At the time there were two issues:
- (I think) school teachers were better paid than now, relative to the average population
- People in communism mostly knew the US through Hollywood films, which portray a way more glitzy version reality. Especially so in the 80s in popular sitcoms like Dallas.
> we will all have the dignified life of middle class westerners
What a sad irony. If he was a highschool teacher in the US as now he could be struggling to pay rent and medical bills and get more or less the same "respect".