My story of emigration, the dream of the administrator

Greetings, dear habrazhiteli. I would like to tell you the story of my emigration from Moscow to the European Union. Once upon a time, I came across an article and I was filled with the final idea to leave Russia, but I did not think that it would be Latvia.

My name is Alexey Butsky, today I am 31 years old, symbolically 13 - 31. I am unix admin, I have my own hosting, I have almost 12 years of experience as an administrator, 10 years of experience in the workbook as an engineer, admin, team leader , just enough for me in life.

I even repaired the phone, with a report for Habr and after a while I was even asked for advice on this article. I was pleasantly surprised.

Many more things were repaired and hands from the right place, there was not enough time to describe, take pictures, well, otmazalsya alright, do not throw rags.

Admin, techie, adventurer and inspiration. My hosting has always been a hobby for me, a hobby that brings in money is a double pleasure. But this was before the appearance of my first wife, when priorities and all my life had to be revised a little. Hosting was, is and will be, this is my kind of sandbox, which now consumes more than it gives, but it is native.

I use it to change configurations, install, play, delete. I get experience in adminstvo, programming, hardware and technology. A small sandbox for 2-3 dozen servers in Moscow and St. Petersburg. And now a small part lies with the parents in Moscow, someday come in handy.

Always and everywhere I collect old equipment, boxes, wires, components. The usual such admin is nothing supernatural. But now I am tired of Moscow, I am very tired, I didn’t like it once, now I hate Moscow. She took my symbol of the future, but I drew a new one.

How it all began

About five years ago, even from one word to leave somewhere from home, my first wife trembled. Travel yes, ok, but do not leave home, parents, grandparents and so on.

I would go simply because I loved and supported my decision, as I always did. But this is not your own dream, just to be with your beloved man. Then I did not appreciate it.

She did not understand that I was suffocating in a city of glass and concrete. In a city where even feelings have ceased to be the main thing for people. Only needs, only own achievements. Higher, cooler, richer.

Where people are born, live and die in traffic jams, if not traffic jams, then in public transport. 3-5 hours a day round-trip. Take at least 3 hours a day to deliver yourself to the employer and back. 15 hours a week. 31.25 days a year, I took 50 weeks, leave there or something else, but I took at least 3 hours. It was possible to stand in a traffic jam for 3-4 hours. I am not annoyed by the traffic jam, the very fact of standing, jerking, I am annoyed by the loss of time that I could spend with my loved one in bed, in nature, and anywhere, but not in a traffic jam.

I have always tried to live for one day, and now this is my principle and symbol of life, there are plans, there is a future, but this day is the last. You can regret all your life about the unsaid or not done, so the loss of time for me has always been morally critical.

In a traffic jam, I learned to do almost everything, of course there are women who are better off, but this is already sexism.
In 2013, a turning point in my life happened and divided into “before” and “after”. So this "after" turned me into the last beast in relation to another person, to my first wife.

I no longer wanted to be with her and until the beginning of 2014 I was ashamed and afraid to admit it. In the beginning everything was decided in my head, then calmly and quietly in words.

Yes, we lived next to the end of the year, but it was already impossible to call it life. Since August, my mind and heart belonged to another. I was torn because I returned to the unloved woman in the house, led the life, did repairs and could not come to his beloved.

My chosen one was strange, she then sought me out and conquered me with strange actions, gifts, quests, then she stopped and went into herself. Sometimes you just need confidence in the future, even after a stormy day today.

In the fall of 2014, I finally became disillusioned with Moscow. That started happening around. Potitika, finance and everything else. Everything that went on happening in me.

I began to look for a way out of my vicious circle, which I myself had created, and from the concrete rings of the terrible city.

Searches and attempts to get along in an all-consuming

The employer in early 2015 decided and got rid of the team. This was the second cut in my career. I'm tired. Sitting, expectations of team leaders and promises that everything will be fine. Searches for a new job. Change employer to Madnet, CityAds super team. I am glad that I have worked with professionals in my field, that they accepted me into my team, entrusted the project.

