Today we go to the area of Russian, which locals call Little Odessa. Here densely populated Jewish immigrants from the former USSR territories. So, welcome to Brighton Beach — the cradle of Russian-speaking diaspora in New York.
The first settlers came here in the 1970s when the CCCR 1971 under official wording "for the reunification of families" iron curtain lifted and allowed to emigrate to Israel. To the surprise Soviet authorities who want to give up a happy socialist future was much more than anticipated. Therefore, even those who traveled legally, given the label of "traitors", and the word Jew later replaced by "citizens — persons of Jewish nationality."
Those who want to leave the Union were thoroughly tested and paid in respect of education and other "bread and salt" received from generous country. Usually gathering the necessary amount had to sell all the property and housing. Ultimately, most immigrants usually end up abroad not only with a clear conscience, but with clean pockets. Some zalyshalyvsya in Israel, but the bulk of set off in search of a better life in America, in New York. For new home was elected Brighton Beach. Incidentally, the decisive role in choosing not played proximity to the ocean, and low prices — in those days, Brighton Beach was one of the poorest areas of New York. 1973 mass exodus was stopped, but the preconditions for the next wave of emigration has been created, community and diaspora — formed.
Gradually Brighton Beach has become quite respectable and prosperous area. This prosperity has played an important role diaspora of immigrants from the former USSR. But still many problems — more than a third of the population does not speak English or do not know the language. Incidentally, the average for New York, the figure is kept at around 7%. The living standards of the majority Brighton Beach low. Earnings are lower than average for New York.
The area welcomes guests modest inscription:
1Some believe that Brighton Beach — just one street under the overpass up. Actually, this is the truth — that is where cultural and business nurtuye "Russian" life, but the rayonchik takes slightly more space. And we will begin our walk from Brighton beach. Winter is a little deserted:
2The residential neighborhood and the beach promenade separates plank Promenade Ryhelmana, or as it is called local — "bordvok." Promenade connects Brighton Beach with neighboring areas Horse Island, where the famous amusement park.
3With attractions — restaurant, which held annual competitions eating hot dogs. Unfortunately, we arrived too early, but there is time to gain form.
4Local residents sometimes complain that their lives are also not medyanykove — municipal authorities, as everywhere, stealing and sprays budget. For example, these shows were contemptuously toilets on the waterfront. They say that each of them cost the local budget of several million dollars. Even still, these gold almost no closet in operation and it is unknown when will this and cherished long-awaited moment. It is quite possible that officials are simply afraid that smart braytontsi (or braytonbichtsi) immediately recognize whose toilets were spent their taxes.
5Will travel a little away from the waterfront. Rayonchik not pleasing to the eye special beauty. By the way, the action of the film and book "Requiem for a Dream" takes place here at Brighton. Do not think that we hint at something just remembered.
6Brighton poor areas was not always. In the original plan he was assigned the role of resort places — even got the name after the eponymous resort in England. And it is worth noting that the first case in the area were even very good — wealthy Europeans went here nearly shoals. But the beautiful promenade — all that remained of the former success.
7Unfortunately, the Great Depression changed the plus to minus, and the end of the 1980 Brighton became one of nayneschaslyvishyh city. About the same time the company Donald Trump started building a dense area of social flats. By analogy with still fresh in the memory of "Khrushchev," new homes immediately dubbed "trampovkamy." Trampovky transferred to the city free operation for a period of 40 years. Then the residents had their homes or buy or move out. Business theme was a visionary eye and Donald Trump is slowly but steadily becoming the owner of the New York precious land.
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If not particularly look closely, it did not immediately realize that you are in New York, but not in the sleeping area of any of our cities. Is that pokulturnishe parked in the yard.
10Also concerned about the safety of children — at the intersection near the school warrior always on duty:
11Go to Brighton Beach Avenue — the main street — where the subway overpass concentrated all business and commercial life of the district. Permanent residents here are a few — very few people want to live in a neighborhood with a roar non-stop New yorksoho up. All houses along a busy street shops and offices. The range of services is very diverse — from low cost calls to his former homeland to telling the palm:
12Where no signs in Russian russkomu area. By the way, American pharmacies (even on Brighton) had an interesting feature. They are easy to buy drugs, but you can easily buy a soda or shampoo. Without a prescription unless you sell some analogue of aspirin, but even if you have the recipe is a fact that the necessary drugs will be available. To somehow compensate for the shortfall in profits, pharmacists slightly expanded its product range and started to sell household chemicals and snacks. That's already 70 years and survive.
13From traditional pharmacies compete their herbal counterparts. So if you want to buy herbal shampoo, washing powder with fresh alpine meadows or soap with the scent of lavender, you with herbal pharmacy:
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Russian language is heard everywhere, and "our" people instinctively recognizable, perhaps, for some special expression or style of clothing. According to conservative estimates, New York is home to about 500,000 Russian citizens. Some even complain that before moving to America spoke English much better. American companies do not climb into someone's monastery with its English signs, therefore also speak Russian.
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Fans Soviet films without spiritual scrapie does not remain. In general, all the time we never left an eerie feeling that is about — and faced the street with Sergei Bodrov hero of the movie "Brother 2":
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If the owner is not able to come up with an original name for his store, just write "Russian shop" and despite clientele:
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For newcomers, which are particularly long for their homeland, even in supermarkets are special departments "smooth assimilation and rehabilitation", which you can buy homemade jams and conservation:
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The history of bread. The fact that Americans usually eat bread for toast, which was very soft and suitable for riveting sandwiches if it is not pre-fry in the toaster. But Brighton Beach — it's not because America is sold "normal" bread, but baked on the American factory. Initially bread imported from abroad, but the way it is stale, psuvavsya and no one was buying.
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In addition there is low-rise 2-5 storey buildings. The presence of air conditioning — a sign that the apartment resident immigrants from the USSR. Americans usually establish centralized air conditioning system:
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Historical building, it appeared to active colonization of the area by our former compatriots. Fire stairs yet zasklyly:
36A little away from the main artery Brighton — Brighton Beach Avenue — starts an ordinary one-storey America.
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And ending our report probably need to make some conclusions. While walking Brighton us all the time did not leave a strange feeling. Later, we agreed on the fact that it is not emotion or joy of the native culture of a foreign country, but most likely — nostalgia. Nostalgia for the past. Brighton more like a not small Odessa and Little USSR. It was built by people who left the former Soviet Union, but the new location has not been able to reformat your consciousness. So they built a comfortable USSR (or, something close to our 90s) with sausage and appliances, and now live in it for fun, for years without visiting the other areas of the city.
The next time we see how the assimilation of Chinese and Italian neighborhoods.