Uzbekistan: Interview with Samandar Hamroev
Uzbekistan, with an estimated population of 36.5 million people, has a territory slightly larger than California. Ethnic Uzbeks make up 84 percent of the population, followed by Tajiks (5%), Kazakhs (3%), and Russians (2%). Religiously, about 88 percent identify as Muslim, while nine percent identify as Christian (Central Intelligence Agency 2025).
According to American Community Survey data (2018-2022), an estimated 72,163 immigrants from Uzbekistan reside in the United States (IPUMS USA 2022). The most recent data from the National Historical Geographic Information System (NHGIS) indicates that New York, California, and Pennsylvania have the highest total populations of immigrants from Uzbekistan (IPUMS NHGIS n.d.).
Immigrants from Uzbekistan primarily work as delivery truck drivers/sales workers (10%), a profession that involves picking up, transporting, and delivering shipments. The second most common occupation is home health aide (9%), followed by registered nurse (3%) (IPUMS USA 2022).
Samardar is an immigrant from Uzbekistan currently living in Chicago, Illinois. He works for the Fleet Department of a trucking company, where he also manages the company’s social media presence. He is passionate about showing the realities of life in America and runs several social media platforms, including the popular Uzbek-language podcast called “Chiqish” (translated into English as “Exit”). He is also the content creator for:
· Instagram: @samandar_hamr0ev
· Telegram: USA Polvonlari
· YouTube: Vitamin189
Growing up in Uzbekistan
“My parents are originally from Qorako‘l district in the Bukhara region of Uzbekistan, where I was born. When I was young, we moved to Tashkent, so I attended first grade in Bukhara and continued my schooling in Tashkent. I attended an Uzbek-language school, but learned Russian by playing and interacting with Russian-speaking friends and neighbors.
After finishing middle school, I attended the First Republican Medical College (vocational high school) in Tashkent for three years. Later, I applied to university to study medicine, but I wasn’t accepted. I got married in 2012 and served a year in the Army. During that time, my first child was born. When I returned, I applied to university again but wasn’t accepted again.”
Migration to Russia
Russia is the most popular destination for migrants from Uzbekistan. Overall, Central Asian labor migrants make up three-fourths of all labor migrants in Russia’s workforce (Florinskaya and Mkrtchyan 2021:3). As the most populous country in Central Asia, Uzbekistan naturally sends the largest number of migrants to Russia –1.2 million labor migrants from Uzbekistan were recorded in 2022 (Federal State Statistics Service of Russia 2022). The average monthly nominal wages in Uzbekistan was $351, while in Russia, it was $969 – a nearly threefold difference (Interstate Statistical Commitee of Commonwealth of Independent States 2022:30).
“I was 25 years old, and as the head of a young family I needed to support them. At the time, my worldview was very narrow—I thought that if I could just earn enough to buy a small apartment and a car, I would be the happiest person in the world. I laugh at myself thinking back how naive I was, but at that time, those were my biggest goals.
My sister's boss was working in Vladivostok, Russia, which is closer to Japan than to Uzbekistan, and invited us to come. So, in December 2014, I left Uzbekistan for the first time in my life. After a 12-hour flight from Tashkent, I landed in Vladivostok, and I was amazed at how developed the city was compared to Uzbekistan.”
Settling in Russia
Migrants from Uzbekistan in Russia primarily work in wholesale and retail trade (27%) followed by utility, social, and personal services (17%). The transportation service where Samandar worked in Russia is the sixth most common profession among migrants from Uzbekistan, employing nearly eight percent of them (Mukomel 2022:67).
“When I arrived in Vladivostok, it was the middle of winter, a slow season for jobs compared to summer, when there are many opportunities for day laborers.
I didn't want to just sit at home waiting. I spoke Russian, so I started asking around for jobs – both from locals and other Uzbek migrants. Eventually, I found work as a loader in a supermarket. Since it was right before the New Year holidays, they urgently needed workers. The job was physically demanding and exhausting.
After a month, I was let go because I hadn’t obtained a work permit. At that time, migrants had to legalize their status within three months to continue working in Russia.
