“Conquering America” is a noncommercial project that seeks to verify the existence of the American Dream. As a standard of success I have chosen the sum of one million dollars—to be earned 100% honestly.

Can someone “make it” starting from scratch, without outside support and depending on one’s own efforts, or is this merely a beautiful fairy tale? And is this possible in contemporary America? I have always been interested in the answer to this question. I have wanted to know whether it was really true that the super rich in the United States, such as Henry Ford and John Rockefeller, were “self-made” men, or were these stories concocted by them later. I don’t think anyone knew this for sure. Therefore, only by taking this path oneself could one get the answer.

In January 2007, I was presented with a unique opportunity to do this. I came to the USA in order to find a partner who would help me realize a serious IT-project. However, things developed in a way that forced me to stay here longer than intended. So I decided to spend time searching for an answer to the question: Does the American Dream really exist?

I am beginning my conquest of America from the very starting-line. The way I see it, my situation is even more complicated than that of the aforementioned gentlemen: They, after all, did at least have a good command of the English language. But I am not aiming at turning the world upside down as they did. To get an affirmative answer to my question, it will be sufficient for me to earn one million bucks—then I will be able to confirm the existence of the American Dream.

In this diary I shall include notes concerning my life in the USA and those steps which I am taking to fulfill my goal.