
“I gave back my U.S. citizenship. I’m going back to Serbia.” - cellis
https://storiesbehindthefog.com/i-gave-back-my-u-s-citizenship-im-going-back-to-serbia-nenad-a42fe00c4f60#.2aswvy6vb
======
smsm42
> Most people think I’m a Russian terrorist because of my accent.

Really? I've had pretty strong accent when I first came to US, and I'm pretty
sure I still have some now, and I never ever heard anybody telling anything
about terrorists. Some people do assume I like vodka (which I don't,
generally, and don't drink much at all) but terrorists? I don't think "Russian
terrorists" are even a thing in public consciousness. Is there some cultural
thing I am missing?

> Very hard though, nobody wants to hire a foreigner

In SF???? Is it some kind of alternate-reality goatee-wearing SF that I am
unfamiliar with? I never heard anybody in real SF to care about it. I don't
know about all the US, it's a big country and a lot of things happens, but
I've been to SF. I've been living around SF for more than a decade. Does not
compute. Am I living in a bubble of some sort?

I mean I feel sorry for this guy who apparently has it very difficult and I
don't mean to dismiss his experience outright, but it's so at odds with
anything I've observed so far that I can't but wonder. Anybody has any
experiences confirming/disproving such problems exist in SF and Bay Area in
general?

~~~
Swizec
> Anybody has any experiences confirming/disproving such problems exist in SF
> and Bay Area in general?

Slavic accent here. People definitely make jokes and I will probably never get
used to social smiling. People generally assume I don't like them and/or that
I'm mean. Easy to get around with conscious effort (used to practice the
american teethy smile in the mirror).

If you're in tech, as an engineer or similar, none of that matters. If you
want to be a starbucks barista I can imagine it being a problem even in SF. He
did mention being in the menial side of the job market. That market is tough
everywhere and why would they hire a foreigner that's culturally different
when they can pick any number of other people knocking on their door?

Menial menial jobs (clenaing etc) mostly seem a market dominated by hispanics
here in SF. Maybe he's the wrong kind of foreign to break into the market and
build connections?

~~~
lawnchair_larry
Slavs don't smile?

~~~
smsm42
They certainly do, just on different occasions than Americans. Much less
social "how do you do" smiling or smiling out of politeness. If you smile too
much in situations that are not considered appropriate, some (especially
people not exposed to American ways before) may consider you a light-weight
and unserious person. You need to have a proper reason for smiling. A Russian
proverb says "the laughter without a cause is a sign of a fool". Same goes
with smiling, maybe less drastic.

Of course, it's a huge generalization, as many cultural broad-stroke
descriptions are, but that's roughly how it is.

~~~
GrinningFool
> You need to have a proper reason for smiling.

I wish this were common here (US) as well.

~~~
smsm42
I think I prefer the US way. I know many people smile just to be polite, but I
just like looking at smiling people I guess.

~~~
Swizec
I agree, it's definitely more pleasant. When my mum was visiting she commented
that the pleasantness of customer service was really amazing. What impressed
her most was that there are people whose sole job it is to welcome yoy into a
store.

But I have to admit that after the thousandth reflexive "How are you" without
caring for a response, the novelty wears off. What if sometimes I'm not "Good,
thanks, how are you?" ... but that would be impolite.

------
donretag
"I returned my U.S. citizenship"

Did the author return his citizenship because of FACTA regulations? FACTA has
made it very difficult for Americans living overseas.

EDIT: the US has made it very expensive to renounce your citizenship (which
many are doing because of FACTA). I wonder if the author has thought about the
cost.

~~~
blinkingled
He is doing cleaning jobs and asking for donations just to afford a 900$ air
ticket to Serbia. I'm not sure FACTA is on his mind.

~~~
Inconel
From what little I know of the topic, hasn't FACTA made US citizens rather
unattractive to have as customers for most European banks? I've heard it can
be difficult just to open a bank account as an American in Europe, unless
you're extremely wealthy in which case I'm sure there're workarounds.

If anything, I would imagine FACTA might be a big concern once this gentleman
gets back to Serbia and discovers he can't open a bank account.

Please correct me if my info is incorrect.

~~~
donretag
You are correct. More than just banking, it is difficult to get a mortgage,
investing in stocks/bonds, or even financing a car.

------
ivanhoe
Frankly, if he'd stayed in Serbia he'd probably end up homeless even sooner
(I'm from Serbia, so take my word for it). He mentions Croatia so I guess that
he's one of 200+K Serbian refugees who were forced out of their homes during
the wars in 90s, and these poor people who lost everything are permanently
caught in a limbo between Serbian and Croatian administration. Serbia is not
helping enough, and Croats don't really want them back. So IMHO he was much
better off in US in any case. At least for a while he lived a normal life, put
his kids through the school and so on... totally don't see the need for pathos
with giving up on the citizenship and what not, it makes zero sense to me?!

------
cylinder
He did not actually renounce his citizenship, that would cost almost $3,000.
But I don't want to make that the focus of comments here.

