Ukraine native finds a home in Valley

Jan. 7, 2007

By MARY AMES

Frontiersman

MAT-SU - Things weren't going so well in Ukraine, so Alex Rakhmanov, his wife and their oldest son accepted an invitation to move to Kelso, Wash., knowing very little English.

&#8220On the airplane - from Ukraine to New York, St. Louis and Washington - I could say, ‘milk, tea.'” Rakhmanov said. &#8220Now it is much better.”

So much better, in fact, that Rakhmanov often interprets for Russians living in the Mat-Su who don't know much English, and recently interpreted for the city of Wasilla when two Russians from Ussuriisk visited.

&#8220I would say I've helped about 50 people,” he said. &#8220It's all word of mouth. It's not a full-time job.”

Rakhmanov was born in northern Russia, north of Koveodor, when his parents worked there. His parents were originally from Ukraine, and after his father died, Rakhmanov and his mother moved back, to the city of Krivoy Rog. He married there, his first son was born there and Rakhmanov finished college there, earning a bachelor's degree in mining, but times were tough.

&#8220My wife worked in an electric appliance factory, and didn't get paid for six months,” he said. &#8220And they paid with their product, at higher than market prices. That's how hard it was.”

So, in 1998 the couple accepted an invitation from his wife's relatives in Washington and moved to the United States. Once they settled in Kelso, it was back to college for Rakhmanov.

&#8220For about three years, I studied English,” he said. &#8220And I studied computer programming.”

From Kelso, Rakhmanov moved his family to Vancouver, Wash., where he started interpreting.

&#8220They have a very developed area, with lots of interpretation services,” he said. &#8220I just started with relatives. Then lots of people needed translations.”

Rakhmanov helped people with immigration paperwork, interpreted at medical appointments and even assisted in emergency situations.

&#8220In emergency situations, you have to be quick,” he said.

About five years ago, his wife's relatives in Alaska invited the growing family to move north.

&#8220We really like it,” he said of life in the Valley. &#8220Nice summers, more space than in big cities, very colorful. In Alaska, you can go fishing and hunting with beautiful mountains around everywhere.”

Rakhmanov was working at Lithia Motors in Wasilla when Sandra and Pat Garley brought their Chevrolet truck in for service. Rakhmanov told them about Chevrolet's contest for trucks with high mileage, which they entered and won, earning the Garleys a trip to the Texas State Fair.

And Sandra Garley, then Wasilla's city planner, had Rakhmanov's business card when the city started looking for an interpreter for the visiting Russians.

Now a father of seven, Rakhmanov works for Goy Construction as a project manager. The company, which started in 2001, builds residential and commercial properties, he said, with an emphasis on building quality housing for people on low incomes.

But that isn't all Rakhmanov does to keep his family fed. He also does a little Web page design and tax preparation, he said. And he has seen the Mat-Su Russian community continue to grow.

By Rakhmanov's estimate, when he and his family arrived in the Valley, there were about 1,000 Russians living here. Now, he said, there are probably about 1,500. His guess is about 30 percent of them, mostly older Russians, need help interpreting English.

&#8220The young people are fluent,” he said.

His wife is learning English with their children by helping them with homework, he said. At home, the family speaks a mix of Russian, Ukrainian and English.

&#8220Whatever is easier,” he said. &#8220Instead of ‘Father, open the trunk,' the children say, ‘Papa open bagzhmik.'”

Since leaving Ukraine, Rakhmanov has worked as a dishwasher, in building maintenance, as a loader at UPS, as a school bus driver and as a car salesman. He sees more construction in his future as well as continuing to interpret English for the Russian community.

&#8220If it requires me to interpret, I'm happy to do that,” he said.

Contact Mary Ames at 352-2284 or mary.ames@frontiersman.com.