- [Interviewer] How do
you guys shop together?
(buzzing lips)
- I had to do some research first,
'cause I have to always find what's best.
- [Interviewer] So is that how you decide
on which Hot Pocket to get?
- Yes, literally.
(clapping beat)
(hip hop beat)
- I'm Melina.
- And I'm Kevin.
- I'm Brie.
- My names Ralen.
- I'm Rich.
- Bernice.
- We're engaged.
- We're married.
- We've been married for 23 years.
- [Interviewer] How old are you guys?
- I'm 28.
- I'm 24.
- I'm 19.
- I'm 19 too.
- [Interviewer] How long
have you guys been together?
- A year.
- Almost a year in March.
- Same thing.
- [Interviewer] Where are you from?
- From Chechnya, it's a Islamic Republic
in Southern Russian Federation.
- [Interviewer] What
brought you to The States?
- The war was happening
still a little bit,
so it was a little bit safer here.
- [Interviewer] Is there a big
cultural difference with
how you guys were raised?
- I would say so.
- I just feel like I had a
harder childhood then he had.
- [Interviewer] So you
think he grew up spoiled?
(laughing)
- Yes.
- [Interviewer] What does
$100 mean to you guys?
- I feel like normally when we spend $100
it's not ever on this much food.
We were kinda like wow we can
actually get a lot for $100.
- When you have a child, and
you have to make ends meat,
you could go to the cheapest store
and $100 barely stretched.
- [Interviewer] Let's
talk about the food here.
What do you think this
is a good reflection of?
- We love cereal.
- I drink a lot of Capri Suns.
- Sprite is my favorite drink.
- [Interviewer] It looks like
you guys eat like children.
- Everyone says that, we have
a mini fridge in our room,
and when my friends
come over they're like,
"Oh my god this is a
kindergartner's fridge"
- [Interviewer] Who
chose all the junk food?
- Me.
- Who do you think?
(laughing)
- Oreo's and energy drinks,
I have to have that.
- [Interviewer] Who here
is trying to bulk up
with that Muscle Milk?
(laughing)
- I'm not trying to bulk up, but I mean--
- I go to the gym more
often is the short answer
to that question.
- [Interviewer] What's
the most expensive thing
you guys got here?
- Probably like the Vegenaise.
I have a lot of health issues
related to having diagnosed bulimia.
Which is what led me to veganism.
- [Interviewer] He must
be vegan too, right?
- No.
- [Interviewer] What are dietary
restrictions for you guys?
- Coming from Islamic Republic, no pork.
- And also no marshmallow, or
anything with gelatin in it.
- You'd be surprised, it's in everything.
- Yeah, no alcohol.
- End of the day,
it's nice to wind down
with a glass of wine.
Especially with the salmon.
- [Interviewer] How do
you guys work together
when you're out shopping?
- I push the cart and
take care of the baby,
and she picks the food.
- I had to do some research first,
'cause I have to always find what's best.
- [Interviewer] So is that how you decide
on which Hot Pocket to get?
- Yes, literally.
- The angriest we've been
at each other I think,
has all been shopping experiences.
- I don't really go shopping
at a grocery store with a mission.
I just go for the experience.
- I go for the experience
of completing a mission.
- He lies sometimes.
- Sometimes, yeah.
Sometimes if it's something that I know
is definitely just a waste of money.
- Like "Oh there's gelatin in it."
And puts it back.
- Yeah, exactly.
(laughing)
- [Interviewer] What's
your living situation like?
- We live in a house.
- [Interviewer] Do you guys own it?
- She does.
(laughing)
- We've got three kids, a dog and a boat.
I mean we may look like the
American dream I suppose.
- Kind of the edge of town,
so we got lots of land around us.
- We live in a concrete box.
- Yep, a little studio.
- We live with my mom.
- We live with my parents.
- [Interviewer] Is it annoying
living at your parents place?
- It's pretty good, she
just gives us freedom.
