Firstly, I must say it feels good to relax and not to have those anxieties about whether she has responded to the email or not. Two years of searching were good and the experience is invaluable. I hope I won't have to call on this experience again!
This question has been inspired by what Pin Boy said about issues faced by teenage children that accompany their parents when they move west. My stepson is 14 and I can tell you that he is an excellent boy. The contrast between him and my own 14 year old cannot be stacker, the only worry I have is that he is too dependent on his mother. By this, I mean he is slow in making friends and thinks the western boys are too rowdy and have no respect for adults. He thinks teachers give too much freedom to the pupils.
It would be nice to hear from those that have had experiences with teenagers from the FSU. I feel he will not be 'street-wise' and might find it difficult to exert himself when his mother is not there. I try to discourage his mother from choosing clothes for him.