By Melda Sherman / ArtModernMiami Gazette
Melda SHERMAN/ Boston
In every era, the world witnesses individuals who step through invisible thresholds; leaving behind what was known in pursuit of what might be possible. Some relocate for opportunity, others for love, and some because the soul whispers, “It is time.”
In this feature, we present the story of a woman who crossed continents not to escape, but to expand, to reimagine herself under new skies. Her journey is not only geographical; it is creative, spiritual, and deeply human.
Anna SUDAREVAA
A Story That Begins in Quiet Places
Some beginnings are not loud. They bloom quietly, like wildflowers along fences, unnoticed until they’re remembered. Her story begins in Shadrinsk, a small Russian town tucked into the Trans-Ural region, where time seemed to move according to the rhythm of seasons.
“I grew up in a family of teachers; a home full of books, stories, and curiosity,” she recalls.
As a child, she dreamed of becoming a police officer, but life gently redirected her path toward law. Her true dreaming happened elsewhere — in her grandparents’ village. There, in the garden, she stitched dresses for dolls, invented worlds, and practiced the art of becoming someone new long before she knew she would need that skill.
“I think that’s where my love for dreaming — and reinventing myself — truly began.”
Family, Distance, and the Invisible Threads That Hold Us
She is a wife to Georgiy, a civil engineer with two degrees , a man who builds structures while she builds possibilities. She is also a mother to Viktor, 21, a student living and studying in Yekaterinburg. Distance stretches between them, but connection does not.
Pull-Quote: “Even though we live far from each other now, we stay very close.”
Families like this do not break; they expand.
Florida: A New Compass Point
Today, she calls Florida home; a place where sunlight paints the sidewalks and ocean air whispers renewal.
“Before coming here, I lived in different cities across the Ural region,” she says.
“That part of my life shaped who I was — this part is shaping who I am becoming.”
Russia
Florida
The Courage to Begin Again
Her professional past in Russia reads like a mosaic; law, banking, logistics, construction, entrepreneurship.
“I loved trying new things,” she admits. “It made me feel alive.”
But starting life in America meant dissolving old identities and beginning from the very first step.
“I’m working in cleaning now. It’s sincere work, and I’m grateful for it — but it’s not the end of my story.”
Pull-Quote: “It’s just one step. Not the final destination.”
The Hardest Part: Silence
The greatest struggle was not loneliness, it was language.
“I’m such a social person. I love talking, laughing, connecting,” she says.
“And suddenly, I couldn’t express myself. It felt like having wings but not being able to fly.”
Yet something remarkable happened: A quiet realization that new beginnings are possible at any age, at any stage.
“I understood I was not too late, not too old, and not too afraid.”
Finding Her Place in a New World
How does one find balance between two cultures, two languages, two worlds? Her answer is beautifully simple:
“I stay curious. I stay grateful. I stay myself.”
She doesn’t try to erase her past or disguise her roots. Instead, she carries them like art ;visible, intentional, honored.
Pull-Quote: “Balance comes when you accept both your past and your future at the same time.”
Advice for the Ones Standing at the Edge of Change
“Never give up. Be brave. Be honest. Be kind. Believe in goodness and in miracles ; they really exist.
“When you stay open to the world, the world opens back to you.”
A Dream Meant to Heal
Her future is guided by a mission: to open a rehabilitation center that helps people recover both physically and emotionally.
“I want to give people strength,” she says. “I’m studying now;learning everything I can.”
This dream is not abstract; it is already forming its outlines, like a sketch waiting for color.
Five Years From Now
She sees herself speaking fluent English, helping people regain their health, and living a life grounded in purpose.
“In five years, I want to feel fully at home ; both inside and outside.”
Anna SUDAREVAA
If the Whole World Could Listen
What would she say if every person on the planet paused to hear her voice? She doesn’t hesitate:
“Don’t be afraid to start again. New beginnings are not a punishment — they are a gift.”
Thank you Anna for this great interview:)
Melda Sherman
Instagram: meldasherman Facebook: Melda Sherman
