I found Vladmer, a 20 year old Russian man, wandering around Springfield like a shiny new penny. Although his English is quite good, he didn't understand me when I said "you shouldn't be walking around here, you don't blend in."
"Blend?"
At any rate, he is safe for now. He joined some group which got him to NYC, and was told Jacksonville had employment opportunities so he rode a bus here yesterday.
Last night he slept in a motel on Phillip's Highway (yeah, I know) and was going to meet a man about a place to live over on Phoenix Avenue.
It's quite creepy, I drove by.
I'm looking for the Russian community here in Jacksonville.
He's a clean cut university student who is way out of his element. We'd like to help him find a support network. Please PM me if you can help.
Tera Nova at Philips and Baymeadows may be a starting place- its a bar and I believe the owners/co-owner may be Russian and there are a lot of Russians who are here in town go there.
great! Thanks...it is a good place to start.
I would steer him to Lutheran Social Services, 4115 Philips Hwy. 448-5995.
QuoteI would steer him to Lutheran Social Services, 4115 Philips Hwy. 448-5995.
Yeah, send him there... The Bosnian immigrants just love Russians.
Are his papers in order?
What kind of "Russian" is he? What area is he from? Referring him to the wrong Russians could be worse than sending him to the Bosnians. They don't do FL-GA in Russia like we do, they kill each other.
Report back and I will call a local Russian friend for advise.
We called Lutheran Social Services, he's not a refugee so there's nothing they can do.
I'll find out what area he is from . Thanks!
Terranova is a Russian hangout, but I believe the owners are Lebanese. The surest place to find Russians is outside the central Starbucks at SJTC on any weeknd morning.
He is from Kazakhstan.
I just got off the phone with a Russian co-worker and he says even though he is not a refugee, Lutheran Social Services can still give him some guidance at least. He strongly suggests that the young man go back there. But he also warns that if the man is here illegally, no one is going to help him.
He has a visa.
We called LSS yesterday, but can try again.
You can also call Catholic Charities. Both LSS and CC are great resources.
Situation is resolved! Thanks!
Well wait, wait! Don't leave it hanging like an end of season tv show..Whats the god news?
Okay, so a friend of mine speaks Russian (who'd would have thought?), knows tons of restaurant folks (for potential work) and has a spare room. Vlad has moved in with him, temporarily.
Joe got his social security card taken care of this afternoon. He should be legal for working now.
It should all work out just fine. He has a return ticket for September. I suppose he'll return for the fall semester in Moscow.
What fun to find someone so exotic walking down Liberty Street. You never know who you will meet around the corner.
Bravo to all involved... ;D