I had a new life, a new person nearby, who, it seemed to me, finally believed in me. I decided that I would move mountains and drain the sea. I tried to do something better in our lives.

At work there were problems after problems, some conflicts, the care of the whole team, I drove out the project manager for not doing anything. He took a new one, hoping that I could rely on the person.

In general, it was a strange period of life, when everything seemed to be fine, but the feeling and the desire to grow does not leave you, and you are locked up. Two meters above the ground, and the bottom of the heel is already making fire. I wanted to break free and I had a muse next to me who wanted the same thing. I wanted to fulfill her dream.

I worked hard on the manuals, some recommendations, I pumped a lot of information daily. News, releases, blogs. I studied, I studied hard, but I still didn’t understand why.

Having become not just an admin, but having headed the development team, I thought that here it was and I was on the right track. The admin was a team leader, a project who I wasn’t. Forces remained less.

At that time, the problems at work were already beginning, I knew that in a few months I would have to look for something, because the project would end, the interesting for me would end and that would be all.

I just can not sit on the ground. I am such a person, I need a move, I die in a routine.
But the desire to just dump was not enough - a bunch of questions tore the mind and heart. Where? How? Support the person who is next?

What to do in a foreign country together? And if there are three of us? How to be? What to live? What salary is needed? How can this be done? Where to looking for? What to do with the language?

How to find me

It was at the beginning of April 2016. We just recently returned from a wonderful place - the Philippines. We even managed for some time to be only together in the whole world. Yes, there it can be done, there are absolutely wild beaches, without a single soul. I will definitely return there with my loved one.

At work, somehow not very. Prospects are hopeless. Only the second half, sometimes pozhuzhivaya, supported and said that everything will be fine. Laughed at my naive emotions with regards to work and fictional problems. They just left the holiday and there was no money left again, I did not even think about looking for something new.

But I knew that for a long time I could not, and this is against my will, to stay and do what I didn’t like. They used me and the team for their own interests, without thinking what the team really wants, not understanding anything at all in RTB and what can be done with it.

And here comes a message in the recently closed network for accessing business contacts from Russia. The girl Alina writes me a letter with a job offer in some international company, in some office in Riga. She wonders if this is far for me and whether I am ready for that. I have always been a kind of adventurer for new knowledge, for new emotions. I was ready, but it was scary.

I came and told my other half everything honestly, so and so. Let's try? Come on. The girl from the agency assigned me a Skype interview with her so that she could better tell about the vacancy, learn about me and my skills better.

Job interviews

After some time, she again wrote in Skype, enthusiastically announced that the HR department of the company already wants to talk to me. And if I do not mind, then you can make a move on my candidacy. I was shocked and confused, until the last moment I did not believe in all this.

A young man phoned me, who spoke good Russian. We talked for about an hour, I learned more about the company and the job, they learned more about me.

After some time, I received an invitation for an interview with my future colleague and head of the unit. I agreed. In a few days I added a manager and I realized that we would hardly communicate with him in Russian.

I even now have a slight constraint in speaking in English. I understand everything, I read professional literature. Manuals. But having no communication experience for me, it was a tragedy-tragedy, because knowledge of the language was one of the points of the vacancy. The company language is English.

In my world, everything turned upside down, I realized that I could not talk to the person that he lives in London, he is a native speaker, and I am a complete loser. I have a problem with the language, once missed out at school or university. The company provides training with a teacher, but so far they have not reached me.

It was May 9, when I conquered London. I stumbled, I forgot the words, I tried to catch and understand what people were saying to me. My colleague is from Pskov, but he lived enough time in Brazil and his language is very good.

But we understood each other. I understood what they want, they understood what I am. I was terribly shaking. But my other half calmed me down and praised me for a good conversation. I realized that I want to do everything for this person.