At first, I felt defeated—Russia seemed too difficult, and I thought about going back to Uzbekistan, but my friends encouraged me to stay, saying that things would eventually improve.
Later, an acquaintance who worked as a taxi driver offered to sell me his car and try myself as a taxi driver. To purchase the car, I borrowed money from people in Uzbekistan, and taxi driving turned into my permanent job. I quickly realized that this job was easier and more profitable. After a few months, I was earning enough money to bring my wife to Russia. She left our one-year-old child with my mother and also started working in Russia.
Like most migrants, we initially shared an apartment with 10–15 people to save money. Rent was cheap, about $50 per person per month. In one small room, there were three couples, and we used curtains to create separate spaces.
But soon, my wife and I couldn’t handle the lack of privacy, so we rented a two-bedroom apartment with another family, each occupying one room, paying $150 per month per room.”
Returning to Uzbekistan and Winning a Diversity Visa
In 2022, Samandar and his family were selected for the U.S. Government Diversity Immigrant Visa program, commonly known as the green card lottery, which gave them the opportunity to immigrate to the United States in 2022. Since 2008, Uzbekistan has been one of the top recipients of diversity visa, with an average of 4,233 citizens of Uzbekistan receiving green cards annually. In 2023, Uzbekistan ranked among the top three countries for diversity visa recipients, with 5,511 people – just behind Egypt (5,529) and Algeria (5,526) (U.S. Department of State 2023).
“We eventually brought our son from Uzbekistan and two of our daughters were born in Russia. Altogether, my family and I lived in Russia for five years.
Towards the end of our time in Russia, I began noticing how young people were changing for the worse. I saw 12-year-old girls drinking alcohol on the streets and behaving inappropriately. Witnessing this, I didn’t want my children to grow up in that environment, so in 2019, we decided to return to Uzbekistan.
Once we returned, I realized that adjusting to life in Uzbekistan was difficult after having lived abroad. The healthcare system and services weren’t up to the standards we had become accustomed to. I wanted my children to have better access to quality services, and I saw a stark difference between Russia and Uzbekistan in that regard. Even something as simple as a common cold became frequent and harder to treat for my children.
At that point, I started considering moving to another country. I thought about trying for a green card, just to test my luck, and in May 2021, we found out that we had won. In April 2022, we had our visa interview, and in June 2022, we left for the United States.”
Life in New York
“We didn’t know anyone in the United States and had no information on how different states compared, which ones were better to live, or where to find jobs. We connected with a distant acquaintance—a friend of my brother’s—who had won the green card lottery three or four years earlier and was living in New York. I contacted him, and he promised to help with finding housing, a job, and said that New York was a good place to start. That is how we ended up in Brooklyn.
When we arrived, we found a place to live relatively quickly, but finding a job was extremely difficult. Even though we received our residency within a month, there was a high supply of workers due to the massive influx of Ukrainian refugees entering the United States in 2022 following the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Because of this, finding a stable job was difficult, and for about three months, I couldn’t find steady work. There were temporary jobs, like moving services, but they were only available two to three days a week.
Eventually, I decided to get a driver’s license, passed the necessary exams, and started looking for jobs.
I ended up driving a 26-foot box truck, something I had never done before. But since I was struggling to find a job, I took a chance. When the employer asked if I had experience driving large trucks, I confidently said yes, even though I had never done it before. They believed me and hired me.
The company specialized in delivering disposable supplies to restaurants in Brooklyn and Manhattan. So, for the first time in my life, I was driving a large vehicle—and not just anywhere, but in the streets of New York City, a massive metropolitan area.
The best part of this experience was that it proved to me that I could do anything. At first, I was afraid, but I overcame my fear and learned through practice.
Each day, I took the subway to downtown Brooklyn, picked up the box truck, worked all day, returned the truck, and then took the subway home. The whole [commuting] process, including walking from the subway, took one to two hours every day. The pay wasn’t great, so I started looking for alternatives.”
Ending the Taxi-Driving Career…
“Four months after working as a box-truck driver, I rented a car and started working as an economy-class Uber driver. I stayed in that job for a year and a half, until May 2024.