- [Interviewer] Do you guys pay rent?
- No.
- No.
- [Interviewer] Does
that help you guys save?
- Yeah.
- It's helped me save, I mean.
- [Interviewer] Have you guys considered
a mutual bank account?
- Mhm.
- I dunno 'cause I feel like
you're gonna spend more money.
- I'm not though.
- [Interviewer] Who's worse with money?
- I dunno, I don't think
we've talked about this.
- I like to talk about money.
- I initially was not as open
about talking about finances.
- 'Cause he's like, this is America,
we don't talk about money.
- Four years ago we were
in the food bank line.
We starved.
- [Interviewer] Are you
guys on food stamps or?
- Yes, we receive EBT.
I've had people look at me and be like,
you don't deserve it because
you clearly had enough
to get this resolved.
Like that phone, that bag.
You don't know if those are gifts,
you don't know where that stuff came from
and with food stamps it
has helped us so much,
but it's supplemental, it's
not enough to live off of.
- How much do you make?
- I can't say.
- I'm pretty sure I saw
it through the email,
you're just telling me--
(mumbles)
26.50.
- [Interviewer] Is that
how much he makes an hour?
- Yeah.
- [Interviewer] Who does the cooking?
- She does.
- Typically me.
- I do.
- I cook.
- [Interviewer] Why do you cook?
A woman is supposed to cook right?
(laughing)
- No I would say--
- I could cook but I
don't think he'd like it.
- [Interviewer] Ask
her, do you find it sexy
when I cook for you?
(scoffs)
- Do you find it sexy when I cook for you?
- I don't know, it's kind
of expected at this point.
(laughing)
- [Interviewer] Do you guys eat together?
- We try to have dinner together
at least the nights that
we're home at the same time.
And we sit at the table.
We don't watch TV while eating.
- We love to gather around food,
and celebrate our family and friends.
- We're not the stereotypical
sit down, eat together family.
We'll eat upstairs, watch
something really quick.
- I have some military experience,
so food is subsistence.
- If we're sharing food I have to eat fast
because he eats so fast.
- [Interviewer] What
does food mean to you?
- I would say food is just a medium
for community, family.
- I kind of see food as
fuel, and nothing more.
- Food for me is always been something
that was used as punishment.
- [Interviewer] What do
you mean by punishment?
- If I ate too much of something,
you're getting too big,
or if you eat that you're gonna get fat.
Food is like, an enemy.
- [Interviewer] Do you
guys want to get married?
- Mhm.
- Yeah.
- [Interviewer] Have you
guys talked about it?
- Yeah.
- All the time.
- [Interviewer] Why do you
guys wanna get married?
(sighing)
- [Interviewer] You guys
are gonna get married.
- Yeah.
- [Interviewer] Kids?
- No.
- No.
(laughing)
I don't want to be responsible
for another human being.
- I can't even take care of a plant.
- We don't want to have kids in America.
We have certain religious values,
and we'd prefer to raise our kids
in an Islamic country or Republic.
- No, the kids are kind
of trying to go away,
and it's just us.
We're starting to have some fun,
and do some weekends away
and trips on our own.
- [Interviewer] What
keeps you guys together?
- We do have enough in common,
to feel comfortable
sharing our differences
and talking about them,
and trying to learn more
about ourselves and each other.
- We fight like cats and dogs.
I've said some things,
even in the past week
I think I've said I hate you.
But there are days where
you just say things
you don't mean and I can say
from the bottom of my heart
that I do love you, even
in those horrible fights.
- I love you.
- I love you too.
- I love you.
- I love you too.
- I love you.
(kissing)
- [Interviewer] All right, now make out
and we'll leave you guys alone.
(opening can)
- Ahh, mm.
(laughing)
(chuckling)
(opening package)
(kissing)
- Mmm, Muscle Milk.
(laughing)
(clinking glasses)
- [Both] Cheers.
(kissing)
(clapping beat)
