I have no relatives in Russia but felt always the culture close to me. I spent on year in Moscow at the KGB school.
I missed my wife left at home with my three year old daughter and my just born son. I spoke a pretty good Russian. Later on international events in Hungary or even in the States I was frequently asked to interpret between Russian and English. I enjoyed being the "bridge".
I will write about my "scholarship". My urge was to tolerate the dogmatic old guard, while cherish the friendship with the smart younger ones.
No contact remained after 52 years with any of them, and my Russian is deeply rusted, to say the best.
Last night I listened to Chaikovskiy's violin concerto played by Russian virtuoso Vengerov. ( his name means Hungarian in Russian)
Dear Zsolt, Such a joy reading your messages as they touch my heart! My father also studied in Russia but he was in Tsarskoe Selo/Puskin where it was a special post college type of place for army lieutenants. My father was the best in his army school in Romania and was one of a handful of people earning a place in this one year course. Your experience must have been so interesting but I can imagine how stressful it must have been for your dear wife! It is so so much to admire about the Russian culture, about the whole history and people. I love your metaphor … being a bridge between cultures. Yes a lovely position to find yourself in. Everywhere one goes one finds dogmatic individuals, people who stop any progress and thankfully there are also the more open minded ones who bring balance in life and make a difference if allowed. Hugs from England!
I visited before left the SU for home in 1972. The Russian culture and science was top notch but Stalin's cruelty poisoned it.
My dear wife Nelly was a talented young kid in ballet, but due to a ridiculous anatomical problem, she could not continue after 8 years of age. Her tip-toe was 1 cm farther from a second toe as it should have been. It made her unfit to make the million pirouettes a ballerina is facing.
We saw Russian ballet whenever we had a chance, including the Kirov ballet in Leningrad.
I return your hug which in reality is always a tight one.
Yes, I am well aware of how cruel was Stalin! It was as always with such autocratic states a time of challenges and also incredible human resilience and creativity. I don’t know about you my dear soul father but I find that challenging times make creative people incredibly productive. Look at the film industry, theatre, ballet, paintings and so on. I’ve witnessed the transition in Romania after 1990 and what came was so low quality it was scary. Everybody (in the past) used to say … oo if only we had the freedom to create what we want. Ha ha ha … the reality was completely the opposite. Even the sense of humour died a slow death after the revolution. This is a subject I will explore in one of my blogs. Another thing in common …I have also been to ballet classes until I started school. Stopped because it was nobody to take me to the classes and cried my eyes out. I can imagine your lovely wife being heartbroken. Our bodies are sometimes against what we want to do in life. Never been to a ballet performance in Russia but many times in Romania. Still love it and I watch it on YouTube. Watch out! A mega hug is coming your way!
My lovely soul father our hearts are in sync indeed. I have tears in my eyes…… you know Tsarkoe Selo!!!!!! One of the places where I left a bit of. my heart, a place where I felt how having an extended family feels like! Tsarskoe Selo and Orel are the only two places on earth where I touched on the concept of family. I can count those moments on my 10 fingers but I did feel the feelings and it was/ is priceless.
It was a unique trip after our ten month "academic" year at the KGB school's special education only for us, annually around 10 Hungarian officers. We got scholarship money, steeply depending on our ranks. My roommate and I were lieutenants, getting much less than our elders. After the 10 months every officer could invite his wives and take a 10 days' paid vacation. (No female officers were in those years.)
We two couldn't afford Crimea, but could arrange the Leningrad area. My wife could bring Csilla, our marvellous daughter, 3,5 yo then. Those ten days will always be remembered
That you have such a deep feeling for Russian and Russia is no surprise. As your early years unfold in your Soul to Soul stories it is clear that your extended family in Russia is the only family you have ever really known and allowed into the space in your memory reserved for happiness. The tragedy of Europe is that Russia is a part of who we are. The richness of its culture sits comfortably with the classical cultures of Western Europe, its love of sports is repeated everywhere along the Atlantic coastline, the ability of Russian young to party is matched as equals by the young of Western Europe, and so the similarities go on and on. It is a tragedy that forces outside Europe have conspired to separate us. P
Karina,
I have no relatives in Russia but felt always the culture close to me. I spent on year in Moscow at the KGB school.
