Madina was born on February 20, 1997, in the village of Baltabay, located in the Jeti-Oguz district of the Issyk-Kul region.
“I currently work in the delivery sector, but I used to have an online store in Bishkek where I sold women's scarves and headbands that I sewed myself. I continue to sell scarves here,” she shares.
She graduated from the Kyrgyz Economic University named after Musa Ryskulbekov with a degree in accounting, auditing, and analysis. After completing her studies, she worked for three years in a private company before going on maternity leave.
During her maternity leave, Madina became interested in the beauty industry, completed several courses in makeup, hairstyles, color theory, eyelash extensions, and manicure, and received several certificates.
“When I was expecting my second child, I was very active, going out on orders for eyelash extensions. Just 10 days after giving birth, I started my business selling scarves. Sometimes I took my daughter with me to deliver orders,” she recalls.
She and her husband always dreamed of moving to America. Before their wedding, he tried many times to get a visa, and Madina was also preparing documents. However, at that moment, she met her husband and chose love.
They applied for a green card for three years, and only on the third attempt did her husband win. In 2022, when the results were announced, he was in Jalal-Abad, and she was in the village. They found out when he called to check the results. At that time, her husband was planning to go to the UK for strawberry picking, but there were problems with his passport, which caused them concern. After checking the documents through an agency, they received an invitation for an interview and successfully passed all checks.
On April 11, 2023, after years of waiting, their dream came true, and they moved to America. “This year marks three years since we have been living here,” she emphasizes.
According to Madina, Philadelphia is a suitable city for new immigrants. “Life here is easier than in other major cities, and rent is relatively affordable. There are many people from Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, although our community is not as large as in Chicago,” she notes.
“People here are open, smile, and greet even strangers. No one pays attention to how you are dressed or what you drive. The shopping malls are very convenient—you can buy everything from bread to electronics. But it’s difficult without a car, as the distances are large,” Madina adds.
She also noted that most houses are built from wooden frames and drywall: “Every room has smoke detectors— even with a little smoke, they start working.”
The move to America was not easy. To rent an apartment, they had to pay three months' rent in advance. “We bought groceries, paid for the car in installments, and we had only $20 left. My husband didn’t find a job right away. Fortunately, he got a construction job three days later. Once we couldn’t pay the rent on time, but our landlord, who came from Indonesia, turned out to be very kind. She helped me, and together we cleaned the house and earned money,” she recounts.
“Our third child was born here, and he became a U.S. citizen. We are gradually getting used to new acquaintances and our surroundings,” she adds.
In Philadelphia, there is a Kyrgyz community, and they celebrate holidays such as Orozo Ait and Nooruz by gathering together. In her free time, Madina goes to the gym, takes care of her health, and looks after her children.
“Our main goal is to become financially independent and purchase a house in Kyrgyzstan. This year marks 8 years since my husband and I have been together. Now we are raising three children,” Madina concludes.
