Adapting to a new culture one step at a time

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Keoni Chavarria
  • 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. --  Home is sometimes considered where one came from, but for some, a journey is needed before they can find their home.

 Lyubov Smirnova, a McChord Field barber, will be coming up on her 17th year in the U.S. Before arriving to the U.S., she was a refugee living in Donetsk, Ukraine.

Smirnova first came into the U.S., from Ukraine as a refugee in 1999, to avoid religious prosecution.

Growing up in Ukraine, Smirnova remembers students in class laughing at others for believing in religion and being taxed because of her beliefs.

"In Ukraine, people looked down on you like you're a lower race for believing in God," said Smirnova. "The United States was always the country for freedom of religion and I wanted to be here."

She recalls her transition from the Ukraine to the U.S. to being as different as "earth and sky." Leaving her country was an experience she had not felt before and was all new to her.

"The culture, food, and climate are so different," she said. "To adapt here I had to learn so many things like using a credit card. Like a baby, it felt like I grew up [all over] again."

Before moving to the U.S., Smirnova didn't have any need for a credit card because everything was paid for with cash in Ukraine, she added.

During her changeover, a language barrier also presented another obstacle for Smirnova as she tried to figure everything out while learning English. 

Looking back, she remembers that it was especially difficult attending college with just an electronic translator to help her through her classes.

"There were just certain words you don't use every day, but are only for specific professions and it was mostly a visual experience," she said.

After graduating from Tacoma Bates Technical College in 2000, Smirnova started working at the McChord Club as a barber.

Here on McChord Field, Smirnova is always excited to meet new service members that come to the shop.

"I just love working here," said Smirnova. "It's a wonderful place to be. The customers are so educated, kind, and honest."

According to Senior Airman Leon Torres, 62nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron precision measurement equipment laboratory technician, Smirnova is a great barber, but has an even better personality.

"Smirnova is the sweetest person I've ever met," said Torres. "She is full of wisdom and history, and it always makes my day seeing her."

Smirnova has worked at the McChord Club for more than a decade, and she does not plan to stop anytime soon.

"If I can stay here, I will work here until I retire," she said. "I love it here."

While Smirnova misses certain aspects of her hometown and culture, she is happy to know that her family lives in the U.S., which she now calls home.