Financial independence is definitely going to be big here. As long as they are paying for you, you are going to feel beholden to them. So, you need financial independence as quickly as possible. I'd say take their advice on where to live, as they will know way more about finding a home at this point. Make sure though that they see it just as advice, it may help to just refuse to rent their favorite place, even if you like it, so that they can see that you want to be making this decision. Financially, I'm not sure how it is in Russia, but in the US, writing books isn't generally something you can count on for a steady income unless you are an experienced and rather well known writer. Once you finish the books, you'll be lucky to find an agent within the first 50 tries. They then have to try to find a publisher, which could take another long while. The advances for new authors will be small, if any, and most of the hard work (like promotion, getting reviews, sometimes even stocking it in bookstores) will fall on you. The royalties will be miniscule once they start to come in. kleinbl00 and _refugee_ are two people here who are active in the American writing community that can hopefully correct any mistakes I made here. If you are looking at doing translating though, freelancing is always an option. There are plenty of sites online want to facilitate working freelance, like Fivver, and you can always set up your own website with a portfolio and contact info. I can speak for the financial implications really, but because it is freelance work, you can accept the gigs you can manage. There is also a smaller need for credentials, being a linguistics student will be plenty for most the people who need a freelancer. Plus, it seems like you have a very solid grasp of English; I didn't realize you were Russian untill you started #russiabynatives. Beyond that, you'll likely be looking at teenager jobs, but they may be necessary to make your way. I think you'd find your independence worth it.
It's true in Russia as well, which is why I a) aim for the English-speaking market first, b) plan to self-publish online, at least at first. I realize that this will require quite a bit of publicity to kick in, and I have no idea even where to start with that. I mean, by the time I'll finish the books I'll probably have hundreds of followers under #russiabynatives (who isn't interested?), so that'd be a good start. Well... I guess I have some time to figure it out. As for the jobs - the university I apply to has a department to get their students employed, which I intend to use. Shit, this is probably going to be tough, but hey, you're right: I like my independance and self-sustainance. Anyway, thanks for stopping by. I appreciate it.I'm not sure how it is in Russia, but in the US, writing books isn't generally something you can count on for a steady income unless you are an experienced and rather well known writer