I missed my wife left at home with my three year old daughter and my just born son. I spoke a pretty good Russian. Later on international events in Hungary or even in the States I was frequently asked to interpret between Russian and English. I enjoyed being the "bridge".
I will write about my "scholarship". My urge was to tolerate the dogmatic old guard, while cherish the friendship with the smart younger ones.
No contact remained after 52 years with any of them, and my Russian is deeply rusted, to say the best.
Last night I listened to Chaikovskiy's violin concerto played by Russian virtuoso Vengerov. ( his name means Hungarian in Russian)
Dear Zsolt, Such a joy reading your messages as they touch my heart! My father also studied in Russia but he was in Tsarskoe Selo/Puskin where it was a special post college type of place for army lieutenants. My father was the best in his army school in Romania and was one of a handful of people earning a place in this one year course. Your experience must have been so interesting but I can imagine how stressful it must have been for your dear wife! It is so so much to admire about the Russian culture, about the whole history and people. I love your metaphor … being a bridge between cultures. Yes a lovely position to find yourself in. Everywhere one goes one finds dogmatic individuals, people who stop any progress and thankfully there are also the more open minded ones who bring balance in life and make a difference if allowed. Hugs from England!
Karina, my dear daughter! Our hearths seem to click in sync. Tsarskoe Selo is a fine place, I visited
I visited before left the SU for home in 1972. The Russian culture and science was top notch but Stalin's cruelty poisoned it.
My dear wife Nelly was a talented young kid in ballet, but due to a ridiculous anatomical problem, she could not continue after 8 years of age. Her tip-toe was 1 cm farther from a second toe as it should have been. It made her unfit to make the million pirouettes a ballerina is facing.
We saw Russian ballet whenever we had a chance, including the Kirov ballet in Leningrad.
I return your hug which in reality is always a tight one.
Yes, I am well aware of how cruel was Stalin! It was as always with such autocratic states a time of challenges and also incredible human resilience and creativity. I don’t know about you my dear soul father but I find that challenging times make creative people incredibly productive. Look at the film industry, theatre, ballet, paintings and so on. I’ve witnessed the transition in Romania after 1990 and what came was so low quality it was scary. Everybody (in the past) used to say … oo if only we had the freedom to create what we want. Ha ha ha … the reality was completely the opposite. Even the sense of humour died a slow death after the revolution. This is a subject I will explore in one of my blogs. Another thing in common …I have also been to ballet classes until I started school. Stopped because it was nobody to take me to the classes and cried my eyes out. I can imagine your lovely wife being heartbroken. Our bodies are sometimes against what we want to do in life. Never been to a ballet performance in Russia but many times in Romania. Still love it and I watch it on YouTube. Watch out! A mega hug is coming your way!
My lovely soul father our hearts are in sync indeed. I have tears in my eyes…… you know Tsarkoe Selo!!!!!! One of the places where I left a bit of. my heart, a place where I felt how having an extended family feels like! Tsarskoe Selo and Orel are the only two places on earth where I touched on the concept of family. I can count those moments on my 10 fingers but I did feel the feelings and it was/ is priceless.
The fact I know Tsarskoe Selo means we spent there a full day in the Summer of 1972. Next day Ekaterinsky Dvorec, Puskin, etc.
It must have been a memorable day dear Zsolt! I wish I could go back!
It was a unique trip after our ten month "academic" year at the KGB school's special education only for us, annually around 10 Hungarian officers. We got scholarship money, steeply depending on our ranks. My roommate and I were lieutenants, getting much less than our elders. After the 10 months every officer could invite his wives and take a 10 days' paid vacation. (No female officers were in those years.)
We two couldn't afford Crimea, but could arrange the Leningrad area. My wife could bring Csilla, our marvellous daughter, 3,5 yo then. Those ten days will always be remembered
That you have such a deep feeling for Russian and Russia is no surprise. As your early years unfold in your Soul to Soul stories it is clear that your extended family in Russia is the only family you have ever really known and allowed into the space in your memory reserved for happiness. The tragedy of Europe is that Russia is a part of who we are. The richness of its culture sits comfortably with the classical cultures of Western Europe, its love of sports is repeated everywhere along the Atlantic coastline, the ability of Russian young to party is matched as equals by the young of Western Europe, and so the similarities go on and on. It is a tragedy that forces outside Europe have conspired to separate us. P