She explained to me what and how I had mistakes, she sat next door during the interview and sometimes I tried to snatch words from her mouth like a fish. She has been working with English teachers for a long time, which was one of the points of pride for her, for her desire to break free. She tried with me to study the language for two weeks, so that I understood what I needed in her opinion for the following interview. I was glad, I was happy. We finally breathed in one beat. Then she quit, disappointed, and stopped practicing. I have stepped over myself and the fear of interviewing in another language. I passed it quite well and it was a separate pride.

I had never spoken to anyone in English for more than an hour before. Yes, I got used to my interviews for 2-3 hours, when I tell and they ask me what I can and with what I worked, but it is always in Russian.

They went on hold, HR wrote to me that they would contact feedback later. Other HR agencies and agencies wrote, but I really didn’t plan to go anywhere, there was a refusal to everyone (Moscow, Peter, Dubai, Japan). My second half turned away from me, told me not to torture people and not to take their time, I would still be bored there and nothing good would come out.

But for some reason I set myself up differently. I knew that we wanted to leave together. I wanted to surprise her, to go all the way and bring the winning trophy to our house, I wanted to be proud and praise.

I was assigned the following interviews with a person who is in the DBA division where I was to be placed. Yes, my DBA position at the moment. Hadoop is also a DB from some side. I was, HR and DBA. Everything went fast enough and well. There were correspondence and Skype Cola with different people from the company.

Then there was the final interview, as I was told with Head of IT. I thought - well, everything, kayuk kitten from Voronezh, ugh, Moscow. It turned out that the head of IT is sociable, cheerful and positive woman. We were on the same wavelength, started in English, then when they stopped understanding me, they switched to Russian. We spoke for an hour or two. We have come that are very similar in their views on the world. At this my interviews ended. I did not see her in the company, she left before my arrival unfortunately.

I want to leave a disgusting review to my former colleagues from VimpelCom, for the disgusting connection of the 3rd and 4th generations in the area of ​​the Shukhov Tower. I talked on the phone and Skype from the car, while circling to find a stable connection and get up somewhere in the yard. Where the car was usually parked, there was no connection at all, not even a hint of ordinary GSM.

It was waiting time. I lived, continued to work, dream of the future, build the future, think how to make a marriage proposal to a person. But I did not let go the thought that everything would be fine, that everything would work out.

We were at her parents' house in the Vladimir region, the usual Monday is the 13th day (my whole life is connected with this number), a day off in honor of June 12th. I received an unexpected call, again Latvia, an unfamiliar girl in English once again wondered how my interviews went, whether I was pleased with everything, what I thought about moving and prospects.

A few hours later the first HR called me, the young man who called me the first time. His name is Artyom, at that time we already knew each other in absentia, several times wrote something in the mail. He said that the company was ready to send a Job offer and they would be happy to see me in their team. We were going home to Moscow. I began to shine, I was happy. Everything I thought was a joke and a joke, everything became true. I did not sleep, we could. The future was waiting for us, together, leaving everything in the past in the terrible city of Moscow, all the pain and resentment.

On the way back, we almost didn’t talk about this topic, because I was like a cat that brought the hostess a mouse in confirmation of love, loyalty and humility, but they didn’t understand me. I was offended, as I could crank up everything behind my back. I thought it would be a good start, a new round in everything: in our life, emotions, countries, cities, acquaintances, in everything. We broke out - we could.

Training

My girlfriend has been telling me for a long time - who I am to you, why I tell you. I dreamed to fix it for a very long time, I wanted her to be my wife for the rest of her life and never again said these phrases. There was not a bad reason to prove that she was needed, more life and air were needed. We drove home on a traffic jam, discussed something, argued about something, and I drove - looked at it and understood that it was my life and did not want anything else.

I did not let her get out of the car, I got on my knees and made an offer. I asked if she was ready to stay with me for the rest of her life, if she was ready to decide for both of us whether we were going or not. The answer was yes. The man supported, the man gave support and an axis to turn the earth.
My symbol is still on my finger and now on my shoulder. The symbol that helped break out, take a step into the unknown. The step that I thought was supported by the closest person to me.

I accepted the offer.

