Why this British navy officer moved to Russia
"In England, people remain children until old age, but in Russia you get mature," says Graham Fraser.
When the former officer of the British Royal Navy finally decided to ‘drop anchor’, he chose Stavropol, a city in southern Russia. It turned out to be a smart move. He now has a good job, a beloved family and even a cottage with chickens and rabbits. And he seems really happy.
How did a native of Glasgow end up in Russia?
Graham was born in Glasgow and joined the Navy because he wanted to travel. His wish was fulfilled and he visited many countries and places, including the port of Novorossiysk in Russia.
“It was 2001. A teacher from a Novorossiysk university approached us on the shore and invited us to talk with students learning English. My friends and I met them. And we were very surprised how cultured, hospitable and calm these people turned out to be.”
Graham knew very little about Russia. “We were told that Russia is a poor country where old ladies sell milk from the sidewalk. Well, we arrived in the center of Novorossiysk and saw that it was really poor around, but the people were very pleasant.”
Graham as a Navy officer (left), 2003
After serving seven years in the Navy, Graham left, as he saw no prospects. And he decided to teach English. So he studied to be a teacher and went to work in Russia.
Why Stavropol?
Graham admits that he got to Stavropol by accident. In 2004, when he got a job teaching English at an international language school, he was asked which Russian city he wanted to go to. He hardly knew, but he certainly wasn't aiming for Moscow or other loud megapolises. He was offered Stavropol.
“For some reason, people often think of Stavropol as a deep province, but it's not. It even reminds me of Russian Las Vegas sometimes. Everything is very fashionable and beautiful. It's a very green center and there are many new areas that have everything to live in. And compared with modern Britain, it’s well done! I just returned from vacation and realized once again: it's better here,” Graham says.
Somewhere near Stavropol
The most surprising thing about life in Russia
“There is no such stratification in society here as in Britain. Here, a drunkard can live in the same house as a businessman. In Britain, everyone tends to look up and look at others with contempt; even on public transport there is a stratification: you can see who is who.”
The Briton says that over the years he has lived in Russia, the country has changed a lot. “I can tell from our Stavropol: I live in the city center, and everything used to be broken there. Today, there are excellent sidewalks, lanterns, and flower pots. Government services have also become better and are much simpler than before, and you do everything online.”
Russian wife and Russian life
Graham met his wife Irina at the language school where she worked. He liked her right away, but she was always too busy. HisRussian was still quite weak at the time, and he didn't know how to start a conversation. One day, he asked her to help him buy new clothes at the store, because the airline had lost his suitcase. She agreed...
Honeymoon in Bangkok, 2009
They got married in 2009 and now have two children. Together with his sons, Graham makes furniture and tends to their dacha, where they have chickens, rabbits and ducks.
“Such a life would be impossible in England. There, a cottage is a piece of land, a maximum of two hundred [square meters], which you rent, and you can only put a barn on this land. And we have plenty of space [here].”
Fishing with son and wife’s uncle
Graham admits that 20 years in Russia have changed him a lot. “Outwardly, I'm still English, and you can hear it in my accent. But I've matured a bit towards the Russian side: I run the household, I'm the head of the family. This is very important to me. The dacha, the apartment, the things I do with my own hands. It's like we have our own planet, and I'm its leader.”
The full version of the interview is published in Russian in the 'Nation' magazine.
