Recommendation from US Professor for US-Uni?

[villina]

I finished my 'specialist' degree (as we hadn't Bachelor's and Master's back in those times yet) in Russia and currently doing 'PhD' (again, 'candidate', which is supposedly the analogouos degree) in Philosophy in one of Moscow's University. I am supposed to finish it approximately in 2013.

As my husband now studying Economics in Texas University in Austin, I am thinking about applying for Anthropology programm there and for several other places as it won't hurt. (Everyone has a right to be rejected by Stanford once, right?)

I have a feeling that I would not have good enough recommendations, because I really doubt American Professors would know ours. In addition, the fields that I'm choosing (Anthropology in some places and Slavic Studies in others) are not very closely related with Philosophy, so even if some of my teachers are comparatively well-known figures in Philosophy (again, which I doubt), there is possibly no chance someone will know them in Anthropology or in Slavic Studies Depts.

I actually have the agreements with our dean, with my scientific advisor and with a head of foreign relationships' department of Philosophy Department (hm, did I make myself clear?). They all Professors and all, but should I go with them?

During the year of living in Austin I didn't succeed in building strong frienships with Professors who teach here, partly because I am busy with 3-year-old son, partly because they are really hard to deal with, while you are not a student. They typically didn't respond to my emails, arrangements about the meetings failed without explanaitions, and so on.

I have only one good friend who is willing to give me recommendation here in US, but she is not Professor, only a lecturer, and I wasn't her student - we actually only shared some thoughts related to our common subject, she is just willing to help. She knows some of my publications, so I am not denying that she possibly can give me a good recommendation. At least, she knows the rules, what would be hard to say about my Professors - some of them don't even have their own email-addresses. Would they be able to fill the forms?

Should I ask her? Should I stick to my old dear Professors? The Universe, give me your answer. I'm waiting in the darkness for your replay.

Edited June 28, 2012 by villina