FOCUS

A

The New

timencans

After more
than a year,
Soviet Jews
are learning
the nuts
and bolts of
American
life.

84

FRIDAY, MAY 24, 1991

SUSAN GRANT

Staff Writer

D

reams of a bet-
ter life in Amer-
ica haven't quite
materialized yet,
- but Vita and
Slava Valetchikov aren't
discouraged.
"We have no right to give
up hope," Mrs. Valetchikov
said. "We have to make it."
Like so many Soviet Jews
who arrived in Detroit dur-
ing the past few years, the
Valetchikovs and their
daughter, Dana, 6, are
happy to be here, but are
struggling with financial
difficulties and cultural dif-
ferences.
When the family arrived
in Detroit from Riga, Latvia,
almost two years ago, they
expected changes. "We knew
we had to start all over
again at the entry level,"

Mrs. Valetchikov said. But
they were not fully prepared
for what lay ahead.
They had both given up
engineering careers and
were hoping to find similar
work in Detroit. While Mrs.
Valetchikov, 32, is a design
engineer at Wisne Tech-
nology Inc., her husband, 33,
is still searching for a
full-time position. He is
working part-time as a Jew-
ish Family Service driver.
To pay the bills, Mrs. Valet-
chikov works long hours.
"I can't even take a half-
day off to be with her," said
Mrs. Valetchikov, pointing
to Dana. "We will lose
money."
When Mrs. Valetchikov is
at work, her mother-in-law
takes care of Dana.
Although she appreciates
the arrangement, Mrs.
Valetchikov would rather
spend more time at home.
"But I'm not complain-

Top: Vita Valetchikov would like to spend more time with her daughter,
Dana, 6. Above: Michael Shpigel: His son, Alexander, is becoming more
American every day.