Meet Aleksandra Iurtsevich | American Student, Educator and Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aleksandra Iurtsevich and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aleksandra, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
When people ask me about my background, I always start with my family because that’s where everything begins. I grew up in a simple Russian-Ukranian household – nothing fancy, just genuine warmth and love that filled every corner of our home even when we were not at the easiest time. And right beside me through it all was my twin sister, my other half really, who made every childhood adventure twice as fun and every challenge half as scary.

You know how some families just have this special way about them? That’s mine. We’re this big, wonderful bunch where everyone has a story to tell and a shoulder to lean on. Our family gatherings were never quiet affairs – they were filled with conversation, laughter, and always, always too much food. Now that I’m far from home, I realize how much of who I am comes from those moments together. It’s in the way I connect with people, how I handle life’s ups and downs, and especially how I create my own little community wherever I go. When you grow up in a family where everyone faces life’s challenges together, you learn that there’s nothing quite as powerful as having people in your corner.

My journey began as a highly active student, participating in school governmental structures and organizing events. I was a camp leader and a volunteer in the neighborhood. This early leadership experience sparked a passion for bringing people together and creating engaging experiences for others. However, it was my English teacher who truly changed my flow of thoughts by inspiring me to pursue teaching as a career.
With a red diploma from Moscow City Teacher’s Training University and winning a couple of teaching-related contests, my career path seemed clear. I had opportunities to teach at prestigious institutions. Yet I had to give it up at the very last moment, because something inside me yearned for more than professional success – I wanted personal growth and real-world experience.

This led to my bold decision to leave everything behind and join the au pair program in the United States. This was not an easy decision to make. I have never been abroad, American embassy in Russia was closed due to the world circumstances, my international passport was empty and later expired, we did not have enough money, it took me a lot to get to another country for an embassy appointment and prove my intentions. I had to force myself to some changes, sometimes global. Eventually, I successfully flied to the states. Living with two different American families taught me lessons no classroom could offer. At first, such exchange programs seem to be very fulfilling and adventurous, people normally don’t think of them negatively. It is true, but there is reality to that as well. These experiences weren’t always easy – dealing with family dynamics, abuse, jealousy, and even being unfairly blamed for family’s misfortunes. While all of this was a part of it, those difficulties still shaped my understanding of human nature and resilience.

After transitioning to student status to study at an American language school, my goal wasn’t to improve my English but to understand the American approach to education from the inside. This period of my life brought unexpected changes: finding love, getting married, and building a new life in the United States.

Today, I haven’t taught English formally for two years, but my background has transformed into something more meaningful. I’ve discovered that authentic experiences are the best teachers. Through my blog, I share real stories about life in America, helping others learn English through practical situations rather than textbooks. And after all this, I have one amazing skill to offer (which i recently realized) – I am able to teach and I want to use this ability to share knowledge with people – even if that’s about immigration process and cultural adaptation.

In the end, I am who I am today, and I will admit, I have grown so much. I said it recently in one of my videos on Instagram that “no success is planned”. A couple of years ago I wouldn’t even imagine sitting here at this table and looking up me and my dear husband’s marriage pictures. I wouldn’t imagine going through so much hustle and bustle in life just by living here for one year. My journey was not linear or always easy, but each experience has contributed to who I am. I’ve learned that sometimes you need to let go of achievements and certainties to find your true path. Most importantly, I’ve discovered that genuine connections and honest sharing of experiences are more valuable than any formal credentials.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am at this stage in life where I can neither describe my way in one word or title, nor give my occupation a certain name. My journey is one of transformation, resilience, and finding purpose in unexpected places. It’s about how one step can turn your whole life around, in a way, you might have never imagined. For me, I was supposed to follow what I thought was already set up for me as a way forward – teaching, educating others and myself, raising a family in Russia and staying close to my family my whole life. But what my experience has shown and I want to propose to people around me now is that life’s most meaningful chapters often come from embracing the unplanned. When I left my teaching career in Russia, it wasn’t about giving up – it was about opening myself to new possibilities and experiences. All this actually led me to a deeper understanding of what it means to truly grow.

My journey of self-discovery began as an English teacher in Russia, where I spent five years building what I thought would be my lifelong career. I graduated with honors from Moscow City Teacher’s Training University and even won silver at WorldSkills Russia for online English teaching. Everything seemed set – I had the credentials, the experience, and a clear path forward.

But life had different plans. In 2023, I made a decision that would completely reshape my future: I joined the au pair program in America. While this transition wasn’t easy – I faced challenges with two different host families and had to navigate complex cultural dynamics – I won’t go in depths here because I would like to keep other families private. I earned 800$ a month and had to somehow balance between work and personal life. I found a lot of things disappointing, I had challenges with my health insurance, a completely new life, documents, adaptation and most importantly, sharing a life with unfamiliar people. There are few people who think of those challenges when it comes to exchange programs. Though, it’s the reality.