We began to plan the submission of an application to the registry office, but I understood that we still would not have time to complete all the documents by my departure. Change surnames, change all-all of its documents. I was assigned a relocation manager, who immediately said that if there is no evidence now, then it will be easier and faster to make the documents first for me, and then I will myself make the documents for my wife, although the company helped relocate both.

I expected that they would help with the documents, but almost everything in Riga had to be done by myself. It turned out not so fabulous that they promised in the annex to the offer. I read what to do and how. What documents are needed. I collected references, photocopies, notaries, translations, fees. I sent a package of documents and waited. I worked, tired, tried and supported my soul mate. As a result, we quarreled because of nerves, not understanding, and some children's resentment on both sides. The submission was disrupted.

There was less and less time left, because the agreed deadline for work was September 1. I understood that if I didn’t meet it or I put it somewhere, the offer would be withdrawn and all that I am not one candidate and there will always be 10 in my place. I was looking for attempts to reconcile with the girl, to find and prove that a compromise is possible. He made repairs in an apartment where they could not move for a year, because of the eternal problems with money and mutual misunderstanding.

But then he came - a contract and a set of documents for submission to the embassy in Moscow. We made up and read it almost until the morning, translating each sentence several times.
We went to apply for an accelerated painting so that I would leave confident in the future and she believed me.

In Latvia, I sent a notarized copy of the diploma, a copy of my passport abroad. A diploma or confirmed experience is necessary for the migration and employment services as confirmation of your qualifications, which is not just a foreigner, and not a person from the domestic market.

All translations and representations in Latvia were taken by the company. I only needed to find accommodation and by the time I went to the embassy to have a letter of guarantee for accommodation. As I have already learned, diplomas and documents are submitted in three languages ​​and translation is not required.

The contract and papers went back to Latvia, and I started looking for housing, collecting other documents, completing cases in Russia.

To get a decision on a residence permit, you need housing, your own, rent, it does not matter. You must declare your place of residence. Without the approval of living in the country you will not be given a positive solution. Began a long search for an apartment, remotely, by correspondence with realtors. Someone answered, someone did not answer at all. Neither in Russian, nor in English. Focusing on the map and photo of the object, I picked up something.

The company guaranteed payment of housing or its provision for 3 months, but they do not bother with the search, but ask you to do everything yourself, give contacts to realtors, sites for finding ads, but you do everything yourself. Hard, very hard remotely.

The hostess was ready to provide housing, register my wife and I, and make all the documents for migration. I was glad to solve this quest, but did not know that I chose a property with an error. I will describe in more detail later.

After receiving all the documents from Riga, I signed up at the embassy in Moscow and passed everything for consideration. Began terrible weeks of waiting. The contract stated that the condition of work was obtaining a residence permit, it is clear that without him I don’t need them. Some time passed for the embassy to send documents to Riga, two or three weeks, then for some incomprehensible 10 days, of course no one told me the exact dates, should have made a decision.

I shuddered at every letter, I watched every message. I have everything stopped inside for this period.

Moving

When obtaining a residence permit to Europe, there are two options, the usual residence permit with a working contract and a blue EU card, which gives more freedoms and allows the spouses to get a residence permit with the right to work immediately.

I was very concerned about this moment, because I understood that my wife would not stay at home, she needed to develop, she would look for ways of development. It will definitely look for work, it was quite difficult to convince in the opposite.

The resettlement manager said that education fits the description of the requirements for vacancies in the state. the registry and the final decision will be with the migration ministry, but there are chances of getting a blue card. I was very happy about it, read all the differences between the residence permit and the blue card.

Began to study the issue of going there by car, we had two cars that would be useful to us for sure. In general, I began to plan and live the future.

Received an apostille for evidence, it was not needed in Latvia, for marriage registration in the state. Institutions you will need just a translation into Latvian and a certified copy or original of the certificate in Russian.

I came to work and honestly said that in a month I was leaving. That the reason is not in money, the reason is the desire to develop and leave Russia. They understood me. When I spoke with my wife before accepting the offer, she said - well, talk to HR, maybe ZP will be raised and you will not have to go, I am glad that I did not do this, did not deceive myself and did not deceive people. After all, the money was not important to me.