I had been a taxi driver for most of my life, but honestly, I never really enjoyed it. Yes, you can make good money—especially in New York—but there’s no career growth. Every day is the same, and there’s no next level.
I saw many people driving Uber in New York, yet they were earning the same amount as me – someone who had just arrived from Uzbekistan, and yet I was making the same money as someone who had spent 15 years in this field.
I didn’t want to stay stuck in a job without a future, so I started thinking about how I could do something bigger, something with potential for growth, and something that could benefit people.
That’s when I decided to start my own vlog on Instagram and become active on social media.”
…and Turning into a Social Media Influencer
“Honestly, I used to be afraid of cameras that gave me anxiety.
To overcome my fear, I started vlogging in 2017. I created a YouTube channel and started documenting my life in Russia. At first, my videos were terrible—people even left comments making fun of me, but I kept trying and pushed myself to improve.
When I moved to the United States, I resumed vlogging, but this time, I wanted to show the real America—not the idealized dream people imagine, but the hardships and struggles that migrants actually face. I shared my Uber experiences, my daily life in New York, and the reality of making a living in America.
People found it very interesting, and I quickly gained a large number of followers.
During this time, I also met many migrants from Uzbekistan, especially those who had come through Mexico. Many of them had misconceptions about America, believing that they could come here and make huge amounts of money quickly. But once they arrived, they realized it wasn’t what they had expected.
I met people who had sold everything they owned, taken out high-interest loans, or gone into debt just to get here—only to end up struggling. Some of them deeply regretted their decision, saying, “We had the wrong expectations. We thought it would be easier.”
I asked them to share their stories on my blog or vlog, thinking that others could learn from their experiences and avoid making the same mistakes. But many didn’t want to talk about their struggles openly.
That’s when I came up with an idea—there should be a platform like a podcast where people can speak openly about the realities of life in America. Many people in Uzbekistan have a false perception of what life in the United States is like. If they could hear real-life experiences from migrants who sacrificed everything to move here, they might reconsider their decision or at least better prepare for what’s ahead.
Since I couldn’t do it alone, I needed a team, funding, and time. So, I started looking for people who were interested in vlogging and content creation. That’s how I met my friends and current podcast partners, Abdurashid and Shohruh.
I found them online, got in touch, and shared my idea of creating a podcast where we interview people who came to America—especially those who came through Mexico—and let them share their real stories.
They loved the idea, and we decided to go for it.”
Crossing the U.S.-Mexico border to enter the United States is not new for Uzbekistan nationals. Prior to 2020, border apprehensions/arrests of Uzbekistanis were in the teens, but in 2021 the number jumped to 658 and in 2022, it rose again to 2,755. Around 75 percent of apprehended/arrested were men primarily between the ages of 25 and 34 (Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) 2022).
Moving to Chicago
“When we decided to start creating podcasts, Abdurashid was living in New York and Shohruh was in Florida. We realized that to make this work, we needed to be in the same city and focus on the project together. That city turned out to be Chicago, which happened by chance.
One day, Abdurashid saw an advertisement for a newly constructed building in Naperville, a suburb of Chicago. He instantly decided to move there.
Since he really liked the area, he also invited Shohruh, who after visiting, decided to move as well.
After they both settled in Chicago, I decided to visit for two days to see if I liked it too. I checked out housing prices, living conditions, and agreements, and everything seemed good.
So, when I returned to New York, I started packing up and two weeks later, in May 2024, I moved my family to Chicago.
We love the city, and so do our kids. We don’t regret moving here at all.
The Uzbek community is also growing in Chicago, and many people are now organizing events and building a strong network. Overall, Chicago feels like a great place to live.”
Starting the Podcasting Project
“By June 2024, we had already bought the necessary equipment and officially launched our project. We named it “Chiqish,” which translates to “Exit” in English, and it is available on YouTube.
At first, this project wasn’t bringing us any money—quite the opposite, we were investing our own money into it. During the weekdays, we worked as Uber drivers, and then we dedicate one day a week to inviting guests and recording interviews about life in America—the challenges, the migration journey, and future plans.
Our goal was simple: to show the real America.
Interest in our podcast grew quickly, and our audience expanded rapidly. We started gaining more followers, and after just eight months, our YouTube channel reached 22,000 subscribers.
