Georgia that paid for tuition for graduate school
to anyone who would teach middle or high
school math. “In Russia, you can’t go to school
past the age of thirty-five. I was surprised
because I was already forty-two. I thought, “I
could do that.”
Even though Inna had two masters and
what would be the equivalent of a Ph.D. in the
United States, she would need an education
degree. “I sent my documents to some kind
of agency, and there was no equivalent for
some transcripts of my classes.” Her first idea
was to get a masters in math education even
though her actual education was higher. But
48 Toombs County Magazine
first, Inna would have to pass the G.R.E., a
graduate admissions test. The math would
be no problem. But the English was another
thing altogether. Those few lessons she had
received in exchange for her washing machine
were basic at best. “My English was horrible,”
said Inna, “and I barely passed that part.
Thankfully, I could understand and read more
than I could say.”
Inna was accepted into the College of
Education at Georgia Southern University
and started classes. Almost immediately,
someone came to one of her classes and
escorted her to meet with Dr. Yingknang Hu,
Inna and Darel
met through a
mutual friend
while she was
teaching at
Georgia Southern.
Not long after,
they married at
Sweetheart Circle
on the GSU front
campus.