Life in Russia
Pictou County women recall memories of home country
International Women’s Day is Wednesday, and Liya Robertson and her mother Ramzia Akhmetova will be remembering Women’s Day in their native Russia.
“In Russia, it is a celebration that comes more from the heart,” said Robertson.
Akhmetova told a gathering at the Westville library the Russian celebration combines elements from northern American Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. She called it “a happy, romantic holiday,” when businesses are closed and flowers are given to women and girls, whether they are family, friends, co-workers, business partners or even strangers.
“Women are recognized for their strengths and contributions,” she said, noting the flower of choice is often yellow mimosa, which represents vitality and joy.
Tulips are an alternative, but she stressed it is important in Russia that a flower arrangement contain an odd number of flowers as an even number is given only as an expression of sympathy.
For Robertson, who ran her own English language school, and Akhmetova, a chemical engineer who worked for the space program for years, Russia holds many happy memories.
“I don’t try to put a line through the bad things in our history and pretend they did not happen, but there are very many things that were good in Russia and we remember those things, especially.”
Robertson did not grow up with plans to leave her country.
“I had a good life in Russia, but I met a guy from Thorburn who stole my heart,” she said, acknowledging her story is a modern-day fairy tale.
Doug Robertson was in Russia seeking out sources of lumber for IKEA when she was hired as his interpreter.
“I remember telling him I came from a small town. It was a small town of 200,000 people, which did not sound small to him, coming from Thorburn. In Russia, a place of 100,000 would be called a village so by my standards even Halifax is a small town.”
The Robertsons moved first to Digby.
“On summer nights in Russia the streets would be filled with people out until very late, maybe not sleeping at all, it seemed. In Digby, I wondered why there was never anyone on the streets after 9 p.m.,” Robertson remembered.
Akhmetova joined the Robertsons when they moved to Pictou County nine years ago.
“In Soviet Russia, our university education was free. It was very competitive, but if you could succeed, it didn’t cost you anything. I love my country for the education it gave me,” said Robertson.
Both she and her mother received apartments from the state when they graduated university.
“My apartment was not luxurious. It was all one room for living room and sleeping area, but I sold it for $90,000 Canadian, which is the same amount it cost us to buy a three-bedroom home in Liverpool, N.S.”
Formal schooling In Russia begins at age seven and children are expected to arrive in Grade 2 knowing all their multiplication tables.
“There was a lot of homework when I was in school, as much as three hours a night.”
Younger children are cared for in kindergartens that accommodate working parents, including shift workers.
“The children are in groups of 20 to 25 and have music and gym and their teachers are university educated. From very young, they are taught English. It is not unusual for children at age four to read and write in English,” said Robertson, adding they later learn to read and write in Russian.
She admitted she was a bit anxious about sending her son, Conrad, to a Canadian school at age five.
“The system here was different from what I was used to, so I worried. At home, we still speak Russian with our children, though now I worry that they are gradually losing it since being in school.”
Russia, like Pictou County, Robertson pointed out, is struggling with declining population and increasingly there are huge incentives to have second and third children. Maternity lasted one month when Robertson was born, but can now last up to three years.
Both Robertson and her mother grew up in a state-mandated atheist country.
“My roots are Muslim, but in Soviet times, Russians were forbidden to go to church or even to pray. The faith carried on in kitchens for a few generations in some families, but I was never exposed to it and so consider myself spiritual as opposed to religious. My mother’s oldest brother is in his nineties and he still remembers the Muslim prayers.”
War left its mark on the Russian psyche, Robertson added.
“No one died in my mother’s family, but an older brother came through the war and many people suffered. The rule that food is never wasted has stayed with us. If there are only crumbs left, we give them to the birds rather than waste.”
Since coming to live in Canada, Robertson has given many presentations about life in Russia. Early on, the questions centred on vodka, bears and NHL star Alexander Ovechkin.
“Russia is a very multicultural country today. The stereotype is of tall, blonde, blue-eyed Russians, but look at me, not too tall and I have an Asian look, maybe more Malaysian, but I am Russian.”
She is delighted when school children she has visited encounter her outside their classrooms.
“They point me out as Russian and remember we had a good time together. I believe if we get to know each other, we will have good times together.”
Robertson is one of six area people teaching English to immigrants and newcomers.
“I don’t try to put a line through the bad things in our history and pretend they did not happen, but there are very many things that were good in Russia and we remember those things, especially.”