"I work and don't be smart" - how a German woman moved to the Russian outback

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

"A small village, only 11 houses, magnificent meadows, a river … This is not Siberia yet, the average temperature in winter is 13 …". This is how 61-year-old Gudrun Pflughaupt describes her new home in letters to her homeland in Germany. 7 years ago she gave up everything and moved to a remote Russian village. And it's not going back at all.

How does a German woman live in Russia?

About the fact that a real German woman lives in a small village in the Yaroslavl region near the ancient city of Pereslavl-Zalessky in the fall. And everyone was going to go. But then Gudrun said: "Niht!", Then I could not. That the roads were covered with snow, then something else. And here - quarantine, life has slowed down, everyone is sitting at home, afraid of the virus. And I suddenly remembered, how is Gudrun there? Did she rush back to Germany. There is also medicine and comfort.

But nicht!

- We sit at home, - she told me.- Fortunately, I live in a village and meet a few people, I have a supply of food … Of course, it will be difficult financially. But what to do, such a situation. Of course, let's talk.

German, she is also German in Russia. The rules of the conversation were immediately regulated. But she answered everything that interests me (and you, too, I'm sure) with a soul.

RUSSIA WAS MY DREAM

Gudrun Pflugghaupt - PhD in Agricultural Science. She was born in Berlin, but for the last 30 years she lived and worked in the old German town of Rostock. She worked at the university, gave birth to three children. She says that Russia has always been in her life, from the very birth.

- My great-great-grandfather - Russian German, returned from you in 1860. His granddaughter, my grandmother, grew up in the forest because the daughter of a forester. These are two stories with me since childhood. They shaped me. As far back as I can remember, I have always dreamed of living in a small village, in a forest, in a wooden house, in Russia. I have always been drawn to everything Russian, I learned your language at school. (In the GDR, Russian was compulsory from the 5th grade).

I had penpals from the USSR. But then adulthood began. I had to work, not dream.

Gudrun taught at the university, raised children. She has three of them. She hid the dream of Russia on the shelf. But I remembered about it again because of the economic (yes, yes!) Situation in Germany.

- I began to think seriously about emigration in 2012. Then all three children had already grown up and did not live with me. But even this was not the impetus. I opened a small boarding house in my house. And I tried to live on this income. But it was getting harder for small business owners in Germany, I had a lot of financial problems. And I realized that something needs to be changed. I wanted to realize my dream, and not endlessly argue with the authorities and insurance companies about money. And I realized that the time had come …

Gudrun says that many of her German friends did not understand her impulse.

- Why go to Russia? How? It's dangerous there! they told me.

And what is the danger? Just don't say that you are told about bears on the streets

- Ever since the Middle Ages, Russians were considered enemies for the Germans. The Germans generally know little about what kind of people you have here and how you live. And the unknown is always scary. Politicians are good at exploiting this fear.

Aren't you scared?

- Not. And I found support from my friend Anya. She is also German, but has been working as a business coach in Russia for 20 years. She advised me a realtor to search for land. And I found this meadow in the Yaroslavl region near Pereslavl-Zalessky. Very beautiful! Just like in a fairy tale. Golden ring, ancient sites. To buy 1.5 hectares, I had to establish a legal entity. This is how the "Babushka Hall" LLC appeared, a company that is engaged in agriculture and camping.

BUSINESS STARTED WITH A TOURIST TENT

Gudrun speaks so solidly.1, 5 hectares, "founded a company" … You have probably already imagined a rich burgher who came with a bag of money and organized everything for herself here. It’s not like that at all. Gudrun did not have any sack. And the first summer of 2013 she spent in her meadow in a tent. Ordinary tourist. And now her camping is just wooden trailers - cabins.

- It was, yes. I came here and pitched a tent. Then I put the change house, it became more comfortable. But, most importantly, I understood for sure that I want to live here. Anya also decided to move from Moscow, she built a house here, a beautiful, wooden blockhouse. We now live in it together. And I was able to put 4 more wooden houses - trailers, in which I receive tourists.