~~~
ap3
Then what is the focus of the articlr? A guy going back home to visit family ?

News at 11!

------
keithnz
I know certain people demonize those who accept government money when they
can't work. But it's ok.

It is important to know how to accept help when it is on offer from government
/ friends / family. Sometimes that might be a hard thing to do, but
communities are stronger when they look out for people at rock bottom, it
makes it a lot easier to get back on your feet. Pride can and does lead to a
fall when in this situation and people can be a lot harsher on you when you
are at your lowest. But when help is on offer, it's ok to accept it.

~~~
tajen
In France we have unemployment benefits at 80% for 2 years. Startup creators
can convert them into a lumpsum of 50% the total (name: ACCRE). I'm severely
against this scheme, but my first advice to entrepreneurs is to take the ACCRE
when they satisfy the conditions, because there's no way to be competitive
without it.

About friends/family: I've noticed that people living payday-to-payday have a
harder time accepting presents from richer people. But it's ok. We spend money
on various optional things like sponsoring a child abroad or holidays, so if
we share our money with you, it's really because it's better spent on human
relationships than on holidays. I'm aware that causes the recipient to
acknowledge that they're in a difficult situation, and feeling guilty of not
being able to provide enough is a common reaction (although it's often far
from the correct reality), and that's why it has to become more commonplace to
casually accept a big present when there's an earning gap. Especially when the
person who offer makes it clear that they don't mind.

------
fixxer
WTF is this "Russian terrorist" label? Is this a thing?

I've lived all over this country and I don't think I've ever seen those two
words used together.

------
finid
Officially renouncing your (US) citizenship when you can't afford the cost is
not the way to go.

If you really mean to "check out", just get on a plane and say, "see yah
later, 'gator".

No one is going to come to Serbia to harass you about not paying taxes.

------
cnnsucks
This story has some highly improbable parts.

"I’ve been looking for a job here in San Francisco for the past three years.
Very hard though, nobody wants to hire a foreigner. Most people think I’m a
Russian terrorist because of my accent. ”You kill Americans. People say these
things based on how I look and speak. It’s tough, you know? I get sad at heart
when they shout like that at me. I just try to do good and provide for myself
and my family."

San Francisco... I've spent time in San Francisco. It's not like that. Almost
40% of the population is foreign born and gainfully employed at something.
Probably 100% of the employers this guy is likely to be an applicant of are
foreign born. I really, really doubt his narrative of irrational 'muricans
shouting "turrurist herp derp!" at him.

You can't find a job because you're old and living in a nation filled with
unemployed older ex-workers. This state of affairs is deliberate policy so
you're right to leave; it's not going to get better, particularly if you
insist on living in CA. But please, stop it with the "everyone think i
terrorist" fiction; most people in San Francisco struggle with very concept of
terrorism; so-called terrorists are just the victims of capitalism righteously
fighting back against their oppressors.

~~~
foobarian
In my experience it's a cultural thing in the Balkans to assume everyone else
is out to get you, and to complain about the government. It might even be a
Russian/Slavic thing, but I'm less sure about that. Anyway I don't find the
colorful rationalizations odd at all.

~~~
smsm42
"They're out to get me" mentality is definitely a thing for some people from
ex-USSR, and so is a complaint about "locals hate us" \- I've witnessed it in
several countries. Not all people, far from it, but males middle-age, not
finding the best employment and not culturally integrated - definitely
happens.

OTOH, I have a very skewed sample - I've met much more people from ex-USSR
than from any other place, so such complaints very well may be a common human
thing but because I've met more ex-USSR people I've seen it more among them.

Complaining about the government in general is definitely a thing everywhere
I've been so far :) Haven't been to North Korea though.

------
tropo
It's looks. There is no protected class for looks, and it seems nobody gets a
feel-good vibe by hiring those who don't look nice.

It's not going to be any better for him in Serbia. The people there are human
too.

------
rinchik1
[https://medium.com/@rinatrussenov/very-interesting-and-
surpr...](https://medium.com/@rinatrussenov/very-interesting-and-surprisingly-
short-story-4f3ab23dfb7f#.gj4midhvt)

------
edblarney
“Most people think I’m a Russian terrorist because of my accent.”

This is ridiculous and false.

~~~
arcticbull
I assume he means the people he interacts with, and unless that's you, it
might be worth moderating your statement a bit.

~~~
edblarney
I've lived in America, Canada, Europe and around the world for many years.

His position that 'everyone thinks he's a Russian terrorist' is false and
bigoted towards Americans, who are by and large, very good people.

There is no place in America wherein a man with an East-European Slavic accent
will be 'assumed to be a Russian terrorist' by almost anyone.

This man is very clearly down on his luck, has problems with skills and
sociability - and it's a sad story. No doubt his 'thick accent' may add to his
woes, but to suggest that 'everyone think's he's a Russian Terrorist' is
unfair on his part.

