---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I consider myself Russian-American…"
description: "\"I consider myself Russian-American because I'm American by ethnicity and by passport, but I spent all my forming years over in the former Soviet Union ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/lana-14216_american_i-consider-myself-russian-american-becau_299345.jpg"
---

#  I consider myself Russian-American because I'm American by…

![“I consider myself Russian-American because I'm American by ethnicity and by passport, but I spent all my forming years over in the former Soviet Union in a Russian school. I never went to an American school. There was a lot of culture shock when I moved back to the States when I was 17.” quote by Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/lana-14216_american_i-consider-myself-russian-american-becau_299345.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/lana-14216_american_i-consider-myself-russian-american-becau_299345.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/lana-14216_american_i-consider-myself-russian-american-becau_299345.jpg)

> “I consider myself Russian-American because I'm American by ethnicity and by passport, but I spent all my forming years over in the former Soviet Union in a Russian school. I never went to an American school. There was a lot of culture shock when I moved back to the States when I was 17.”

[Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Cultural identity can be complex, blending ethnicity, nationality, and personal experience, especially after migration.

**In simple terms:** Identity mixes ethnicity, passport, and upbringing.

Key Takeaway

Embrace multifaceted cultural background.

Themes

identity migration culture shock

Mood

introspective curious

Type

personal reflective

When to use this quote

- education
- community building
- personal narrative

Key Concepts

nationality ethnicity acculturation

Questions to Reflect On

- How does your background shape your worldview?
- What aspects of each culture do you value?

A Different Perspective

Navigating multiple identities may cause inner conflict.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [American Ethnicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-ethnicity-2863366/) [Consider Russian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consider-russian-2863367/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Culture shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture-shock/) [Ethnicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethnicity/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Russian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russian/) [Russian American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/russian-american-359851/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Soviet union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soviet-union/)

## Related quotes

> [You see the one thing I've always maintained is that I'm an American Indian. I'm not a Native American. I'm not politically correct. Everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/you-see-the-one-thing-i-ve-always-maintained-is-that-i-m-an-american/)

[Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/)

> [We have seen very clearly over these past years that there are quite a few people who are sceptical, or let us put it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-have-seen-very-clearly-over-these-past-years-that-there-are-quite/)

[Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/)

> [ It is well known, widely known that the US President-elect \[Donald Trump\] has publicly spoken in favour of normalising Russian-American relations. We cannot but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/it-is-well-known-widely-known-that-the-us-president-elect-donald/)

[Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/)

> [There's not a whole lot of similarity between the two societies, Russian and American. There are similarities behind psychological forces. One thing we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masha-gessen/there-s-not-a-whole-lot-of-similarity-between-the-two-societies/)

[Masha Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masha-gessen/)

> [I am white. I am Jewish. I am an immigrant. I am a Russian American. But until recently I haven't focused so much on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-boot/i-am-white-i-am-jewish-i-am-an-immigrant-i-am-a-russian-american-but/)

[Max Boot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-boot/)

> [We believe Russian-American relations are broader and larger than emotions and mutual grudges, including the situation with the U.S. fugitive Edward Snowden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lavrov/we-believe-russian-american-relations-are-broader-and-larger-than/)

[Sergei Lavrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lavrov/)

> [I foresee death by culture shock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-foresee-death-by-culture-shock/)

[Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/)

> [Hereditary monarchy offers numerous advantages for America. It is the only form of government able to unify a heterogeneous people. Thanks to centuries of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-king/hereditary-monarchy-offers-numerous-advantages-for-america-it-is-the/)

[Florence King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-king/)

> [The NBA is a culture shock for college kids, and even more so for kids from another country. The NBA is a unique environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-ainge/the-nba-is-a-culture-shock-for-college-kids-and-even-more-so-for-kids/)

[Austin Ainge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-ainge/)

> [New York was my first stop after school because I thought Los Angeles would be too much of culture shock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-bomer/new-york-was-my-first-stop-after-school-because-i-thought-los-angeles/)

[Matthew Bomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-bomer/)

> [I think I did experience culture shock. When I first arrived in Boston, I was basically told to go home. "Homeboy" is what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-biespiel/i-think-i-did-experience-culture-shock-when-i-first-arrived-in-boston/)

[David Biespiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-biespiel/)

> [We moved to Gambia from Sweden when I was six years old because my dad was from there. It was definitely a culture shock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/we-moved-to-gambia-from-sweden-when-i-was-six-years-old-because-my/)

[Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/)

> [The idyllic mayhem of two cultures colliding just doesn't seem as funny anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kidd/the-idyllic-mayhem-of-two-cultures-colliding-just-doesn-t-seem-as/)

[Kris Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kidd/)

> [Growing up in Bombay made me immune to culture shock, in a way. So, culture shock is not part of my DNA.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freida-pinto/growing-up-in-bombay-made-me-immune-to-culture-shock-in-a-way-so/)