All this is called Eco-Camping "Babushka Hall". The houses are modest, but neat in German. And people like it. Accommodation prices are affordable - just over 1000 rubles per night. There are many tourists in summer. Less in winter. But Gudrung and Anya even equipped several rooms in their house for hotel rooms. They called this project “Country estate for women“Zalesskaya.”They accept women's groups. You can even stay with them for free, doing simple household chores.

You don't want to go back to Germany?

- Not. I have settled here and do not plan to return. Our campsite is rented very well via the internet. Plus I keep sheep, which we slaughter in the fall - this is meat. There are chickens. The garden is growing, and more and more fruits. Own potatoes and vegetables.

In short, Gudrun and Anya live in a vegetable garden. They chop wood themselves and put them in even piles in German.

I LIVE FOR 12 THOUSANDS A MONTH, LIKE YOUR PENSIONERS

I can’t help but ask what do you like in Russia and what don’t you? Now, if you became president, so that they introduce German to us here?

- Well, I live in the village and, it turns out, I watch the state from afar. I like the curiosity and openness of Russians. In Germany, everything is according to the regulations. Many admire the German order, but I prefer Russian pragmatism. It seems to me that you have more new, creative ideas. What surprises me is the reluctance to pay taxes. But this is clear from history …

Well, you know, but in Germany pensions are better. And the economy. Many of our people dream of moving to live there

- In Germany there is a social market economy, in which there is less and less “social”, and the “market” is increasingly ignored by the state in the interests of large corporations. This is one of the reasons why I no longer want to live in Germany.

I know very well how much Russian pensioners get. I have not yet received German, it is for me since 66, but I am still only 61. My pension will be about 900 euros, for Russia - good money, for Germany - very modest. I sold my house in Germany to buy land here and I no longer have financial reserves there. So I live off the income from camping, last year it was 12,000 rubles a month. As little as among Russian pensioners. Fortunately, I don't need much and I can live in Anya's house.

I WORK, I DO NOT SMART

Did the locals welcome you well? There were no conflicts?

- No, absolutely! On the contrary, everyone is very friendly. The village is small; only 15 - 20 pensioners live here. The rest are summer residents, they are here only in summer or on weekends. Everybody knows each other. I remember when the first night I spent the night here in a tent, in the morning we sat having breakfast, a family was driving by. We stopped to get to know each other and asked: "We are in the store, do you need anything?" It was a shock for me. It's hard to imagine that in Germany. And yours is fine. So we are all friends, they often come to me just to chat. We are always ready to help. Probably because they see - I, like them, work a lot, and do not be smart. You have the expression "broad Russian soul". Yes, she is.

Is it really quite straightforwardly sweet and smooth?

- There were many problems with the registration of all these migration documents. Very long queues! But the employees of the migration services are friendly and try to help. I am certainly not a labor migrant from Asia. After all, I'm here on a work visa as the general director of a company. But my Russian is not so good, it is difficult to communicate with me. But I did it. In 2017, I have already received a "Temporary Residence Permit". And I have already applied for a "Residence Permit".

Have you already encountered our medicine? Where will you be treated, if anything?

- I was at the dentist in Pereslavl-Zalessky. Private and very modern practice. And much cheaper than in Germany! I pay for health insurance as a sole proprietor. But even if you have to pay to a private clinic, in Russia it will be much cheaper than the high premiums in German health insurance.

WAITING FROM GERMANY FOR SUMMER GRANDSCONS

In short, Gudrun in our country is absolutely happy with everything. Her children, who had already made her the grandmother of 4 grandchildren, visited their mother in Russia. They liked everything too. Gudrun hopes that her grandchildren will visit her in the Russian countryside for the summer.

- I can cook Russian borsch, but still, Anya and I prefer German cuisine. In the summer I go to the forest for mushrooms and berries, like everyone else. But if the grandchildren come, I will bake pies for them.

To be honest, I listened to Gudrun and couldn't believe my ears. She's some kind of exemplary downshifter. She replaced prosperous Germany with a poor Russian outback and rejoices at everything. The only thing that worries Anya and Gudrun right now is the damned coronavirus.

- If the epidemic does not pass and there are few guests, it will become critical for us, - she sighs.“But summer will surely come, and with it the end of diseases. I believe in it.