Finally, we went and told everything to my parents that we were going to another country. The parents, of course, were shocked, they did not understand anything at all, but made our decision. For them it was my decision, they thought that she just supported me and I dragged her into the unknown.

I met friends and acquaintances with whom I had not seen for a long time, and told me that I was leaving for Latvia with my wife. Someone laughed, someone gave advice, someone encouraged, but most were shocked how it could be done.

I had everything in my head, I knew that I would receive the documents, get a visa and go to make arrangements to wait for her there in Riga. That the first week I will do the documents myself, and then immediately take care of the documents for her.

To cross the border with Latvia by car, you will need a valid visa, a valid policy - green card and it is MANDATORY that you have a diagnostic card or another TO equivalent, for example, if you are from Belarus.

On the border with Lithuania and Estonia, for example, a diagnostic map is not needed.

A letter with a positive decision on a residence permit, and even receiving a blue card came in the evening of 19 August. It is necessary to get a visa for entry, that my departure is still hanging out at the time of getting a visa, and September 1 is already near.

I wrote a testament. Fear of the unknown, 900km of roads, a border, a new country and a new city were waiting for me. I did not know what was ahead and whether I would get there at all.

It was August 28 at about 4 am, when I had tears from my eyes, and my heart was breaking. I was leaving, I could not wait any longer, they were waiting for me in Riga for paperwork and going to work. The owner of the apartment was waiting for the next payment.

I had to go. The wife did not accept this, she left herself in the morning on business, turned off the phone, blocked all means of communication. It is impossible to imagine a more difficult situation. One, without support, the first time passing such a route in life. Passing all the quests alone.

Riga

It was scary and terrible at night on the road, but I believed and knew that everything would be fine. I had to do and finish what we started together, I had to get there.

Riga greeted me with a small sun and the owner of the apartment at about noon. The apartment was like in the photo, small, clean, quite suitable for life. But nothing of the dishes, chairs or table was not. In the courtyard there was parking for its own, the whole center of Riga paid parking with different zones and different prices, so parking in the courtyard is very, very good.

Parking from one and a half to five euros per hour, depending on areas. Even near the office of the organization CSDD, which is responsible for the movement, parking is paid. But if you travel a little further, you can find it free, I realized this at the second of dozens of times visiting their office. And you are complaining about 200r in Moscow.

Later, by October, I understood the mistake of choosing housing. The old pre-war houses are almost all stone, without heating, rather cold and dank. It seemed to me that two electric heaters under the windows would be enough. I made a mistake. Cold and not comfortable. A lot of electricity goes to heat these tall ceilings. I have already begun the path of finding a new home, I will have batteries, which I missed.

I signed up for an ID, based on the decision on a residence permit. He was given to me on September 1 and the first I went to complete the signature of the documents at work. My start was officially launched on September 2, according to the law, on the day of issuing an ID it cannot be considered the day of release.
But I managed, I did not disappoint, I could.

The longest weeks in my life began, without communicating with my wife. I wrote and called every day in the void. Every day receiving a heap of necessary and not very information in the departments. If you read something somewhere, then go with this information with confidence, do not try to find out something from the clerks.

Here, as a tape measure, they can send or say something correctly, or they can send it to the other end of the city just for the sake of not knowing the question. Making a bank card. Paperwork for his wife. Generally bureaucratic hell and allow myself to stop, I could not.
I allowed myself to be sad and upset only in solitude and in the evenings.

Having received everything, having prepared everything, having passed through everything, I rushed back to Moscow. It was September 16, when I immediately after work went to the man who I thought was waiting for me.

Then, in the morning on the highway, I first experienced the tunnel effect of the driver. When the lights are far away, the edges of the walls are the same and I slowly move to a bright spot ahead. The track "Baltic" is very direct and without settlements. I stopped in time, brought myself to life, the adrenaline rush and a pin in my finger helped me get to Moscow. But I came back to her, although she did not want this, I put rings on her finger. , , .

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