Even though it was a hard time, it taught me invaluable lessons about adaptability. I learnt not to give up. Later on, I transitioned to student status, enrolled in an English language school, and unexpectedly found love along the way. Now, I am a newly married immigrant, navigating the complex immigration process. Here, I’ve discovered a new purpose. I wanted to create a community where I can share my adventures honestly and genuinely and let people learn something they don’t know. So, even though during my stay here I had to set aside my teaching background and experiences into content creation. I’m building a platform and community where I share authentic stories about life in America, cultural adaptation, and language learning through real-life situations. My blog isn’t about presenting a polished, perfect image – it’s about showing the real journey of finding your place in a new world.

In the end, my story is about being able to let go and start from scratch. My experience has taught me that sometimes it is fine to:
– be uncertain and unprofessional
– start over in pursuit of something meaningful (or even meaningless)
– find new and unfamiliar ways to embrace and show your skills
– be open about both struggles and successes

What I want people to know about my journey and blog is that any success is never planned. Sometimes the most valuable growth comes from those moments when life completely turns around. Don’t be scared to start new adventures in life! Now, I am creating content that bridges the gap between textbook learning and real-life experience, helping others navigate their own journeys of adaptation and growth. Besides, I think I have come to what I finally wanted to do in life. I have always wanted to have knowledge that will be very close to language learning. Being here, it’s so inspiring to share! Even if my blog is freshly new.

I can’t simply call myself a teacher or a content creator – I’m somewhere in between, crafting a new self that encompasses both who I was and who I’m becoming. And that’s exactly what makes my story unique.

Here are my blogs and channels:
– alex.iurts on Instagram
– msalexandrai on Youtube
– alexiurts.usa on Tiktok

I am still growing but I am happy to be here and be able to share that!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I absolutely love road trips. Last year I took one of the best trips I have ever taken in my life. We had a drive from Los Angeles to Denver with a stop in Las Vegas and Moab. But if I were to take my friends there, I would expand it a little, starting off with San Francisco! This journey holds a special place in my heart, starting from San Francisco where I first arrived as an au pair. The city is just magical, with all those steep streets and beautiful views of the bay. You have to see the Golden Gate Bridge, of course, but what I really love is just wandering through different neighborhoods, especially ones that are not the most popular. For example, there is a unique clothes store on one of the street, which is family-owned, where I would definitely take my family and friends to appreciate small businesses.

Then comes the most beautiful drive down the Pacific Coast Highway to LA. Trust me, this route will take your breath away! The ocean views are incredible, and you can stop at these cute little coastal towns along the way. I’d definitely want to stop in Santa Monica – there’s just something so charming about that place, though it may be crowded! I love places where something might be happening when we come – an event or occasion. I would absolutely have a stroll along the bay.

Then we’d drive through the desert to Las Vegas, which is an experience in itself. The desert landscape is just incredible – it feels like you’re on another planet sometimes! I could not believe my eyes at times. When we drive, I would introduce my friends to authentic american gas stations – it may be silly for some people, but for me it’s another experience. In Las Vegas i would stop at the casino hotel and stroll around the shopping streets. Vegas is this explosion of lights and energy, completely different from anywhere else. Even if you don’t gamble, just walking the Strip at night is an experience. Meow Wolf is another spot that me and my husband love – it’s an artistic, and a very extraordinary place! I wish they had those in every state.

The final stretch to Colorado is probably my favorite part. You drive through Utah, and oh my goodness, the red rocks are just stunning. When you finally reach Colorado, seeing the Rocky Mountains appear on the horizon is just magical. I love how this whole trip shows you so many different sides of America – from ocean to desert to mountains, from busy cities to peaceful nature. In Colorado we would start with something huge, like downtown and local parks, as this state is the one I spent most time in. I don’t like places that might overwhelm my friends and family, so I would drive them to my, already, hometown – Lousville. There is this Moxie’s Bread coffee shop. I would love to give tones of appreciation to this location for the best atmosphere and coffee in town. I love that place and i have had the best conversations and dates with my partner there.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My deepest gratitude belongs to my husband, who turned my American journey into something unbelievable. When I was finding my way in this new country, he became my best friend and my strength. In moments of doubt, his belief was so strong. Every single day he is showing me that sometimes the bravest thing we can do is take a new step forward. That’s his vision in life. He is a CPO of an IT company and is largely involved in growth, personal enrichment and inspiration, finding difficult spots and resolving them. The way he inspires people is striking and he gives me a huge example on both communication and self-growth. They say timing is everything, and life has its own way of bringing us exactly where we need to be. The way we met and started dating was very unexpected. At times, we were desperate and sad, not ready to move on or fight. But we stood up for ourselves and decided that life is in our own hands. We faced judgment, doubt, and countless obstacles, but each challenge only proved what we already knew: when something is real, it’s worth fighting for! In finding him, everything is worth a journey and our feelings about this life are very mutual.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex.iurts/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandra-iurtsevich-8a7044325/?trk=opento_sprofile_topcard

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aleksandraiurts/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@msalexandrai

Other: I also have a Telegram account where anybody can text me starting from au pairs, immigrants, to future US students or just English learners! I will help any way I can. My nickname is @aulexxa