Many guests have come and gone—we’ve met many people, expanded our network, and built valuable connections. Thanks to this project, we’ve gained recognition and, most importantly, we’ve been able to help others.
We’ve always shared what we know, provided practical advice, and encouraged our guests do the same. The project is growing well, and we’re happy with its progress.
Now, we also have advertisers, and we’ve started earning money from the project.”
Taking on an Office Job in Chicago
“After working as an Uber driver for three months in Chicago, I received a job offer from a large Uzbek-owned trucking company to work in their Fleet Department. My job involves managing trucks, coordinating pickup and delivery of loads, and ensuring that deliveries run smoothly. Since I had experience with media and social media marketing (SMM), I also offered to manage the company’s digital presence. They liked my idea, so now, in addition to my main office job, I also handle their social media marketing.
Later, I brought in my friend, Shohruh, and now we both work for the same company. Our main income comes from this job, while our media and podcast work remains our passion project."
Learning English as an Immigrant
"My English is still not very good because I never studied it before coming to the United States. I was lazy, and that was my biggest mistake.
There’s a common myth that if you move to America, you’ll just pick up English naturally by living among Americans. But that’s not true. In reality, if you don’t know English, Americans won’t even hire you.
When I was a taxi driver in New York, I tried to improve my English by listening to audiobooks and making an effort to speak with passengers.
Right now, my English is not great, but not terrible either—just average. I can participate in everyday conversations, but I haven’t taken formal lessons. I want to study properly, but I don’t have time because in America, time is extremely valuable.
I want my wife to have the opportunity to study English in a structured way, so I purchased courses for her, which she is now taking at home.”
Differences and Similarities Between Life in Russia and the United States
Since 2010, the Russia-based Levada Center has conducted surveys on public attitudes toward migrants, non-Russian ethnicities, and religious groups living in Russia. One consistent finding is that negative attitudes toward Central Asians outweigh positive attitudes toward them. Central Asians frequently among the top three most disliked groups, competing with Romani and Africans depending on the survey year. In the latest April 2024 survey, 57 percent of Russians expressed a negative attitude toward Central Asians (Levada Center 2022, 2024).
“If I compare my living experience in Russia and the United States, the difference is like night and day.
In Russia, you are always seen as a foreigner—no matter where you go, you stand out among the Russian population. The nationalism in Russia is very strong, and even when people try to hide it, you can feel it. I never liked that part of Russia, and in my last years there, I felt the rising hostility toward migrants. Russians started to resent Uzbeks, saying things like "Uzbeks are taking over everything," and they would insult us calling us “blacks”.
In America, I never experienced anything like that. Here, even if you don’t speak English, people treat you with respect.
When I was driving a taxi, sometimes a passenger would say something to me in English, and I’d respond: "Sorry, I don’t understand, my English isn’t very good."
And instead of getting frustrated, they would say: "That’s okay! Where are you from?"
When I said Uzbekistan, they would even joke, "Well, I don’t speak Uzbek either!"
That kind of attitude was completely shocking to me.
I was so happy to see that even if you don’t speak the language, people respect you.
In contrast, in Russia, if a Russian passenger heard me speaking Uzbek on the phone, they would react negatively. They would say things like: "Why are you speaking your language in front of me? How do I know you’re not talking about me? If you’re in our country, speak our language!"
But in America, no one says that. Even if you don’t speak English well, people accept you as you are.
I adapted very quickly to life in the United States. After just one year, I already felt like I had lived here my whole life. My wife and I sometimes ask each other, “How did we adjust so fast?” It feels like we naturally became part of American life.
America really surprises you—the people here are different, and the mindset is different.
If we talk about similarities, in both places, if you work, you can survive, but the cost of living is different.
For example, in Uzbekistan, if you work as a regular taxi driver, you can live a basic life.
In Russia or the United States, the same profession allows you to live comfortably - you are not rich, but you are also above just getting by. The actual salaries needed to maintain that standard of living are very different: in the United States, you need $5,000 to $6,000 per month, while in Russia that amount is $1,000 to $1,500 per month.”
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