to Louisville Kentucky with my family, I came to Louisville Kentucky from Moscow in 1992. I graduated art theatrical school of Moscow in 1986 (um) I’ve been at school for four years and (um) I was fourteen years old when I applied there, when I was accepted (um). It’s just the (um) the whole education system in Europe is different from America, so I was, I was still a teenager when I went to my college. So as I said the whole system is different (um) when you go to colleges and universities in Moscow and well working in theaters, as, and I went to work in theatre right after I graduated (um) and I couldn’t get to design anything, because you have to start with (um) costume shop first, you have to improve your sewing skills, you have to improve (um) your practical knowledge about textures, colors (um) sewing technology and working and communicating with other people first, so you have to have some experience before you get to design (um) of even really simple shows. So I was working in two different theatres in costume shops for three years, so I got some (um) certain knowledge and experience. And then (um) I started (um) to get some design work which was completely different, but I (um) certainly got (um) the experience before that, which helped me not only there but here also. (Um) I learnt many things in costume shop and scene shop and that’s what all theatre is about, (um) you have to, you have to do some real work first, ok. And also schools are different in (um) I’m not seen whole Europe but I guess I wouldn’t be wrong. Schools are different in Russia from American schools. (Um) Because the program is more intense (um) not since I was fourteen years old and they had program for (um) those like me (um) they had to (um) work were required to take also (um) basic classes of math, Russian language literature (um) to continue our high school education along with our special…
UNSCRIPTED SPEECH TRANSCRIBED BY KARINA LEMMER, ASSOCIATE EDITOR FOR SOUTH AFRICA, April 26, 2008