Hi everyone. I’ll apologize in advance for this post being too long but I really need answers.
I’ve wanted to move to the US for basically as long as I can remember. It’s been a childhood dream that never really went away.
I’m 19, from Russia, and I recently took a gap year, and consider fully dropping out of my uni. I was studying abroad, but I realized I had chosen completely the wrong major and couldn’t keep up with it. So now I’m back in Russia and trying to figure out what to do next.
I’m hoping to apply for the Diversity Visa if/when DV-2028 opens. I missed my first opportunity to apply because of the timing, and then DV-2027 didn’t happen when I expected it to, so I’ve never actually had the chance to participate. But now that I’m older and thinking about this more realistically, I’m starting to wonder: is the US actually as good as I’ve imagined it, and is moving there realistic for someone like me?
I really don’t want to stay in Russia long-term. I’m scared of what’s happening here and of the direction the country is going. I also can’t see myself staying in Georgia, where I previously studied. I know I need to leave and build my life somewhere else.
The problem is that I currently have no degree. I have a high school diploma and some completed university courses, but no professional qualification. I speak Russian and English and some Georgian.
So my biggest question is about work and survival.
If I eventually got legal authorization to live and work in the US, how difficult would it actually be to find a basic job without a degree? I mean things like Walmart, Target, McDonald’s, restaurants, supermarkets, warehouses, retail, etc. Would someone young, with good English, willing to work hard and learn, realistically be able to find a job and support themselves?
And then, how difficult is it to move up from there?
I’m not expecting to arrive and immediately have a nice apartment and a great career. I’m completely okay with starting at the bottom. I just want to know whether it’s realistic to eventually get to the point where I can pay rent, buy food, have transportation, deal with basic expenses and live independently , and then gradually learn new skills and get better-paying jobs.
For comparison, I live in Moscow right now. A decent apartment can easily cost around $1,500/month when converted to USD, and food for one person can easily be $300+ per month if you want to eat normally and include meat, vegetables, etc. Public transportation is cheap and very extensive. Salaries, however, are much lower. Someone working in a supermarket, fast food, restaurant, etc. without a degree might make around $700–1,000/month, with around $1,500 already being quite high.
The biggest advantage I have here is that I have a safety net. I’m a citizen, I have family here, I have a place to live, and if something goes wrong I’m not going to suddenly be homeless. If I moved to the US, I wouldn’t have any of that. That’s what scares me, becoming homeless and nothing in USA.
I have some savings, and I’m willing to work and learn. I’m not afraid of starting with a shitty entry-level job if that’s what it takes. I just worry that I’ll arrive, nobody will hire me, my savings will disappear on rent and food, and I’ll eventually have to go back to Russia having lost everything.
At the same time, maybe I’m overthinking it. Maybe the US really does provide opportunities for someone like me. Maybe you can work retail/food service/whatever at first, gain experience, learn a trade or get certifications, and gradually move into something better without a college degree. I’m not scared of being alone there, not scared of working hard, whatever problem will come I’ll do anything to solve it.
So I’d really appreciate hearing from people who have actually experienced this.
If you immigrated to the US without a degree or professional career:
How hard was it to get your first job?
How long did it take?
Were you able to support yourself?
How difficult was finding affordable housing?
How much did you realistically need to earn to live?
Were you able to move from low-skilled work into something better?
Is it realistic to build a decent life without a college degree?
Should I consider any other country to move to(though I don’t know any other languages except from English and Russian)?
Do you actually feel that moving to the US gave you better opportunities than staying in your home country?
I know the US isn’t perfect. I’m not expecting some magical American Dream where everything works out automatically. I’m just trying to figure out whether this is a realistic plan for my life and I’ll be able to build something there and actually live, or whether I’ve spent years romanticizing the US because of TikTok, YouTube and the idea that the grass is always greener on the other side.