[Freida Pinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freida-pinto/)

> [So I was really excited when I came to America about meeting black people. But it was a huge culture shock, because I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-turner-smith/so-i-was-really-excited-when-i-came-to-america-about-meeting-black/)

[Jodie Turner-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-turner-smith/)

## More by Lana

> [Oh my gosh, I was so nervous at Wrestlemania when I debuted. I never had a live match ever. I'd had practice matches, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/oh-my-gosh-i-was-so-nervous-at-wrestlemania-when-i-debuted-i-never/)

[Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

> [I know I can fight. I know I have kicks that can destroy people. Just because I haven't gotten in the ring in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/i-know-i-can-fight-i-know-i-have-kicks-that-can-destroy-people-just/)

[Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

> [When I look at Stephanie McMahon's entire career, I'm always blown away at how she just moves your soul. Literally, my heart is moved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/when-i-look-at-stephanie-mcmahon-s-entire-career-i-m-always-blown/)

[Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

> [I love WWE so much. There is no greater love than the WWE Universe. I know we are in a love-hate relationship, but at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/i-love-wwe-so-much-there-is-no-greater-love-than-the-wwe-universe-i/)

[Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

> [It was always a dream for me to do my debut match at WrestleMania, and people would laugh at me. People would laugh at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/it-was-always-a-dream-for-me-to-do-my-debut-match-at-wrestlemania-and/)

[Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

> [I have been a professional dancer and athlete my entire life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/i-have-been-a-professional-dancer-and-athlete-my-entire-life/)

[Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

> [Never be ashamed from your self , always be proud with ur flaws , cuz somtimes flaws are helpful , like me I'm short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/never-be-ashamed-from-your-self-always-be-proud-with-ur-flaws-cuz/)

[Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

> [I love the beach; I grew up on the Baltic Sea. I love the beach. I love the water. I love surfing and swimming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/i-love-the-beach-i-grew-up-on-the-baltic-sea-i-love-the-beach-i-love/)

[Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

> [People love a good scandal. We love a good freakin' scandal and a good soap opera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/people-love-a-good-scandal-we-love-a-good-freakin-scandal-and-a-good/)

[Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

> [I love performing and entertaining, but what I want to really share is a stronger voice to the people and empower women to show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/i-love-performing-and-entertaining-but-what-i-want-to-really-share-is/)

[Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

> [There was a lot of prejudice towards Russians in Latvia. When I went to school, often Latvians didn't like me, and Russians and Latvians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/there-was-a-lot-of-prejudice-towards-russians-in-latvia-when-i-went/)

[Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

> [Do what your heart say , and never listen to what they are saying cuz all of'em are jealous and they want you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/do-what-your-heart-say-and-never-listen-to-what-they-are-saying-cuz/)

[Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

> [I always believe shooting for the stars, and at the very least, you can land on the moon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/i-always-believe-shooting-for-the-stars-and-at-the-very-least-you-can/)

[Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

> [I grew up in Russia. I grew up in Latvia, to be exact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/i-grew-up-in-russia-i-grew-up-in-latvia-to-be-exact/)

[Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

> [With WWE, I got this audition and thought there was no way that I was going to actually get the job. They were doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/with-wwe-i-got-this-audition-and-thought-there-was-no-way-that-i-was/)

[Lana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

[Explore all 47 Lana quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/)

## More American quotes

> [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/)

[Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/)

> [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/)

[Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/)

> [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/)

[Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/)

> [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/)

[Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/)

> [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/)

[H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/)

> [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/)

[Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/)

> [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/)

[Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/)

> [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/)

[William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/)

> [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/)

[Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/)

> [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/)

[Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/)

> [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/)

[Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/)

> [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/)

[Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/)

> [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/)

[Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/)

> [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/)

[Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/)

> [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/)

[Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/)

[Browse all 7,717 American quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I consider myself Russian-American because I'm American by ethnicity and by passport, but I spent all my forming years over in the former Soviet Union in a Russian school. I never went to an American school. There was a lot of culture shock when I moved back to the States when I was 17.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Lana"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/i-consider-myself-russian-american-because-i-m-american-by-ethnicity/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "American"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/i-consider-myself-russian-american-because-i-m-american-by-ethnicity/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/lana-14216_american_i-consider-myself-russian-american-becau_299345.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/lana-14216_american_i-consider-myself-russian-american-becau_299345.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d18/lana-14216_american_i-consider-myself-russian-american-becau_299345.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I consider myself Russian-American because I'm American by ethnicity and by passport, but I spent all my…” — Lana",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Lana",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I consider myself Russian-American because I'm...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/i-consider-myself-russian-american-because-i-m-american-by-ethnicity/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana/i-consider-myself-russian-american-because-i-m-american-by-ethnicity/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
